Any Organic Veggie Gardeners out there?

[JalapenosinDelco]

I had really good success with everything I planted in my first year garden last year. I didn’t have any bugs Issues and I did that by companion planting. For example, I planted dill by my corn because dill attracts a certain species of fly that eat ear wigs and keep them at bay. There are lots of resources online for that. As for what we grow, we are up north in zone 5a/5b and we have success with all the things. We have a very short growing season, and these are the varieties that I had success with last year. Pardon my disorganized list, I just started planning my garden last night. I grow 99% organic vegetables. There are some things that I will settle for nonorganic to save money, but for the most part we try to be Organic. And don’t forget the potatoes!

Also- have you noticed any differences in your peppers? Because bees cross pollinate, they can change the “natural” state of what a pepper would be grown without different varieties around.
For example: we planted a variety of hot peppers last year including some habaneros, jalapeños, cherry peppers, chili peppers.
Our jalapeños were the hottest I’ve ever had and we were convinced just better than what we could buy. I’m now pretty sure it was a cross pollination issue.
But I was curious if you’ve noticed anything like that between your sweet peppers and hot peppers?

 

[JalapenosinDelco]

Everybody here is growing organic ~ am I right ```

I’d certainly like to think so!!!!
I guess I meant more what is in the guidelines of what is considered organic gardening...
USDA organic seeds, compost, natural pesticides or insecticides. No Harsh deadly chemicals or chemical fertilizers.
That’s what I’m doing. Was looking for some guidance from people who specialize in this area as I always feel there is room to learn more...especially here with these gardening geniuses!!

 

[JalapenosinDelco]

I

as much as i can be. i don't have full control of what goes on here.

as far as i can tell it works and i've been doing it long enough that i see the soil gradually improving i see bug diversity remaining stable or increasing except the recent declines in bumblebees and some smaller birds. i can't tell what is happening with the native frogs, but was happy to see baby toads last year for the first time in some years.

ive noticed in large decline in bumble bees and honey bees as well. Whenever our kids freak out because a bee is “near them” we tell them to sit still and let them be. And that they are such an important animal and we’d have no food if they weren’t here.
Bees are my next project once I’ve gotten the chicken thing under my belt and feel confident I can find a place to hide a hive away from prying neighbors eyes.

 

[flowerbug]

ive noticed in large decline in bumble bees and honey bees as well. Whenever our kids freak out because a bee is “near them” we tell them to sit still and let them be. And that they are such an important animal and we’d have no food if they weren’t here.
Bees are my next project once I’ve gotten the chicken thing under my belt and feel confident I can find a place to hide a hive away from prying neighbors eyes.

i work with bees all around me in the gardens, sometimes just a few inches away. i'll sit and watch them. not moving too fast. they fly around. if i'm wearing some colors they might think for a bit that i'm a flower, but that doesn't happen too often. we have a bee keeper that puts a lot hives near us - i would like them to be put some other place but my preferences are ignored. i would rather encourage more of the native bees and not have so many honey bees.

most of the time when i have been stung are if i get them trapped in my clothes without knowing it or if i grab them by accident. otherwise they don't come after me.

hornets can be a bit more aggressive and i do knock their nests down off the house - i leave the rest of their nests alone on the property as long as they're not near any place where we might bump them or get them upset.

 

[JalapenosinDelco]

i work with bees all around me in the gardens, sometimes just a few inches away. i'll sit and watch them. not moving too fast. they fly around. if i'm wearing some colors they might think for a bit that i'm a flower, but that doesn't happen too often. we have a bee keeper that puts a lot hives near us - i would like them to be put some other place but my preferences are ignored. i would rather encourage more of the native bees and not have so many honey bees.

most of the time when i have been stung are if i get them trapped in my clothes without knowing it or if i grab them by accident. otherwise they don't come after me.

hornets can be a bit more aggressive and i do knock their nests down off the house - i leave the rest of their nests alone on the property as long as they're not near any place where we might bump them or get them upset.

Hornets, yellow jackets, and wasps are plentiful here as well. It seems each year we’re finding more and more that need to be moved. Those are the ones I worry about when my kids are running around the backyard. Those buggers hurt!

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

I also grow my crops using aged manure for fertilizer and by picking pests by hand (could be considered organic, I suppose). I don't know what zone you are in, but maybe you could grow pears? They grow here in my zone 4a, as long as you pick the right varieties.

Aged manure is really best for soil as fertilizer. That's what we use too. It's very effective and cheap... keep up the good work.. !!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

For example: we planted a variety of hot peppers last year including some habaneros, jalapeños, cherry peppers, chili peppers.
Our jalapeños were the hottest I’ve ever had and we were convinced just better than what we could buy. I’m now pretty sure it was a cross pollination issue.

Hopefully you saved some seeds.

Peppers, like their relatives tomatoes, have perfect flowers. That means they have both male and female parts and don't really need pollinators to pollinate them. A good wind can do that, though a pollinator buzzing around on it can shake it and cause pollination. Pollinators are still good.

The pepper and tomato male and female parts are shaped so that they usually self-pollinate. Cross-pollination is fairly rare but it does happen. From what I read a few years back hot peppers are more likely to cross pollinate than sweet peppers because of the difference in shapes of the male/female parts.

You do not see the effects of cross-pollination the year that cross-pollination occurs. The first time that will show up is the next year after you plant those seeds. From reading your post I wasn't sure you got that? As long as you don't save the seeds it doesn't matter what they are planted close to.

 

[JalapenosinDelco]

Hopefully you saved some seeds.

Peppers, like their relatives tomatoes, have perfect flowers. That means they have both male and female parts and don't really need pollinators to pollinate them. A good wind can do that, though a pollinator buzzing around on it can shake it and cause pollination. Pollinators are still good.

The pepper and tomato male and female parts are shaped so that they usually self-pollinate. Cross-pollination is fairly rare but it does happen. From what I read a few years back hot peppers are more likely to cross pollinate than sweet peppers because of the difference in shapes of the male/female parts.

You do not see the effects of cross-pollination the year that cross-pollination occurs. The first time that will show up is the next year after you plant those seeds. From reading your post I wasn't sure you got that? As long as you don't save the seeds it doesnt matter what they are planted close to.
[/QUOTE
Very interesting. I did save the seeds, but I seem to have issues regrowing pepper seeds. Like maybe 3% will grow from what I’ve saved. So I’m not really sure how our peppers ended up so damn hot. Thanks for your input!

 

[Ridgerunner]

When I save tomato or pepper seeds I let the fruit get really ripe so they are fully mature. I'm sure I go longer than I have to but what the heck.

How warm is the soil you are trying to sprout them in? Peppers really like warm soil. Mine germinate at 70 F but they do better if the soil is 75 F or above. 85 is not too warm.

 

[digitS']

Remember that pepper seeds can be really hot, depending on variety.

Cross-pollinated pepper seeds can be really hot.

Therefore, if you do not take the seeds out in whatever you are preparing in the kitchen, and it is a sweet or mild pepper but crossed, that pepper dish can be hot!

Seed companies sometimes have seed that isn't what it's supposed to be. People doing the hybridizing make mistakes while handling the flowers. Additionally, plants may vary in a field of open-pollinated peppers - and that will mean that the seed will vary but machine harvesting will mix things up.

There are several jalapeño varieties - some with absolutely no heat. I grew some of those once. Mixed them up with the others harvesting. Typical of me but, Naw ... I don't really like not knowing if a pepper is mild or hot while I'm messing around with them in the kitchen.

Steve