Every garden is riddled with pest and insects problems; killing flowers and eating greenery. Today’s gardener should know the importance of not using harsh chemicals in the garden. Instead, the conscientious gardener opts for organic, all natural solutions to control garden invaders. For every garden pest issue, there is a natural pest control option. Nowadays, organic products can cost less than harmful pesticides and of course, the green options are better for your garden, any pets and children that play in the yard, local wildlife and the environment in general.
The sad fact: every single year, Americans pour, spray and shake more than 136 million pounds of toxic pesticides onto their gardens. Furthermore, residential gardeners in North America use three times more pesticides than commercial farmers do!
Eco-friendly solutions to rid the garden of insects and other small invaders should be chosen based on their combined ability to solve the problem and be kind to planet Earth.
Here are just a few organic, homemade solutions to fight insects in the garden:
- Grubs: Ask at the local nursery or garden store for all-natural milk spores. Spread over the soil in the affected area. Milk spores gets rid of grubs but leaves all the good organisms in the garden.
- Mites and similar bugs: In a spray bottle, add 1 quart of water, ½ teaspoon of dish soap and 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper (hot pepper sauce also works well). Leave overnight before using, shake well and spray on plant from top to bottom.
- Slugs and earwigs: Purchase organic diatomaceous earth from the local nursery and sprinkle over plants and all around the border of the garden beds to keep slugs and earwigs out of the area.
- Mealybugs and Aphids: In a spray bottle, add 1 quart water, 1 teaspoon of Ivory dish soap and 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Shake well and spray plant from top to bottom.
- Seaweed fertilizer contains minerals that will strengthen garden soil and encourage explosive plant growth. Seaweed fertilizer is all natural and earth friendly.
- Crushed oyster shells (available from an organic nursery) are perfect for ground cover in the garden.
Finally, use common sense in the garden to reduce the amount of treatments required. In many cases, using insect control solutions can be omitted completely:
- The first step to take in preventing insect damage in the garden is making sure the garden is healthy to begin with. That means using proper soil, ensuring optimal pH acidic soil levels, and providing appropriate drainage and light conditions. Remember: a healthy garden doesn’t need chemicals.
- As a garden flourishes and grows, take the time to deadhead and remove weak plants to allow the remaining garden to thrive.
- Move the composter to the opposite end of the garden. If the waste is far from the garden, it will immediately help to keep insects to a minimum.
- Always keep compost rich mulch on hand to use as a rich, natural top dressing for the garden.
- Seaweed fertilizer contains minerals that will strengthen garden soil and encourage explosive plant growth. Seaweed fertilizer is all natural and earth friendly.
- Crushed oyster shells (available from an organic nursery) are perfect for ground cover in the garden.
- It is imperative to rotate garden plants to defend the garden from certain insect species. By mixing plants up and moving them around the garden, it is much more difficult for insects to bed down, spread and take over.
- Water the garden very early in the morning, which feeds the plant roots but gives the leafy plants time to dry out. In evening, wet plants can attract bugs and fungus.
- Don’t scare away the insects that are good for the garden! Brachonids, Ichneumon Wasps, lacewings, ladybugs, hover flies and praying mantises; many of these bugs keep other garden pests away.
