Organic Insecticide, try to hypermile

We have gotten a garden underway in the last week or two and it is about time. We have several tomato plants ( 3 are in pots now), green (bell) peppers, onions getting big, and a recent crop of bean plants near the zucchini hills. But only the tomatoes and the onions with their acidic/spicy parts are not full of holes.

So I went to Mike McGrath's (Mr. Organic) website and then did a search through http://forum.gardenweb.com and learned that you can try a soapy mixture you can make yourself! Yes, you can make a basically organic insecticide you spray on the leaves. For each quart of water add a teaspoon of Ivory Liquid (the liquid dish soap) and about a half cup of oil and shake up and spray it on the leaves. It is supposed to be done in the early morning or late afternoon. I did it in the evening, but I thought rain was threatening. But it didn't rain. So, will the soap be too toxic? My pepper and bean plants look like Swiss cheese, I don't think they could do worse. My cabbage plants are only "partly" holey.

So, I try to be hopeful about the garden. Better than I feel about the price of gasoline. At almost $4 a gallon it's ridiculous! What is it, gold or something? And why should commodity traders gamble on such a neccesity item? It should be regulated, just like utility companies! Even Saudi Arabia thinks the price of oil is too high!

There was an article in Reader's Digest about a fellow who "hypermiles" and I may try that. It's not complicated. Things like no fast starts or stops. You 'gradually' slow down to the stop sign or light. You have to be a conscious driver. If you live in a windy, hilly area, that's good. Use those hills to coast down and use less gas! You should also fill up in the morning when the gas is denser and then less will evaporate! Oh, and I need a new gas cap as well to keep in gas!