The six-foot weeds were gone, the seeds and seedlings were planted, but the extreme garden makeover definitely wasn't over. It soon became apparent that a gardener's work is never done.
First came the bugs, then came the morning glory and persistent miscellaneous green things that crept up around the edges and through the mulch paper into the soil deposited above.
Daily morning diligence kept the latter in line, while midnight forays with a flashlight discovered the culprits of the numerous bugs that kept munching my baby plants: earwigs, wood bugs and slugs!
The Internet, my local garden centre and, of course, Grant Watson of Grant's Gourmet Gardens-who's helped to transform this once-neglected backyard plot-provide possible solutions to my ongoing battle with pests.
Copper tape stapled around the perimeter has seemed to take care of the slugs. The wood bugs, which apparently aren't a problem in many gardens, have infested mine, but we seem to have come to an agreement. I supply them with strategically placed decaying greens to eat; they leave my other produce alone.
The earwigs… Ah, the earwigs. I really dislike these things. Not only are they creepy, but they also evade my efforts at getting rid of them. I will persist-without pesticides.
More than 6,000 Canadians-and almost half of them were under the age of six-suffered acute pesticide poisonings in 2006. If that's not enough reason to skip the chemicals, health concerns due to long-term exposure is.
Earwigs aside, my garden is generally thriving. The potato plants are high enough to shelter a cat from rain. No need to buy lettuce; I've got enough to supply the entire block (and often do, much to my neighbours' delight). The snap peas are amazing, and broccoli juice literally drips when the crowns are cut from the stalk.
This is one gardening newbie who's very much anticipating tasting organic, homegrown tomatoes, cucumbers and squash-and starting all over again next year.
Resources:
Grant's Gourmet Gardens, www.gourmetgardens.ca, 778-869-4060
City Farmer - Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture, www.cityfarmer.info 604-685-5832
iVillage Garden Web,
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/
City of Toronto; www.toronto.ca/health/pesticides/go_natural_tips.htm