10 Organic Ways to Control Pests in the Garden
Image by Self Sufficient Me via Youtube
Chemical solutions can be really harmful to humans and animals. It can also contaminate soil and water! We all don’t want that, right? Try these 10 organic ways to control pests in the garden by Self Sufficient Me instead. They are definitely effective. You can finally breathe and no longer have to worry about the dangerous effects of insecticides with these alternatives!
Healthy plants
Pests like to target sick or dying plants. By feeding them appropriate amounts of fertilizer and growing them in good soil with the right amount of water, healthy plants will get hit less often than weaker plants.
Timing
It’s important to grow your plants at the right time when it comes to pest control. Plants that are grown out of season or their growing range will be more targeted by pests.
Harvest early
Make sure to harvest your fruits before pests get to them. Most animals favor ripe fruits, to avoid this from happening, pick your crop early and then let them ripen in a safe area.
Grow more
If you grow more, you won’t probably worry if some get eaten by pests. Some gardeners grow a sacrificial plant and allow it to become infested by pests.
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Manually remove them
When watering your plants, splash the bugs with water or you can use your hands to remove them.
Poultry
Chicken and ducks can be excellent to control pests. Chickens are great bug catchers and eat fruit flies but take note that they can be destructive so don’t give them free range in the vegetable garden when it’s growing. Ducks, on the other hand, love eating stink bugs.
Habitat
By growing a variety of produce and plants rather than one big mass of the same crop, you’ll have fewer problems with pests invading your property in destructive numbers.
Organic sprays
Make a pest oil spray. In a bottle, combine 2 cups of cooking oil with 1 cup of dishwashing liquid. Use about a tablespoon of this mix per liter in a spray bottle. You can also use Vaseline. Put it around the base of the plant that’s getting attacked by aphids or scale. There are also pest oils, garlic concentrate, and chili concentrate.
Bio-bugs
These good bugs eat bad mites and caterpillars.
Exclusion
Using nets or bags is one of the best ways to keep pests away from your produce.
