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Squish, Squash and Spray: Organic solutions to garden pests

By Wanda Kelly

While insects are classified as animals, belonging to the same biological kingdom as humans, we just don’t take kindly to organisms that have more appendages than we do. Even worse are those creatures that have no visible appendages at all. And so it is that each year gardeners struggle to rid themselves of those creeping, crawling, cocooning pests that descend upon our prized plants with nasty intentions.

With our increasing awareness of how our actions affect the planet, many homeowners are interested in organic pest solutions for their vegetable gardens and landscaping. There are numerous ways to control garden pests without harming the environment—and many of them quite easy to implement.

An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure when it comes to protecting your garden against insect infestation. Choosing native plants and those that have a natural resistance to the most prevalent insects in your area minimizes your risk. For example, dogwoods and redbuds are resistant to adult Japanese beetles while crape myrtles are not. Biodiversity is our best ally in the fight against pests. Diverse plantings lead to increased populations of birds and other wildlife, keeping the predator and prey levels in balance.

Strong healthy plants, fed with compost and other natural fertilizers, are less attractive to many harmful pests than are plants raised any other way. Often organic farmers rotate their crops to allow new crops to replenish key minerals and lessen pest pressures. The good news for gardeners is that you don’t have to start from scratch each year because those perennials you bought last year come back to life for this year’s garden. The bad news: the pests already know where you live and what you’ll be serving them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner again this year. Applying all-around organic fertilizers such as “weed teas,” composted livestock manure, compost, seaweed extract, and fish emulsions boosts your plants’ immune systems.

One thing to keep in mind while you’re developing your plan against pests is that eradication is not the goal—management is. No man—or insect—is an island. The methods used to completely eliminate a pest can also decimate populations of beneficial insects. Sometimes our level of annoyance is disproportionate to the level of infestation. We have become so removed from natural habitats that we now demand perfection from our cultivated gardens in every way.

Before you apply any chemical or biological intervention, even if it is considered an organic approach, identify the pests you are dealing with and determine the extent of the infestation.

Now, I am realistic. I recognize that insects do happen and they can be persistent, clever buggers hiding in your soil until the conditions are just right. But you can outsmart them by pitting one against the other. Praying mantises and ladybugs are two of the better-known carnivorous insects. They are treasured as avid consumers of aphids, those little, light-green, pinhead-sized pests that devour buds of many flowers and vegetables. You can actually purchase a box of ladybugs. Unfortunately, most people only recognize adult ladybugs. If you hope to use organic means to control pests it is very important that you know how to identify the eggs and larval stages of the ladybug and the praying mantis. You can find many clear images of them with a quick search on the Internet.

Before embarking on an all-out pesticide attack, consider some simpler solutions, such as mechanical devices. Japanese beetle traps collect 70 to 75 percent of the beetles that approach the trap. Those remaining beetles will thank you for placing the trap near their favorite food. So place several traps around the perimeter of your garden. Trust me, those beetles will find the trap even if it is some distance away. For other insects, simply covering the host plant can help. Flea beetles love my lettuce but just hate it when I put a row cover on it.

As for mounting an organic pesticide attack, there are several different types of such pesticides to be found in your local home store. Biotanicals such as neem oil, nicotine, and rotenone, are effective but they are not selective so they eliminate beneficials and pests alike. A second class, biologicals, includes bacteria or bacterial toxins that are more selective but can be less effective over time as pests become resistant to them. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is the most commonly used and is approved for use on crops. If you have caterpillars eating your leafy veggies then Bt is a great solution. Insecticidal soaps and spray oils are the final class of pesticides. These can be handy for fighting mites and scale. Of course that does assume you can tell a mite from a scale or a rust—no easy task.

Well, here on the farm I use some old-fashioned methods. I carefully monitor my greenhouse crops while I hand water them. Finding eggs or larva allows me to catch pests early, before I am overrun with adults. As for my method of destruction I adopt the squish, squash, or stomp approach. I know the tomato season is at hand when I get to stomp my first hornworm, and it does bring a smile to my face.

Tags: wanda kelly apr 08

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