Assembling Your Organic Arsenal

Well, first you should know there are two kinds of herbicides: "selective" and "non-selective". From the terms, you can probably guess their definitions; "selectives" affect only the plants they're designed to kill, while "non-selectives" pretty much kill anything they come in contact with.

Believe it or not, the most popular organic herbicide is powerful enough to be designated as "non-selective". Like its chemical counterparts, it can be dangerous if splashed onto the skin, in the eyes, or if the fumes are breathed.

It also makes great pickles. It is, of course, vinegar.

For an effective organic herbicide, 10% acetic acid white vinegar (sold at many farm supply stores) sprayed on weeds, especially in the heat of the afternoon, provides effective weed and grass control. But be careful - it'll kill everything it touches. Don't spray it on a windy day, keep a safe distance, where long sleeves and pants, and make sure your eyes are covered.

For an even more effective mix, add 1 oz. Orange oil and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap to each gallon of 10% vinegar.

And the "selective" organic method of ridding unwanted weeds and plants? It's called hand-pulling.

Fungicides

Even though we encourage natural microorganisms in the soil, sometimes they can go overboard. More specifically, too much moisture invites a parasitic form of fungi to form where it's not wanted.

As with herbicides and pesticides, there are lots of horror stories that can be told about synthetic fungicides and their negative effect on living organisms, but I'll spare you the gory details. All you need to know is that converting to natural fungicides is probably the easiest step to make when turning to organics.

One of the most effective organic fungicides is baking soda. Four teaspoons mixed in a gallon of water with 1 tablespoon of horticultural oil and sprayed lightly on foliage of plants treats black spot, powdery mildew, brown patch and other fungal diseases. You really just can't beat it.

The other fungicide I routinely use is horticultural cornmeal. Scratched into the soil around the base of plants, it is a good disease fighter and preventative for future fungus problems, as well as those pesky fungus gnats.

Lastly, my orchid-growing friends recommend a cinnamon rub directly onto leaves for stopping black spots in their tracks on their precious phrags and phals.

Pesticides

The hitmen of the garden are, of course, pesticides.

Organic insect control can become complicated and daunting if

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