Post #14 Dealing with Pests in a Sustainable Garden
Post Description: How to deal with garden pests in a sustainable way.
Have you ever watched the sun set over a perfectly weeded and trimmed garden only to wake up to what appears to be complete and utter destruction? I sure hope you haven’t, but if you have been gardening for long enough (and even a single season can suffice) then you most likely have experienced this shocking scenario.
Pest. It’s not just another 4 letter word. And once a pest has settled in, it can feel like a war is upon you and your garden.
Insects cross the line over to pests when they begin attacking your beloved plants. And it is a fine line indeed as there are so many incredibly beneficial insects. Yet when insects become overpopulated, or pop up where they “shouldn’t” belong, a battle between gardener and pests ensues.
Have no fear, we are here to help! This post is all about why pest infestations occur, what common pests to look out for, and how to prevent an infestation in the first place.
Don’t worry, we’ve got your back, and your garden!
Why Me?!
Pests are opportunists. They are attracted to vulnerable plants because they’re easy food.
To eliminate pests, you must solve for vulnerability. But what exactly does this mean?
The two simplest ways to do this are to armor up your vulnerable plants with plants that deter the pests and to rotate the locations of your annual plants each season.
For the most part, if you grow a good diversity of plants, water and feed properly, keep things neat, and don’t use chemicals, you will have minimal pest problems. Knowing what draws pests will help you prevent them.
So let’s talk about that…
When plants are stressed from lack of water, sunlight or nutrients, they put out pheromones that insects can smell. As part of nature’s cleanup crew, the pests come to eat these plants, which they interpret as about to die. Conversely, if healthy plants put on lots of succulent growth really quickly, insects are attracted because this soft, tasty food is easy to eat and relatively free of the substances plants normally use to keep them away.
Both of these problems are solved by proper siting, watering and feeding. Artificial fertilizers cause the plants to put out too much growth too fast. Organic ones, applied reasonably, do not do this. If your plants are not too stressed, they will be alright.
Common Pests found in Zone 10 & 11 Gardens
- Aphids
- Blue flies
- Fire ants
- Hornworm caterpillars
- Iguanas
- Mites
- Mosquitoes
- Nematodes
- Snails and Slugs
- White Grubs
- Yellow Jackets
Preventative Measures
Planting a good variety of plants together keeps insects from being able to find their favorite foods.
You can even plant what we like to call “sacrificial plants” or plants that we know certain insects love in order to lure them away from the plants we are actually rooting for. An example would be planting nasturtiums near your tomato plants in early spring. The aphids will likely go for the fast blooming and sweet nasturtiums and leave your tomatoes to flourish.
Also, every insect has a predator that eats it, just like every plant has some creature that eats it.
These predators often also eat plants or nectar at some stage of their lives. If you plant the food of the predators, they will be able to eat when the pests are not around. This means they will stick around your garden munching on sacrificial plants and grab the pests when they show up.
***
Every gardener must reach a crossroads on their gardening journey when it comes to pest control. There are so many chemical pesticides readily available, even at your favorite gardening stores. They can look tempting. I know, I’ve been there.
I’ve been so frustrated with an infestation that the quick fix seems like a no-brainer.
It’s not. You will pay for your quick fix for many seasons to come if you decide to take that route. I have learned from experience and the experience of others. Pesticides will throw your garden ecosystem off kilter and leave you reaching for more every season.
Allowing the ecosystem to come back into balance will save you time and money in the long run. Plus it is a boon for the entire earth’s climate to refrain from meddling with the natural order of things!
Dealing with pests is a right of passage in the gardening world. Pests are a reality, and it is up to you as to how you choose to handle the situation. I hope that the tips in this post will help you make informed decisions on what is best for your garden and local ecosystem.
And of course never hesitate to post questions or ideas in the comment section. I love hearing from you! Have you discovered a tried and true method for any specific pests in your yard that was not covered here?
Please share, we are all growing as gardeners together in this community. I’m looking forward to learning something new from you, our fantastic readers!
Until next time,
Happy gardening!
Mary