What type of soil amendments can I use to stop aphids and green mold in my vegetable garden?
Often stressed plants attract pests. As a short answer and guess, there may be a problem with poor drainage or over-watering. This can stress plants. Other things can stress plants. Cornmeal (the horticultural type is best…the whole ground corn kernal) applied about 20 pounds per thousand square feet will help on the mold and other harmful fungi. If you are using synthetic chemical fertilizers or chemical pesticides, this will become less effective because you are killing the “good guys” in the microbe wars. Garlic tea or one tablespoon per gallon of baking soda (potassium carbonate is better) sprayed will help on the fungus. Even milk (half cup per gallon sprayed). Use the garlic and/or pepper tea to combat the aphids. Spray with pressure on the water hose. Ants will harvest aphids and protect them from natural enemies, so try to eliminate ants in the area if there are any. Spraying a couple tablespoons of liquid seaweed per gallon (see the mix on compost tea and molasses for better
