Remedies

Remedy:  something that corrects or removes an evil of any kind.  The evil, in this case, is the grub.  As in, curly white wormlike thing that wreaks havoc in my garden.

I am essentially an organic gardener.  Which means that I am a gambler.  I take my chances.  And the Fates let me down.  Crops that I'd planted a month ago are gone, victims of the evil grub.  Red onions, yellow onions, scallions, chard, snowpeas, beets.  All gone.

Here's the killer:

I spent several hours today hand-picking the grubs from the various raised beds.  There were hundreds of them.  I drowned them in vinegar.  (Yes, I am going to hell.)  But before planting again (and I will), I need a remedy.  Because, obviously, I cannot claim to have picked out every stinkin' grub in the garden.

This is the best that I know how to do.  I treated the soil first with diatomaceous earth, raked in it, and then sprayed neem oil on top.  Worked it all into the soil.  I'll let it sit for a couple of days before I plant again.

Last year, I had grubs in ONE of the 15 raised beds.  Lost all of my peppers and eggplant.  I tried the above-mentioned remedy, then planted some extra tomato plants in that bed to test it out.  They grew like crazy.  In fact, they have offered volunteers this year.  There are a few dozen tomato plants eagerly growing in that bed this spring.  So I think the remedy works?

We'll see.  There's a lot at stake.  If this remedy doesn't work, I may have to quit trying to be a gardener.

On the other hand, if it does work, I will be so totally in love with it!