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.