Mite | Gardeners Belfast

Brians Tip to Control Pests Safely

Posted on Nov 30, 2008 under garden problems | No Comment

When considering pest control in the garden, this must be done with the safety of yourself, animals, and your plants in mind. This applies in particular when dealing with vegetables and organic gardens.

The whole concept of growing vegetables organically fails if they become tainted with pest control chemicals.

Here are some tips I find useful for long term maintenance which will make your pest control effort more environmentally friendly and less damaging.

1. Use physical pest control processes.
I’m talking about creating barriers and traps for pests, plugging holes, and where you can, by picking grubs off by hand. Snails like to hide in damp places, especially under rocks and towards the base of plants that have strap like foliage.

2. Use biological pest control methods.
Try to encourage predatory insects such as dragonflies and green lacewings to feed on pests such as aphids which attack your plants. You do this by placing a shallow bowl of water near the plants in your garden to which you want to attract the insects. Dragonflies like hovering around water. If you have a caterpillar problem, you could use a bacterial insecticide such as B. thuringiensis.

3. Here are some safer pest control substitutes you might wish to consider.
Many of the ingredients used in these methods can be found at home in your kitchen cupboard. Recipes for alternative pest control include the following:

Against Green Aphids and Mites - Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid soap and a cup of vegetable oil. Dilute a teaspoon of this solution in a cup of water and spray on aphids and mites.

Against Cockroaches - Dusts of boric acid can be applied to cracks or entry points of these insects. Bay leaves on pantry shelves could also help in warding off cockroaches.

Make sure that the chemicals you use are made specifically for the insects you are targeting.

4. Chemical pest control should only be used as a last resort.
Many organic pest control methods are a very successful. If you must use a chemical spray try and find the least toxic. These sprays include dehydrating dusts, insecticidal soaps, and horticultural oils.