natural pest control in the organic garden

Controlling pests the natural wayControlling pests the natural way

There ARE 2 KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL PEST CONTROL

• 1 - GROW A HEALTHY PLANT

2 - DEVELOP BIODIVERSITY IN YOUR GARDEN

• DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY SOIL FOOD WEB

• OPTIMIZE NUTRIENTS AVAILABLE TO THE PLANTS

GROW A HEALTHY PLANT

• 1- DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY SOIL FOOD WEB

• DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY SOIL FOOD WEB

- COMPOST- MULCHES

- COVER CROPS

Herbicides and pesticides kill soil microorganisms

• OPTIMIZE NUTRIENTS AVAILABLE TO THE PLANTS

- GET A SOIL TEST

- GARDENING IS AN EXTRACTIVE PROCESS. REPLACE NUTRIENTS

REMOVED BY HARVESTING

• BUGSCAPING

• BUILD WILDLIFE HABITAT

DEVELOP BIODIVERSITY IN THE GARDEN

• BUGSCAPING

- PLANT SPECIFIC PLANTS THAT ATTRACT BENEFICIAL INSECTS

- ALLOW SOME CROP PLANTS TO FLOWER

- MANY “WEEDS” ARE GOOD BENEFICIAL INSECT

ATTRACTORS

• EXAMPLES OF GOOD BUGSCAPING PLANTS

Parsley Chives Ground Ivy

Smartweed Cilantro Yarrow

• POLLINATORS

• PREDATORS

• BUILD WILDLIFE HABITAT

- SHRUBS PROVIDE HOMES FOR BIRDS AND PREYING MANTIS

- ROCKS PROVIDE HOMES FOR TOADS, SNAKES AND LIZARDS

- LOGS PROVIDE HOMES FOR BEETLES

•AVOID PESTS AND DISEASES

•ATTRACT BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS TO HELP US

•ANTICIPATE POTENTIAL DISEASE AND INSECT

PROBLEMS

•OBSERVE THE GARDEN FOR SIGNS

•INTERVENE USING METHODS THAT ARE LEAST

HARMFUL TO US AND THE ENVIRONMENT

A STRATEGY FOR MINIMIZING PEST

DAMAGE IN THE GARDEN

•AVOID PESTS AND DISEASES

- PLANT DISEASE AND INSECT RESISTANT VARIETIES

•ATTRACT BENEFICIAL

INSECTS TO HELP US

- PRACTICE BUGSCAPING

•ANTICIPATE POTENTIAL

DISEASE AND INSECT

PROBLEMS- TIME PLANTINGS TO AVOID PESTS

- USE YELLOW STICKY TRAPS TO MONITOR FOR PESTS

- USE ROW COVERS TO EXCLUDE PESTS

•OBSERVE THE GARDEN FOR

SIGNS

SQUASH BUG EGGS

SQUASH BUG LARVAE

ADULT SQUASH BUG

LADY BUG EGGS LADY BUG LARVAE ADULT LADY BUG

•OBSERVE THE GARDEN FOR

SIGNS

SQUASH LADY BEETLE LADY BUG

TRICHOGRAMMA WASP COCOONS ON TOMATO HORN

WORM

APHIDS APHID MIDGESMEALYBUG DESTROYER

•OBSERVE THE GARDEN FOR

SIGNS

COLORADO POTATO BEETLE EGGS

COLORADO POTATO BEETLE LARVA

COLORADO POTATO BEETLE ADULT

GOLDEN TORTOISE BEETLE ASSASSIN BUG BLACK SWALLOWTAIL

BUTTERFLY LARVA

•OBSERVE THE GARDEN FOR

SIGNS

UNKNOWN EGGS UNKNOWN INSECT UNKNOWN INSECT

SOUTHERN BLIGHT ON TOMATO

EARLY BLIGHT ON TOMATO

MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY IN SQUASH

•INTERVENE USING METHODS THAT ARE LEAST

HARMFUL TO US AND THE ENVIRONMENT

- INTERPLANT CROPS TO CONFUSE INSECT PESTS- HAND PICKING- INSECTICIDAL SOAPS, NEEM OIL- BIOCONTROLS - BT, NEMATODES, B. SUBTILIS- ORGANIC-APPROVED CHEMICALS- USE BRASSICAS IN A ROTATION TO HELP W/ DISEASE CONTROL- SURRENDER

•REDEFINE “WEEDS”- SOME WILD PLANTS HELP US

BY ACCUMULATING NUTRIENTS OR ATTRACTING

BENEFICIALS

•MINIMIZE TILLAGE

•DO NOT LET WEEDS GO TO SEED

•USE MULCHES TO SUPPRESS WEEDS

•USE COVER CROPS TO SUPPRESS WEEDS

WEED MANAGEMENT