The idea of organic gardening pest control is not a new theory, and in fact is as old as agriculture. Man-made pesticides have substituted organic ones since World War II in civilized countries and these pesticides are harmful to the environment as well as the population who eat the plants sprayed with the synthetic pesticides. More and more people today are doing organic gardening and prefer not to use pesticides. There are varying beliefs on the use of these products, with some people opposing their use only on food crops, whereas others simply try to reduce their use as much as possible.
There are a variety of sensible reasons that appeal to logic for using organic gardening pest control methods. Most importantly, if pesty insects are left alone, free of pesticides, they ae less likely to become resistant “super bugs”. Organic methods tend to be less polluting and blend into the ecosystem around it instead of disrupting it. In addition, because many of the pesticides that are available are derivatives of petrochemicals, their costs are higher, thus making alternatives more attractive. Whatever the reasons may be for avoiding their use, the organic gardener has to be prepared to work in order to make up for the loss of those chemical products that he chooses to abstain from using.
Natural gardeners have a number of valuable, non-chemical methods that they can use to manage garden vermin. Using a method known as varietal selection, where pest and disease resistant seeds are used, is one of the easiest ways to avoid pest problems. The cultural control method of organic gardening pest control involves changing your gardening methods in order to reduce the hospitality that your garden offers to pests. This may mean removing or burning diseased plant material and destroying weeds and plan debris that provide hiding places for insects. Using stakes to keep fruits off the ground as well as pruning to remove diseased limbs, removing sickly plants, proper building of the soil, and making sure the plants are in raised areas in rainy seasons also help control diseases and pests. Crop rotation can also help in the prevention of disease and in pest control.
Using non-pesticide methods for pest control may not be as quick as the use of pesticides, but it is safer and over time, these methods will not simply repel the insects for the current season but prevent their reappearance in other corps. Organic gardening pest control might entail a lengthier process, however, all the effort is repaid.
For years hubby and I didn’t use chemicals; but in the last couple we’ve given in. A man across the street hadn’t pulled a weed in YEARS! His dandelions had overrun the entire neighborhood. Despite everyone around us with professional lawn care people couldn’t get rid of them. We pulled, pulled, and pulled. Finally in the last 2 years, we’ve started spraying and pulling and even that wasn’t enough. He’s trying to sell the house which we are thrilled about. He actually sprayed…so perhaps next year, we’ll have a better neighbor and we’ll be able to go back to no chemicals and just pull them..
I don’t know if it’s connected; but for the same period of time, we’ve had to give in to spraying the Japanese Beetles. They’ve eaten everything in site. I’ve knock them off into soapy water multiple times a day, I’ve sprayed with soapy water….no help. I finally had to buy chemcials to get rid of them. Fingers crossed next year will be better on both fronts.
sandy