playing n the dirt

This spring was the first season for me to try green house gardening.  As a whole it was a big success.  I started with peppers and tomatos, because just north of Denver, Colorado the growing season is not much more than three months.

I did learn a few lessons, actually I kind of got a little greedy and forgot lessons that I already knew.  My biggest mistake was not thinning my seedlings enough.  So while I have lots of plants they are closer than they should be.  Being so close normal air flow is hindered and it does make the spread of pests easier.  I am also trying to get used to the green house being more humid.  Usually the natural weather is kind of on the dry side.  I’m not sure, but I wonder if the humidity made the pest problem worse.

I will try and remember these lessons and I am already looking forward to planting in the green house this fall once all the tomatos and peppers are harvested.

The soapy water is working on whatever type of lava got all over the leaves of my pepper plants.  The plants and leaves are looking much better.  The is some damage that can’t be repaired, but over all I think the peppers will be ok. 

I still don’t know what type of bug laid the lava, but I’m not to worried about that.  I think I did see one of them this afternoon.  It as an ugly red and black thing.  If I had tons of free time, I look up what kind of bug it is, but I have lots of other garden chores to do instead.

I am an organic gardener with a pretty laid back approach to gardening.  I have never really had a pest problem in all my years of gardening and I think the organic approach is one reason why.  I have a “no kill” rule when it comes to critters and pests in the garden and the natural order and ecosystem has proven good for my gardens.

This year however on my peppers I have some type of flying insect lava.  Until recently a good blast with the sprayer nozzle has kept the problem in check and the plants don’t seem to be doing to badly.  Now the lava seems to be spreading and the peppers are not producing much.  I’m not sure if the two are related but I think there is a good chance they are.

So how does an organic gardener control the pests and keep being organic.  I’m going to try one of the oldest pest control tricks in the bag, soapy water.  I’ll mix a few drops of liquid organic soap in a spray bottle full of water and spray it directly on the leaves of the plants.  It should control the lava without harming the plants or any other surrounding plants.