Just LET IT DIE

[@davidthegood]

Join our new community and learn to grow food no matter what happens: www.skool.com/the-survival-gardener Thanks for watching, and have a Happy Independence Day all my American viewers!

[@Emelius7]

First year of growing peppers on my rooftop here in Korea, I got so many aphids I was disgusted. But I just let them be. They did poorly except one or two pepper plants that I overwintered, but one thing I noticed was ladybugs finding my rooftop and making home in my herbs and weeds. The next year, those bugs overwintered and this year I barely had an aphid problem. Now I got bumble bees, bees, wasps, ladybugs, all sorts of critters running around in my garden and a bunch of healthy peppers, basils, tomatoes, and the assortment of wild weeds I let grow to keep the local bugs happy.

[@bowtielife]

David... "I let it die." BEST INTRO EVER!!!

[@heathermartin2878]

This is the hardest concept for people to understand.

[@JK-jf7xq]

It's scary. 🫣🙂

[@OfftoShambala]

Most people understand nothing about gardening.

[@mattbrown837]

Plant thinning is harder for me.

[@Logiwonk]

This guy gets it. One of my favorite rules comes from Monty Don "Grow Hard" and if a plant can't hack it in the garden then it doesn't get to live here.

[@lisarusso6618]

I watched this in action just recently. I have a bunch of Mexican sunflowers around some young fruit trees. I noticed the sunflowers were infested, badly, with aphids. My first reaction was panic but then I looked closer, and saw lady bugs and lady bug larvae! I was psyched! I let it be, trusting in nature. I kept checking. Just recently I found there were no more aphids and the fruit tree was just fine and healthy!! Gotta trust the process! 😅

[@Mekare40503]

Every year the bugs get more and more balanced with predators! Odd to say I fully welcome wasps! ❤

[@FloridaGirl-]

Me too w/the wasps! 🤣

[@shotgunbettygaming]

I actually converted my mother in law about them this year. So much so, she's concerned about disturbing the nest they've started on her porch where she sits every morning haha! I've told her I'm of the mind of having zero problem hanging out with them in the garden, but they don't get to live on my house. There's 2.5 acres of gorgeous desert ground out there they can use to their leisure...not my house, friends.

[@francestaylor9156]

I love wasps. They don’t bother if you don’t bother them.

[@francestaylor9156]

@@shotgunbettygaming- yah. They can find a tree. Doesn’t need to be the house.

[@ethandsemmel]

No thanks. Every year in the middle of June, like clockwork, Paper wasps come out. Bald faced hornets too. In August, the yellowjackets come and they are all over the grass. It's ridiculous. My dog was stung last year. Not welcome in my garden.

[@Critter145]

Just found an uncommon jumping spider on my lime tree today. That tree has been infested with ants for years. Now it makes sense why I haven’t seen an ant in a minute…💯

[@dictionaryzzz]

I used to have squash bug problems UNTIL I started planting Cherokee Tan Pumpkins.....landrace crops are so awesome.

[@Leahslittlepatchofparadise]

I was having major issues with rats eating everything in my garden, from newly planted seeds, to watermelons, and pumpkins, they were even eating my radishes 🤯 I got myself 2 barn kittens, and the problem was solved 👌 And my kids love playing with them while we're out in the garden, win win 😁👍

[@user-gh8sl7iu3y]

Do the barn cats just live outside? How much care do they require?

[@Leahslittlepatchofparadise]

@@user-gh8sl7iu3y there is a nursery/ green house/ barn that has an electric heated mat in it, they're fed twice a day, and there is someone out there with them in the garden/ greenhouse for at least 3 hours a day everyday, so it's basically the equivalent of an inside/ outside cat, they're very well cared for, and very happy.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

@@user-gh8sl7iu3y our barn cats live outside. They require as much care as any cat.

[@sandrabeck8788]

We can’t have cats, but a neighbor two houses ove had two, and they are welcome here any time. No big problem with any rodents!

[@gisela1074]

@@user-gh8sl7iu3ythey are living beings. They need food and water and shelter and love.

