I've heard several of you mention using chamomile tea for damping off, can you give me the specifics? I'm starting tomatoes and peppers indoors for the first time. Do you use the tea as a preventative, or after the fact? Do you use the tea every time you water, or just once in a while? Strong tea or weak tea?

Thanks for your help. I tried asking the instructor of my Master Gardener class this question and he just laughed. He doesn't believe in anything organic, companion planting, or anything like that. He calls it all unproven folklore and superstition. Tonight is the last class and we get to evaluate the instructor, I'm going to let my feelings be known!

-- Anonymous, April 23, 2001

Answers

I wasn't the one who mentioned chamomile tea (on a former CS thread), might have been Julie or Yarrow.

Gee, how did the human race raise food all those generations before chemicals were inflicted upon us? Organic methods don't work, so everyone must have starved, right? Oh wait, if everyone starved, why were there nearly 2 billion people in the world BEFORE the advent of chemical gardening.

Ya know, we should start calling it that -- CHEMICAL gardening, instead of conventional. Whole Foods stores here lists the method of growing, i.e. organic or conventional. They also will list things such as "uncertified organic" or "low-spray". How about CHEMICAL, with a list of all the chemicals that went into the production of that "food"? Yum yum! Wouldn't that inspire people to purchase the food? NOT!

Okay, I'll quit ranting . . . .

-- Anonymous, April 23, 2001

Sherri, I found it in my herb book. Just make a strong cup of camomile tea and then water with it. I think for my snapdragons I will start using it every time I water because they keep getting sick on me. Other stuff I have not had a big problem with as long as I don't over water. How did your last class go?? I am so jealous. To take the Master Gardener class I would have to drive over 50 miles one way. You should have a weekly thread where you share your learning. I would be interested also in knowing what herb seeds you have. I lost most of my herb garden to a flood and would like to replant in higher ground.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001