And, following Bluaussi's sterling example, I will throw in a free pack of ground squirrels to the first ten posters who reply to this thread.
4 O'clocks are supposed to be a good trap crop for Japanese Beetles, and they are about the easiest plant to grow from seed, even here in these conditions.
As for the Hornworms, I haven't seen any at all either. In some places, I have Summerlong Basil growing in the same container with a tomato plant , so that might account for those. But I still several plants without that protection, and no hornworms!
I thought perhaps the smell of the coco shell mulch i'm using this year masked the tomato smell that the hummingbird moth is supposedly attacted to. I no longer notice that heavy chocolate smell, so it has probably faded by now, but i'm trying the
vinegar-on-rags-mammal-repellent thing right now. If the moths stop by, maybe that acrid smell will disquise the enticing tomato perfume and I'll have a totally hornworm free year!
jan