[@AntoinetteZaczkiewicz]

Love our Blessed Mother😊 your statue is beautiful!

[@davidthegood]

Thank you. Ave Maria, gratia plena!

[@elOratorio]

Me too! ❤

[@amandastroup4911]

I really needed to hear this today…some pests have been doing damage and I was getting frustrated, but this is such a great reminder! Also, LOVE seeing Our Lady in your garden 🙏🏼

[@teresaholland4790]

❤

[@Trailtotable]

About 6 years ago the squirrels were out of control and I took action and set out a trap in the asparagus bed where they were tucking away walnuts. I hadn't even made it inside yet to get something to bait it with and a squirrel was caught. So I left an unbaited trap and for 2 weeks I caught and relocated 13 squirrels. At one point 3 in one day, 2 at lunchtime. I enjoyed a few years of minimal squirel fruit eating antics. Alas....as I look at the partially eaten apples and pears in my yard I believe it's about time to bring out the traps again.

[@gisela1074]

One day you will be the squirrel.

[@Green.Country.Agroforestry]

When an organism has reached the end of its life cycle, or it has become burdensome on the ecosystem, pest organisms and disease appear to quickly terminate it, and put the resources that it contained back into the system. Diseases and 'pests' are a vital component to the whole design, and they are GOOD .. if they are giving you trouble, consider that what you are trying to do in the garden may be a bit too far off the natural design, or too far off for your garden at this stage. Keep on soil building, developing the whole ecosystem, and try again in a few years. It has been several years in getting the local ecosystem built up to be a real partner for us .. lots of feeding birds, stacking rocks for lizards, digging ponds, and filling bird baths, all while building brush piles and planting hedges .. but in time, the effects become apparent.

[@maggiedaniels9562]

Love the fact that as I watch a big ad for Roundup is underneath the screen.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I wish creators could choose the ads displayed.

[@davidthegood]

Wow

[@maggiedaniels9562]

Yes it seems every time I watch a video like this, some type of ad like this comes up. They must troll videos. Trying to counter what the video content is teaching.

[@cherylmcnaughton7287]

😮

[@jemafleming]

My husband adds compost/ topsoil to pest-ridden plants & they get better, they survive the pest. Healthy plants attract good insects.

[@Fulkersons]

It's so funny I watched this video today. I had a conversation with a customer today on this subject. People never believe I have a wonderfully productive garden, and don't use anything organic or other to control pests. I try to share the concept of you try to control nature then you have to take control of everything. If you wait and let nature take it's course it often works out with no interference from me. People have a hard time excepting this concept, but it's been a game changer for me. Thanks for sharing your awesome garden practices and philosophies. You are very knowledgeable, and deliver your message with fun and humor. Thanks

[@marg716]

Regarding large predators like deer & bear… “Fences, cannons…things like that.” 😂 Exactly! Fences & wind-chimes. No explosives lol, but they seem to help.

[@Billbarker57]

I love that statue of Our Lady! I am learning a good deal from your videos. Keep up the book title drops. :)

[@judifarrington9461]

Love this video!! Gonna watch it again. It's so true what you said about pests and predators. This year it was the gardener being attacked by mosquitoes. Just when I thought I could garden no more...hordes of dragon flies and damsel flies came to my rescue! I love my garden friends. 😊

[@jcdesignsandboat-works8290]

Buddy, I normally don’t spray anything and rarely need anything more than yo let the chickens run but this year has been horrible for pickle worms, squash bugs, and vine borers. So… The squashes got a couple injections of BT, everything got a few sprays with BT, and I did a few soapy water treatments. Saved the crops but even though I have a healthy predator population here, we had a much larger hatch of the pests than they could keep up with!

[@davidthegood]

Yes, we get bad years too.

