Natural Organic Garden Pest Control

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.