Organic Pest Control for Any Garden

Organic pest control is an excellent way to achieve a healthy garden for you, your family, birds, animals and the good insects. Organic pest control does not eliminate all insects, just the enemy insects; some insects are very helpful and beneficial to our gardens. You just need to a little time to take care of the plants and watch for early signs of insect invasion or disease. Healthy plants have a better resistance against diseases and pests.  

As long as your freshly harvested garden has healthy old vegetable and fruit vines or similar residue you should turn it, as soon as possible, back into the soil. If any of it has been pest infested or diseased it needs to be removed promptly because it will create a breeding haven for pests. Some of the insects prefer to live in this debris during the winter months and get a heads up start on your garden next spring. The insects and pathogens will most likely not live in any of the healthy residue but if there are weeds near to your garden they will find refuge there; this is the reason for turning over the spent garden right after harvesting.   

Some of you probably think all the insects are your enemy; well some of them play valuable roles in your garden. Some break down organic material, some are called pollinators that carry pollen from one plant to another and then there are the ones we call ‘beneficial insects’ that devour the enemy insects, you know the insects that like to munch on your plants. Some of the ‘beneficial insects’ are the praying mantis and the ever famous lady bug.  

Insects and diseases have a tendency to attack the plants and vegetables when they become stressed, damaged or unhealthy. Giving the garden a little extra care helps to prevent this from happening. You need to keep the soil in good health by adding some type of organic material each year. This will enrich the structure of the soil, raise the nutrient levels and increase the capacity of the soil to hold water. Organic fertilizers can be added if you think the plants are not getting enough water or nutrients. You also need to be sure the plants are not going to compete for water and nutrients with any weeds. You can pull out the weeds by hand when you see them pop-up or try a landscape fabric or mulch for around the plants. Most importantly do not over-crowd your plants; if you plant seeds thin out the seedlings so there is enough air circulation between them, this helps prevent diseases.

Rotating your crops each year lowers the chances of insect damage and soil-borne diseases. If you planted potatoes in a section of your garden and they became diseased do not plant that section again with potatoes, plant them in the opposite end of the garden. The organisms that caused the disease will live in the soil of the diseased area during the winter and if potatoes or a related crop get planted in the same area you will end up with a diseased crop. By rotating crops the organisms will not have anything to live on when you plant your spring garden. Crop rotation is also a great way of balancing the nutrients in your soil.  

Being creative when planting a vegetable garden will also help with organic pest control. For instance plant a couple of tomato plants in one area and a couple more in an opposite area, the pests may find it difficult to attack both areas. Plant some flowers that repel insects such as nasturtiums and marigolds in and around the vegetable plants. The herbs such as fennel, dill, and mint will attract the beneficial insects and they like to feast on your garden pests.  

Most of the organic fertilizers give you a wide spectrum of nutrients that are slow to release. Always remember to follow the directions completely because you do not want to over-fertilize your crop. Protecting young plants from the wind is also a good idea by planting your seeds near taller plants. It is probably best to avoid herbicides for fear of over-spraying; prevention is the best aspect of organic pest control you can use. When purchasing your plants and seedlings select the ones that are resistant to disease, do not over-crowd the plants when planting, make sure the moisture levels are correct, rotate crops yearly, and inspect plants regularly to stay healthy. Dehydrating dusts, horticultural oils, or insecticidal soaps can be used on your plants, if needed, as organic pest control.

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