I've been trying to move away from chemicals and use soap and oils. Just received a quart of pure neem oil in the mail and need a good source for insecticidal soap.

Most of the time I wait untill its too late and end up with an infestation. And of course I don't like to spray chemicals just before eating my frest veggies.

But to be honest I don't mind breaking out the malathion or dustin mizer with sevin or permithrin. I have a friend who worked research with aventis in Miami. She has a degree in microbiology and says if the chemicals are FDA approved then their safe to use. She claims systemic pesticides are safe on vegetables.

So fellow florida gardners; what do you use for pest control?

Except for slug bait; I have only used wasp killer on a couple under-eave nests. I've seen Yellowjackets plucking cabbage worms off plants and spiders galore. Frogs, toads and lizards are pampered. The last couple years; tent caterpillars raised havoc; but I just cut the nests and burned. Checked the trees in the fall for egg cases. This last season was almost pest free; except for the ever present slugs

My garden is in a high sandy area of town with lots of fire ants. Fire ants and aphids love each other! Maybe I will try using DE for the ants. We use it at work for filtering beer and it is a hazardous substance to breath. So I am reluctent to use it.

Maybe I can have a professional ant bait the yard and leave the garden alone?

Of course what my neighbors and friends see in my garden, and what I see is not the same thing. I see all the problems and they see a beautiful vegetable garden.

I've been picking ching-gan-cai, shan-cai, baby bai-cai, ta tsai-cai, and luo-bo.

My luo-bo had the infestation of aphids and sprayed the whole garden with dish wash detergent. The luo-bo did not like the dish soap but the rest was ok.

Next time I will not be so lazy and go to home depot and buy some insecticidal soap.

So what asian veggies has anyone else been picking lately?

Any idea to get rid of ants without killing the beneficials?