Gardening, Self Sufficiency

It could be that the 'name of this game' is efficiency.  
There's still no shortage of canned food on the shelves in my area.
Not the best, but it will sustain us.

A home garden, on the other hand, is an energy investment, and we want the
 most return for the energy expended, whether it is time, labor, 
money, other required resources.
An established garden is much easier to renew-revamp than starting a first time
garden is. 

One bit of sage advise I encountered was "don't feed the plants.  Feed the
soil and the plants will take what they need.'
That very smart man can be found here: 
https://www.youtube.com/@Gardenfundamentals1
----
 As a sustaining food source, we're looking for calories and nutrients.
Today I saw a video that helped supply that info.

In order of higher nutrients to higher calories, he listed:
Kale, cabbage, corn, carrots, pumpkin, squash, potatoes, quinoa, sweet potatoes, pinto beans
based on planting requirements = a 4X4 ft bed, and expected yield.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iasfVHoT5DY

I just re-found this gardener I lost track of.
I don't even care if everything he says is wrong,
he just makes everyone happy.   

https://www.tiktok.com/@simonakeroydgardener


And a sample from youtube shorts:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=simon+akeroyd

Free planting pots.  Not plastic.  Sow, then plant when ready

https://www.tiktok.com/@simonakeroydgardener/video/7220464429933120774

Most every recipe in the 'natural health' make your own medicine thread contains garlic.
I believe they are slow growers, but buy once, have many plants.
Same for ginger.   

Another good thing about garlic is critters don't like the smell of it so hopefully will
avoid your plants.
And it helps mask the smell that flying munchers hone in on, like
carrot flies. 

This fellow does have credentials:    
I'm a garden writer and author of 30 Gardening books.
I was previously a Garden Manager for the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) and National Trust. I also worked as BBC Horticultural Researcher and journalist and BBC producer.

Gardens I’ve managed include RHS Wisley, RHS Harlow Carr, Sheffield Park, Agatha Christie's Greenway, Coleton Fishacre, Compton Castle and Polesden Lacey.

Pepper plants:  to prune or not to prune.  This man did the test
Not pruning produced bigger peppers and bigger yield.

.
PLANT ONIONS WITH YOUR PEPPERS

GINGER.  GROW FROM MARKET PURCHASED GINGER.  ANOTHER OFTEN MENTIONED IN HOME
MADE MEDICINAL FORMULAS.
10 IN DEEP POT.  THEY GROW SIDEWAYS NOT DOWN
4-6 INCHES APART
SOAK OVERNITE.  GOOD RHIZOMES ALWAYS SINK
COVER W 1 INCH POTTING SOIL.  KEEP AT MIN 70 DGS
SPROUTS IN 2-4 WKS
OR STARTER TRAY 1" DEEP PEAT, MOISTENED, KEEP AT 85 DGS
THEN
PLANT IN FULL SUN, LOTS OF WATER, MINIMAL WIND
6 MOS-8 MOS TO HARVEST(4 MOS FOR BABY GINGER)
STORE AT ROOM TEMP

THIS IS VERY HANDY.  2 MIN VIDEOS  'GARDEN QUICKIES' ANSWERING COMMON QUESTIONS.

AND HE'S  A VERY POPULAR RESOURCE.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiie7K8ZgA_I1trKU0lbcCqf4NK2f3nhf
========================

LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THESE DAYS, GARDENING HAS GOTTEN VERY COMPLICATED, EVEN TO SEED SELECTION AND CUSTOM GROWING CONDITIONS.

EXCEPT FOR THE LOWLY SPUD, COMING SOON.  (WE'RE GETTING ALERTS)

I'M SURE NOT COUNTING ON MY LOWLY GARDEN TO SURVIVE.  
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO FOOD THERE. LOL
----------------

THIS IS THE 1ST TIME I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT BUGGING OUT.

