Well, I guess I really AM a gardener.

[crispini]

I haven't thought of myself as much of a gardener because, well, I am a spectacular failure at actually growing veggies. I bought a house with a plot that was 100% organic, so I've tried to stick to that, but everything I plant, well, almost everything, gets eaten. Not by me. I did get a bumper crop of winter radish this year. I've also done well with peppers. Anyway, I was out there repotting some lemon balm today (I get volunteers out the wazoo) to sell at the neighborhood plant sale and I thought of an incident that occurred this weekend. I was over at an afternoon party at a friend's house and he had put in a small veggie garden. I was inspecting it with one of the fellow guests and said to her, "The peppers are looking good but he really should put some mulch down around those tomatoes, they look dry," and she looked at me like I'd grown another head and said, "How do you know all that? They just look like weeds to me!"

LOL!

I think it's time to put in a couple of more beds. More space to try and fail! :rofl:

[Shoelace]

1. have you tried plastic bottles over your veggie seedlings?

I've been saving all our plastic bottles (the larger ones) and I cut out the bottoms, put them over tender veggie seedlings. That seems to keep the bugs at bay until they are big enough to make it on their own.
Another thing that has been working for me is to buy some netting, the kind used in bridal veils, ballet tutus (very cheap), and simply put this netting over my raised beds. That works especially well with greens that don't need pollinating.
Hey, good luck with your gardening and don't stop trying!

[crispini]

2. Wow, thank you!

I will give it a shot!

I don't drink soda, though. I wonder if someone in the hood will give me some empty bottles!

Thanks!

[Shoelace]

3. plastic milk jugs, OJ, V8, Cranberry, etc..

they all work. If you know anybody with kids who drink milk or OJ, those bottles are great, esp. the gallon size milk jugs for larger planats like squash, etc. That way, you can keep the jugs atop them longer. Also, they are easier to cut the bottoms out of too. :)