Natural Pest Control
When a homegardener is asked what is the most intensive part of his gardening routine, his answer will generally be Pest Management. The following is a general outline of a good pest management program:
Preventative Practices make use of selected varieties of plants, best suited for local growing conditions, as your first line of defense in natural gardening. Regular observation, monitoring, by visual inspection of all parts of your crops is integral to pest management throughout the season. Once a pest population has been observed and determined to have reached a level which necessitates action, Accurate Identification is the first step. Key components of each pest's life cycle and habits will help to determine the next step.
Mechanical Controls, including hand-picking, insect barriers, vacuuming, and water spray, are the least invasive and generally the first used.
Biological Controls are natural processes which are generally pest specific and minimally invasive to the envronment. Beneficial Insects use natural predation to remove unwanted pests, while Biological Insecticides are naturally occuring micro-organisms that combat particular insects internally or by stopping the reproductive cycle.
In the event that an infestation is left unchecked and therefore unable to be controlled, the only recourse is...
Crop Sanitation. This process requires the removal of diseased plants to prevent spread of infection. These plants are NEVER added to a compost pile- due to the possibility of contamination; rather, they are destroyed to end the cycle.
Here are some proven methods of Natural Pest Control.
Whatever method of pest management you choose, Always Be Aware
of how it will affect our pollinating friends, without whom your garden will suffer.