I’m often asked about the best method or getting rid of garden
pests organically. Yes, I know it’s so easy to go to the local
garden center, scan row upon row of chemical insecticides and
spray.
I’m often asked about the best method or getting rid of garden pests organically. Yes, I know it’s so easy to go to the local garden center, scan row upon row of chemical insecticides and spray. But in today’s green age, there are also alternative organic products that often will do just as good a job.
After all, nobody likes to use chemicals in the garden. Not only are pesticides, herbicides and even snail bait poisonous, but they’re expensive as well. But you don’t have to be an environmentalist in order to lessen our dependence on poisonous garden products.
Today, there are three primary products that I use to garden organically: horticultural oil, insecticidal soap and iron phosphate.
Taking the latter first is iron phosphate. Here’s a safe alternative to conventional snail and slug baits. It’s unfortunate that so many dogs and cats have had to lose their lives before we got smart. Iron phosphate baits are highly successful and easy to use. Snails and slugs stop feeding as soon as the bait is consumed and die within a few days. A local brand is named “Sluggo.” It is available at most garden centers, distributed locally by Monterey Garden Supply. And yes, iron phosphate baits cost a little more than conventional methaldehyde baits, but isn’t peace of mind worth it?
Insecticidal soap is an old standby for organic gardeners. We know why it’s been around so long – it works! These soaps are made from fatty acids that dehydrate and suffocate pests. They control aphids, mites, leafhoppers, earwigs, mealybugs, grasshoppers and others. The soap must come in direct contact with the pest and it’s essential that you coat the undersides of the leases, as well as the tops. Simply mix a couple tablespoons of liquid soap in plain water, and spray. Safer’s Insecticidal Soap is also available almost anywhere for a wide variety of pests.
Horticultural oil are lightweight, ultra-refined oils that also work by suffocating soft-bodied insects. Some formulations of horticultural oil also work as a fungicide, controlling powdery mildew. Like insecticidal soap, the downside is that it must come in direct contact with the pest in order to be effective. You will have to take great care to spray all surfaces of the plant’s foliage.
Finally, something as simply as spraying plants with a strong jet of plain water will often keep aphids under control. These soft-bodied insects that love new growth on roses, will fall off and can’t get back up onto plants.
You don’t have to be an environmentalist to safely garden.