FIRST, WATER !!!  ONE GAL PER DAY PER PERSON
THEN MULTIPLE FIRE STARTERS, BURN SOURCES
LIGHT SOURCES
-----
FOODS

I'D GET THE BEST PROTEIN POWDER I COULD FIND. FIGURE 2 SERVINGS PER DAY PER PERSON?  WHAT'S ONE MORE JUG AFTER ALL.
JUICES to mix protein powder in. SMALLER CONTAINERS - NO REFRIG
----------
VITAMINS IN ORDER:
MULTI.
VITAMIN C
NAC= N ACETYL CISTEIN=IMMUNE BOOSTER
D3 WITH K2
ZINC
FIRST AID KIT
ESSENTIAL RX MEDICINES, 
ANTIBIOTIC CREAM, 
TYLENOL TYPE
STORE IN ZIP LOCK TO KEEP DRY
EVERYTHING FOR PETS TOO.
-----
FOOD FOR EXTREME SURVIVAL

MANY PROTEIN BARS:
NUTS.
DRIED FRUIT IN PACKAGES
I WANT TO LOOK AT 'HARDTACK'
---------
BIBLE; IN ZIP LOCK
----------
CUPS  UTENSILS THROW IN CAN OPENER, KNIVES-BIG AND SMALL
TP   PT
PKGS BABY WIPES
PLASTIC BAGS  
GARBAGE BAGS
A  5 GAL BUCKET 
DUCT TAPE
---------
CASH STASH, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, IN ZIP LOCK
---------
KEEP WATER IN VEHICLE.  
PLUS CLOTHES
THE REST SHOULD FIT IN A TOTE OR TWO FOR QUICK LOADING.
-----
GRAB
EYE GLASSES
PHONE/CHARGER
----
KNOW YOUR EXIT ROUTES IN ALL DIRECTIONS AHEAD OF TIME
-------
WOULD YOU SAY THIS IS ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU ALIVE DURING AN 
EVACUATION ORDER?
FEEL FREE TO ADD.
INSTANT COFFEE, CHOCOLATE IS FAIR.
----------------
EDIT
I FORGOT A POT WITH LID IN CASE U DO WANT TO ADD SOMETHING
TO COOK, OR HAVE UR COFFEE HOT.
-----------
THE 5 GALLON BUCKET WITH LID (HOME DEPOT) IS UR POTTY IF U
NEED IT?
I'VE NEVER TRIED THIS, JUST HEARD 5 GAL WAS THE SIZE.
LINE WITH PLASTIC BAG
AND!  THEY SAY A POOL NOODLE CUT TO SIZE AND CUT TO FIT OVER
THE RIM MAKES A BIG! DIFFERENCE. 
-----------
FOR JUICE DRINKS, I ALREADY GOT THE CAPRI SUN POUCHES,
THAT CAN BE FINISHED IN ONE SITTING, SO WON'T GO BAD.

Milkman brand  low fat dry powdered  milk. Really not 
too bad, but I'd hate to have to drink at room temperature. It's sealed in packets that make a qt. 
 And T paper.
 Portable battery jump starter with solar or hand crank power option. These have the plug for cell phones also . I used mine to charge my phone during a 3 day power outage.

Squirrels, chipmunks:

Apple cider vinegar
garlic
predator urine
peppermint oil-soak cotton balls
cayenne pepper  sprinkle or make a spray with water
eucalyptus
lemon juice or essential oil with water and sprayed

I would spray around, but not directly on plants.


MORE plus BUGS: The Staple Ingredient That'll Keep Squirrels Out Of Your Yard (housedigest.com)

EDIT: I THINK I FOUND MY FAVORITE, POSTED FURTHER DOWN + HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLbzKWeATHI
-----------------------
Yellow potatoes.  Not sweet potatoes, which are not potatoes but are highly nutritious.

Supermarket potatoes chit right up around here.  Heat seems to be the 'problem' with regular potatoes.
I can still plant, but south may have to wait.  In the meantime, sweet potatoes love heat, so..
Remember I have no experience myself.  Just videos.

I like the idea of container gardening, or GROW BAGS.  They look awesome.  They even have a side flap for harvesting. Maybe next year. And maybe less tuber 'attack' in containers. 
The thing with containers is the water leaches through quickly, taking fertilizers along with it.
So, they need more of each.  But draining is important so tubers don't rot.  Lovely.
And mulch so tubers are never in the sun!
I may grab 1 more potato vid b4 moving on to next thing. 

