08/26/2025
Leave it a lil bit wild.
Mother Nature will establish a balance if you let her. But if we’re constantly riding our garden of all the aphids and pests then there’s no delicious buffet to call in the beneficial insects like lady bugs, hoverflies, praying mantises (my personal favorite), etc.
With that being said I will rub off a handful of aphids if the plant looks like it may not survive. But that is very rare. Years ago I left the aphids in my pollinator garden for the first time instead of riding them at first sight. Weeks later I noticed 20+ lady bug eggs on the sunflowers there.
This year the area is dealing with an overwhelming amount of armyworms. And it has crossed the line for me of “letting it be”. After digging around online for organic pest solutions it came down to Neem oil or BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis).
I compared the positives and negatives about both options & came to the conclusion that BT would do the least harm to other bugs & pollinators.
I definitely don’t have it all figured out. And I have a deep love and appreciation for all of you nature nurturers who are trying your best to observe, adapt, and overcome.
It’s been a hard growing season for almost all of us. And yet I feel such gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside nature as always.
💗 🌱 🌞
