Fascination with Pro Mix... no more

Here it’s slugs on the peppers (in pots). Holes in the leaves and some in the peppers. They crawl up the sides of the pots at night, feed, then crawl back down and hide during the day. I use a little sourdough starter mixed with flour and water to make slug ‘swimming pools’ in shallow plastic trays, covered to keep out the rain. They love the stuff, crawl in to feed and drown.
 
I keep my pots off the ground with plastic pallets, it helps a lot with ants, slugs, & other little ground dwellers.
So my war is mostly with the 4 legged creatures of various types.
 
Here it’s slugs on the peppers (in pots). Holes in the leaves and some in the peppers. They crawl up the sides of the pots at night, feed, then crawl back down and hide during the day. I use a little sourdough starter mixed with flour and water to make slug ‘swimming pools’ in shallow plastic trays, covered to keep out the rain. They love the stuff, crawl in to feed and drown.
I will try that. I’ve had slugs bothering my brassicas.
 
Ah, pepper fly maggots... I hate those with passion. Summer of 2023, I had most of my sweet pepper crop damaged. Not much of a problem before, but then they hit my yard. Last year was much better. I used insect netting during egg laying time and used a barrier to prevent larvae from reaching the soil to pupate. Always something. Also had a huge bumper crop of cukes last season, no cucumber beetle got any of my cukes... suckers... I didn't even see them last year... LOL


I had no idea what I was dealing with. When do you need to apply netting?

I used to get destroyed by cucumber beetles but I grow only beit alpha now and none seem to come to my yard. The plants last the entire season. Only problem is that I can’t grow zucchini because it’ll attract the beetles back
 
I will try that. I’ve had slugs bothering my brassicas.
I spread DE everywhere for the slugs but my brassicas are in the ground generally.

You’re spot on with the pepper maggots.
Just searching google the damage looks identical. I just need to figure out when to net them up. I imagine a net that fine will knock down the light a bit?
 
I had no idea what I was dealing with. When do you need to apply netting?

I used to get destroyed by cucumber beetles but I grow only beit alpha now and none seem to come to my yard. The plants last the entire season. Only problem is that I can’t grow zucchini because it’ll attract the beetles back
Usually around mid to late July, give or take a week. I am going to put window screen netting inside my containers next season to create a barrier, too. That will hopefully help make it very difficult for them to move through life cycle stages. I used netting on some of my plants and organza bags on other. Organza bags are a pain but they help. Netting over a whole plant is not ideal as peppers will be at different stages. You want to protect new peppers, but keep the flower available for pollinators. Still trying to work the perfect game plan, but last year was pretty good. I grow over 20 varieties of peppers, lots of plants, so not as easy...

Beit Alpha is good, but there are better parthenocarpic varieties. I tested about a dozen parthenocarpic, gynacious varieties last season, 3-4 were outstanding, others were OK. Jonny's Seeds have a very good selection, that's where I got mine from. I also have some awesome heirlooms that I love and will never stop growing... spraying those with kaolin clay helps a lot against the beetles.

In my garden, they don't bother zucchini, only cucumbers for some reason.
 
I spread DE everywhere for the slugs but my brassicas are in the ground generally.

You’re spot on with the pepper maggots.
Just searching google the damage looks identical. I just need to figure out when to net them up. I imagine a net that fine will knock down the light a bit?
I use insect netting that allows 95% light in, at least that's what they claim. I only used it in July to early August, when we have lots of sun. I removed it later as it's no longer necessary.
 
Usually around mid to late July, give or take a week. I am going to put window screen netting inside my containers next season to create a barrier, too. That will hopefully help make it very difficult for them to move through life cycle stages. I used netting on some of my plants and organza bags on other. Organza bags are a pain but they help. Netting over a whole plant is not ideal as peppers will be at different stages. You want to protect new peppers, but keep the flower available for pollinators. Still trying to work the perfect game plan, but last year was pretty good. I grow over 20 varieties of peppers, lots of plants, so not as easy...

