How to Control Pests in a Vegetable Garden

Pests such as cutworms can be controlled with good cultural practices.

If you have a vegetable garden, chances are good that you will have to contend with some type of pest. For pests, vegetables aren't just a source of sustenance. Some pests treat a vegetable garden as a rent-free apartment: a place that they just want to move in on, freeload off of and wreck. But pests may be controlled through a program of cultural practices that keep a plant healthy enough to resist pests as well as methods to draw away pests and treatments to kill or repel them.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Bucket
• Plastic bag
• Rototiller
• Compost
• Peat moss
• Manure
• Lime
• Sulfur
• Aluminum foil
• Paper
• Dichotomous earth
• Seed-free straw
• Balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer
• Insect pheromone traps
• Lid
• Beer
• Insecticides

Instructions

1. Test your soil before planting by collecting 1 cup of soil from 10 locations across your garden with a clean shovel. Place the soil in a bucket and mix it to create a composite sample. Put 2 cups of soil from the bucket in a plastic bag and take the bag to a soil laboratory for testing. A soil test will reveal nutrient deficiencies, pH and soil structure in your soil. Adding nutrients and soil amendments to soil will make plants healthier and better able to resist pest attacks.

2. Break up your soil to a depth of 12 inches with a rototiller. Breaking up your soil in fall and spring will deter soil-dwelling pests such as slugs or grubs. Spread soil amendments based on the soil test results in a 4 inch layer over your garden. Soil amendments should include organics that will improve the soil structure such as compost, peat moss or manure. Compost and manure will also improve soil fertility. Add lime or sulfur as needed to adjust the pH of soil. Mix the amendments into soil with the rototiller. Dichotomous earth mixed into the soil with other amendments will repel insects.

3. Group plants together based on their abilities to repel insects. Plant basil and marigolds near tomatoes to drive away nematodes in the soil and beetles on the plants. Dill planted near cabbages will keep away cabbage worms. Beans may be planted near garlic. The beans will put nitrogen in the soil and use garlic stalks for support while the garlic repel insects. Do not plant vegetables in the same location each year. This causes a buildup of soil diseases and soil borne pests that will weaken vegetables and invite insects.

4. Plant specific plants nearby that will draw away insects from your garden or attract predator insects such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps or lacewing flies that feed on pests. For example, pickleworms will pass up cucumbers to feed on squash. Tomato worms prefer dill over tomatoes. Once a trap plant is infested, pick the insects off of the plant and drop them in a bucket of soapy water. Ladybugs, hoverflies and lacewings will be attracted to nectar-bearing plants such as dill, yarrow goldenrod and sweet asylum.

5. Place sleeves made of tin foil or paper around the base of plants with stalks. The sleeves should extend 1 to 2 inches into the soil. These sleeves keep insects from crawling up the plant stalk.

6. Spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of seed-free straw over plants as a mulch once the plants have been put in the ground. Straw will keep down weeds and hold in moisture. It also will make it more difficult for pests to reach the plants. If pests such as aphids are knocked off of the plants and into mulch, they will not be able to return to the plant very easily.

7. Spread a balanced fertilizer around plants to nourish them. Plants that are strong and healthy will withstand insect infestation better.

8. Hand-pick insects such as slugs, caterpillars or beetles from plants. Throw them into a bucket of warm soapy water to eliminate them.

9. Place insect traps in the garden to trap insects. Slugs will be eliminated by placing a shallow dish filled with beer into the garden at soil level.

10. Remove all debris from a garden. Insects often thrive and overwinter in plant debris. Do not allow grass to grow in your garden soil. Grass will attract many pests, including mole crickets, beetles and grubworms.

11. Spray vegetables with recommended insecticides as a last resort. Use a spray recommended by your local county extension service.

References

• Alabama Cooperative Extension System; Garden Bugs; Charles Ray; July 2008,
• Ohio State University Extension; Integrated Pest Management; Ronald J. Becker et. al; Keith L. Smith; 2009
• Washington State University Extension; Organic Pest Control; Holly S. Kennell et. al

Resources

• Univeristy of Arkansas Extension; Insect Pest Management; John D. Hopkins et. al