Organic Pest Control (Prevention)

Like most problems, the best time to address pest problems in a garden is before they occur.  Let's look at some things to think about when planning your garden.

• Mix up your plantings instead of planting large blocks of the same plant.  It makes the pest work harder to get to all of your plants and the different smells and appearances can confuse the pest.

• Attract beneficial insects

• Plant native flowers and bushes.
• Plant fennel, mint, or dill and allow them to flower.  Many parasitic insects (the good guys!) will feed on and hang out in these plants while looking for other insects to parasitize
• Quit using non-organic insecticides on your property and be thoughtful of when and how you apply organic pesticides.
• The easiest thing you can do is to allow some area near your garden to go "wild" by not mowing.  This gives beneficial insects a place to shelter.

See the "wild" area behind our garden.  This is also a wet marshy area that attracts frogs and toads.

• Attract toads and frogs
• They love water, so if a pond or wet area isn't near your garden you will need to provide it.  A concrete bird bath top buried level with the ground works perfectly.  Just keep it flushed out to avoid mosquitoes breeding in it.
• Provide shelter.  Terracotta toad houses can be purchased, but a 6" terracotta pot upside down with a 3-4" hole broken into the side works just as well.  Place these around your garden in the most shaded areas.

• Plant things that repel pests
• Japanese beetles can devour a garden, but are repelled by onions and garlic.  Guess what we plant around the edge of our beds?
• Marigolds and nasturtiums repel many beetles, worms, and nematoads.  As a bonus, their flower petals and leaves are great additions to a salad.
• In addition to being great in the kitchen, basil repels flies and mosquitoes.
• Cover the bottom of your raised bed with 1/2" hardware cloth
• This will impede any burrowing pest (voles, gophers, rats, etc.) from dining on your plant's roots

In the next installment we will look at what to do if you did everything right (or didn't), but still are having problems.

Suggested Reading:

The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control: A Complete Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Garden and Yard the Earth-Friendly Way

Great Garden Companions: A Companion-Planting System for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free Vegetable Garden