[@jcdesignsandboat-works8290]

@@davidthegood I’ve never had a pickle worm problem, ever lol! Usually the leaf footed bugs and other stink bugs are bad by now and have a few bores every year but lost an entire planting to them this year. Second planting is doing ok but production is slow due to heat. Heat index was 110 here today so we’re all moving a little slower!🤣

[@coolbreeze8572]

I have the same issue here in VA. I just keep planting new squash plants , it only takes couple weeks they grow fast and I get at least 5 or way more squash per plant and then just replant them when the stink bugs or the vine bore get th. That way we are both happy and I don't have to spend every day squashing bugs

[@jcdesignsandboat-works8290]

@@coolbreeze8572 yeah, That’s pretty much what I do. They were just so bad this year I figured they needed some population control or they may be even worse next year. I don’t typically get overly concerned but this year was close to biblical proportions here! And I’ve never seen white flies/pickle worm moths this bad ever! There are millions if not billions on my 5 acre property!

[@lunalongshadow7510]

the biggest pest in my garden is my elderly neighbor lol. Time will take care of that I guess haha

[@mitsealb3609]

Hehe 😂

[@stillwhitelight]

I am Luna Longshadow7510’s elderly neighbor, I thought I was being kind attempting a much needed and reciprocated human interaction.. and now I find out she wants me dead, yikes, rude.

[@mitsealb3609]

Sits back, eats popcorn 🍿

[@TransNeingerian]

Plot twist - everyone commenting in this thread is the same person with different accounts.

[@mitsealb3609]

Entertained either way. Or schizophrenic. You decide.

[@TexomaPrepper]

To ‘control’ my garden pests I do my best to stimulate nature instead of poisoning it. -I support the local bird population during the winter by feeding them (mostly with sunflowers I grow) and I also provide water for them year round. During the growing season they eat destructive bugs and worms. -I provide habitat for frogs including having a few small water features for breeding. They eat destructive pests in the garden.

[@Doomer1984]

Your editor is doing a great job. Nice cuts to garden views

[@ragheadand420roll]

He pays wages in plants i heard. 😂

[@davidthegood]

Heh. I do my own editing. Thank you very much.

[@JustSumGuy]

Love it, I stopped spraying 2 years ago I love all my garden mates that moved in. Thanks David ❤

[@grantraynard]

Yes! Canons why didn't I think of that?

[@Antique803]

Gardening successfully will be the hardest thing you ever do. Had to laugh, been pulling briars out of my flowers, then noticed blackberries on similar briars. Blackberries everywhere and I’m pulling them up.

[@lindajones9191]

Two days ago, deer ate some of my fenced (inadequately apparently) sunflowers, beans, and tomatoes so your cannon idea sounds attractive ngl!

[@malcolmt7883]

I've learned over the years that you really can't beat bugs. They work 24 hours a day and out-number you a million to one.

[@user-gh8sl7iu3y]

No wonder you always have a terrific garden. You’ve got the greatest pet Mother looking over your garden. St Michael looks over my garden and so far he’s been a tremendous help in my success.

[@Steve197201]

I also apply this concept to weeds. I only do minimal weeding. Instead, I allow many of the weeds to grow to create biodiversity in my garden. It just adds to the ecosystem that is our back yard. Also, despite all the birds and rabbits that make our back yard their home, they don't eat our crops. I'm not sure why this is. All I know is that I don't have to do much work to get the garden to grow!

[@inventanew]

stay strong in the faith my brother, thanks for sharing!

[@hltyler5782]

I'm a huge fan of Joseph Lofthouse. I'm growing landraces of Cucurbita moschata and flour corn.

[@Theliveoakhomestead]

The outro music touches my soul every time.

[@dianewethington155]

Fences, CANNONS. 😂😂😂 Love it.

[@shannonalaminski2619]

The butterfly flowers looked sickly till a caterpillar ate off tho top. Then the plant EXPLODED! Major growth and major flowers. Caterpillars also help me trim back the pigeon peas and passion fruit. And their droppings are excellent fertilizer.

[@ZombiePumps]

Syntropic: Reflects the natural process of forest regeneration. New word I heard in a video.

[@rockstarmommie13]

Thank you for another video packed with such a wealth of valuable information! I just finished planting our traditional garden today…we’re late, but I’m optimistic that whatever thrives is worth keeping for next year. We are in the process of planning out our food forest for next year in an area closer to the house and your videos have been an inspiration to us and helping us to plan it out accordingly. I’ve got some Michigan Cherry pits in the fridge in baggies from a local person organic farmer in our area. I’m so stoked to get everything in the ground now, but we’ll have to wait until next year. Thank you, again, for all the great videos! I’m looking forward to what’s to come!

