Freaking BUGS Are Eating the Garden

Bastards!

I knew there was something eating a bit of the chard. But it was just eating a bit so I thought I'd be all zen and just let it be because there is enough to share. This morning I check and the bugs have destroyed most of the chard. It's just a lacy leafy thing in the shape of chard. AND the one marigold that did come up and was about to get a bud...it is now the skeleton of a baby marigold. Dead probably.

There are 2 or 3 carrots that now only have skeleton tops. Probably dead.
The onions and tomatoes seem pretty good. The mystery plant has quite a bit of damage on the lower leaves but is still good at the top.

My first move was to break up some garlic cloves and spread those around the garden.

I did some googling and it seems there may be a leaf roller infestation. There is a cherry tree near by, actually several, and it's very likely infested. So, they've blown down on the garden. I saw a tiny green worm dangling from a silk thread.
By then the zen crap was out the window and I killed it.

More googling showed a bug like the mature one I saw in there, more or less, and noted the loads of black poops that you see on leaves. I've got that.

Many sites recommend allium tea. A blend of onion, garlic and hot pepper with a bit of soap (not detergent) and some say to add vinegar too. Then dilute with water and spritz the plants.
I guess I know what I'm doing as soon as the store opens! I have everything, though the garlic is now all over the garden in chunks so I'll need more of that. My castile soap should be actual soap rather than detergent so that should work.

Cripes. Freaking bugs!

They aren't on the lettuce yet...knock on wood.

On a less discouraging note, the tomatoes look good! I'm probably supposed to be pinching off the suckers and things but they are so lovely and green I don't want to.

And I heard on the Wiggly Wigglers podcast that worm tea helps with slugs so I'm going to put worm poo on the garden soon. My worms don't make much tea (that's the pool of worm wee that some bin systems get in the bottom) because I don't have the sort of system with pooling of tinkle facilities. Still, the wee is all absorbed into the worm castings so it must be somewhat effective. Over winter I'll see if I can get some tea production going with a few changes to the worm bin.