Garden Woes!
Alas, the holidays have passed us by and we find ourselves facing another new year.
Oh, January, the Monday of the months. Now that the holiday decorations, lights and tree are neatly tucked away for another season, it’s the perfect time to sit back and reflect on the wild gardening ride that was 2023.
While taking on the adventure of developing a home garden, we quickly discovered that in just six short months, Mother Nature was capable of throwing more plot lines at us than Game of Thrones season two.
We knew that our initial garden experiment was going to be one of trial and error, and it has certainly brought about its share of ups and downs. So far, my trophy harvest has only consisted of peppermint leaves and a few small red potatoes that could almost qualify for a miniature Mrs. Potato beauty pageant. Yet, there's hope in the form of several promising sprouts that are doing their best to defy the odds.
In the first six months of our little gardening adventure, I’ve had to deal with powdery mildew making an appearance, and contended with some of the Mother Nature’s nastier garden pests insistent upon ruining the fun.
You’d think we’d opened a mosh pit for garden villains. All of this, despite having the entire bed area enclosed by ¼” mesh. Sure, it does a great job keeping the bunnies and birds at bay, but it turns out these airborne mischief-makers think they have a VIP pass to wreak havoc and it’s been entirely frustrating.
Check out this post to learn more about our Garden Build.
From flower-eating worms and leaf-eating caterpillars to white flies, (“who knew there was such a thing”) the battle seems to never end.
At times, I feel like I’m “The One” in a matrix gardening movie, destined to battle endless new foes that keep popping up one after another. As soon as I manage to eradicate one villain, another new “Agent” comes along, resulting in another painstaking cycle of fresh research to figure out what the heck it is, and what kind of kung fu technique can be used to stop it.
Garden Foe #1 - Powdery Mildew
Ah, powdery mildew. A despicable and unwelcome guest that thrives in warm and humid environments, so it makes perfect sense that it would affect my little South Florida garden.
This little villain decided to invite itself in as if it was a spa day, but instead of cucumber masks, it flipped the script, and decided to sprawl itself across the leaves of my cucumber, squash and cantaloupe plants. Of course, it had to pick the plants I was most excited about (she says with the utmost sarcasm)!
Weapon of War #1 - The Home Grown Concoction
Since the purpose of a home vegetable garden is to grow food for personal consumption, I wanted to keep things as organic as possible.
In my quest for an all-natural defense, I went full mad scientist with homemade concoctions, starting with the baking soda, soap, water remedy.
When that failed, I attempted the apple cider vinegar version, hoping for a miraculous twist (Imagine, little ole me in the garden with a lab coat and goggles, trying to outsmart powdery mildew.)
Weapon of War #2 - Neem Oil
With little success, next up to the plate was "Neem Oil". Still an organic solution, it worked quite well, until the skies opened.
In case it wasn't obvious, Florida tends to be humid, and it rains… a lot. And when it rains, it really, really rains, and all of this very wet water has a tendency to wash away the majority of this miraculous protectant that had just been meticulously and painstakingly applied to every top and every bottom of every single leaf and stem.
It was at this point where I came to the realization that during the wet summer months, I would have to rely on “Neem Oil” a lot if I wanted a productive garden. I also had to learn the art of avoiding the leaves when watering and to focus on soaking the base of the plants instead. A mistake I made early on.
That being said, when it rains as often as it does during the summer and fall months, it’s a tough battle.
I’ll be talking with hubby about building a soaker system in the future, but for now, “Neem Oil” has become my trusty but water-soluble sidekick.
Garden Foe #2 - Caterpillars, Worms and Crawling Things
When my first squash melon started to grow, I couldn’t contain my excitement. It was my symbol of victory after months of anticipation. It was my garden's debutante ball, (fellow Gilmore Girl fans will understand) and I was ready to celebrate the fruits of my labor – literally.
But alas, the excitement was short-lived.
Cue the dramatic music as I discovered these little holes, evidence that something had bored through the sides of my prized melon, leaving behind little piles of squash innards that resembled sawdust.
I was heartbroken. It was as if my little melon went to a punk rock concert without my permission!
Alas, the creepy crawlies – the uninvited guests of my garden party.
“Neem Oil” was able to step in as the bouncer, keeping some pests at bay, but “Neem Oil” alone wasn’t doing the trick.
