Assembling Your Organic Arsenal
if you let it, but don't. Synthetic alternatives and their consequences are far worse for the environment.
Let it first be said that the best control is protecting and even plumping up our beneficial insect populations and allowing nature to take its course. Beneficials include green lacewings, praying mantis, trichogramma wasps and, my favorite...ladybugs! (Birds are also voracious eaters of all kinds of bugs and worms.)
The key is to identify what insects need controlled and find the appropriate organic method of dealing with them. If there are several options, always start with the least toxic method and go forward when necessary.
For example, if aphids are a problem, blast them off with a strong stream of water from the hose. If they return, use either a Neem- or orange oil-based solution. Then find out why they're feeding there in the first place. The plant is probably under stress (under- or over-watered, too much or too little light, over fertilized).
Here's a quick reference to go by:
- Plant-sucking insects (aphids, squash bugs, spider mites, whiteflies, lacebugs): Blast with strong water, then try Neem, Insecticidal soap, or Orange oil
- Worms/Caterpillars: Hand pick, then use a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Spinosad, my favored fire ant remedy, was initially formulated for worm problems too, and is a bacterium like Bt.
- Slugs/Snails: Ring plants with sharp material such as crushed eggshells or natural diatomaceous earth, then move on to Orange oil.
- Mosquitoes: Remove any standing water on your property, encourage more birds into your landscape. Grind several cloves of garlic in a blender with a little water. Strain out the solids and dilute with one gallon of water to make concentrate. Use ΒΌ cup of the concentrate with each additional gallon of water to spray around the yard as a repellant.
Many of the big home improvement centers are beginning to sell organic products like 10% vinegar, Bt, horticultural cornmeal, pre-prepared orange oil, garlic spray and Bt. This is really good news for anyone wanting to convert to organics. If you can't find any of these items in a store near you, Gardens Alive! has a great line of all-organic products available by mail or internet order.
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