I never use harmful synthetic pesticides in my garden. Here are organic pest control…
Organic Pest Control
Diatomaceous Earth is a must for any gardener that values the environment and, like me, won’t use toxic synthetic pesticides in their garden.
It works as an organic pesticide because it gets under the shells of beetles (like those nasty Japanese beetles) and acts like bits of glass to cut them up and kill them. Sounds harsh, but it works.
Pest Pistol Mini Duster – Spreading diatomaceous earth or crushed eggshells can be a messy job. This duster makes the job easier and much less messy.
Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild soap is another tool to have in your arsenal for fighting the bad bugs in your garden (and on your houseplants). Soapy water kills bugs on contact, and Dr. Bronner’s Baby Magic is organic, so I don’t have to worry about using harsh liquid soaps that contain chemicals and perfumes (and who knows what else). I use 1 tsp Dr. Bronner’s Soap per 1 liter of water. Put it in a spray bottle and spray directly on the bad bugs.
Neem Oil is a must for every gardener! Seriously, it works like magic, M.A.G.I.C! Believe me, I was skeptical when I first heard about how great neem oil works for combating pest infestations, mostly because it’s kinda spendy. But let me tell you, it is Worth. Every. Penny! It has been paramount in helping me rid my houseplants of bugs once and for all (my houseplants have been-bug free for 3 years!). I’ve also used it in the garden to ward off flea beetles on my seedlings, and it worked awesome.
Japanese beetle traps – Traps are a great option for fighting nasty garden pests organically. I trap hundreds (if not thousands) of Japanese beetles every year. It feels good to see all of those plant-hungry buggers in my trap, and know that I’m stopping them from breeding (and feeding!).
Ladybugs – These are the good guys (err, ladies) in the garden! Ladybugs feast on thousands of aphids, other pest insects and bug eggs every day. I buy ladybugs and release them in my garden every year. It’s fun and makes a huge difference in the fight against the bad bugs in my garden.
Beneficial nematodes – Another good guy in the garden, beneficial nematodes kill soil dwelling pests and grubs, including Japanese, grapevine and flea beetle grub worms, as well as other nasties that live in the soil. I buy them and spray them around my yard ever year.
