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Gardening Tips
>> Organic Garden Care
Mother Nature does a wonderful job of keeping the pest populations
in control by maintaining a balance between them and their predators.
Environmental conditions, such as, the amount of rain, hours of
sunlight, and temperature levels all affect what pests will survive
to reproduce. When land is cleared to plant a garden, it changes
the dynamics between pest populations and natural controls. For
example, pests can destroy a garden very quickly when their predators
need a shady area with thick undergrowth to survive and these
areas have been cleared. Pest populations in the garden can be
controlled directly by using pesticides. Unfortunately, synthetic
pesticides kill beneficial insects and animals that help break
down the soil, pollinate flowers, and eat harmful pests. In addition,
the use of pesticides contaminates the soil, ground water, and
the produce we grow to consume. Provided below, is a list that
describes the steps for ecological pest management without using
harmful chemicals.
Steps to Controlling Pest Problems:
- 1) Identify the problem.
What types of pests are causing problems? Are they manageable?
Do they damage your crops or transmit disease?
- Examples:
- a) Weeds (such as Crab grass)
- b) Animals (such as Deer)
- c) Microorganisms (such as Viruses, fungi or bacteria)
- d) Insect pests (such as Aphids)
- 2) Can this problem be prevented from occurring
again?
- Examples:
- a) Lay down mulch or plant earlier before weeds appear.
- b) Build a fence to keep deer out.
- c) Plant disease free or resistant seeds and nursery stock
and ensure you use proper sanitation, including the washing
of tools to slow down the spread of pests.
- d) Use healthy, enriched soil. This builds strong plants
with a high resistance to pests. e) Time your crops so that
they do not coincide with known pest breeding seasons.
- f) Practice crop rotation to stop this year's insect larvae
from infecting next year's crop. g) Do not plant too many
of one species of plants in the same place, as it gives
pests an added advantage.
- h) Grow certain varieties together. Marigolds, for example,
deter insects. Rue branches placed near strawberries or
tomatoes keep most pests away.
- 3) Is there something that you can do physically
to cut down on the infestation?
- Examples:
- a) Weed your garden thoroughly.
- b) Leave a strip of uncultivated ground to protect predator
and parasite species.
- c) Thinning can increase air circulation and consequently
reduce the amount of mildew.
- d) Traps can be used for slugs, earwigs, and ants.
- e) Wash off with water or remove by hand any visible insects
that are considered pests.
- f) Remove infested plants.
- g) Feed and water your plants regularly. Well-nourished
plants are less susceptible to disease and pest infestation.
- 4) Are there biological control agents
available?
Biological pest control includes: other insects that prey on
pests but won't eat your garden, birds, moles, toads, parasites
and diseases produced by fungi and viruses.
- Examples:
- a) Lady bugs, praying mantises, and trichogramma wasps
are a few of a wide variety of predator insects available
at your nursery or through mail order.
- b) Make sure you leave an area of the garden such as the
border in it's natural state so these beneficial bugs have
some where to stay. Predator bugs will die off or move to
a new location after they have devoured the pests.
- 5) Will home made organic sprays work?
- Examples:
- a) In blender mix 4 cloves of garlic and 1 onion. Put
mixture into large glass container and add 2 cups of water
and 2 teaspoons of hot pepper sauce (bottled). Let steep
for 2 days, then strain mixture and add one tablespoon of
mild dish soap (ivory). Dilute with 5 cups of water and
spray plants weekly with mister.
- b) Add pyrethrum (chrysanthemum) flowers to boiling water
and strain for natural pesticide.
- 6) If nothing else works, use a chemical
for pest control that is acceptable to an organic gardener.
- Examples:
- a) Safers soap - is non-toxic and can keep a pest problem
under control but does not eradicate the eggs, resulting
in numerous applications.
- b) Rotenone can be used for aphids, thrips, spider mites,
and white flies. It is organic but needs to be reapplied
often and is messy.
- c) Other acceptable chemicals to an organic gardener are
neem, sabadilla, and pyrethrum.
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