Official TEG Poll: What’s your favorite fertilizer/pesticide alternative?

[Support]

Organic gardening is such a hot trend nowadays and a lot of gardeners are now making the switch! Aside from it being environment-friendly, it is cost-effective too. It's definitely a smart choice!

So here's the questions, what's your favorite fertilizer/pesticide alternative?

If your answer is not listed below, please choose 'Others" and discuss it below.

 

[journey11]

For certain insects like potato beetles and hornworms, sometimes all I need to do is hand pick them and drown them in a bucket of soapy water. I don't like squishing. Unless I have a rock handy.

 

[Smart Red]

A combination of good gardening techniques seem to work best for me.

On the fertilizer side/ certainly compost, but compost may consist, in part, of coffee grounds, shells, ash, and peels. In addition, grounds and pine needles are good for my acid loving blueberries, while peels and shells are good for tomatoes.

As far as pesticide alternatives/careful surveillance makes hand-picking pests early while they are still a small infestation possible, planting flowers and veggies that lure predators (or confuse pests) as well as some companion planting works well in my garden. Sprinkles of DE (diatomous earth) or BT gets rid of some pests, while home-made sprays (simple soap, garlic, hot pepper, tomato leaf), beer, and kaolin clay (fools and/or kills pests). Even growing sacrifice or trap-plants will work to lure pests away from favorites.

For anti-fungus spacing is important, but baking soda, oil, and water will help eliminate fungus on plants if used early and repeated often.

Of course, keeping the garden at its healthiest is important. Pests seem drawn to already stressed plants so a goodly supply of compost and enough mulch will prevent many problems before they start.

I'm sure I've forgotten some ideas at this obscene time of the day, but I am always on watch for garden problems and solutions. I look forward to getting more information.

 

[Nyboy]

Don't worry about organic I grow flowers not food, miracle grow and seven

 

[freedhardwoods]

Hot pepper spray for bugs so I'm not putting chemicals directly on the food we eat.

Plants don't care where their food (fertilizer) comes from as long as they get it. I buy 50 lb bags of N/P/K and mix different blends for different crops.

 

[Beekissed]

Red took all the words out of my mouth...er...post...uh..mmm. What SHE said...nearly identical in multiple avenues for these goals, except the DE or Bt.

 

[baymule]

Pine shavings. In my case, I have access to all I want from a horse event center and it has already made a difference in my sugar sand soil. I need humus and I used leaves, people are so nice to rake and bag up their leaves for me to come by and pick them up! I toss all kinds of kitchen trimmings, garden waste-from corn cobs to pea hulls, in my chicken coop. What the chickens don't eat, they scratch to bits, poop on it and turn it to lovely compost for me.

 

[Ray]

I use a animal waist mix with my ash and by the time I get done I'm left with something so much better and cheaper than anything you can buy

 

[so lucky]

By ash, do you all mean wood ashes from the burn pile? I use that too.
My favorite way to get rid of many bugs and caterpillars is to squeeze them. Just smash the little beasts with my thumb and forefinger. Especially cabbage worms and Japanese beetles. Gives such a satisfying sound. Then I go wash my hands.

 

[Ray]

It's mainly wood but a lot of leaves and really anything that will burn (a whole entertainment center is now in a bucket) not having a lot of money to buy what I need I pick up a lot on the side of the road that people throw out and if it can burn and nothing else can be done with it gets turned to ash ( as long as there no paint or rubber and plastic on it)