Controlling Garden Pests the Organic Way

With the growing awareness of "green" issues all over the world, the idea of organic gardening is really gaining traction. Using more natural methods of planting, growing, and harvesting, using fewer (or no) chemicals, getting away from the monopolistic mass production of food that tends to make it both tasteless and vulnerable – people are becoming more and more interested in "eating organic."

Syromastes rhombeus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But one thing that makes potential organic gardeners uneasy is a simple problem that every food grower encounters: bugs. What if your garden gets infested with insects or other pests that could harm all those plants you so lovingly set out? You're not supposed to use pesticides if you're growing organically, so what can you do? Do you have to settle for damaged flowers, fruit, and vegetables? Do you have to reconcile to losing some of your plants altogether?

No you don't. There are other ways to deal with garden pests, when they need dealing with.

And that's one of the keys: "when they need dealing with." Because you'll probably have to do some research, when you encounter some new bug or little worm, to find out if it's really a "pest" at all. So that's actually your first step: try to identify the bug, either on the internet or by trapping one and taking it to a garden center. If it's good for the soil or the plants, you probably don't need to do anything at all.

But let's back up a few steps. One way to prevent pests is to prepare the garden properly in advance, and keep it tidy and clean afterward. If you're composting ahead of time, don't use plant material that you already know had a disease or bug problem. Clean up dead material before you plant anything, and be sure the soil is well aerated and fertile. When you do put in your plants, place them in the conditions in which they grow best. If they are meant to grow in full sun, or shade, or part-shade, then put them in that sort of location. Keep the garden clean as the season progresses, by throwing away dead leaves, deadheading the flowers, and weeding.

Try to attract animals or insects that will help keep down other unwanted insects. You can draw birds in by placing bird houses or feeders. Bug-fighting insects, like ladybugs, or certain types of wasps, can be attracted if you grow plants that they use for food. Do some research to see what other sorts of insect predators you can bring into the garden.

Watering properly is another means of keeping the bug population down. Water less frequently, but more deeply. Frequent shallow watering creates a humid atmosphere around the plant, which is the sort of condition in which many insects thrive. It also creates the right circumstances for fungus and rot to develop.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you do get some small bugs, try spraying a simple soap solution: 40 parts water and one part non-detergent soap, such as Ivory. Spray the bottoms of a few leaves first, to make sure it will work on specific plants. If it seems to work without damaging the plant, you should be good to go. This can eliminate many fairly ordinary pests.

One suggested solution for fighting several fungal diseases is a baking soda spray that consists of a mixture of one quart of water, one teaspoon of baking soda, and one squirt of liquid, non-detergent soap. This would be sprayed on affected leaves and stems. Or a potato starch spray, substituting 2-4 teaspoons of potato flour for the baking soda, may help deter insects as well as fighting fungus.

Become familiar with local organic gardeners or associations, and explore some of the other options out there. In extreme cases, there are existing organic products that can often help, though you'll want to research those too, to make sure they are reputable. As you switch away from pesticides and other chemicals, you will find that it's possible to have a pretty healthy and happy garden without them, using more organically appropriate methods of pest control instead.


Organic Pest Control Resources:
   

Video - Testing Your Garden Soil's pH Levels

In this short video, Patti the Garden Girl shows you how to test the pH of your garden soil. Different plants and shrubs need different levels of acidity or alkalinity. The majority of plants prefer a fairly neutral pH level, but some have different requirements, so you'll want to test your soil before planting to make sure it has the correct levels for optimal growth of your crops. Soil pH testers are inexpensive and easy to find, and some indicator plants can also give you an idea of whether you have alkaline or acid soil (hydrangeas, for example, will have different color blossoms based on whether your soil is acidic or alkaline).

How to Test Your Garden Soil's pH Level
In this video, Patti Moreno, the Garden GIrl shows you how to test the pH level of your garden soil using a Soil Stick. To purchase a Soil Stick visit www.plumstone.com. For more gardening tips go to http and www.urbansustainableliving.com


Soil pH Test Kits:
   

How To Use Indicator Plants In Your Organic Garden

Even if you've been gardening for a while, it isn't all that surprising if you've never heard of "indicator plants." The study and use of these plants is still relatively new, and so far they are being utilized more in commercial operations than in people's gardens. But they might actually be helpful to you as well, in planning what sorts of plants you can grow in the soil of your own organic garden, and in keeping ahead of potential pests and infestations.

So first of all, just what are these plants, and what exactly do they indicate? There are a couple of different types of indicator plants, that perform slightly differently but serve similar purposes.

dandelions (Photo credit: bob_jenkins)

First, there is the kind of plant that's actually closer to a weed, that grows only in certain types of soil or in the presence of specific minerals or nutrients. Things like dandelions can hint at clay soil, for example. Or certain attributes of the leaves or size of other plants show the presence of minerals or other things in the soil. Clues like this have been used throughout history to show where to find specific minerals. One such hint has been white patches on the leaves of plants, which often means there are deposits of nickel or cobalt below; some North American mines have actually begun when plants with these attributes were found growing on the surface.

