Do you use pesticide/fertilizer?

[treedimensional]

What kind(s)?
What for?
How often?

[mouse]

I use an organic fertilizer in the veggie beds. Usually at planting and then when they begin to form fruit. I'd have to look at the box, but it's granular and I picked it up at the Dreaded Depot.

The only pesticides I've had real need of is Sluggo. I find for other bugs removal and waiting for their predators to show up has kept it in close enough control.

We did resort to Roundup the first time this spring. For the blackberries we've been digging out since we bought the place. (special blackberry kind, couldn't find any Crossbow, I assume they're the same-ish)

[mouse]

Oh, and Sluggo I apply early in the spring pretty consistently, the slugs seem to be in check by June so just when I notice a larger problem, and then again in the fall when they're breeding.

[mrsreynolds4]

Nothing in the veggie beds. I have some old, cheap beer I put in containers to trap/kill slugs.

I use weed & feed in the yard, away from the garden.

[treedimensional]

I don't fertilize anything, but I use Miracle Grow potting soil in my containers, which does cantain some fertilizer.
This year, I used imidacloprid on my azaleas and pieris, and no more lacebugs (yay, they were really bad).
I'm in my 2nd year of a really bad spider mite situation on my Edgeworthia. I've tried two different pesticides, and so far my plant is just looking worse and worse. In one day, almost half the leaves fell off. I hate to see what tomorrow will bring.

[krisandgrace]

I add compost to my soil in the form of mulch, I haven't ever need fertilizer beyond that. I have a horrible problem with viburnum beetle larvae this year. I just sprayed BT, I will see if that helps but between the leaf curl due to aphids in the early spring and now this I may give up on viburnums.

[treedimensional]

lshoes, did you know that applying high nitrogen fertilizers helps insects that feed on leaves? It's not a wise practice.
Normally plants allot energy for root growth, shoot growth, and self-defense. Root growth determines green growth. When you force green growth, the plant is forced to abandon root growth and self defense. Cells growing at an abnormally accelerated rate have thinner walls and more dilute natural toxins that serve to repel insect attacks.
And when you force shoot growth, and there's no corresponding root growth to support it, it's like the plant writing checks that it can't pay for. You make it bigger and weaker. You make an insect buffet.