TCRG 2012 ~ Update

It's been a few weeks since we got the food garden all ready to go.  Not gonna lie, we were pretty scared and a little skeptical about the "Growth Probability" this year.  We have a lot of clay in the yard.  Like, a lot!  Even with the extra time we spent tilling everything, and mixing in the poo, there was still a lot of clay that lumped. 

But, low and behold, we've got some produce coming!  It's super exciting!

What's not so exciting is our new visitors this summer.  BUGS.  Last summer, we had no problem with bugs eating our produce.  So, when I noticed that there were small holes in most every little leaf, this was a surprise...and a concern. 

They have eaten everything.  From the strawberries to the jalapenos to the cucumbers.  Oh the poor cucumbers, I actually have to plant more!  Of the 12 seeds that went into the ground, and the 9 that sprouted, there is only 1 lonely guy left!!  ONE!!  Those crazy buggers chewed everything off to a nub in the cucumber area!!  Rotten, I tell you, ROTTEN!!

Poor, poor sad Jalapeno has been eaten to pieces!

From my BFF, Google, I've learned that non-anti-bacterial dish soap is a great way to start attacking this problem.  I also read many other home remedies, but this one was the most common, and I already had all the ingredients :)  The first night, I came home and mixed up some of this Magical Soap Elixir, using Norwex (since I'm not really crazy about putting chemicals into the FOOD garden, I thought this would be the best option) dish soap.

Totally side note, but I don't understand why, if you are having a garden in your yard to feed your family and get away from the chemicals on the produce in the grocery store...why on earth would you put poison on the produce in YOUR garden?  I am the kind of girl who likes to go outside, pick a few peas, have a snack, and go about my business.  If I have to stop and wash each bite, that kind of defeats the purpose of a 'quick snack'.  And the whole "Natural Food" thing.  Whatever. I am not however, opposed to spraying chemicals on Creeping Charlie.  I will spray that nasty beast with whatever I can find that will kill it's guts out!  Food, no chemicals.  Weeds (YES, it's a weed!!), ok with chemicals.  Now that that's cleared up....

I sprayed everything.  Even the plants that didn't have any holes.  I sprayed everything.  And so far, so good.  There are no new holes.  Just a few guys trying to recover and repair themselves from the attack of the invading creatures. 

Spraying again tonight, it said to do it a couple times right away, then just as needed.  I also saved a bunch of eggshells, in the event that we get slugs.  I thought it was such a neat trick (put egg shells around the base of the plant to keep the slugs off) that I was actually saddened that none of our invaders were slugs!  Maybe I'll get some, and get to use this fancy trick :)