Healthy Self Reliance
Deal with pests and diseases naturally, organically.
You CAN balance organic gardening and bugs! I have focused on the soil for the last (large) number of years always hoping to get it just right, to have an exceptional year. Truth is, as I re-examine this idea, I have begun to realize that I want to validate something; many things. Time spent. Composting. …
Okay. It’s a really pretty beetle. (Click on it and look at it up close if you don’t believe me) Even if you don’t really like bugs, if you leave that part out, and really look at it with open eyes, it is really colorful and quite perfect. It is sort of like a little …
Tomatoes grown in containers and indeterminate (vining) heirloom tomatoes can be more susceptible to Blossom End Rot (BER) that is caused by an inability to adequately uptake calcium from the soil. This condition is more likely caused by fluctuating moisture levels rather than a deficiency of calcium in the soil. But, it can also be …
The “Do-Good” Bugs A guide to choosing and using beneficial insects, mites and nematodes. Insects are the most successful living organisms on the Earth. That’s just one reason it makes good sense to balance one against the other, rather than trying to kill pests with poisons. It is also true that in nature there are …
Fusarium Wilt: Over winters in the soil. Lower leaves turn yellow, wilt and drop off. Blight (Late): A disease that strikes tomatoes and potatoes, can quickly ruin an entire crop — and provide a source of infection for other plants. It is critical that gardeners understand that late blight is not like other tomato and …
The biggest focus this month is, “When can I DO something?” If you have been asking yourself this question, the answer is a LOT! March is the month to really get started
How many times have you read that on a plant tag you are considering buying? The most popular tune of organic gardening is “add more compost”.
This is a reprint of a comprehensive article by Brit Amos. It is a sobering essay on the effects modern technology and biological chemistry is having on our food supply. GMO Crops and the Decline of Bee Colonies in North America Commercial beehives pollinate over a third of [North] America’s crops and that web of …
Fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes are one of the great joys of summer. However, sometimes diseases, pests or environmental stress get in the way of our tomato harvests. The best way to avoid tomato troubles is to start with healthy plants. Healthy plants are more able to fight off disease or pests than stressed or weak plants. …
Cabbage butterflies herald the spring, but their caterpillars, hatching from hundreds of eggs laid during a single spring day, are among the most terrible of pests. They attack cruciferous plants from the Brassicaceae family – cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, bok choy, nasturtium and others. The most successful control is prevention. When you spot these lovely …