Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

It’s important to know that HEALTH is the first line of defense for any plant to resist any type of pest attack.  That means healthy (biologically active, humus rich) soil, reliable watering, good fertilization, etc (note that OVER fertilization, especially with Nitrogen heavy fertilizer, will result in weaker plants and thus more pest problems).

In the case of an Aphid infestation, the first step is to spray the aphids off with a strong stream of water, or wipe them off with a wet rag.  Believe it or not, the little buggers will STARVE to DEATH before they can make it back onto the plant!  Once the population has been knocked down in this way, control can be established by regular spraying of an appropriate organic insecticide.  Oils such as Saf-T-Side (Petroleum oil),
Green Light (Neem oil), and Organocide (Fish and Sesame oils) are contact sprays and work to smother soft bodied insects like aphids (also scale, thrips, mites, etc.).   Insecticidal Soap works similarly and is a time-tested remedy.  CONTACT means that the product must have contact with the insect in order to work.

It’s also important to pay attention to whether or not there are a lot of ANTS hanging around your plants.  Ants harvest and eat the secretions (called “honeydew”) of aphids and cleverly herd and protect them from predators (like a rancher with his cattle!).  Suffice it to say, this ant activity works against control efforts, so if there are ants, consider keeping them under control as well. Sprinkling Diatomaceous Earth (DE) around the base of plants is a common organic solution, as well as setting outdoor bait stations like the Terro brand.

Here’s an excellent link for more information:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7404.html

The safest way to protect young plants is to exclude bugs from ever reaching them in the first place.  This can be accomplished by using a light weight row fabric like Agribon 19.  You could also consider spreading Diatomaceous Earth (DE) around the seedlings.  It is totally non-toxic, however you should be careful not to breathe it.  DE is comprised of the fossilized skeletons of diatoms, which desiccates insects when they crawl over it.   Another very safe method is to spray a repellent like Garlic Barrier, again, this would prevent insects from reaching your plants at the start.

Beyond these general controls, if you are considering using an organic insecticide, I would  emphasize the wisdom of identifying your pest before choosing a more potent control.  Often times insects come out at night, so you could go out past dark with a flashlight and catch ‘em in the act in order to figure out what they are.  Take a sample to a local nursery or check out a good website with pictures.  I often use www.ipm.ucdavis.edu.  Hope that helps!

I found out recently that Oyster Shell is good for feeding to chickens. We have a livestock grade and a garden grade. It provides calcium to the hens which in turn makes for stronger shells on the eggs. So if you get flaky eggshells (like I do) from your hens, put some oyster shell in there… or just let your hens loose on your bocce ball court.

Note: playing bocce ball while hens or eggs are on the court is not recommended!

Also in stock for your hens… Diatomaceous Earth. This material is a great natural insect repellent that is safe for pets and people but keeps insects away. Use it in roosts and nesting or laying boxes to keep the pests away from your hens and chicks.

How frustrating to go into a bed of newly planted seedlings and discover holes chewed in their tender leaves!

Now’s a good time to get on top of controlling early spring critters, including caterpillars and slugs. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is really popular in organic gardening, made up of the microscopic, super-sharp, fossilized exoskeletons of Diatoms. One thing, though, is that it’s only effective when dry, so it needs to be applied pretty often. Our nursery manager, Linda, likes to go out at dusk with a nice glass of red wine, lovingly dusting her garden babies.

Another treatment is Sluggo or Sluggo Plus, which works when wet, and the good ol’ beer in a shallow can trick.

Happy protecting!

Oh! There’s a great article in the newest Mother Earth News about using floating row covers (Agribon) to exclude insects from ever reaching your plants. More on that… later…