Last year, 3 cucumber plants gave me enough cucumbers for me, my wife, and my 4 year old. We always slice them and eat them as a snack. 6 tomato plants was enough and we even shared with the neighbors. 6 jalapeño plants kept me well stocked since only I eat them. I have a 10x20 "fool's square" (someone here called it that and I loved the term) but this year I am increasing the garden by using two additional parts of my yard. Up until last year, I had one peach tree but last year I planted two apple trees, one plum tree, one nectarine and a pear. This year I am planting a cocktail tree and a strawberry tree from a catalog. Also, I already put my blackberry, blueberry, and two raspberry bushes on the ground (all from Sam's). All in all my gardening efforts should feed all four of us fine.

I think the sun-starved fruit tends to drop early for lack of adequate energy. I didn't keep up with scab on pears- I actually didn't realize that it can be a season long battle when it's as wet as it was this year. My 2 Boscs are 60% defoliated and dropped pears early though some are still on tree as did Highland which lost most pears too early to be worth anytning. Seckels did the same, but at least they have decent sugar. Bartlett and another unknown Bartlett type, but later, have completely healthy foliage and great fruit. Aurora stayed healthy but fruits not sweet enough. Most of the Honeycrisp apples, where foliage was fine, dropped a bit before ideal ripeness, or would have if I didn't pick them. Jonagold is thinning itself more than I'd like. All other apples were or are fine. I don't care at all about sooty blotch and fly speck.

I used to do 18 hours, but I'm in Ontario too and have moved over to TOU. I am currently running 13 hours per day with no ill effects. Still getting vigorous growth. I am using T5H0's though which are more powerful then T12's. I would think 12 hours would probably be ok given sufficient brightness. You won't hurt the plants by testing it out. For peppers, the only side effect if it's not enough would be slower growth. You can rectify it easily if it doesn't work out. Since they aren't photoperiodic, you can split the photoperiods to avoid peak times. I am doing that now with no ill effect.

PUPATION - Butterfly caterpillars generally pupate on a branch or stick, seldom on the host plant. Monarchs and other species that make hanging chrysalides will often use the underside of the lid of their container. Most will make a silk button or other structure to attach to for pupation. Once attached, they will hang inactive for a day or so and may shrink and discolor before actually pupating. Moth caterpillars make cocoons in leaves, crevices or on sticks, depending on the species. Most Sphinx moth cats will burrow underground and excavate a chamber lined with a small amount of silk. Sphinx cats will readily pupate in leaf litter or paper towels in captivity. Sphinx cats severely shrink and discolor before pupation. Don't mistake them for dead or dying caterpillars. Over-wintering cocoons and chrysalides are best kept in an unheated outdoor shelter like a garage. Another option is to store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. You can mist them with water occasionally to keep them from dehydrating, but avoid too much moisture; that can cause mold. ECLOSION - When a butterfly or moth emerges from its chrysalis or cocoon, it needs to hang to properly inflate its wings. Be sure it has something it can climb up or hang onto. Most butterflies will cling to their empty chrysalis case. Try not to disturb them after eclosion. If disturbed, they may prematurely eject the fluid used to inflate the wings and be crippled for life. After the wings are inflated they need to dry and harden. This usually takes about 6 hours. A butterfly or moth may be able to fly before then, but will be unable to go far because the wings will still be too heavy or soft. Before taking flight, butterflies and moths will eject the excess fluid in their bodies (called meconium). Place paper toweling under them if they are above an area you don't want to get stained. HAND FEEDING - Usually feeding isn't necessary, but in cases of extended bad weather there may be a need to feed your unreleased butterflies. In the wild, lack of sunshine and/or cool temperatures will make butterflies inactive, reducing their need for feeding. There has been quite a bit of discussion on what sugar/water ratio is appropriate for butterflies. It has been argued that butterflies require less sugar than there is in commercial hummingbird nectar mix, but it has also been argued that hummingbirds and butterflies feed from the same nectar sources in the wild. The most common formula seems to be 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. One tablespoon of sugar mixed with four tablespoons of water is a typical batch. Gatorade has also been recommended. Soak a small sponge with the liquid or place a few drops on a tabletop. Avoid large puddles; you don't want the butterfly's wings to get wet and sticky. Hold the butterfly by the upper wing tips and unroll the feeding tube with a toothpick, placing the tip in the mix. Butterflies are surprisingly cooperative once they get a taste and will often sit and drink unrestrained until they've had their fill. BREEDING - Butterflies are very difficult to breed in captivity. Your best bet is to release them. Female silk moths can be left outside overnight in a cage to attract males. The bars should be spaced wide enough to allow mating but close enough to prevent the female from escaping. Females emit a pheromone from a scent gland at the end of the abdomen, usually the first few nights after eclosing. This scent will attract males from miles away. Females rarely fly before mating. This is why females caught at lights are usually fertilized. Always breed moths in open cages and where there is some airflow. Closed containers and aquariums concentrate the phermone released by the females making them difficult for the males to locate. Males navigate by smell and touch, not sight, so a slight breeze is essential. After mating, the female moth can be placed in a brown grocery bag for egg-laying. Since the eggs are attached to surfaces with a strong adhesive, the bag makes it much easier to cut out the eggs later. Females will continue to lay eggs until they are nearly dead. Since silk moths have no mouthparts and don't feed, there is nothing you can do to prolong their lives. Typically silk moths live only about 10 days. INBREEDING - Inbreeding is not recommended. Inbred silkmoths have been known to produce a higher percentage of unviable eggs and entire broods of inbred caterpillars have been known to die for apparently no other reason. However, if no wild males are available, inbreeding is preferable to not breeding at all. Males that emerge before females can be stored in a refrigerator to prolong their lives until females are available. The recommended temperature is 55 degrees. Colder temperatures can cause behavior changes that will render them incapable of mating.