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PESTICIDES
Home gardeners use more pesticides per square foot in their gardens than farmers do in the fields!
Pesticides quietly pollute streams, lakes, and other bodies of water. Chlorinated hydrocarbons and many other pesticides and herbicides are produced to resist breaking down under normal conditions. After application they leach from the soil or are carried off the surface by rain or snow.
Insecticides used to control specific pest populations may end up killing predatory spiders, insects, and other beneficial organisms which could have controlled the pest population naturally.
Other problems resulting from widespread pesticide use include the development of resistance to pesticides and resurgence by a population; secondary pest outbreaks in which a non-target organism becomes a pest; and accidentally poisoning when the pesticide is swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.
By spot planting or growing a certain type of plant in several sections of the garden, you can avoid total destruction if pests do move into one part of the garden.
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Reduce pesticide use:
- Feed the soil, not the plant. Concentrate on building your garden's soil.
- Buy disease and pest-resistant varieties of plants.
- Time planting to insect life cycles. You may be able to completely avoid an insect pest and peak infestations. Keep records of dates when problems occur for future reference.
- Use intercropping or planting alternate rows of complementary plants. Planting herbs between vegetables will attract certain beneficial insects that prey on pests. Examples are herbs belonging to the mint family and some members of the carrot family.
- Use mixed or companion planting to discourage insect pests. Some herbs and flowers can be used as borders to effectively repel insect pests.
- Use rotation. Shifting the growing locations of vegetables inhibits the stabilization of pest populations. Giving the land a rest helps reduce fertilizer and pesticide use. Divide the garden into sections and leave one part empty.
- Include perennial beds and mulched paths in your garden as habitat for pest-eating insects and animals. Allow annuals and perennials to go to seed before pruning them to provide additional food and cover.
- Plant trees, shrubs, and ground cover of varying heights to accommodate birds, lizards, toads, and other wildlife. Diversity is a part of a healthy garden. A balanced garden includes natural enemies as a check on pests and the overexpansion of all species.
- Encourage the presence of beneficial insects by growing insect-attracting plants that provide both nectar and larval food.
* Dragonflies catch flying insects, especially mosquitoes.
* Ladybug and flower fly larvae dine on aphids
* Green lacewings control aphids and white flies.
* Spiders are voracious predators.
* Caterpillars are parasitized by some species of wasps.
Have patience! There may be some lag time between the appearance of a pest population and the point when natural enemies move in.
Any measures you take prior to the arrival should not kill the natural predators, too.
- Use physical barriers and mechanical means to prevent and control pests. Cover seedlings with a fine mesh cloth for protection or wrap aluminum foil around the plant base. Insects, such as mites and aphids, can be knocked off with a burst of water from the garden hose.
You can make homemade traps by collecting leaves of the plant to which the target insect is attracted. Then destroy the pests.
For a slug problem, flat wooden boards can be placed on the ground next to plants. Wait for slugs to collect, then overturn the boards to expose the slugs and other bugs.
- Care for your garden. Keeping it properly watered and fertilized will make it less susceptible to disease and pests. Keep the garden and yard free of insect-attracting debris such as fallen fruits and vegetables, old sacks, baskets, and other rubbish. Remove pots, watering cans, and any other containers which hold water; they are sources of mosquitoes.
- Inspect the garden at least twice a week for insect damage. Examining seedlings and plants early each morning for potential problems can help prevent a major infestation. Remove egg clusters, larvae, and adult pest by hand.
- Use low-toxicity pest controls. Natural insecticides derived from plants can be used. Pyrethrum, which is derived from the Chrysanthemum, should only be sprayed directly on the pest as it is non-discriminatory and will kill beneficial insects as well as harmful species.
Quassia, derived from the bark of the Picrasma quassidoes tree, is effective against soft-bodied aphids and caterpillars, sawfly, and leaf miners. It is one of the safest botanical insecticides and doesn't harm bees, ladybugs, and other "good" insects.
- Other "safe" pesticides include mild soap solution using Ivory liquid or an equivalent. Insecticidal soap has a potassium salt base and destroys pest membranes. To work effectively, you must apply the soap directly on the insects which include aphids, mealy bugs, scale, white flies and red spider mites.
You can also try homemade plant sprays such as:
* table salt spray (2 teaspoons to 1 gallon water),
* tomato leaf spray (made by steeping tomato leaves in water), and
* other recipes using a variety of ingredients such as onion, garlic, hot peppers, and pungent herbs.
Effectiveness will vary. Consult an organic gardening reference for more information.
- Use biological controls WITH CAUTION. Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) kills leaf-eating caterpillars by paralyzing the digestive tract, but is not appropriate where butterflies are attracted. Synthetic hormones can alter the growth, development, and reproduction of good and bad insects.
- Use chemical pesticides only as a last resort. Pesticides labeled CAUTION are less toxic than those labeled WARNING which are less toxic than those labeled DANGER. Safer insecticidal soap and dormant oil sprays are less toxic than conventional synthetic pesticides. Choose synthetic pyrethroids over organophosphate- or carbamate-based products. Pyrethroids remain in the environment for a shorter time.
- Treat all pesticides as potential poisons. Read labels carefully. Apply strictly according to the manufacturer's recommendations and follow safety precautions. Refer to the At Home chapter and the Household Hazardous Waste Chart for information on storing and disposing of pesticides.
- Apply pesticides in late afternoon or early evening to avoid killing bees and other pollinators. Stop applications during harvest season.
- Never apply pesticides near wells, streams, canals, marshes, or other bodies of water unless the instructions specifically allow for such use.
- Never apply pesticides on a windy day.
- Never apply pesticides to bare ground or eroded areas. Many pesticides bind to the soil and could be washed into storm drains and streams along with sediments during a heavy rain.
- Never hose down leaks or small spills. Clean up the area by covering the spill with an absorbent material such as sand, sawdust, or kitty litter, and sweep it into a sturdy bag. Double bag it and take it to a hazardous waste collection center. Wash down the area (if a hard-surfaced floor or driveway) with a solution of water and bleach or strong detergent.
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