[@HitTheDirt]

Let the Natives in! Wonderful Video!

[@rosemawhorter904]

Great advise. I'd add a couple of other things. First encourage predators in other ways. Have trees for the birds. Put in ponds for frogs. For pests like slugs and snails that are unpicky about what they eat not weeding too much and polyculture actually really helps. Our neighbour's corn are covered in snails but that's because the snails don't have other food to eat. Finally, working on your soil can help immensely. Our soil when we moved here was CRAP. My radishes would stay in seed leaf state for months. We're three years in now and slowly fertility is returning. With that, plants are less stressed and can fight off disease better.

[@davidthegood]

All good advice!

[@michaelpolito1877]

Love the statue of the Blessed Mother in your garden. Ave Maria.

[@davidthegood]

Gratia plena, Dominus tecum!

[@michaelpolito1877]

@@davidthegood benedictus tu in mulierirbus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. (from Japan.) Will look into joining your community. Thank you.

[@suehill6194]

lol..too much ecosystem! I adore your videos! Thanks for the reminder I sorely needed. I just keep planting more seed and hope for better timing and beneficial bugs to find my garden..a true lesson in patience.

[@rjauk8086]

A couple of years ago rapid new growth on my roses attracted a ton of aphids. I'd never had them before. I wanted to just use the hose to spray them off but had no time. 2 weeks later I finally got around to it only to find that the roses were buzzing with parasitic wasps and ladybugs. So put the hose away and just enjoyed the beauty of nature.

[@francestaylor9156]

We have a baby praying mantis that lives in our strawberry Greenstalk. It’s so cool to have predators in the garden.

[@user-gh8sl7iu3y]

I captured a praying mantis or a really big grasshopper from my garden. I thought it was a bad thing. Newbie mistake I suppose.

[@vIaLExiAcHiCK]

My beloved Black Sapote tree got shredded up by Sri Lanka weevils. They also went after my Jamaican Strawberry tree. I didn't spray. Recently, some Cranberry Hibiscus sprouted & the weevils went after it instead of my fruit trees. I'm really loving Cranberry Hibiscus in my garden. It's edible but also it sucks up the excess moisture from flooded areas, provides some shade and cold protection for my annuals & young trees.

[@marking-time-gardens]

Thank you for the great information!🌻🐛🌿💚🙏💕

[@user-jk9qi4mh5y]

I might need a ‘how to’ video on how to cross seed variants to get one that suits your garden.

[@johnnyroadcrew3841]

Just got your book 'Compost Everything' here in the UK. My first purchase .. .. ..

[@agentbarron9768]

I still dont regret spraying the pickleworms on my squash plants

[@davidthegood]

#noregrets

[@lorainemcguire5795]

Thank you for a very insightful video and your son sounds like a great gardener already ❤

[@floridadad2817]

I just lost all my pumpkin plants in the compost pile to caterpillars. Took them a week to wipe out everything. I can't do the wasp thing since my garden is also where my kids play. At the same time I had the caterpillars, I noticed that everything I had planted with mint or rosemary was doing just fine. It hit me. I'm going to try replanting pumpkins, but then plant mint or rosemary around them to act as "herb sentries" to protect the plants.

[@davidthegood]

Good idea

[@stokedonearth]

Garden is looking lush!

[@secretstacker]

Love this vid and huw Richards has just done a great reaction shout out vid for this too...we are so glad we get to learn from you guys and add that to our veg and fruit growing 🙌🙌🙌👍👍👍🔥🔥🔥

[@BrokeFarmer]

Well said, I think some varieties just attract more pests

[@davidthegood]

Yes, I agree

[@wordwalkermomma4]

I think you’re right!

[@topofthehillgarden6161]

This is what I am now adapting in my Garden as well just to let things die and survive and keep the ones that survive.

[@aaronmckinnon2198]

I have to say I found your okraview of this topic most esculentus.

