I am not totally organic because I use Miracle Grow at times. I also use a lot of organic fertilizers. I try to feed my farm critters mostly organic but then again they arent Totally organic. I have a little goat named Baby. Baby loves animal crackers. They arent organic but she gets a couple now & again. They make her happy.

I see definite results from the organic fertilizers so the MG and composted farm manure must not be really killing off everything.

People have different opinions on this. People will tell you organic fertilizers won't work in pots. People will tell you earthworms wont live in pots. They must not live in Florida.

Anyhow, I dont spray pesticides. I have had the same bottle of NEEM for the last 3 yrs ..unopened. I keep meaning to use it. I used to use it quite a bit. I don't get that much disease or pests on the roses to warrant it, I guess. The biggest problem here with roses is blackspot. It is usually during the summer when its raining almost every day.

If I sprayed for fungicide, it would have to be almost every day because it would just get washed off. No thanks, I have a life lol.

I dont have chili thrips here yet. When regular thrips show up, the little treefrogs also show up from hibernation. Real Quick! The thrips quickly disappear.Happens every year like clockwork. I strongly suspect the treefrogs eat them.

S FL has more of the larger Cuban Tree frogs which eat up all the little green tree frogs which traditionally eat more bugs. I wonder if there were more native green tree frogs in S FL if there would be less of a Chili Trip problem?

When I first moved here I was still using pesticides. Mites were a huge issue with my beloved brugmansia. They were horrible. Also had tons of caterpillars that ate the leaves and buds etc. Well the more I sprayed the more pests I had. I went through all kinds of diff sprays. They were expensive.

Finally I gave up & quit spraying and guess what? I got zillions of lizards and frogs and butterflies too..everywhere! I hardly have any pests on my brugmansia now. I dont know why..The mites were very tiny, you could barely see them.. Surely the frogs couldnt eat them but who knows..Something happened..maybe the brugs became immune without a constant barrage of pesticides attacking their health.

I'm not totally organic but I do think every little bit helps. I decided long ago, I can live with imperfection in plants, animals, and myself. I dont go and try and breed disease or whatever but it doesnt matter if its not perfect. It matters if you enjoy it. If you dont enjoy it, get rid of it. Everything is a balance.

A hawk moth pollinating the brugmansia. Yes it will lay eggs later on the brugmansia plant. The caterpillars will eat some of that plant. It wont kill the plant but it might make it not pretty, for a short time. The caterpillars will grow up. They will become beautiful moths. The plant will grow back. The moth will return, pollinating the brugmansia. Thanking it for life. Helping the brugmansia to make seed pods.

Giving it life!!