Garden Pest Control: Balancing Plant Health and Eco-Friendliness

Hey everyone!

Last summer, I swore off chemicals to grow “100% organic” tomatoes. Used ​neem oil for aphids - they thrived. Tried ​beer traps for slugs - my dog got drunk. Then ​companion planting with marigolds… until Japanese beetles ate BOTH. Finally caved and used ​spinosad spray (OMRI-listed!), saving 50% of my crop. Now I mix ​diatomaceous earth with ​hand-picking hornworms. But am I a sellout? ​HOW DO YOU WALK THE TIGHTROPE BETWEEN KILLING PESTS AND KILLING THE PLANET?

Planted ​borage to deter hornworms. They ate it FIRST, then my tomatoes. Now I call it ‘hornworm bait.’

Ladybugs flew away in 2 days. ​Praying mantis egg hatched… and ate my bees.

Dish soap spray killed my mint! Switched to ​1:3 vinegar-water - now my soil pH is wrecked.

@EarthFriendlyTom Soap is alkaline, vinegar’s acid. Pick a struggle.

Nocturnal slug patrols with a headlamp. My neighbors think I’m a tomato thief.

Let ​aphids live… until ladybugs came naturally! Now my roses look like Swiss cheese.

@HomeHelperHank The only ‘balance’ here is between your delusion and reality.

Backyard hens ate my lettuce chasing bugs. Bug-free… and veggie-free.

Spider mites doubled after heatwaves. Used ​predatory mites… which died in the drought.

@IHeartMice Start growing cockroaches. They’ll outlive us all.