Garden Progress- Day 99

I've had my little patio/deck garden going for 99 days.  Tomorrow will be 100.  :)

So far I've had: 

*19 tomatoes come off my patio garden tomato plant....mostly eaten by me, a few given away to friends

*I've killed 2 pepper plants (red bell and green bell)

*Had a starter basil plant that took off and keeps on giving fresh basil

*Had some cute red zinna's that dried up and died

What's left:

*Tomato plant, with a few tomatoes still growing

*Green Bell Pepper plant

*Basil plant

*Yellow Marigolds

So, this evening I decided to check my plants.  This pepper plant has been very healthy.  It's got a lot of leaves and small peppers.  Lately, I've noticed that the leaves look like something is eating them.  And the plant is getting so heavy now that it's leaning.  I gently straightened the plant and try piling more soil around it to help it.  Then I noticed a fist size pepper.  I hadn't even seen him before.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  I called Nate to come look.  He was amazed and as excited as I was.  

Then we saw something else and I wanted to puke.......

A nasty huge horned caterpillar.  GROSS. GROSS. GROSS. This is the dirty culprit!  He or she has been eating the leaves on my tomato plant and now my pepper plant too.  Hmmmmm.......Maybe that's what killed my other pepper plants?  Well Nate, plucked off the thing and then we found another, that he plucked off too.  He said they were on there pretty good.  Gross.

From the internets, it seems that these caterpillars come out in the  late evening.  They are a gardening nuisance.  Most people pluck them off and squish them or give them to the birds.  I've never checked my plants late into the evening, so that's why I've never noticed them.  And they blend in with the plant.  Sneaky little things.

Here's the backside of the patio garden.  Look at that pepper!  :)  He is healthy as of right now.

Here's the frontal view......My tomato plant is looking really pathetic.  :(  It's got to be from the stupid caterpillars.

I guess all I can do is to hope for the best for my little garden and just keep plucking off those pesky caterpillars.