AND potatoes are determinate or indeterminate. You need more garden space to get more potatoes out of determinate varieties. They grow sideways=one layer. Less fuss.  Keep mulched.
For indeterminate potatoes, you will get more potatoes, but only if you have vertical space. They grow down.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/potato/determinate-indeterminate-potatoes.htm

Yukon Gold is a good tasting, versatile determinate potato, ready in 70 -90 days
---
The 2 have different planting instructions. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6zhvmVuPZc

This man's in New Jersey, but I think the potato part of this video was last season.

He sure didn't work hard at it!   And look what he got!

These are INDETERMINANT potatoes.  He could plant them this close and as
the leaf stems grow he adds more soil around them. It's called 'hilling' which
he can do successfully because he's planted in a contained bed. 
New tubers will grow off the covered stems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sunnK292SE

Turbo tuber.  https://fedcoseeds.com/ogs/turbo-tuber-8315

Blended in-house from fish meal, feather meal, soybean meal, sulfate of potash, dolomitic lime, pasteurized poultry manure and K-mag. 

I'm not ordering it.  Just curious what was in it.
=======================

Another good article

https://thekitchengarten.com/how-to-grow-potatoes-at-home/


nothing on fertilizer tho

SWEET POTATOES from store bought. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0igp5IzO21g

FROM THE COMMENTS:
When I was first trying out insect netting I used dollar store hula hoops, cut to form the semi circle supports for the cloth. I also used sheer curtains from thrift stores, which worked pretty well. Brassica growing is challenging, just a cheap barrier can make such a difference!
------------------
AVOID PESTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLbzKWeATHI

REGULAR POTATOES
comparisons of planting techniques.  Cardboard boxes are all over youtube. Here's results!

Bullet points:
Not everyone likes coconut coir.(sp) But mulch for containers is important to retain moisture. Potatoes need
acid soil, so pine needles should be great.  He added purchased sulphur to soil.
Acidity level: I've seen 5.2 to 6.4.  He says 5.5 to 6.0

Fert:  chicken poop pellets. All purpose is okay.  ADD bonemeal and bloodmeal for root growth.

We don't know determinate vs indeterminate.  He planted 2" deep. in 12" (about) soil. 6" apart.

He sprinkled iron phosphate on top to deter slugs and earwigs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Di4h6yIzY

When I was in college  and living at home, I planted 50 lbs of irish potatoes. The variety was Red Lasoda. I had a little  well used 8 N ford tractor that my parents had bought for me and used that to prepare the soil. Potatoes need hilling so the sun can't reach the tubers or they will turn green and bee uneatable. I piled up  dirt on the plants as they grew. They don't like to be wet or might rot in the soil so be careful with that.
  I raised close to 700 lbs of potatoes that year . They have to be cured at harvest ... so as I gathered them, I laid them out under the massive pine trees we had and the needles on the ground gave them enough room for air circulation and the trees provided shade. After they  quickly cured, I sprinkled them with lime to help preserve them. and moved them to a dark area. They lasted for many many months and I was able to sell some in our antique shop too. 
 This year, I'm growing only 5 lbs and covering with hay.

700 lbs !!!  That's AMAZING!   You couldn't pull that many by hand, could you?  
(Excuse my ignorance)

Is watering as tricky as it seems to me?  

If the 700 lbs didn't do it, curing with lime is a tip from someone who actually knows what they're doing.    I have not seen that before.  But nobody I've watched has that kind of harvest.

Someday SOON, I pray, no one on earth will ever go hungry. God's Way works!

I had a middle buster for the little tractor and ran it thru the row. It turned the potatoes  up to the top . Then I picked them up and moved with my wheelbarrow.  The  Good Lord watered my garden because there was no water where it was back then.   If  gathering by hand a potato fork is good to have. (large flat tines)  Potatoes grown in the ground are sometimes deep so pulling only gets the ones near the surface.    >  In small gardens, I think buckets or big  buckets work.  I think you would like a website  with a couple  named Nancy and Hollis. They are Christians . 

