Diode lasers with an emission wavelength of up to 1150 nm have been grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). For the growth of the highly strained InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells low growth temperatures are found favorable to suppress defect formation. An incorporation of GaAsP strain compensating layers reduces indium carry-over effects but the defect formation in the InGaAs quantum well starts at lower indium content. At high TMIn/(TMIn + TMGa) ratio in the vapor phase no temperature dependence of indium incorporation efficiency was obtained. Broad-area (1 mm long. 100 mum wide) diode lasers using such QWs in GaAs waveguide and AlGaAs cladding layers show very low threshold current densities (jth = 93 A/cm(2) at 1102 nm and jth = 85 A/cm(2) at 1152 nm). Ridge-waveguide diode lasers (750 mum long. 3 mum wide) with a low threshold current of 9 mA and an efficiency of more than 90% were fabricated.