[@tobiramasenju5878]

I needed to hear this. It makes sense.

[@ddreamer00]

very nice, and i love the high quality camera and editing! congrats mate!

[@taylorhorne6645]

Love love love this

[@colleenavery232]

Saw your vid on Huw Richards, just watched it, loved it and so I subscribed. Looking forward to your content. God Bless.

[@davidthegood]

Welcome, Colleen!

[@chriseverest4380]

It's been a while since we had Bears in Yorkshire, England but I need to buy a cannon just in case😂

[@davidthegood]

It's the reasonable thing to do.

[@KK-FL]

Just sowed some of Ezekiel’s landrace watermelons on the 1st. Not sure if I have enough time but we’re about to find out! First average frost is Dec 24 but I know the days will be shorter and shorter.

[@TheRealHonestInquiry]

Excellent info and the garden rows are looking amazing! Love those walking backwards through the rows shots.

[@Howwerelivingfishing]

This is why I love your channel. We live in totally different grow zones and have totally different issues to deal with, but videos like this have helped to change the ways I think as a gardener and it always surprises me how much I learn on your channel that can be practical for me here in Canada.

[@margaretaspin6881]

Well that was refreshing! It’s good to hear other gardeners in other countries in similar climates allow things to die. We do have other pests like kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots but then we live in Australia. Every country has its own native herbivores to contend with. Sadly we also have introduced ones like rabbits and deer that don’t have any native predators. We don’t have any animals here that predate on them. They are probably the hardest and do the most damage. I love your videos and find them very helpful here in our sub tropics.

[@christopherboron6078]

Good advice for the 6+ legged pests. But what about the microscopic ones? Blight, rot, leaf mold, etc. have been a far bigger problem for us than critters we can see.

[@davidthegood]

Yes, they can be a huge problem. Our approach is similar. Plant a wide range of things, save seeds from the best, let weak plants die.

[@turtle2212]

Absolutely great video😊

[@effervescentrelief]

@davidthegood A great book you should read is "The Light Eaters" talking about the latest research on plants, how they react to pests, how they might even be able to "see" the world around them. Crazy stuff. Not pseudoscience, but new findings. Your methods very much make sense, as the plants that don't die should be the ones who get to continue on since they have what it takes to fight.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you

[@ZZ_Trop]

On my 3rd year of waiting for the predator/prey balance to even out. I went from a 100% turf grass small property to only 10% turf grass and 90% gardens. The earwigs, pill bugs and centipedes are out of control but birds have been helping quite a bit lately. Just waiting for predatory bugs to settle in and level the playing field.

[@sherrycasey6297]

You're the best!

[@e-man2081]

Thanks for the 1080 30 fps so it doesn't overload our systems. Great info. I have several plants that basically plant themselves every year. Marigold, green beans, turnip greens, and tomatoes, although I pull up most of the volunteer tomatoes since I don't know what the resulting hybrid will be.

[@GrandmomZoo]

I will see you in Skool very soon DTG.

[@brokenmeats5928]

I love ALL David The Good videos!

[@mssavedin92]

Thanks for this info...it just makes sense

[@jessicaerke691]

My way of looking at insects is there are none that are pests. I welcome them in my garden. I have heard that leaves that have been eaten by insects and have holes are the most nutritious leaves. They are the ones best for our health. Isn't this just mind blowing? It made me look at things very differently.

[@bhi1359]

I can hear the song in the background now. "Let it die, let it die..." To the tune of Let it Go (Disney's Frozen - Let it Go)

[@OfftoShambala]

Loving the mother Mary

[@milkhoneyzone9afl213]

I love the thumbnail pic 😅😊

[@littlebitahomestead6891]

Great video. Love landrace gardening. I found it a few years ago but just started with my wither squash last year. I have a butternut that grew longer necks than usual like the tromboncino, but thick like the butternut. And this year I just planted seeds from a squash that lasted alllll winter, and is still as very good. . This year it’s gonna be dirty promiscuous pollination allllll on the winter squash lol. Wonder if yams would make it in East Tn ??