This guy plants potatoes in the garden much like I did , except that my rows were farther apart .  (Never have planted in buckets since I have the garden space.  

What are Determinate Potatoes?

Determinate potatoes are varieties with tubers that grow in just one layer. For this reason, the plants do not require mounding of the soil around them. They produce early, in about 70 to 90 days. Sow determinate potatoes in loose soil to a depth of about 4 inches (10 cm.). Use mulch to prevent weed growth and to prevent the tubers from being exposed to the sun, which will turn the potatoes green. Examples of determinate potatoes are Yukon Gold, Norland, Fingerling, and Superior.

What are Indeterminate Potatoes?

Indeterminate potatoes grow in multiple layers, so it is important to mound soil around the plants. This will give you a better yield. Indeterminate potatoes produce late crops, 110 to 135 days out. To grow these potatoes, start by covering them with 4 inches (10 cm.) of loose soil. 
When the plants have reached about 6 inches (15 cm.) in height, add several inches (8 cm.) of soil, straw, or dead leaves until there is just 2 inches (5 cm.) of plant sticking out of the mound. 
Continue adding layers as the plant grows. It is because of the multiple layers of tuber production with indeterminate potatoes that these varieties are well suited to potato boxes or towers, or even potato bags. 
These are good for small spaces because they allow you to grow up and still get a good yield of potatoes. Examples of indeterminate potatoes include Snowden, Russet Burbank, and Bancock Russet.
-----------------
Looks like I'll be doing both.  I have Yukon Gold, and Russet.

I just have to do the acid test.      
You could maybe turn Ur tractor around in my back yard.   
So I'm all raised bed and containers. I want to do a cardboard box for something  'just because'.
And should I get a straw hat?    
And 'background music'.      Everybody's got that!
At least I already have the obligatory dog, so 'ready or not'. 

Somehow there are grubs in my two foot high container bed.   

I had just settled on diatomaceous earth as a fix and saw this vid.
Should you ever need to know~

I suppose I should post the conclusion.  There are 3 treatments. 

Dig/Pick em out. oh ugh!

Purchase 'milky spores' which can take 2 years or more to resolve the threat 
to your plants. (which perished from root kill a long time ago)

Live Microscopic Nematodes.  They do NOT harm earthworms, or humans, or animals or fish. 
Someone commented, 'it's alot like buying sea monkeys'. LOL.
They do kill grubs though. There are even predator nematodes that will seek them out. 

We have a microbiome.  The soil has a microbiome. It's all very intimate.   
Ivermectin anyone?    

Look!  5 million!  Yep.  I counted.   


Beneficial Nematodes for Grub Control and Japanese Beetles and other soil dwelling insects. Beneficial nematodes seek out and kill over 200 pest insects in the soil. They are a natural effective alternative to chemical pesticides.

   

       SCIENCE SAYS !  Compost tea-    Worst case- E.Coli   

Composting is different and is valuable!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crVYJPbvJ5c

Here's the wrap up on compost.  And the process goes on for years at the microbial level.
Composting Basics - 8 Methods compared - Which is Right for You?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJkSoTMDtRM



These play fine speeded up.

In the US, the word that peat moss is a disappearing resource is a big fat lie.

We source from Canada and that supply is fine.

MAYBE the UK is different.   That would require research.

So, in it's place with told to use coco-coir.  But what about that?  Besides the fact that
someone found profit in another 'throw away' if they can convince you to switch.
Facts about peat:

Compare peat, sphagnum and coco coir:

Sphagnum is carbon rich.  That's handy. So are all organic fertilizers, I just heard.
Don't add or spread dry peat!  It needs to be fully wet and worked into soil.  If it dries out
it won't uptake water from just regular watering.  It needs a slow soak to rehydrate.
I wonder if mixing it with sphagnum would help all that.

The acidic nature of peat doesn't last long, from what I've read.  It should NOT require a lime
application. 

Ah Ha!

