Green Solutions for Garden Pests

Controlling pests that prey on vegetables poses a challenge for gardeners who resist using conventional methods for pest control. Simple solutions, however, are available for gardeners with patience, time, and a willingness to experiment with unorthodox methods.

From wasp traps to organic pesticide solutions, find alternative methods for combatting garden pests and problems. A few simple materials, creative designs, and time-old organic remedies can provide the best solution for gardeners plagued with pests.

Trap Winged Insects

Flies and wasps plague gardeners during the hot summers spent weeding and watering. These “unwanted bugs” are among the many winged pests that plague gardens and produce during the growing season.

Make a simple trap from recycled soda bottles, filling the close-necked plastic or glass with a sticky sweet solution. Insects crawl inside to sample the liquid, then become trapped by the sloped walls surrounding the bottle neck opening at the top. Gardeners can make a hanging version for greenhouses by attaching simple fish line around the bottle’s lip.

Decorative glass traps are also available for wasps and other stinging garden pests, many equipped with hangers or stands for convenient placement.

Organic Pesticides for Garden Insects

For pests that prey directly on fruit, plants, and blossoms, many organic gardeners turn to the friendly “natural pesticide” known as diatomaceous earth. Mixed with soil or sprinkled directly onto plant leaves and fruit, the white powdery composite is toxic for visiting insects, corroding their skin and exoskeletons.

Sulfur also works to deter a variety of bugs and some wildlife from invading garden beds. The yellow powder’s rotten-egg smell and its toxic properties when ingested by some insects works as a powerful pesticide. Caveat emptor for diatomacous earth and sulfur users, however: some “good” garden insects can also suffer under the same substances that harm pests.

Rabbits and Deer Solutions for the Garden

Keeping bigger pests out of the garden requires bigger solutions, since rabbits, deer, and other plant nibblers pursue garden produce and plants with relish. For small garden beds, wire cages are a great solution. Built from chicken or rabbit wire, or welded wire fence varieties, all gardeners need are a few simple tools, including wire fence squares, fence clips, and a pair of sturdy pliers. The cages are sized to fit the individual patches or beds, the base buried partly in the soil or staked in place.

Planting garlic bulbs alongside plants or around garden or bed perimeters to deter some animals from invading them. Many organic gardeners believe the smell of garlic plants is among a range of harmless scents that deter deer, rabbits, and other predators when placed in close proximity to produce.

From stinging insects to hungry rabbits, protecting garden produce from harm is the goal for every successful gardener. Finding less harmful solutions, both for produce and soil health, helps both seasoned organic gardeners and newcomers to the world of plants and produce.

Resources:

Ellis, Barbara W. The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy without Chemicals. Rodale Books, 1996.

Bradley, Fern Marshall. The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control: A Complete Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Garden and Yard the Earth-Friendly Way. Rodale Books, 2010.