I got some books from the library about gardening. I do organic gardening, so no pesticides or weed spray, that shit doesn't work anyway.
I've been reading alot about certain flowers to plant with vegetables. I've been having trouble with a couple pest bugs the last 2 years. So I'm going to plant alyssum with my peppers. It's supposed to be good to plant right under them. Keeps away weeds and attracts beneficial insects. I guess the more nectar producing flowers you have near your vegetables, the more pollinators and beneficial bugs you get, which deters the bad bugs. I also found a good deal on gladiolas, which are a beautiful annual that is grown from bulbs. They attract pollinators, so I plan to plant them around the garden as a border with some other stuff like marigolds. I'm going to plant alyssum and some other small flowers in the actual garden. I usually just plant marigolds and poppies or zinnias, but I think this other stuff will be pretty.
I got the vegetable patch all planted now except for corn. I accomplished that 2 nights ago. We planted 4 types of watermelons, 2 types of eggplants, zucchini, 2 types of tomato, yellow bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers. I'm planting some cayenne red chilies too but not in the garden.
I'm also going to plant some herbs this year besides basil. I got English lavender to go under our bedroom windows, basil, and a curry plant. I never heard of a curry plant but it smells like it would be good with chicken. At first I thought it was tarragon, so it must be in the Artemisia family.
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check out that smoke ring. It tasted really good. I smothered it with Maulls BBQ sauce which is Local to St. Louis and one of the best I ever had.....
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I was recently separated from my wife of 33 years and it's complicated. Anyway I rented a room about 15 minutes away and I see my kids about once a week. I see the people who own the house I live in once in a while but other than that I stay in my room where I do my cooking, wash dishes in the shower, read, color, and sleep. I get out at least once a day. I grocery shop and I attend 2 meetings...
Last year I had trouble with snails in my tomatoes. The year before, I had them planted in a different area and it was that dang tomato hornworm which has a voracious appetite for tomatoes.
There are alot of you tube tutorials on organic gardening and how to get rid of pests. You reminded me and I just began watching them.
They are the most beautiful and have NEVER had a speck on them. She uses no pesticides--- just zinc powder. (said it is a mineral so is not toxic)
Also another local man and his family grow heads of Boston bibb lettuce. sells them in a clear plastic container, roots and all. There is never a speck on them either... always perfect. He was telling me he grows them all covered with mesh screens. Also did like you--- got some beneficial bugs in case a stray pest gets past. Works wonders.
Also weeds don't like soap and salt. Some sources will say to use special organic soap, but Dawn dish soap is safe. I've had great luck mixing a gallon of vinegar with a cup of salt and 3 tbsp soap. Kills weeds. Just a tbsp or two of soap in a gallon of water deters bugs.
Bob I had horn worms 2 years ago. Here are 2 tips for you. Grow a moonflower as a decoy plant. They also like banana peppers, and I'm not fond of those. Sometimes you can grow a plant they like better away from your tomatoes and they will eat it instead. I keep a rain barrel at the back of the house. I pick them off and drown them in the rain barrel. We used to have them so bad when I was little because our neighbors then grew tobacco and they love that.
Veg I have planted basil between tomatoes and they did taste good, so there is probably something to that.