My biggest challenge is often PESTS!

I prefer to be more hands-off in the garden. I've found that I have more fun and less stress without hovering. As we transition into the Fall gardening season, I notice the remaining plants need less attention ( water, weeding, and pruning), and the seeds I've started are very easy to manage. However, the struggle to protect my transplants persists. My baby plants are under attack in winter, spring, summer, and Fall.

 I've tried a few methods, but it depends on the pest. Right now, I have caterpillars AND slugs decimating my brassicas, hornworm damage on my tomatoes, and BIRDS! Oh, the birds, ALL the birds! They rip the leaves off my baby transplants and dig up my soil, looking for bugs and worms. It's so upsetting to walk out to the garden the morning after I transplanted and cultivated the beds for hours only to discover there is nothing there, literally nothing. Just naked stems, branches, and stalks.

 In the last few weeks, the moths and butterflies have enjoyed my sprouting broccoli; I planted 6 transplants early in September and have 2 left. I don't know if I have enough time to start broccoli from seed and allow it to mature before the potential of frost, so I went to the nursery to buy more transplants.

This time, I applied SLUGGO to the base of each plant, and for added protection, a Pyrethrin and Neem oil combination near each planting. Using multiple pesticides could be overkill, but I wanted to use what I had on hand to protect my harvest. For my GreenStalk Vertical Planters, I draped them with a lightweight row cover. I know the company offers Protection Covers now, but they are too pricey for me right now.

As my fall seedlings mature, I will remove my late-season tomatoes and replace them with chard, lettuce, spinach, beets, bok choi, and kale.