Hello, fellow NE Ohioan.
What did u do to amend your soil with before u planted in ground.

I start my seeds in a mix of the soil in my garden and peat moss mixed with perlite (Bought at local greenhouse). And a wee bit of miracle grow organic dry fertilizer, mixed in.
They do fine in that till transplant.

In ground. Rototilled 10x10garden.

I dig a large hole, down to the hardpan , mix in the peat moss/ perlite, and a generous amount of composted cow n horse manure, and a handful of the miracle organic fertilizer to the soil dug out of the hole. Fill hole with mix, making a mound to put the plant in.

As the plants grow i top dress with more manure, my coffee grinds and eggshells.

I don't feed much in reality. I do things a little different than most. Mainly because of my access to actual fresh, fish. Whole or carcasses.

But a week after transplanting, and things have settled. I'll dig a ditch 2' around each plant, to the hardpan. Then dump 1/3-1/2 of a 5gal bucket of fish into the ditch, and bury, creating a mound again, though a bit larger. U don't want critters trying to dig them up.

Once your plants roots reach that ring, things will explode. It's worked on my garden vegetables over the years. Just another plant.

As I was taught by my grandpa and father, (since past) Feed the soil, not the plants. Good genetics in your seed helps,too.

As for Japanese beetles...I've had a few. They like my beans, better, but seem more interesting in the broad leaf vegetation growing on the neighbors chain link fence.

I did have spider mites trying moving in, during early veg. Hit um with Eight, spray. All's been good since.

Hey sam.....

Japanese Beetles love a little bit-a dish soap and water for the ......

Any time you um on anything, they are loving my asparagus and strawberries mostly, kinda get the container under them, and then......

Flick, force push, shake, um...don't stir...they are pretty diligent ....

Bilber said:

Hey sam.....

Japanese Beetles love a little bit-a dish soap and water for the ......

Any time you um on anything, they are loving my asparagus and strawberries mostly, kinda get the container under them, and then......

Flick, force push, shake, um...don't stir...they are pretty diligent ....

Click to expand...

I remember as kids my dad would give us cans of gas and make us go around and pick em off and put it in the. Gas

Those were kinda the days....

But I want them to have, ?, maybe even a little hope....

And about the fertilizer to use.....

No clue..!

I'm just the basic, set it anddddddd.........

But whatever you are doing, keep doin, cause it's looking !!!

Dollop of Dawn and a little water in a solo cup and knocking them in it 3-10 times a day.
Morning and evening is best, they slow down, but I'll track them if they fly.
Gets old fast. Oh, and dump it out occasionally, gets to smelling something awful after a few days. LOL