Ithink the crazy weather is the cause of crazy bug problems. I'm not in your zone but I also am overwhelmed with leafminers- never had them before, aphids to where blooms on hibiscus look black, I think aphids are what is eating my rose buds before they can even bloom. Ive tried the organics with some success, but I too love my butterflies and dragon flies and lady bugs. I'm hoping my garden is strong enough to kind of tough it out till winter, and if we don't get a good freeze, I'm in double trouble next spring.I know neem oil does not know the difference between good and bad bugs, but it kills all of them, but peuew. I would keep trying as long as you can to make it until winter, then everything should mostly die of and you start in spring with a relatively clean slate. good luck!

This has been a bad bug year. If the peppers are getting eaten by what ate mine (are they rotting as they ripen, but look ok when small, and unripe?), they are pepper maggots. The flies lay eggs on the peppers when they are small, then, as the peppers grow, the larvae burrow through and feed on the pepper, eventually rotting it. Fortunately, the flies are only out in a brief period, and anything produced after that should be ok., so just get rid of the older, bad peppers, and you shold have some good ones later. I just threw out 4 gallons of peppers 2 weeks ago because of these bugs, and already I have countless more out there on the same plants.

You can get some Bt for cucumber beetles, and try some pepper spray to keep things off other plants. Not much else you can do besides a killing isecticide, like pyrethrins, which you don't seem to want to do, so try these first. Good luck, and don't be discouraged!

Dave

Some years are worse than others. I had some success with row covers and tying little cloth bags over developing fruits and veggies. Lemon scented dish soap drives some pests away and at least you won't kill your lacewings, ladybugs and mantises who may yet muster up forces to help out if not this year then next for sure. If you kill them and the bad bugs return then what? I would frequently wash down all the plants with water and replace the mulch this winter and destroy the afflicted plants at the end of the season. Plant more beneficial bug attracting flowers and plants and be good to yourself. Some days I think we all wish we had a magic wand to get rid of bugs or at least a really big greenhouse.

How are you doing? I have been thinking about your garden these last few days. Is there any improvement? I hope you are able to see some hope. Write again and tell us how you are.

Mentally, I'm recovered. LOL. This was really devastating to me, because I'd never had such a bad year, but I think I was just overdue.

The good news is that I've totally immersed myself in organic ways and have been taking crash courses. I've learned SO MUCH. (Much of it here from everyone...you all are great!)

Add me to the 100 percent organic converts now. I never plan to use another synthetic chemical again.

This weekend, I'm planning on building my very first compost pile! Yes I am, and I'm so excited about it. I've used compost, but it was always purchased from the store (Lowes and Wal Mart).

And I'm thinking about next year. This year is kind of an experience in learning, and I've learned a lot. I had a good crop of tomatoes (Celebrity, Caspian Pink - love those - and Better Boys), but it's about died out now. Usually, I have a regular crop of tomatoes through the first frost (which isn't until Halloween or so). But the tomatoes I got were good, and I didn't have a lot of splitting for the first time ever. I credit that to the HGTV/DIY shows that said add a handful of lime when planting.

My eggplants did really well for awhile, and that was fun. I still think I'll get a few more, but everything seems to be winding down. This is very unusual, but I've been hearing it from others around the area. It's just not been a good year for anyone it seems.

My gypsy peppers, bless their hearts, are indestructable. They just smiled through the invasion and kept on doing their thing. Lots of wonderful peppers. Those are so fun to grow...and so prolific.

My herbs all did really well and are still going. (Except the coriander, but it always dies in the heat)

But my fears on the cukes and honeydews came true and they're near death. I got a good crop of cukes before the cucumber beetles invaded. (And I ended up with both striped AND spotted beetles, with a few squash bugs for extra fun)

I'm sure it's wilt from the beetles. My melons were all deformed and I think had scab on them. Poor things. LOL. But I'm just letting them keep growing, just in case. I finally cut the oldest melon open, and inside was a small, deformed melon. It wasn't sweet enough yet, but it was a nice color and tasted fresh and springy anyway. I got about three nice bites. haha.

I've not grown a successful melon yet, but I'll keep trying every year.

Now I'm about ready to head to my local extension office, get my soil tested and see if they can help me decide what to do with my garden over winter. I'm trying to decide between black plastic (which will supposedly kill pathogens by cooking them, but I'm not sure about bug eggs), and a cover crop such as hairy vetch. I'm leaning towards hairy vetch if I do a cover crop. But I'll ask the ext. agent for his/her thoughts on our area.

I don't know if the lacewings ever did their work or not. I had fun sprinkling the little hatchlings, like fairy dust. My neighbors might have had a few laughs watching me, because I did prance and sprinkle. (I thought lacewings were the size of moths in adulthood, but now I read they're tiny little things)

Next year, I'm probably going to introduce beneficials early, some nematodes and ladybugs. I had a lot of different bugs this year, but my big problems were the leafhoppers (they're still hopping and sucking) and the cucumber beetles.

The other good news, and the reason I went organic this year...the birdies! I haven't had tons of butterflies yet, but man do I have many hummingbirds. I finally bought a little feeder that hangs outside my front window, and they come one after another. I've got at least 6-8 that I've seen in a bunch (a gaggle?). And one in particular likes to dance with me, and with my cats, through the window. It's just amazing.

I also have a family of cardinals that I've been feeding safflower seeds, and it's been so fun watching their behavior (dad feeding the wife and kids...looks like they're kissing). And one son is starting to turn red...I call him my birdie boy. The others fly away when I approach, but he stays and lets me talk to him, and cocks his head like a pet bird.

My family thinks I've lost my mind. LOL. But they're indulging my bird chatter and my new obsession with a compost pile.

So that was the longggggggg answer (sorry). Short answer: garden mostly went to hell, but I've enjoyed the birds and intend to keep learning about organic ways.

Thanks, Kitty, for asking. ***

I am so glad. Next year will be better for both of us. Yesterday, a swallowtail butterfly landed on me and stayed for a minute and I was glad that I had a safe place for it to be. I lost my cucumbers and one really great cherry tomato to bugs this year. My grandma's family were farm folk and I think that is why she was so resiliant through the depression days and after. They didn't have chemicals to fight garden pests and all through her life, I don't think she ever used them. I just read about how some people who over exposed themselves to garden chemicals in the past are now developing parkinsons. That is so scary. I'm glad you are keeping yourself and your friends safe. I am thinking about new plans and plants too.