Insects eating ground cherry leaves

What is eating my Ground Cherry leaves? I planted a few ground cherries this year after reading some of your posts about them. I had never tried them before, but they are wonderful and we intend to grow more next year. However, this year although we got fruit, something was eating away at the leaves. I do not know what this may have been, they seemed to be some sort of tiny worms that ate the leaves starting at the edges and kept going. Can you tell me what these might be, and what I can do to prevent this next year?

Sandie Knight
South Berwick, Maine

There are a lot of “tiny worms” that will eat ground cherry leaves but the cure is the same. Get some Thuricide, a brand name for Bt, which is a type of bacteria that ONLY affects leaf-eating insects and caterpillars. You mix it with water and spray on the plants, taking care to get underneath the leaves as well. You will have to spray after heavy rains or overhead watering but it is very effective. This is also good for cabbage worms and we use it on years when they are a pests, like this year! It will not hurt beneficial insects, butterflies, pets, birds, earthworms, or you. — Jackie

Stanley plums

I planted 2 Stanley plum trees 11 years ago. They have had little plums for the last few years that would fall offf when they were tiny. This year they are getting the right size but still falling off before ripening. If I pick from the tree and lay out in the garage, on window sills, or in the greenhouse will they ripen? Any suggestions to get fruit?

My Rosa plums are coming on now–VERY GOOD!!

Joline Fleming
Rossiter, Pennsylvania

I’d check the plums that have fallen for any damage such as the tiny, dark, crescent-shaped scars made by the plum curculio, a common pest of both plums and apricots. If so, I’d suggest using Surround at blossom time, then several times after, especially after rains. Surround is a kaolin based natural clay that mixes with water and is applied with a garden sprayer to the entire tree. It creates a whitish film that usually prevents damage. If the fruit looks perfect, the tree may be stressed. Shedding fruit is a natural way of helping the tree deal with this stress. This is often hot, dry weather or lack of nutrition. Be sure to soak the ground around the trees with a hose at least once a week, more often if it’s hot and dry and your soil is porous. The trees may also need fertilizer. We apply about a foot of rotted manure around each of our trees out to the drip line, each spring. This compost also acts as a mulch, helping our gravelly soil retain moisture from both rain and watering.
Lastly, thinning your plums when they are quite small will also help relieve over-bearing stress on your trees. Just pluck off extra plums, leaving about one every hand-width to go on and mature.

You might get by, thinning your plums now. I doubt that they will ripen off the tree but I would sure try it! I’m happy to hear your other plums are doing well. They’re so good! — Jackie

Butchering chickens

I butchered an old laying hen who no longer lays eggs. Even after simmering the meat for broth the meat was tough. How can I tenderize an old hen?

Karen Baldi
Montezuma, New Mexico

Did you cool the carcass after you butchered your hen? You need to cool a butchered bird for at least 24 hours after butchering to get the most tender meat. Then just simmer the meat for several hours at low temperature. I do mine in a stockpot or Dutch oven on my wood cook stove. You can also use a covered crockpot — this usually does the job. Canning will also tenderize a tougher bird, but you still should cool the carcass. — Jackie