Eliminating flower and produce-damaging insects can be very frustrating for gardeners. In fact, this is more challenging for organic gardeners since finding natural pest control methods can be difficult. But going all-natural far outweighs its initial difficulties. This is because chemical-based pesticides do not only kill pesky insects but also have a negative effect on the health of your garden. The good news is that there are high-quality insecticides tailor-made for organic gardeners.
The first thing to check when searching for natural pest control products is the ingredients. It should be formulated from all-natural elements such as botanical oils or contain natural-growing bacteria. Here are more tips on pest control for organic gardening.
Plant-Derived Pest Regulators:
Pesticides with all-natural active ingredients are gentle on the environment but are equally effective on insects and pests. There are also natural pest control products that are certified organic. However, these are still considered as chemical pesticides the main category for most botanical pesticides.
- Neem Oil: neem oil is sourced from a tree in India. It’s purely safe and biodegradable. Unsaturated neem oils work as an all-around insecticide and fungicide. It is most efficient when used as part of preventive treatments and quite effective against spiders, aphids, mites, and all sorts of fungi. Aside from buying pure neem oil, you can also purchase ready-to-use products.
- Horticultural oils: horticultural oil can either be petroleum or vegetable based. Either way, such oil works by throttling insects. It also infiltrates into eggs and breaks the feeding cycle. Products having vegetable oils work perfectly against diversified pests.
- Pyrethrin: Pyrethrin is one of the most used pesticides today and is derived from chrysanthemums. Most insects are vulnerable to this active ingredient. But with mammals, pyretherin is non-toxic and is EPA approved. Prior to utilizing it, be sure that its formulation is for organic crops.
Earth-Derived Pest Regulator:
Earth-derived control methods encompass that utilization of bacteria alongside other agents that naturally occur as a kind of organic pesticide.
- Spinosad: this originates from natural soil-living bacteria, and works by destroying the nervous system of pesky insects. It was legalized by the USDA National Organic Standards Board as non-synthetic. It works best against western flowers, caterpillars, onion thrips, and many other insects.
- BaccillusThuringinesis: this is basically a disease-causing insect bacterium which paralyses the insect’s digestive system. It is harmless for food crops, wildlife, and humans and does not attack helpful critters. It is beneficial in battling hornworms, cabbage worms, and many others.
- Diatomaceous Earth: Diatomaceous Earth refers to fossilized microscopic shell remains derived from diatoms or fossil shell flower. The powder is characterized by razor-sharp edges, which perforates insects’ exoskeletons and sips their body fluids.
Supplementary Natural Pest Regulator Techniques:
- Insecticidal soaps: this type of natural pest control has been used by many gardeners for years already. It works well on soft-bodied pests, and the effects will arise only if the pests are directly sprayed. It’s also a lot safer since they’re formulated mainly for plants.
- Ducks and chickens: apparently, these two are insectivores. They love eating slugs and beetles alongside other pesky insects.
Regardless of what type of pest control technique you use, it’s advisable to read its instructions carefully to ensure that the product does not contain any harmful ingredients. All components listed in this article are present in many products, which can be purchased online and at garden shops.
Author bio:
This is a guest post for Jersey City pest control.
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