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What tomato plant pest is this?

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I've started a tomato garden just a little while ago. I'm not sure what kind of bugs these are, although I'm convinced they are blister beetles. If they are, then they are the ones that have been eating the leafs on my plants. If anyone knows what these are, how can I "battle" them..(organic insecticide..homemade?) Thank you =]

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/stargazer00742/DSC00668.jpg

they are not a blister beetle-they are longer than they are wide. tjis is some sort of stinkbug and i am thinking probably a soldier beetle because the belly is not green. Soldier beetles are not a pest but a beneficial and should not be killed.

Know that 955 of the bugs in your garden are good guys or neutral and will do most of the bug control work for you, if you let them by not praying pesticides (even homemade ones) at the first sign of insects. Are your tomato plants visibly eaten? have you seen these bugs actually eating the plants or are you just seeing bugs on your tomatoes but no real damage to the plants?

Every organic grower needs a good bug ID book so they know what are good bugs and what are bad bugs. For too long we have been brainwashed by the insecticide corps to believe all bugs are bad (if we believe all bugs are bad we buy more chemicals and they make more profit) when in reality that is not the case-most bugs are good for our gardens.







i am trying to grow cos lettuce in my garden!?

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I was just wondering if there was anything organic or an old home remedie to spray for pests on my lettuce because i am highly alergic to pesticides.

Thankyou your help will be appreciated.

Yes. Mix a light solution of dish-soap with water to spray on the lettuce. About 1tsp in a quart of water. Just make sure you rinse the lettuce before you eat it.

Spearmint is taking over my organic vegetable garden! Any ideas for removing it?

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I weed out one area and then it grows in another area. I know it spreads by underground roots but how am I to stop this invasive herb from taking over my garden?

Yes…it does that. The only way to control mint is to plant it in a large pot buried in the dirt, but with the rim just above the surface. This stops it sending out runners.

The only way to get rid of it is careful hand weeding. Wet the soil thoroughly and leave it for several hours to soak in, then start teasing out the plants. Make sure you get it ALL. You may have to do this several times, as it is easy to miss bits, or for pieces to break off. Keep a few pieces for your new confined pot, and put the rest in the trash. Do not try to compost it, as you may not kill it all in the compost heap.

Concerning arsenic as a contaminant in rice: As arsenic comes from the soil, is it even in "organic" rice?

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Arsenic is abound in rice, because it contaminates it from in the soil. My question is if it's still in certified organic rice, since it's a soil contaminant, or if rice grown organic is tested to ensure low or zero levels of arsenic. So?

Your exposure to arsenic in rice is extremely limited, and should not be a concern to ordinary people. If you are in the USA or Canada, you have no need to worry about arsenic in rice. If you are in China or India or in Southeast Asia, that is a different matter.

Regards,
Dan

Best way to plant an herb garden with limited space.?

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My roommate and I would like to start an herb garden and plant some other flowers around our property. We live in a rental duplex and there isn't much room to plant. Any tips or good sites for planting in smaller spaces. Can we plant four or five diffrent herbs in a big pot? How can I keep everthing as organic as possible?
thanks

Hi:
You have a perfect area for a container garden. Container gardens are becoming very popular today. You can put a few herbs in one pot or do a few pots of different herbs.

Use a light weight potting soil and you can also add some organic mushroom compost to the soil. This is an organic fertilizer and your herbs will love them. It doesn't smell great but your herbs will grow well. I have grown over thousands of herbs and if you want to germinate them from seeds you can also do that. I will link you to the spices and herb section of my website. There is a page on growing herbs from seeds.

You may want to decide if you want to do culinary herbs, ornamental herbs, or a combination of both. The culinary are great in a variety of dishes. I will link you to the garden project section as there is an article on container gardens. I will also link you to the site map, as this page has everything that is on the website. Browse through and see if you can find any other information that may be useful to you. In the outdoor feature section there is a page on planters that may give you some ideas. Good luck to you and have a great day!
Kimberly

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