[@davidthegood]

D. polystachya would make it!

[@Darkfyre755]

My problem is that theres soooooo many ants here that put loads of scales on all my baby trees (especially citrus) which build up and slowly kill the trees over time. I dont know what to do for those trees but sit and scrub them with a toothbrush for hours on end 😭 those citrus trees were expensive

[@indiefan23]

That works in full nature when you have space. If you did that in my back yard garden everything would be cooked.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

It's important too to discover soil reasons why pests might proliferate.

[@davidthegood]

Yes

[@acts.412]

Thank u for this video I like the idea of polyculture as opposed to monoculture

[@joman104]

Generally dont have too much pest issues, other than snails, gypsy moths, white cabbage moth, and rabbits. I had an aphid infeststion in my house this winter which was out of hand so i ended up getting some pyrethrin. Seems to make quick work on gypsy moths and cabbage moths. Im on my second year of a corn landraise, already some interesting results from year one.

[@breaking_bear]

Hahah! Outstanding video david! You ever make your way up ro Kentucky?

[@teresaholland4790]

I played classical music on an old stereo, get my neighbor that’s super drunk and irritating most of the day back in his house

[@dalviar7545]

I love your channel, David! One day the whole world will plant gardens like yours!😉👍🏼

[@pedrosalguero5664]

I live in sone 8 in West texas, very hot and dry I love growing edible cacti and have been experimenting with using agave to make mulch

[@juliehorney995]

It's really tough watching Japanese beetles decimating ornamentals in our landscape in an HOA. Hand picking isn't enough. I do have a bit of a polyculture in our 1/3 acre: natives, companions, organic and non-organic, edibles, ornamentals, and a variety of growing systems. This includes 3 fruit guilds.

[@pahBillsbaby]

Dude... straight up question!!!!! WHERE ARE YOUR SNAKES???? So.......... because I am growing all of these vines which like to run along the ground and am looking at a FB page about snakes YOU MUST HAVE SEEN some snake activity on your property??? Especially being in 8b lower Alabama????

[@davidthegood]

Rat snakes on occasion, but not much else.

[@angelawillis145]

If I could “balance” aphids my life would be complete!

[@southofthesticks]

Spray water with a tiny bit of dish soap in it. 👍

[@rachelsmith5770]

Planting cilantro and dill and letting them bolt really helped my aphid problem by inviting in ladybugs and lacewigs. It made it so that I wasn't dealing with the aphids this year, predators did it for me.

[@francestaylor9156]

I had cilantro that volunteered throughout the garden this year and I let it bolt. I have a lot more ladybugs this year. No aphids. I did get rid of my garden ants though. I saw them milking the aphids last year so I used those little ant traps and they’re gone now. Might want to check to see if the ants are herding the aphids. The ants will protect the aphids from pests.

[@bevfitzsimmonds3382]

I have noticed in my garden, that the only red cabbages that got aphids this year, are those that l accidentally missed fertilizing with the composted chicken manure. Strong plants are better able to withstand pest attacks! Trying to redeem my error....🐔🌱🌱🌱

[@DongusKong]

Build some ladybug houses

[@208roots3]

Thank you I thoroughly enjoy the content and humor ❤️

[@kamaljaji9216]

David, what did you do man this subject was like a bomb! in KZbin, lol

[@JGoulet973]

What is your take with huitlacochoe in the corn garden?? Learning more and more to not toss and use

[@SD-cz8og]

Cool shot at the end 🤌

[@Trivdgun-]

I personally couldn't get a seed to grow because there were so many earwigs. I had to use oil/soy sauce traps and neem/soap spray to get them to stop eating everything. Now the populations have been cut back, I have bean plants. 😂

[@elbajoloco]

This is a great video Mr. Good Sir! It would be a great trailer/intro video to showcase your style / knowledge !!!! Muy bien

[@captainron1960]

Wasps will eat holes in the leaves, for next material I think also!

[@victorsr6708]

I needed to watch this today 😂 great video

[@KokoAcres]

You mentioned three sisters gardening..What are the other companion sisters besides corn, beans and squash? Thanks!

[@davidthegood]

I have heard at least bee balm and tobacco.