I have probably a different view on this. It is quite possible that you don't know what is in fact eating your veggies. I have found that most insects are feeding on plants at night. Go out an hour or so after dark with a good flashlight and check out the nightlife. Chances are you have some earwigs that are feasting. I have almost never seen them in the day but they sure are active at night. I squish em between 2 popsicle sticks. Do this for 4-5 nights in a row and you will notice a vast drop in your plants being eaten. I generally don't bother with pillbugs except when plants are at the seedling (most vulnerable) stage. I have seen them feasting on plants but I am pretty sure I don't have high concentrations of them. But in the early stages I squish em too. I avoid all pesticides like the plague. We used to use Sevin early on when we first started the garden some years back but hey man, we're eating those veggies ! We also decided to grow mostly exotic varieties of melons and veggies since when I add up the time, water, and other expenses we're running something like $5 per tomato. It sounds like you have a fairly limited space. You should be able to maintain it as I have described above without pesticides. Something else I have found that works wonders is DE -- Diatomaceous Earth that is used for swimming pool filters. Sprinkle it around your plants in a ring and it will eliminate many of the crawling bugs that cause trouble. Wayne

container blueberry, some folks on this forum have yet to grasp the concept of what an organic fertilizer is and how it can be beneficial to your specific growing operation. Take advice offered by them with a very large grain of salt!! Meat meal is not all that different from any other protein-based animal byproduct used as an organic fertilizer - bone meal, blood meal, feather meal, fish meal, etc., etc. Typically, you will see it listed as MBM - meat and bone meal - as one is heavier on the N levels and the other on the P. Together they form a relatively balanced and fast-acting basic nutrient source. Organic fertilizers are intended to supply specific nutrients that may be missing or deficient in existing soil. Simply adding organic matter can not always satisfy the nutrient demands of fast growing crops in a single growing season. Organic farming operations have utilized supplemental fertilization practices for decades in addition to the more typical annual cover cropping or applications of manures, composts or other OM. That is why many organic fertilizers are OMRI approved -- if they were never necessary (or somehow bad for the soil) as some posters would lead you to believe, there would not be the massive market for them there is nor any need for the organic gardening/farming approval. Since all organic fertilizers (other than mined minerals) are derived from plant and animal byproducts, they ARE JUST AS MUCH ORGANIC MATTER as is compost or animal manures. That emphasis is intended for those who persist in thinking they are not. They require activation (mineralization/digestion) by soil organisms to release the nutrients into plant-accessible forms. In this way, they encourage all manner of soil biology and improve the soil in much the same manner as any other form of OM. Plus they offer the benefit of specific nutrient supplementation and often in a much more fast-acting form than does typical OM.

The following was stated: "Also, I don't think anyone in this discussion is farming any GMO corn or soy..." H.Kuska comment. The part of the link that I cut and paste had to do with the subtopic discussed by Wayne and Marshall as indicated in my lead in sentence: "Wayne and Marshall, the link below discusses another farming mode." This subthread is about alternate farming modes. The distinction between farming and gardening is a blurred one. I feel that some/many? of the readers interested in this forum are interested in reading about other possible agricultural practices especially if they find that some of the suggestions could be applied to their organic gardens (with zero or very little modification). The Union of Concerned Scientists actual detailed statement was linked to in the last link that I gave. In case some missed it, I now give the actual link below. The quote below should give the reader an idea of their suggested direction. "Healthy Farm Practices How can farmers turn all this theory into practice? Our experts have identified four key healthy farm practices: A landscape approach. On a healthy farm, uncultivated areas are maintained as a resource, providing a home for beneficial organisms as well as a buffer to help keep farm nutrients from polluting nearby waterways. Crop diversity and rotation. Using long, complex crop rotations, and expanding the farm's repertoire to include fruits, vegetables and/or energy crops, can yield multiple benefits, including healthier soil, reduced need for pesticides, and even higher profits. Integrating crops and livestock. Well-managed pastures help maintain biodiversity, while the manure they produce is a valuable resource for soil fertility. And animals provide a market for some alternative crops, facilitating complex crop rotations. Cover crops. Planting cover crops when soil would otherwise be bare reduces erosion, improves soil fertility and water-holding capacity, and helps keep weeds under control. Healthy Farm Benefits Together, these principles and practices add up to a healthy farm��"and the benefits are many. For instance: Reduced need for chemical inputs. By increasing soil fertility and pest resistance, healthy farm practices enable farmers to greatly reduce their reliance (and expenditure) on chemical fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides. Drought resilience. A healthy farm's soil is better at retaining water, so the farm is less susceptible to the devastating impacts of drought. Increased biodiversity. A healthy farm is a far more welcoming home to pollinators and other beneficial organisms than its industrial competitors. Reduced environmental impact. Common environmental impacts of industrial agriculture, such as nitrogen runoff and toxic pesticide residues, are greatly reduced on a healthy farm." http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/solutions/advance-sustainable-agriculture/healthy-farm-vision.html Here is a link that might be useful: actual statement

Another topic that has so many variables that there is no one correct statement that can be made. I'm wondering whether you are pushing these products for some ulterior motive. I'm not calling those amendments snake oil, in fact I haven't looked at the links. I've just come to the opinion over 60+ years of gardening that expensive fertilizers and amendments are usually overpriced for what they are and there are usually less expensive ways to obtain the same results. Anyhow, here's my 2 cents, which is more than anyone is paying me for it! I don't get all hung up on whether my soil has every nutrient imaginable. IMO if one adds organic matter regularly, uses a good quality mulch, and perhaps uses an appropriate fertilizer/amendment for certain plants that may need that, the soil will be healthy and the plants will do well. I've found making teas and applying them a lot of work. I used to have up to ten 5-10 gallon buckets of alfalfa tea brewing at any given time and constantly applied it to my large garden as well as the lawn. Way too much work for me altho I did it for years. I now make one bucket and apply small amounts to various plants that may need more nutrients because they are heavy feeders. I mostly depend on the worms to fertilize my soil which requires me to *only* provide a healthy environment for the worms. As another poster mentioned organic molasses is a good amendment which is probably under-utilized. Every gardener has to find what works best for them but I know that expensive and/or extremely labor intensive methods are not self-sustaining. Gardening is a lot of work and it's worthwhile to find the easiest and cheapest methods or you'll soon give up. Best of luck to you blazeaglory with whatever you decide to do.