It is spring once again and it is time to prepare your lovely garden.
Spring is also the time when pests are lurking about. Chemical based
pesticides and other harmful agents can definitely get rid of the pests,
however, they will also kill off your plants. Organic pest control
is the best way to go in order to ensure a healthy safe garden. This
article will introduce you to some of nature's most helpful pest
controls.
Biological Insect Control: There are many beneficial
parasites and predators that are available to help you get rid of the
unwanted pests that may be lurking around your garden. Naturals controls
may already be in your garden, however, their numbers may be too small
to concur all of the pests in your garden. You can commercially buy some
of these natural controls or if you are fortunate, you may have just
enough that naturally occur.
Flowers are important to have in
your garden because many of the natural predators require nectar, water,
and pollen. Flowers provide your predators with the attractions they
will need. You should have a varied source of flowers that will bloom
throughout the year. If mosquitoes are a problem in your garden, you can
simply place a small briquette of Bti or Bti spray in a flowerpot next
to the garden in order to help to control your mosquito problem.
Toads or frogs also are great predators when it comes to bugs. You can
place them in an inverted clay flowerpot with a large hole in the rim.
You can place the flowerpot in the shade near a water hole. The frog
will enjoy all of the delicious bugs it gets to eat and you will love
the pest control.
Braconids work as a natural predator
wonderfully. These small wasps sting large pest caterpillars like tomato
hornworms. They sting the caterpillar at the same time they are laying
their eggs into the pest. When the eggs hatch and braconid larvae
develop inside of the living caterpillar, the larvae will begin to eat
through the caterpillar's skin. They immediately begin to spin cocoons
that resemble small rice grains. The caterpillar is still alive at this
point, however, it will eventually die. The adult wasps will soon hatch
and attack other caterpillars.
Commercially Available Organisms:
These types of organisms are kinds that can be bought in order to
control garden pests organically.
Trichogramma are extremely
small insects that sting pests eggs and then lays their own eggs inside
of them. You can buy them on cards of about 400 parasititized eggs. When
the trichogramma adults emerge from the eggs they will be ready to
start their life cycle. You can make a trichogramma release stand for
your garden out of a one-foot state driven a few inches into the ground.
Halfway up the stake, apply a two inch band of petroleum jelly all
around to keep ants away from the eggs. You can then staple the card
with trichogramma to the side of the stake near the top. In order to
protect the card from rain, staple a three-inch cardboard roof at the
top of the stake. Many of the parasites will fly away within three days,
however, there are late starters. You should lightly water the garden
for about two weeks after the release to ensure survival. You can loose
many of the trichogramma in hot or dry weather because they are best
suited for humid and rainy weather. You should release the parasites
every spring because their population decreases during the winter
season.
Lacewings are net-winged, pale green insects that fly
like butterflies. These natural controllers and their larvae are perfect
predators to pests.
Ladybugs and their larvae are excellent
predators of aphids and other pests and their eggs. You should provide
the ladybugs with food called "wheast" in order to get them to remain in
your garden. Wheast is usually available when you buy ladybugs,
however, you can easily obtain the recipe for the concoction.
I hope that God willing this article will help you have a safe and beautiful gardening experience.