14 Essential Tips for a Bountiful Bean Harvest This Season - The Peasant's Daughter (thepeasantsdaughter.net)

For bush beans, sow seeds directly into the soil, spacing them about 2 inches apart in rows that are 18 to 24 inches apart. Sow seeds about 1 to 2 inches deep, depending on soil type; deeper in light, sandy soils and shallower in heavy, clay soils. For pole beans, space seeds about 3 inches apart in rows, with a sturdy trellis or support system in place to accommodate their climbing nature.
--
Beans thrive with consistent moisture, especially when flowering and developing pods. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, either through rainfall or supplemental watering. Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation to apply water directly to the soil, minimizing moisture on the leaves and reducing the risk of disease.



Set up a trellis, bamboo poles, or netting for pole beans when planting. The structure should be at least 6 feet tall, which allows the vines ample room to grow and makes harvesting easier. Ensure it’s sturdy enough to support the weight of the vines as they mature.



Mulch helps maintain soil moisture, keeps weed growth in check, and stabilizes soil temperature. It also protects the soil and soil microbes from UV damage. Mulching is actually one of the best things you can do in your garden and many no-till growers like us keep our beds mulched continuously year round with all sorts of organic materials.
Why? Because it can help you create the best growing conditions possible.

Stick a bush bean seed everywhere you see a spare spot. Seriously. Maximize your growing space and grow heaps of food to prepare fresh or preserve. Beans are hardy, adaptable plants that will grow under conditions that would fell weaker or more particular plants.

The advice you often hear is never to fertilize your garden beans because they fix their own nitrogen. Over-fertilizing will reduce bean pod production and create more leafy growth.
And this is true — if you fertilize at the wrong time.
Fertilize your green beans once, after the first set of true leaves have emerged from the growing seedlings. This is optional, but if you have poor soils or are growing in partial-shade, this can really give you a huge boost of production.

Beans can be grown in partial shade! They may mature slower and produce less but still produce a significant amount of beans in partial shade.

Want to grow copious amounts of beans? Harvest them as soon as they emerge and are big enough to use.
As your beans grow, picking the pods as soon as possible signals to the plant to produce more and more. Keep going until the plant is spent. If you’re growing beans for dry storage, this doesn’t apply.

Monitor your plants regularly for signs of pests. Common bean pests include Mexican bean beetles, spider mites, and aphids. Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs or use floating row covers to protect the plants if pests are present.

Green beans can be blanched and frozen for eating all year long. They can also be pressure-canned for shelf-stable storage. If you’ve never tried making fermented vegetables, fermented green beans are a real treat that will stay fresh in their brine for months on end and be a source of probiotics.

Leave the roots to wither and die, enrich and aerate the soil. We chop-and-drop the spent plants as another form of mulch, though diseased plants should be removed and discarded.
-------------------
Grow sunflowers:
13 Tips To Grow Sunflowers for Beautiful Blooms & Tasty Seeds - The Peasant's Daughter (thepeasantsdaughter.net)

Plant in pots

https://24infochannel.com/10-most-productive-vegetables-to-grow-in-pots/

I wonder if there's something I'm supposed to be doing...
(besides watching videos.  )

If you ever used Peter's blue granule fertilizer in the past, it was super.
Then it disappeared.

Turns out it's now sold under the name 'Jack's".  Not at Home Depot (which is 'buddies' with Scotts=
Miracle Gro) or Lowes, but Amazon does have it. And maybe other places.
===============================

This grower is in N.C. (hotter sun and longer growing season than where I am)  
but this video makes sense and most comments seem to agree. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dyluaf5wTg

10 Reasons Never to Use Miracle-Gro Soil in Your Garden (msn.com)

Then there's the fact that it's absolute crap.  My garden partner (ex hubby) bought Miracle Gro potting soil and compost.  The compost was FULL of rubber pieces (probably old tires) mulch of unknown quality-much of that stuff is dyed, stones...just pure junk.

The fertilizer problems are in the article.

Trying to figure out what to plant when is a pip.
Lettuces and brassicas warrant that kind of attention as they bolt in the heat.
Some root veggies are considered 'cool weather crops', such as potatoes, carrots.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers like the heat. 

