Friday, September 4, 2009

So I've Been Complaining About Insects!

Yes, it's true. I have been complaining about white fly, aphids & caterpillars. They are a pain in the butt, but oh so necessary. It's the balance of nature that we are going for in sustainable agriculture. Don't kill all the insects, just keep their numbers in some sort of balance. Meanwhile, I got rid of 4 more caterpillars today, and a different kind of caterpillar on the pepper leaves. I also found 3 grasshoppers. One was as big as by little finger. Now I know why I have all those holes in my lettuce, pepper and eggplant leaves.

I foliar fed the peppers and tomatoes with End Rot. This product is actually calcium. I also sprayed the tomatoes because they need calcium too and they are growing right next to the peppers. No signs of End Blossom Rot yet with the tomatoes, but it is only a matter of time.

I also sprayed the two rose bushes next to the garden for powdery mildew. This is something that spreads. My poor zucchini and butternut squash leaves are slowly getting covered with PM. I will spray them tomorrow. It's already 7:30 p.m. and getting dark and I haven't had dinner yet.

I forgot to spray the 2 new gopher holes in the front yard with the castor oil spray. Oh well, at least they are in the front yard. The vegetable gardens are nowhere near. But I don't want them affecting the fruit trees. Tomorrow--I won't forget!

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