I live in a small city so my vegetable garden consists of several raised beds, and a couple of free standing large pots. I also plant/seed according to "companion planting" meaning you group plants that "like" each other, and grow well together without depleting each other's resources. This kind of planting also prevents many bug/pest problems as the plants kind of protect each other. Also, adding a row or two or marigold, chamomile, mint, and other herbs helps to keep the bugs away a bit.
Last year, the biggest issue I had was with aphids; seems like there were millions of them everywhere, adults, eggs and all that sticky stuff they excrete, especially on dill and the black currant bushes. The dill was nearly all throw-away but... My solution was the diatomaceous earth, and it worked ok but I also got a shipment of ladybugs from Costco (don't seem to carry this year), and they did an excellent job, too.
This year's issues are stinkbugs on spinach and peppers, and those nasty red-shelled bugs that decimate my lillies. Of course, diatomaceous earth to the rescue again as I do not use any chemical sprays around our yard (pets, grandkids, and my own immune system).
After just one very thorough application, all the stinkbugs seem to have vanished. As a precaution, I have disposed of the large spinach plants, and left the baby ones in place. So far, no bugs reappeared.
The lillies seem to be almost bug free as well; I spotted just a few this morning, as opposed to the greens being heavily peppered with the red bugs.
On the note of the puffer; it really is not as bad as some reviewers state. Granted, the nozzle seems to clog up a bit, but a light tap on the bottom or side of the puffer clears that nearly instantly. My guess is, whomever had so much "issue" with the puffer not dispensing well, failed to read the instructions.
The product dispenses very well, and you can cover a very large area with the amount of powder provided. All you have to do is ensure you stay "up wind" from it (or pick a non-breezy day to do this), so you do not inhale the *very* fine dust. That, and a 24 hour of no rain helps the product to do its job.
Diatomaceous earth, especially the food grade such as this one, is an excellent non-chemical, non-toxic method of pest control, also great for deworming your pets, and getting rid of yeast overgrowth in your gut. I will continue to use diatomaceous earth as my pest control method of choice.
| Manufacturer | Harris |
|---|---|
| Place of Business | DUARTE, CA, 91010 US |
| Item model number | DE-FG2P |
| Product Dimensions | 73.66 x 31.12 x 32.39 cm; 952.54 g |
| ASIN | B0728JL9SQ |