I've read that the 6-8 hours of full sun is really not necessary. 
4 hours direct sun along with shaded sun is enough. 
And that seems to be panning out here. 

And there are crops to sow in July.  They mean seed to harvest.

Here's a list
summer squash
bush and pole beans  (pick them early,  don't wait for mature pods to develop-which are the
seeds.)

cukes  2nd sow  seed to harvest  55 days
okra

basil  oregano  thyme
swiss chard
sweet corn
radishes
spinach (heat tolerant variety) 
arugala
bok choy
--------------------
About cucumbers. Don't leave ripe cukes on the vine. If they start to yellow, they
are working to go to seed and that will STOP crop production and the plant will die.
Also, don't try to push a cuke plant to last all season.  
After it's peaked, pull it and raise up the 2nd plant you started.

There are certain strains that are self-pollinating.  Otherwise you need BEES,
who are adorable and very focused on the job.
Just don't wear yellow.   
or you have to pollinate them yourself with a paint brush, Q tip, or pick the male
flowers, visit the females (where the little fruit is behind the blossom)  and do the pollinating yourself.
 (GO bees!    ) Certain flowers bring them, and I think the clover in the yard is helping too.
-------------------------


There is a cucumber beetle. (they're little) I'm doing good with a spray bottle of 32 oz water
and 2 tsp castile soap for them, aphids, garden fleas, mites, etc.
Get a squirt gun and sing to Biden's tune of get a shotgun. hee.


Larvae, caterpillars, worms need something different. 
Not Dawn (even 'original') and not Neem if you can help it.
If you go for Neem oil, look for "Azadirachta indica" (the correct species) on the label.


To keep out pests:  
pin wheels and whirly gigs work for birds
pie tins tied to a stake


squirrels, chipmunks..put some onion, some garlic and water in a blender.
put some in a dish type or spray on cloth and hang.  
Or plant onion and/or garlic scattered in the garden. 
Also helps hide carrots from carrot flies.
---
Staking, trellising and trimming :



Using shade cloth- I'm using sheer curtains. lol.  It works. 
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4KWYN0tYcrw

I liked the good old days.  Dig a hole.  Plop in poop, peat and plant. 
Water.  Get a huge harvest.   
Somehow in the past 30 years, it's gotten very complicated. $$$$ of course.
-----------------

If you plant onions or scallions, yes you can harvest some greens for salads,
but just a couple at a time from each plant.
Those greens are how it gathers sun energy to make the bulbs. 
No buzz cuts. 
----
I did get actual onions from a store bought end cutting, and they
need to go out into the garden.  Don't bury the onion bulb is what I'm seeing.
It looks like they just grow with bottom half nestled in the soil.
They dry out FAST, being so shallow, so need lots of water attention.

Strawberries. Ever bearing go all season BUT don't bury the crowns or you'll get nothing.
-------------------------
There are two gardeners who are famous for 'NO TILL' gardening. 
Ruth Stout is one.  I have to look for the other.
She built up on top of ground soil and planted successfully.

https://search.brave.com/search?q=Ruth+Stout&source=desktop
-------------------
About onions
Onions are the sun-worshippers of the vegetable world, craving a minimum of 11 hours of direct sunlight. Forcing them to grow in shady corners goes against their preference, resulting in subpar bulb growth. In some cases, you may witness prolific leaf growth, with bulbs remaining a mere fantasy. It's not just about bulb size. Studies have shown that onions grown in sunny areas are richer in flavonoids celebrated for anti-neuroinflammability properties

A big theme these days is 'pick early and often'.  
Cukes, tomatoes, beans, peppers, squash,  micro greens.

This goes along with:
Succession planting.  Think of all the seeds in a packet.  Young, vibrant plants are far
healthier, robust, and prolific. Much less subject to attack from insects, fungus, weather, etc.

Getting plants up and off the ground helps immensely.  Avoid ground pests, gain visibility
for pollinators and for your inspection, increase air flow to thwart fungus and mildew. 
Less bending over !  


Mulching is imperative to keep
soil moisture consistent.

Wow.  If you just want onion greens-

Could it be this easy?