Sadly, my first, and so far, only melon became the sacrifice on the altar, but “perhaps”, I thought, “I could save the rest.”
Weapon of War #3 - Diatomaceous Earth (AKA DE)
Enter "Diatomaceous Earth (AKA DE)" – the superhero of bug battles, a multitasking champion and now, my garden's latest defender. If "DE" were a character, it would wear a cape and have a catchy theme song – ♪ ♫ ♪ "Every Day I’m Bug Bustin!" ♫ ♪ ♫
Many folks with a pool are familiar with "Diatomaceous Earth (DE)". It’s a great product used by specific types of pool filters, but can be very hazardous if inhaled. The miniscule particles are deadly to a variety of bugs and can be very effective due to its uncanny ability to dry up a variety of little nasties. Die, buggies, die!
Under a microscope, “DE’s” sharp, abrasive edges really stand out, which is one of the reasons it’s so powerful as a pest deterrent, but also the reason why it’s extremely hazardous for a delicate respiratory system.
Note that there are two types of “DE”. The common pool filter sidekick isn’t the best fit for our home gardening adventure; however, food grade “DE” is considered suitable for consumption. That being said, both can be lung hazards, so cue the safety precautions – masks on, folks!
We had a bunch of pool grade "DE" left by the previous homeowners, so instead of it going to waste I decided to lay down a protective ring around outside of the garden area, like creating a salt circle to keep out demons. It's pretty much the same concept – bugs, demons, they all fear the circle.
With the demon-repelling circle intact we ventured out and purchased the garden-friendly type of "DE" and sprinkled it throughout the plant beds. It felt a bit like dusting the garden with magical bug-repelling fairy dust. Just call me "Tink!"
I can tell you from first hand experience, this stuff works like a charm, especially for pests doing the ground shuffle. ♪ ♫ ♪ “Every Day I’m Bug Bustin!” ♫ ♪ ♫
But, and there’s always a but, “DE”, like “Neem Oil”, has to be reapplied after it rains.
Now What?
Okay, great! I think I’ve got this whole thing figured out, but just when I thought I had cracked the gardening code, the universe decided to throw in a plot twist.
Apparently, the critters around my vegetable garden are on a Ph.D. level of intelligence and have earned their stripes in patience. I can almost imagine them sitting in a tiny bug classroom, wearing little bug-eyed reading glasses and plotting their next moves with scholarly precision.
As soon as the rains subsided, and the coast was clear, these cunning pests returned with a vengeance. Only this time, since they haven’t had the chance to feast for a while, they weren't just hungry; it was as it someone opened up a new buffet joint. "Golden Corral anyone?"
Attack of the Peppers
We had finally come into the dry season. The “Neem Oil” and “DE” applications seemed to be more effective, but alas, another plant had come under attack.
After ripping out my cucumbers for the fourth time, (courtesy of powdery mildew) spaghetti squash for the second (courtesy of powdery mildew, and then melon worms), and whatever mysterious affliction hit my cantaloupe, it was now time for the pepper showdown.
My poor peppers, innocent bystanders in this pest drama, had come under attack.
Hungry little white flies were the culprit this time, and they decided that my pepper plant leaves were the ultimate delicacy.
And, as if it weren’t enough, upon further inspection, I also found that these sucky little bugs had opened up a hatchery on the underside of each leaf. I thought I caught them in time, and after a good dousing of "Neem Oil" and squishing the little bastages on and underneath each leaf, it seemed to do the trick. At least temporarily.
For a short time, I felt like a bug-slaying warrior, a garden therapist, if you will, squashing bugs and their eggs for stress relief. It was so very therapeutic. Yet, these relentless pests seem hell-bent on making a comeback.
At this point, my patience has run thin. This is it! It is now a war, and time for drastic action.
Since just about every critter that has caused havoc has stemmed from some sort of a winged beast, I have decided it’s time to employ a different approach.
Here we are 6 months later, having crafted an amazing garden fortress only to be defeated by critters smaller than a freckle? Well, not on my watch! As one brave “Arya Stark” would say “Not today!”
It’s time to break out the gardening armor – (cue the battle drums and bug-busting battle cry!)
Stay tuned fellow garden warriors. This isn’t over yet!