So if you find certain types of weed growing in your garden, you may be able to conclude that you have the type of soil that would support them. Though spotting just one of these plants may be mere chance. However, encountering two of them – say, the dandelion mentioned above, along with chicory, which also needs clay soil – would make the "clay soil" conclusion a pretty safe bet.

When you watch for this type of indicator plant, it may reveal why other, more desirable plants are not doing well in the garden, if they need a different type of soil. Or it may help you decide which of your preferred plants to put into the garden if you don't plan to make changes in the soil.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Another type of indicator plant is one that attracts the same sort of pests as your more valuable plants. These are especially useful if you're growing a high volume of a specific flower or vegetable. You can't inspect all of them to see if they've got mites, mealy bugs, and so on. But if you have another smaller set of plants nearby that attract the same sorts of pests as these, you can keep watch on them. If they become infested, then you know the larger plant population is in danger too. This can help you discover a problem with pests sooner, so you can take action much earlier to minimize the damage or even to save the other plants from a possibly fatal infestation.

Which types of indicator plants will reveal which specific problems is something you'll need to research yourself, because it will depend on the type of soil your garden has, and what types of plants you hope to put in the garden. But if you're looking for an early warning system for possible insects or soil problems, this type of plant may be a means of providing it for you.

7 Benefits of Joining A Community Garden

Take a drive through the countryside, and you'll see that many rural residents plant their own gardens. This is certainly not a new trend. Those who own their own land have long enjoyed the benefits of growing fruits and vegetables for their families and friends, and sometimes to sell.

At Wise Words Community Garden in Mid-City, New Orleans (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But those who live in the city are often unable to plant gardens. Apartment dwellers don't usually have access to land to use, and even those who live in houses often have little or no acreage to work with. But with the growing popularity of community gardens, city residents can enjoy the benefits of planting their own veggies - even if they don't have their own garden space!

A community garden is simply a garden in which multiple parties participate. The land its on may be owned by an individual, an organization or the local government, but it is usually run by the gardeners. There are numerous benefits to joining a community garden. These include:

1. Community gardens provide nutritious fresh produce for the gardeners. Many promote organic gardening methods, which produce much healthier vegetables than those that are grown on most commercial farms.

2. Those who grow vegetables in a community garden can save money on food. Growing your own crops is much less expensive than buying them at the grocery store. And if another gardener is growing something that you want, you could negotiate a trade - furthering community-building in the area (see #6).

3. Gardening is a learning experience for urban dwellers. Few of them have experience with growing their own foods, so it provides an opportunity to learn something new. Kids can also learn lots of things by participating in a community garden, including math and business skills and environmental responsibility.

4.  You can sell some of the food you grow in a community garden if you so desire. This is a wonderful way to make a bit of extra money from your labors.

South Beach community garden, Miami, Florida (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

5. Community gardens are good for the environment. They produce oxygen and help reduce air pollution. They can also reduce waste, since tree trimmings, grass clippings and other organic materials that would otherwise be dumped can be used as fertilizer.

6. Joining a community garden is a wonderful way to meet and socialize with others in your community. It gives those of different ages, races and backgrounds the opportunity to work together toward a common goal and learn from one another.

7.  By participating in a community garden, you are helping to add beauty to the community. Green space is rare in most of the communities that host community gardens, and by contributing to its development, you help provide a sanctuary from the stresses of the city.

Community gardens bring crops into areas where they're not usually found. But they also provide many more intangible benefits to city residents. Getting involved with a community garden is good for your health, the environment, and your community.

Video - Growing Leafy Greens In Your Summer Garden

Here is an interesting gardening video which covers some interesting ideas for greens you can grow in your summer garden. Most people think of summer as the time to grow tomatoes, peppers, beans, corn, etc., but greens are one of the healthiest things you can eat, and many can be grown year-round quite easily - even in containers. Some greens may bolt (flower and go to seed) in hot weather, so for lettuce, arugula, etc., you may need to do multiple short succession plantings, as they will last for a shorter time than they would in the fall or spring. This is fine for sustainable gardens, as you will be able to rotate these in between other crops throughout the season, which helps enhance the soil and reduce pest problems.

Check out this video for some common and less-common greens you can grow in your summer garden:

Over a Dozen Leafy Green Vegetables You Can Grow in your Summer Garden
John from www.growingyourgreens.com goes on a field trip to Bayer Farm in Santa Rosa. In this episode, John will share with you some common and some uncommon vegetables you can grow in the Summer Time. After watching this episode you will learn over ...

Choosing The Right Plants For Your Summer Flower Garden

If flowers are your thing or if you plan to include some flowers in your summer garden then you should take a moment to learn about those flowers or flowering plants that are best suited to summer months and what those plants like by way of sunlight and shade. Not all flowers are created equal when it comes to withstanding the heat of the summer sun and some require a little more care than others. Keep all of these things in mind when planning your summer garden and choose wisely according to the type of care you wish to provide.