TOMATO LEAF CURL.
Is generally from too much/too hot sun as we 'push' our plants to produce in the weather window
we have available, circumventing how they grow in their 'natural', near tropical environment, with
no rush under dappled sun tree canopies.

Shade covers help, and new growth should be back to normal. Curled leaves don't recover but don't
need to be removed.

HOWEVER, if the heat stress continues the weakened plant becomes susceptible  to insects and
diseases. 
------------
POWDERY MILDEW is a fungus.  To treat it organically, mix a treatment of

One heaping TBS of FOOD GRADE POTASSIUM BICARBONATE  (not baking soda=sodium bicarb)
One half tsp castile soap  (biodegradable, won't harm bees)
One gallon water.
Spray tops and undersides of leaves.

It's a preventative as well as a treatment.  It will kill the fungus spores.

This e-book and the links are all supposed to be free.
In the video she mentioned baking soda+water as a fungicide.
Most all choose potassium bicarb (food grade) instead.
Another fungicide killer is H2O2  (outrageously diluted) 
I'm still working on this aspect.
video I watched is at    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjMIh19zH7k


How to Grow Delicious Tomatoes eBook:
https://bit.ly/3kWW5Y2

Ready to get your hands dirty? Join our new online gardening workshop and learn the ins and outs of seed starting with expert Geoffrey Johnson! This new workshop is designed to both help beginner’s succeed and master gardeners to learn some new tricks. And, best of all, it's FREE! Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity - SIGN UP NOW! http://bit.ly/3m38zy9

READ MORE
DIY Plant Fungicides:
https://gkh.us/22943

Seed Packet Abbreviations:
https://gkh.us/144763

How to Sanitize Soil:
https://gkh.us/6392
me: haha. I just read this one. I am NOT trucking my soil in to sterilize
in the oven or a pressure cooker, for goodness sake.


This could be an option. "Steaming is considered one of the best ways to sterilize potting soil and should be done for at least 30 minutes or until the temperature reaches 180 degrees F. (82 C.)"




Driveways up here are asphalt. Spread soil, covered in the sun with a black tarp might make it to 180 dgs.  100 dgs + something, 4 sure.
Viruses and fungal disease can live in the soil and affect the next
planting as well.  But 'sterilization' is 'sterile' and you'd have
to rebuilt the microbiome after. 
Don't compost any diseased plants. Trash them.


I'm still looking for a good answer. 
----------
Ultimate Guide to Growing Tomatoes:
https://gkh.us/5488

Here's a H2O2 treatment that seems more realistic to me.  (higher volume H2O2)

And he's using baking soda.  IDK.  Plants LIKE potassium. No final final answer yet.

If U watch the vid, he has a dead, diseased plant still in the ground, right next to his good stuff.  DUR!

Cucumbers producing well?  What to do~

https://loseweightbyeating.com/cucumber-water/

• To a carafe or pitcher, add all the fruit and herbs.
  
• Use a muddler (or potato masher) to gently mash the fruit and herbs to release their flavors.
  
• Add the water, mix together, and let marinate for 2 hours in the fridge before serving.
  

Special Tips on Making Fruit Infused Water Recipes:

• Use a Fruit Infused Water Pitcher to make these drinks! The canister in the center of the pitcher will hold the fruit and herbs submerged. This will intensify the flavor!
  
• If you don’t have a fruit infused pitcher, add 3 cups of ice to the top of the water. Do not mix, but instead add to the fridge. As the ice slowly melts it will keep the fruit submerged longer. This will intensify the flavor!
  
• FLAVOR COMBOS:
  
• • I lemon washed and sliced, 
    
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves washed
    
  • 1 cup cubed pineapple
    
  • 1 cup blueberries  W/ 1 lemon washed and sliced
    
  • 1 cup strawberries washed and halved
    
  • 1 cup watermelon
    
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves washed  W/ 1 orange washed and sliced
    
  
  
  

they also contain the essential vitamins and minerals you need such as C, A, B6 and K. Cucumbers also contain a bunch of electrolytes including potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium, which are especially important to replace if you’re sweating a lot from heat or exercise.