Garden Pests

Disclaimer : All information below is not a comprehensive list. While information has been given to the best of my knowledge (through books and the internet), please practice them with caution. Methods/suggestions etc should be taken with a pinch of salt and on a trial and error basis as they may not work.

Who Are They And How To CONTROL THEM the “Natural WAY”?

There are just too many bugs to be described – I stopped typing after I realized that it will take me a few more long nights. Thus, I highly recommend the book : The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control (ISBN:087596124X) for the “pests” enthusiasts. Not only does it describe how to control/destroy the pests, the pictures are very helpful for the novice gardeners to identify their problems very quickly.

Gophers

- Use urine from any source, the smell will chase them away and oil

- Use chicken wire and bury it underneath about 18inches

- May be repelled by surrounding a garden with bulbs of squill(Scilla) as border planting. Squill is not a demanding plant and has attractive spring flowers

Ants

- Use cornmeal, bacon grease, baking powder, yeast. Put the sticky mixture on a can/jar and place it where ants are seen

Slugs (and snails)

Slugs are among the most troublesome pests in the garden.  They feed on a variety of living plants and decaying plant matter.  On plants they chew irregular holes with smooth edges in leaves and can clip succulent plant parts.  They can also chew fruit and young plant bark.  Because they prefer succulent foliage, they are primarily pests of seedlings, herbaceous plants, and ripening fruit such as strawberries, artichokes, and tomatoes that are close to the ground.  However, they will also feed on fruit of some trees, citrus is especially susceptible to damage.

- Make a trap. Place 1) beer, sugar, yeast or 2) milk in a bowl or plate in the ground. Leave the edge sticking out to protect helpful ground beetles. Set them with the rims 1/2 to 3/4 inch above the soil surface to protect beneficial beetles that may be in your garden.  To get maximum effect from these traps, place them every 3 feet in every direction in the area that slugs are a problem.  The liquid must be replenished every few days

- Make a barrier. Place a ring of eggshells, twigs, sand or ashes around plants. Slugs and snails are not capable of to get across either through being scratchy and sharp or by drying up the mucus glands that are necessary for their movement.

- Plastic barriers can be used in various ways to create walls against slug attack. A clear plastic bottle with the top and bottom cut off to create a cylinder may be used to protect small plants

- Encourage frogs, thrushes and blackbirds into your garden. They will feed on these pests

- Tilling the soil in spring, and between rows is one of the best slug controls.  Three passes with the tiller should reduce the slug population to about one quarter of their previous level.  Choose a time when the weather is warming up to ensure the slugs are near the soil surface.  Be sure that the soil is not to wet when tilling it. Tilling both physically kills slugs and exposes them and their eggs to predators and to the weather

Cutworms : They are the worst enemies a seedling can ever have. The best way is by prevention using a small barrier made of aluminium foil, cardboard tubes, paper or plastic cups, 3 inches above ground and 2 inches below ground. Cutworms “prey” at night and are most active late spring and early summer just as night temperature rise above 60°F

- Sprinkle eggshells, hair or chicken manure around each plant with cutworm problem

- Handpick them at night

Spider Mites : Most active in hot dry weather and they love beans, tomatoes, roses and any annual flower

- Spray with hand held mist sprayer 1) every 3 weeks in summer with a mixture of baby shampoo, antiseptic mouthwash and a tobacco tea or 2) a mixture of wheat flour, buttermilk and water when all else fails

Aphids

- Destroy by hand. Just rub an infested leaf between your thumb and forefinger, careful not to damage the plant’s leaf

- Use natural enemies. Ladybugs and lacewings feed on aphids

- Controlling your ant population may help control your aphid population

Plants Which Repel Garden Pests

Pest	Plant
Ants	Marjoram, Mint family, Oregano, Onions, Rue, Tansy
Aphids	Chives, Garlic, Marigolds, Mint family, Dried and crushed chrysanthemum flowers, Coriander, Onions, Oregano
Cabbage Moths	Rosemary, Sage, Thyme
Cabbage Worms	Celery
Carrot Flies	Leeks, Sage, Rosemary
Cucumber Beetles	Nasturtiums, Radishes, Tansy
Flies	Basil, Tansy, Marigold, Oregano
Mosquitoes	Basil, Garlic, Lemon Thyme

TraP Crops

Nasturtium and Radish are good to plant in any garden as they are said to trap Flea Beetles and Aphids.

Well-fertilized collard greens should be planted near cabbages to trap diamond back moths.

Eggplants are said to go well with potatoes as they trap potato bugs.