Chemical vs. Organic

Topsmoke said: My exterminators just showed up!

Right on.  Last fall, built first high tunnel so this is the first spring growing in one.  Same variety of tomato planted at same time in the high tunnel are seriously out performing the ones I field planted.  I am sold.  It is going to take many years to build as many as I want, but starting to also think very seriously about going your route for pest control.  Outdoors, chicken and duck take a few of the lower fruits and very young leaves but it is worth it for the pest control.  In the high tunnels, no chicken or duck.  Seems perfect situation for predator insects.  But gotta know, do they establish themselves or do you have to replace every year.  Not hip to things I gotta buy over and over again.
 
meinchoh said:
I have read that a plant does not know the difference between synthetic nitrogen and organic nitrogen - nitrogen is nitrogen to the plant. I am not a botanist so I don't know if it's true.
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I -think- the key is that an organic fertilizer doesnt provide what the plant needs right off the bat.  The bacteria in the soil has to break the organics down before the plant can use them.  Is why I tend to think that organic can keep up with chemical in the fertilizer department but only in an established plot of land.  Lots of folk till in their organic material in the fall so it has extra time to get ready for spring planting.  Again,only a guess because I have very little experience with chemicals on this scale.  Just hay, soy, n corn... mainly hay on a large scale.
 
Hybrid Mode 01 said:
     Yeah, mantises aren't the top choice for keeping pepper plants clean.
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It was more about relying on a natural balance to keep your pests down. 
In seven years of gardening I've never had pest problems on my peppers.  Aphids show up early, my peppers aren't out in spring but my flowers are.  They also prefer tender plants over woody ones, once they colonize the flowers they don't move much. By the time my peppers come out I have a healthy predator population and every thing is mostly kept in check.
 
Topsmoke said:
Its actually made of plastic, http://www.greenhousescanada.com/2016-Hobby-Gardener-8x12-Doors-on-Both-Sides.html I wanted a geocentric dome but could only afford a plastic sheet-ed one so i got this instead.  I like it, funny enough any durability issues Ive had have been with the aluminum components.
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the tubular pieces are plastic too? or just the sheeting?

i would expect any greenhouse to have polycarbonate or poly sheeting, but tubular plastic pieces are very interesting.

fiber reinforced ABS can actually be stronger than some of the alloys of aluminum they use in cheap castings.
 
queequeg152 said:
the tubular pieces are plastic too? or just the sheeting?

i would expect any greenhouse to have polycarbonate or poly sheeting, but tubular plastic pieces are very interesting.

fiber reinforced ABS can actually be stronger than some of the alloys of aluminum they use in cheap castings.
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the sheeting is 8mm twin wall polycarbonate, the framing is pvc.  It has a reinforced pvc mounting base that you dig a trench for and set in, the rest snaps together and is held in place with pins.  It took me like 4-5 days to assemble by myself.
 
ajdrew said:
 Not hip to things I gotta buy over and over again.
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I would imagine if you want something specific in a specific place you will have to put them there.  I just try to make the soil healthy and increase bio-diversity as much as possible, The real work horses of my garden are probably wolf spiders, black beetles,centipedes and birds.  I even have an apex predator in the shape of hawks and a neighbors cat.  Last year I found an American Pygmy Shrew, the smallest mammal native to America and second smallest in the world! very cool.
 
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