Natural Pest and Insect Control in your Garden: Organic is Effective
Unfortunately, our gardens abound with pests as often as they abound with flowers and vegetables. However, you dont have to resort to chemical means to get rid of the little insect beasties that want to dine on your plants. For every pest, theres a natural pest control solution, one that doesnt require inundating your garden environment with poisonous pesticides. And theres more good news: natural pest control costs less than pesticides and is much safer for your garden, your pets, children, wildlife and the environment.
Did you know that each year, North Americans use approximately 136 million pounds of pesticides on lawns and gardens, and inside the home? North American homeowners actually use almost three times the amount of pesticides that farmers use. Most of the wildlife pest poisonings that occurand most of the surface water contamination from pesticidescome from single family homes.
As we look to more environmentally friendly solutions to rid our lawns and gardens of pesky insects, enthusiastic gardeners should be especially careful to use control methods that are not only effective but kind to Mother Earth and the air that we breathe.
Here are some natural pest control measures you can take to avoid adding more chemicals to our soil:
The first step to take in preventing insect damage in your garden is making sure your garden is healthy to begin with. That means well-prepared soil, the pH adjusted as necessary, excellent drainage, air circulation and soil has been made nutritious for plants by adding compost.
As your garden grows, remove any weak plants and dispose of them well away from the garden area. Keeping your weeds, discarded plants and compost well away from your main gardening areas will keep the pests away also.
Keep garden beds mulched and top-dressed with compost to encourage healthy plant growth.
Use seaweed fertilizer spray, which contains minerals and trace elements such as iron, zinc, barium, calcium, sulfur and magnesium that strengthen soil and promote plant health. This is a friendly and natural solution to assist in vigorous plant growth.
Keep your garden clear of debris which can become a breeding ground for insects.
Always use clean mulch, either cultivated on site or purchased from a reputable seller.
Interplant and rotate crops to defeat plant specific insects. Mixing plants up in your garden patches makes it more difficult for insects to spread, and annual crop rotation mitigates against re-infestation.
Water early in the day to give foliage a chance to dry out. Wet foliage encourages insect and fungi to move in as night falls.
If you have found infected plants, be sure to disinfect your gardening tools before using them near healthy plants. Think like a doctor and create like an artist!
Call on the powers of beneficial insects you can attract to your garden or buy from catalogs. Insects such as Brachonids, Chalcids and Ichneumon Wasps, Ladybugs, Lacewings, praying Mantises and Hover flies. Both soil nematodes and hover flies can be powerful weapons and allies in your fight against garden pests!
Although the goal is always to keep the garden healthy and looking beautiful all season long, it is not difficult to achieve that look, and keep pests and insects at bay using natural pesticide solutions. There is ample information available on the internet or by asking your organic gardening store. Essentially, there are different options for different plant species so once you determine which plant is being invaded, you can conduct your research accordingly.
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