I've been very busy lately. Getting another business off the ground it is allot of work. I've another business also: Soil2plate is the name. I teach small groups of children how to grow flowers,plants & vegetables. It's 4 anyone who wants, to know anything about growing.I've also done some designing & landscape. Just finish w/a group of children & we r on break until after the new year. I'm going to spend new years w/ my daughter in AZ. and won't be back, until the 17th of Jan. Everyone,have a Wonderful & Safe New Years!!! Linda

Hello to everyone,my name is Linda & just join!!! I'm a Native American, from Wash. State. Grew up on a big dairy farm. I now reside in San Diego and have 2 daughter & 7 grandkids. I enjoy to cook, crochet, garden & read.

I use a garlic and hot pepper spray that I make myself: Just cut up several cloves of garlic and 5 or 6 hot peppers, put in a jar covered with water, then strain out the next day- fill a spray bottle and spray the leaves of your plants. I also add a few drops of dish soap to it to help it to stick to the leaves. Some bugs, such as beetles, I pick off by hand and squish them, or drop them in a pail of soapy water as soon as I see them in the early days of the garden. If you get the parents before they lay their eggs, you're not apt to get many bugs! Leslie

Does anyone know of a way to keep the bugs off their veggies that isn't harmful to the environment? I've used store-bought sprays, but this Summer I experienced the invasion of a red beetle that ate everything. They swarmed over my tomatoes and green beans.
Momhobbit

What I have found that is the most effective against bad bugs in a garden is to invite more bugs! I know exactly how that sounds! But the best way to get the bad bugs is to invite the predator bugs. This can be done by using several methods. The first is to do away with the sprays as they do not know how to tell the difference between a good bug and a bad bug. Another thing to do is to not be an obsessive gardener and keep everything clean and in order. Leave some dead and un-pruned plants in place as well as leaves to provide shelter and nesting areas for the beneficial bugs. Consider planting companion plants as well because they can act as a noxious weed to different species as bugs. Also composting is a great thing. The best defense against everything is a healthy strong plant which composting sure goes a long way in providing the plant with all it needs to maintain its strength.
I hope this helps. It helped me but may be my situation is totally different.