How to Defend a Garden From Pests

With the growing season starting, thoughts of succulent garden vegetables, sightly flowers and aromatic herbs whet the home gardener's appetite. Unfortunately, we're not the only ones who's mouths are watering... a host of garden pests is lining up to sample your hard work as well! But before you give into the urge to blast those little buggers with a dose of aerosol poison, let's look at some eco-friendly alternatives! You and Mother nature can work together to sock it to 'em without poisoning yourself and all the beneficial garden inhabitants who are there to help you out.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A variety of aromatic herbs, either seeds or potted - available at your local garden supply
• Reusable spray bottles (window cleaner, etc. Washed clean)
• An open mind to rethink your garden planning a bit (and accept a few beneficial guests!)

1. The trick to managing garden pests in an environmentally friendly way is to encourage a variety of natural defenses to do the work for you! Imagine your own private guards on patrol out there, watching out for garden moochers and giving them the boot as soon as they try to move in. Let's go right down a row of common pests, and see what we can set up to foil their hungry plans.
2. Slugs. Yeeeeech! The most unwelcome and unsightly of garden sneaks. Coming in at night to turn your lettuce into slime and devour your flowers. What can be done? Provide them with a tasty trap! Simply use a series of old yogurt cups, buried almost to the rim, near your slug-worn plants. In each cup, pour a generous slurp of beer mixed with a few teaspoons of sugar. Slugs, like many sneaky night creatures, prefer beer to lettuce. They'll go in for a pint, and never come back out - drowned in the brew! Just pour them out on the compost. Remember to change the liquid every few days or after a rain.
3. Tomato worms. The bane of many home gardener's prized fruits, the host plants are invaded by the parent moths at night, and you won't see the worms until they're already doing damage. In this case, A tower of repellent herbs can be very effective. Plant dill in amongst your tomato plants. This fast-growing herb will rise to the occasion, it's essential oils repelling the savage worms. Dill's wispy sprigs won't block much sun from your prized tomatoes, and the herb makes a tasty garnish for many home-grown dishes.
4. Aphids. These tiny invaders will hang out in the shade of the very leaves they are sucking dry, multiplying and ruining your harvest. How about a nice hot pepper and soap bath, little guys? Sound good? Not really. So, let 'em have it! Simmer a few tablespoons of red pepper flakes and several garlic cloves (crushed) in a pint of water for ten minutes. Shut off the heat, and as it cools, stir in 1/4 cup of brown soap flakes until they dissolve. (Brown soap is a natural, old fashioned soap that is strongly alkaline). Strain the mixture, and decant into a spray bottle. Apply directly to the infesting army of aphids!
5. Cucumber beetles. Again, a natural plant defense is a great first-line defense. Plant radishes among the cucumbers to discourage the beetles. Treat the few beetles who choose to ignore the warning to a pipin' hot pepper shower. Aaaahh!!
6. Allies in the insect world: Spiders, Praying Mantis, Lady Bugs, and some varieties of ants make up your garden's living, roving immune system. Learn to identify the different insects in your garden, and don't just swat anything creeping creature with six (or eight) legs! Pick up a book on insects in your region, and you may find yourself fascinated by the pests and beneficial insects, as well as the drama being played out every day in your yard. Additional beneficial insects (lady bugs, for instance) can be mail ordered or purchased at garden centers for release into your garden.
7. Larger invaders. Deer can make short work of your beans, lettuce, greens, etc. You name it - they'll eat it. Try a two-fold defense - aroma and sight. Deer fear the scent of humans. Hang a few fabric softener sheets along the perimeter of your garden. Even more effective; hang some mesh bags of hair cuttings (save after your next trip to the barber) about the fenceposts. The human smell will have them running for the hills. Strips of reflective mylar (those shiny balloons) hung in sun-dappled spots near the edge of your yard will twist in the breeze, flashing and scaring off deer as well.
8. Taking the time to learn the ins and outs of natural gardening methods will not only improve your garden yields, but it will improve the quality of your produce as well; less chemicals means healthier foods. You'll also save the cost of chemical treatments, and may find yourself gaining a new respect for that garden spider who makes a meal of the pests that are after YOUR dinner!
9. There are some more resources for plant-specific garden defense tips at http://www.rexresearch.com/agro/comp1.htm

Tips & Warnings

• Not all of these more organic methods will work in your garden. Trial and error is an integral part of the home gardener's battle. Give the methods a chance to work - the explosive effect of chemical sprays is not there, but given time, you'll make your garden unpleasant to the unpleasants, and they'll move on!
• Don't underestimate the power of the beneficial insects. I worked for a winemaker who was able to do away with ALL anti-insect spraying by simply promoting beneficial insects. It did take a few seasons for the good guys to build in numbers after years of spraying, but after that he had better yields, and UNTREATED fruit, to boot!
• If you do reach for chemicals: Before using any sprays, powders, or solutions in your garden, have a look at possible effects on beneficial insects, pets, and your own health. Remember - killing off the beneficial insects is shooting yourself in the foot!