When Japanese beetles first made it here they ravaged everything. There were literally millions of them. We sprayed carbaryl and the ground floor was covered in dead beetles
This was normal that year.
But within a few years the ecosystem balanced out. I don't know how, but something figured out how to eat them.
Home gardeners are usually growing extremely small sample sizes. If you're only growing one squash, the squash bugs find the one tastiest plant and kill it. If you're growing enough, the predators can actually keep the population in check. There will be bad years, but there will be really good years as well
And plants have mechanisms that deter pests. My brother just told me the eggplant he's been saving seed off of, when compared to I believe it was "snowy", does not get eaten near as badly by insects.
Potatoes started from true botanical seed get eaten pretty bad. I'm guessing they're too small to produce enough toxin compared to potatoes started from tubers
Grain amaranth has gotten eaten really bad for me. But I'm going to switch up varieties and keep trying. Maybe even plant a bigger patch
Sprays kill the predator insects as well. So while you protect your plants this year, next year you ensure you'll have to spray again.
I've been growing cabbage no spray the last 3 years. That's about the hardest plant you can try no spray. Broccoli would be worse
And i still get cabbage. Not a lot. Not commercial yields. But i make a couple gallons of sauerkraut and i still have fun. If i want sprayed cabbage i might as well go to the grocery. My brother did excellent with his no spray cabbages, maybe because he didn't wait till the last frost date to sow seeds
This was me trying red cabbage to see if the worms get eaten worse on red leaves. The big leaves aren't great, ignore them, but when you have a dozen small heads it adds up.
So to beat the bugs, plant more, save your best seed, and accept some years you'll fail at some things.
For houseplants, use sprays because there are no predator bugs in your house. Thrips will get you if you let them
Part of why I love gardening is because you get a sense of "I did this" when you save your own seeds and do all your own work. Knowing how to get food without big corporation. And when youre "reliant" on spray, you don't get that. Unless you're making your own spray from tobacco or mint or chrysanthemums.
Sprays are a tool. It's fun to grow perfect plants too. But they're not a necessity. Somehow people gardened before the 20th century.
Spray responsibly
