Organic Pest Control

As your plants grow lush and beautiful, pest control becomes more and more important. Your plants are beautiful and more attractive to pests. Mother Nature at work, I guess, but if you’re trying to produce a bounty of edibles then some of these visitors are unwelcome. Take the tomato hornworm. This fella can devour a tomato plant in a matter of days. And aphids? These pests can suck the life out of your gorgeous leaves, leaving a trail of honeydew upon which sooty mold can form preventing your plant’s natural ability to conduct photosynthesis.

Are you utterly disgusted?

Probably. So let’s talk dirt on bugs.

Besides the obvious “plucking and chucking” method to remove those pesky insects, you can also invite natural predators into your garden that will help known as “beneficials.”  This a fancy term for good bugs that eat bad bugs.

Which insects are beneficial?

We probably all know about the ever popular ladybug, the gal who LOVES to eat aphids. But did you know that the green lacewing enjoys them as well? These two beauties also enjoy feeding on whiteflies and mites, tomato fruitworms and pinworms. Trichogramma wasps will also prey on fruitworms and pinworms. But the praying mantis also like to eat these critters.  Have a problem with mosquitoes? Look no further than your friendly dragonfly–they gobble these stinging beasts by the hundreds! Frogs will delight in a menu of mosquitoes, too, but these fellas also like slugs and snails–very bad bugs in the garden.  Besides their cool names, “assassin, pirate bugs and big-eyed bugs” are great for all-around general pest-fighting.

Plants Repel Pests

Beneficials are not your only weapon against pests. You can also plant herbs and flowers to repel those bugs you don’t want, not to mention beautify your garden! Take the French marigold. Studies suggest it repels nematodes, those invading marauders that are invisible to the naked eye but travel through the soil and devour the roots of your plants. Not only does this flower repel nematodes, it discourages whiteflies, flea beetles and aphids. Geraniums repel red spider mites and horseradish repels potato bugs. Snails and slugs hate wormwood.

Speaking of “good scents,” you can also use aromatic plants to prevent pests. Ants don’t like peppermint and spearmint. Cabbage moths will steer clear from rosemary. (Hey, this reminds me of companion planting!) And the one plant that repels them all, including some kids?  Garlic.

Organic Pest Control Sprays

If you don’t want to grow garlic, consider using it to make a spray for your vegetable plants. Ground a few cloves and cayenne pepper together, steep them in hot water (like you do tea bags) and allow the mixture to sit 24-48 hours. Then watch out bugs, this yucky smelling spray is coming to a plant near you! Or how about steeping some wormwood instead of garlic? Caterpillars will run! You can also create a spray by mixing your compost or old coffee with water. Let it sit for a few days and **presto** anti-bug spray.   Caution:  wear gloves and don’t touch your eyes before washing your hands.

Yuck for you and yuck for bugs. And all your sprays will work a little better if you add a bit of dish soap to the mix—or combine it with water and use it on its own! Soap coats their soft bodies and suffocates them by disrupting their cell membranes removing the protective wax coating and basically causing a death by dehydration. Insecticidal soap can also be helpful in removing sooty mold. But so can a tough spray from your garden hose!