I'm a bit emotional right now. But in the bad way to be fair.
I just got stung by a wasp without any reason, after having to take a extensive shower before because my body was totally itchy from all the mites and whatnot. UGH! 😫
I've been pretty proud in the beginning of this experiment, because there were lots of wild bees, beetles and other cool critters around here. It's basically like being in nature.
But I forgot that nature sucks... 🥲
For example, imagine laying in the grass and just chilling.
Beautiful for the first 5 seconds, but then, you begin getting stung in the asscreek by a dozen ants and get everything ruined.
Nature is basically dead in my area, so only the asshole bugs survive here.
The whole balcony is swarmed by aphids/ mites as well as ant colonies that protect those suckers from ladybugs and other beneficial predatory insects.
The aphids droop honeydew everywhere, which attracts lots of yellow jacket wasps, which in return could kill my girlfriend in minutes because she's highly allergic.
I didn't even realise that asshole (the wasp, lol) is there until I got stung just by existing.
I'm right about to pull the trigger and get my pesticides (neem oil/ pyrethrum extract) out.
Also, I began to hate soil even more than before.
I have to hunt for slugs every evening, because they're everywhere, and I can barely stand a chance against them.
There are gnats living in it too, as well as other unwanted guests.
The plants in soil are starting to spread diseases and pests to my otherwise healthy plants in hydroponics. I will for example harvest my weed soon, and there are bugs sticking in the buds like in a glue trap. I have no idea how I should get them out of them, it's just disgusting.
I also largely prefer hydro compared to soil, not only because there are less pests, but also because due to the much lower water demand and control it gives me.
The soil is guzzling water like crazy and still the plants are looking way less healthy.
Spraying neem oil on my hydro plants and just not using soil anymore seems to be the way better choice right now.
Sorry for the rant. It had to be.
What should I do?
Oh, thanks for the detailed write-up! I've always dismissed hydroponics as 'too much tech, can't be arsed to bother', but it does sound interesting, especially the part about soil-based pests. Not sure I understand how the roots are in water yet get aerated? How do you use clay balls? How do you test for nutrient strength? Sorry, so many questions. I miss growing the good weed, but at the moment I'm not really settled anywhere.
Funny enough today was my day of getting stung - visiting a farm I'm hoping to move to, where I'll have space for a garden. Nice welcome, got me straight in the eye and I learned that plantain (Spitzwegerich) gives immediate relief and prevents too much swelling (in the past I've used onion as well with good success). They seem to have settled in every hollow space they could find. Photosensitivity seems a likely explanation. I've always assumed they get more aggressive as their nests grow larger with brood to protect, but it doesn't explain how they seem to start stinging at the same time in different places in Europe.
How sweet of your grandma to notice how you created an island of life! Seeing everything dead is really tough to witness - I find it strange how most people seem to be okay with it, but then how okay are they really? Just creating a place for life is probably worth more than any harvest and brings plenty of good karma!