drtreelove

The photo is so small that I can't see enought detail.  But it appears to be growing in an extremely small planting space.  Without adequate soil volume, a plant can develop stress from lack of water and nutrients and become susceptible to biotic (pest and disease) and abiotic (dessication, sunburn, nutrient deficientcies) disorders.  Plants existing in confined planting spaces, need extra attention to irrigation and fertilization and maybe pest control.

drtreelove, on 2012-05-10 22:54:12, said:

Disregard these cut out mini labels.  Logan Labs say they are obsolete.  They suggest placing the full permit inside the package and outside.

It is very possible to grow vegetables without the use of highly toxic and environmentallly persistant pesticides, but it takes some knowledge, patience and a learning process.  You just have to adapt and learn about least toxic methods, like biological controls, insecticidal soap, botanical sprays like neem oil extracts, baits and traps, mechanical methods (hand picking or wiping off of pests), growing varieties that are resistant to local pest and disease problems, etc.  Build the soil fertility and mineralization, don't overfertilize and the plants will develop a level of natural resistance to pests and disease.  Mulch to retain soil moisture and avoid plant physiological stress.  Interplant your garden intelligently with specific companion plants that naturally repel certain insect pests.  These are some examples

A lot depends on the scale of your growing operation.  A small home garden for personal use is easy, and a few holes in your leafy vegetables from caterpillars may be acceptible; if you lose a plant or two during your learning process it's no big deal; a commercial growing operation where mono-cropping is practiced, where holes and blemishs caused by pests or disease will kill your sales is a different story. In a commercial operation you really need to know what you are doing, but it is not only possible to use "organic" methods, it is mainstream with some crops and in some locales.

Yesterday I had a customer call me to spray an apple tree in her home garden that she said on the phone had powdery mildew.  When I inspected it, it was not mildew, but wooly apple aphid.  It was a small tree so I showed her how to use a cotton gloved hand or two, or a rag, for mechanically wiping off the sticky globs of the aphid and it's waxy protective covering. One small tree, a retired lady, she was thrilled to have something productive to do.  And I helped save the world by not spraying unnecessarily.  If she had more trees or bigger, I would have suggested releasing a specific mini-wasp that I know will biologically control wooly apple aphid by ovipositing its eggs in the body of the aphid, and the larva when hatched will parasitize it.

It's facinating to me to study and practice these alternative methods and I encourage you to get into it.  Read some of the pinned discussions at the beinning of the sub-forum and you will gain some knowledge and resources.

cooked, on 2012-05-10 12:14:53, said:

Here's the old page.  I have request in for latest info.  don