Safe pest controls
must be done with utmost consideration to safety; safety in terms of
the
plants, animals and humans. This holds especially true for those with
vegetable
and organic gardens.
The
main purpose
of growing vegetables organically will be defeated if they become
tainted with
pest control chemicals.
Here
are a
few long-term maintenance tips to make pest control less damaging and
more
environmentally friendly.
1.
Use the physical pest control process.
This
may be
accomplished through picking grubs off by hand, creating barriers and
traps and
plugging holes. Snails can be found hiding in damp places under rocks
and
towards the base of those plants with strap like foliage.
2.
Apply biological pest control.
Encourage
predatory insects such as green lacewings and dragonflies to feed on
aphids and
other pests that attack your plants. You can do this by placing a
shallow bowl
of water in the garden. Dragonflies especially will hover around water.
Bacterial
insecticides such as B. thuringiensis could also be used against
caterpillars.
3.
Only as a last resort should we turn to
chemical pest control.
Organic
pest
control methods can be successful and the ingredients for many of the
recipes
can be found in the kitchen cupboards. If chemical sprays are really
necessary,
try and find the least-toxic. These include insecticidal soaps,
horticultural
oils, dehydrating dusts, etc.
4.
Consider the use of safer pest control
substitutes.
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
these critters.
Make
sure
that the chemicals you use are made specifically for the insects you
are
targeting.
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