Lesson 3: Disease And Pest Control
There is nothing that can impact the health of your garden more than the diseases and pests that are common to every garden in the world. This lesson will help you make informed choices and understand the delicate interaction between plants and pests.
Organic vs Chemical Controls
I came to organic gardening slowly. Three different incidents helped propel me towards this way of gardening.
The first was noticing that there were no butterflies, ladybugs or birds in my garden. It was a subtle thing at first, but as my love for gardening grew, my senses became much more attuned to my surroundings.
The second incident was very serious. I have both Lupus erythematosis and Crohns disease. At first, when I began getting ill around certain products, I put it down to my being overly sensitive to chemicals. One day, while applying an extremely well known systemic rose fertilizer/insecticide, I found I could taste it in my mouth. The smell sickened me. I was still trying to rationalise this when a friend of mine, who was helping me out that morning, complained of the odor and taste. She was pale and perspiring. This led me on my first steps toward organic gardening. I read, watched programs and did internet research on the subject. The more I read, the more convinced I became there was a better way to garden than the one I'd been using.
The third incident occurred as I was enthusiastically telling a Native American friend about all the great organic substitutes for chemicals there were. He leaned over, placed two fingers on my mouth and said: "You still don't get it."
Organics is not about substituting one thing for another, it's about balance. The balance between all living things. This, in a nutshell, is the central philosophy of organic gardening: balance. When this balance exists in your garden, all things interact for the whole. Everything has a place and a use. Organic gardening is prevention. By close observation, you can eliminate or control most problems.
I want to share a brief example of this. I had been walking around the garden, looking at my plants, when I spotted a locust. I ran into the house, grabbed my garden books and told my husband I needed his help, this was serious! My husband walked outside, looked at the insect, picked it up and killed it. Problem solved. It taught me a lesson. Now, when insects are first spotted, they are picked off and killed, most of the time ending the problem cleanly and sanely.
The simple act of removing the first infected leaves and disposing of them in the trash, followed by a thorough hand washing, can halt many garden diseases. Using naturally occurring fertilizers, kelp, fish emulsion, bone meal, blood and cottonseed meals, bat guano, horse manure and sulfur, encourages a more natural plant growth.
Think of all the beautiful wild stands of flowers and trees that grow healthy and strong without any intervention from us. Take the time to learn about the interactions between insects and plants. Watch PBS shows on Organic Gardening. Your gardening will be a healthier and safer experience.
This is an excellent place to get a good comprehensive look at organic gardening: http://www.biconet.com/
