The rain started at about 9 am Sunday morning and never stopped. As a gardner(-in-training), I was overjoyed; until I ran out of watering cans, buckets, and unused decorative plant pots to store water in, lol. That was when I strongly started considering investing in a rainwater storage unit.
As you might be aware, rainwater is soft and filled with minute minerals that plants love. I’ve been collecting it and watering my seedlings with it for the past month or so and, although I can’t confirm it as the only reason, the plants have thrived and grown incredibly quickly. Of course, the unseasonably warm weather we’ve enjoyed for the past few weeks may have something to do with that as well, lol! 😉
There have been a few battles; namely, our favorites – Aphids & Snails! Ahhh, the season has really begun!
A Bahamian In Austria 
Aphids are the worst!!! 😦
Yes they are! I want to be one of those folks that wait for the good bugs to take care of them but I worry that they won’t get there in time; so out comes the oil. 😦
I thought this might be if interest to you.
http://www.sciencecodex.com/the_betrayal_of_the_aphids-134836
I thought thus article might be interest to you.
http://www.sciencecodex.com/the_betrayal_of_the_aphids-134836
Yes, they are! I’d love to be one of those folks that just wait for natural defenses to kick in but I’m terrified that by the time reinforcements arrive, the baby plants will have been sucked to mere shells of their former vitatlity. 😦
I tried natural defenses by buying a container of ladybugs. I sprayed a watered down ginger ale so they don’t fly away. Ladybugs did not last. I still had an aphid problem. I did find an earth friendly spray and that worked but you also have to be diligent.
Currently I’m using a oil/water mix, but I’m worried about applying it to the underside of the leaves since that’s where they breath, plus I don’t want to harm beneficial insects…it’s a catch-22; isn’t it? lol
Hi, great looking plants! Love the use of containers to grow your garden.
Not sure how easy it is for you to get these in Austria, but a mixture of 2tbs each Super Neem oil and Dr Broner Sal Suds in a gal of warm water seem to take care of must garden pests if sprayed on leaves. All items are available through Amazon.
I have not personally used it yet, been lucky so far never had aphids as we have a natural population of hungry ladybugs. I got all of the ingredients and have them ready to use later in the season as I do get powdery mildew on zucchini.
You can find a lot of great advice in a YouTube gardening channel “growingyourgreens”, one recent episode deals specifically with this, and that is where I got the recipe above.
Good luck.
Hi, thanks for the tips!