Beit Alpha is good, but there are better parthenocarpic varieties. I tested about a dozen parthenocarpic, gynacious varieties last season, 3-4 were outstanding, others were OK. Jonny's Seeds have a very good selection, that's where I got mine from. I also have some awesome heirlooms that I love and will never stop growing... spraying those with kaolin clay helps a lot against the beetles.

In my garden, they don't bother zucchini, only cucumbers for some reason.
Thanks. Very good info. Last year was my first growing only parthenocarpic so I went with only the beit alpha. They were fine. not nearly as good as some heirlooms. It worked to keep the beetles away so I'm going to try a few more this year.

The pervious year I did mostly Beit and a few heirlooms. The beetles came. I got rid of the heirlooms and they still seemed to come for the zucchini.
 
I use insect netting that allows 95% light in, at least that's what they claim. I only used it in July to early August, when we have lots of sun. I removed it later as it's no longer necessary.

I'm totally going to try the netting to manage it this year. I really miss too many of these pepper varieties
 
@Friggin' A . I usually follow your advice, it's painful to find myself disagreeing with you, but there's no disagreeing with those incredible photos. The most beautiful I've ever seen. To me 85 to 90% success rate is success. I follow Gary from Laguna Hills Nursery basic mineral soil formula. I basically assume any bagged soil or soil amendment product is likely to contain fungal fly Gnats. I treat once or twice including a half strength synthetic fertilizer containing sodium with gnatrol I do this once or twice. First one I open any bag of soil then once again. I find this eliminates almost all problems with Gnats to continue to use Gnatrol seems to have a negative effect on root development. I root indoors, and I give a Permethrin bath to my cuttings I never ever find I have a problem with insects using the system the bath is 5 minutes long. After my cuttings are well rooted usually 95%, then I use 1% wettable sulfur as a dip never as a spray. I use Yucca extra to suspend the sulfur before dipping. This is because in my area there's always a cutting that comes in with fbm, or Fig Bud Mite. Anyway Toronto Joe if I lived where you do I would be using a garden mix containing bottom bog, or Old Bog peat moss. You have access to the best soil mixtures on Earth. I would never buy promix or anything else. I would just make my own. Containing Horticultural pumice, bottom bog peat moss, and perlite #3 some biochar, and voila the real deal. Fertilizing at half strength from the start with synthetic fertilizer containing sodium.
 
My pop was an uncomplicated man. Back in the day... both in Italy and here.... he always moved organic matter of all sorts back into any area that he worked for growing. It was just reflex for him and how it was done on the homestead. I don't think I recall him every buying mix or amendments.... not even fertilizer. He raised rabbits and had lots of poop form them. Even his fig trees were just in garden soil. He grew a ton of figs and the garden always produced food in abundance. Sometimes I feel like I really overthink things :)
 
The reason I like it is pretty straightforward... and I should say that I'm no more married to it than Promix BX or Sunshine #4. As far as I'm concerned the triple mix I get in bulk from my local peasano garden centre is excellent soil for growing most things. That includes fig trees. Every bit as good or maybe better given that it's a living soil.

So, why do I pay so much for one of the gritty mixes? I'm reminded every spring and fall when I need to move all the pots out of or into the garage. I use these because they're light. That's pretty much it. I can feel the difference in my back.

All my other container plants and raised beds get bulk triple mix. They don't move much.

Yes, I use it to root cuttings because I have it on hand... and it's pretty easy to regulate the moisture but even on a layer I have no issue using the triple mix

I also find that the promix (or similar) is easy to debug and comes for the most part free of gnats etc... I would never bring bulk triple mix into the house.... especially without baking it.

I guess I can say that I like it a lot, but it's not the only thing I like. I don't really like paying for it.

What I really wish is that I could buy yards of custom blends at a decent price. The triple mix I get for $50 depending on whether I bring some capo and a loaf of bread with me. :)
I use these because they're light. That's pretty much it. I can feel the difference in my back.
 
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