Summer Garden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a general guide to the various types of plants that are well suited for a summer garden and not necessarily those that are well suited to be planted together. Study the flowers you decide you would like to include in your summer garden in order to insure you keep those that love water and dislike sun away from those that thrive with little water and copious amounts of sun. In other words you will need to conduct a more thorough study of the flowers you decide to include in your summer garden in order to determine the proper placement of these flowers for the most color, effect, and the best possible life for the flowers you choose.

The following are some fun sun-loving flowers you may wish to include in your summer garden. Geraniums are bright little splashes of color that are ideally suited for a summer garden. They happen to work well for creating borders or simply providing a highlight of color in a bed of green and do quite well in pots on their own or mixed with other colorful summer flowers. The Hibiscus is a beautiful spot of color that will lend a tropical feel to your summer garden. A welcome addition to many gardens, they may grow quite tall so keep them to the back of the summer garden to allow the full array of color from all summer plants to capture the eyes of visitors. Marigolds are another popular addition to most summer gardens. With a wide array of colors from which to choose, and the ability to keep pesky bugs at bay, it is no small wonder that these flowers remain a popular favorite for sunny patches within the summer garden.

A Hibiscus flower. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shade-loving flowers also abound for summer gardens everywhere. Most gardeners find heavily shaded spots within their lawns or gardens to be a particular challenge. Perhaps some of these suggestions will help. Impatiens are widely popular choices for shady spaces and provide a wide range of bright colors perfect for creating fun and bright borders. The viola is another great brightly colored flower that is well suited for borders or potted arrangements, whichever suits your particular summer garden needs. Mimulus is another excellent choice for color in your summer garden and may tolerate partial sun quite well if you're looking for a nice border plant. If you prefer more dramatic coloring in your summer garden you might be interested in including Lobelia or ageratum, which both have beautiful blue hues and provide a lovely backdrop for other colors.

Of course this is only a small sampling of the many bright and beautiful summer flowers that can make a real splash in your summer garden. Be sure to check out the color offerings of each and specific care instructions to make sure that they are a genuine match not only for your personal tastes but also the landscape and terrain of your garden and the other plants that will be included in your summer garden. The planning stage is often the hardest work that many people put into their summer gardens but the pay off for all this proper planning is quite often rich and beautiful - especially when it comes to the flower garden.

What Kids Can Learn From Gardening

We love our children and we want to teach them to value the things that are important to us. Things such as morals, integrity, ingenuity, and an appreciation for the things in life that we consider beautiful and worth expending our energy, time, and effort in order to create. One of those things that many of us love sharing with our children is our love of gardening. Whether you are creating a spectacular garden worthy of acclaim, fame, and blue ribbons everywhere, or a simple garden that will hold pretty flowers and a few favorite vegetables, there are many lessons that your children can learn from working the earth by your side.

Kids Love Gardening (Photo credit: HiroshimaGab)

The first, and perhaps best, lesson that most children learn when working in the garden is that life works in cycles. This is an important lesson for children, as it is a lesson that will be repeated often throughout the course of their lives. Of course this is only one of the many lessons that gardening will teach but gardening is one of the kindest ways I've ever seen this particular lesson learned, and it helps ease children into those times when lessons about the cycle of life are not so kindly or gently presented.

The next lesson that gardening teaches children is that persistent effort often pays out with delightful results. Whether their gardening efforts yield sweet peppers or pretty flowers, there is often a desired result that is achieved through gardening. If you really want to capture your children's attention when it comes to gardening choose a fast growing plant for their first gardening experience. The ability to see the fruits of their labor quickly appear is often one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.

If you want to guide your children into gardening without a heavy sense of responsibility you may want to begin simply - perhaps with a potted plant or a hanging tomato plant or something similar that will yield visible and tasty results with less effort, time, or attention required.

Be sure to point out interesting facts about the different plants in your garden that may be exciting for children to learn. Remember your first gardening experiences and share them with your children. You may be surprised to find how much you have in common with your children when it comes to ideas and enthusiasm concerning gardening.

School Kids in Garden (Photo credit: Kurt and Sybilla)

When planning a summer garden with your kids you need to consider all of the things you would consider when planning other summer gardens but relate those things to pint-sized hands and sponge-like minds. Kids soak up every ounce of information we provide them at an alarming rate. Be careful that you aren't teaching them incorrect logic when it comes to gardening and growing beautiful summer plants.

More importantly, you should make a concerted effort to insure that you are teaching your children the positive aspects of gardening so that this becomes an activity they look to for enjoyment and pleasure rather than approaching with dread. You should also take great pains to insure that you allow your children to grow the things they will like in your summer garden too. Strawberries and watermelon are popular favorites for younger hands to grow because little mouths enjoy eating these delicious fruits that can be grown in most gardens. They also like to grow flowers that they can tend and watch bloom throughout the summer.

When gardening with children there are many lessons that you can teach your children along the way. Science, math, and meteorology all have roles in gardening - but you should also be on the lookout for the valuable lessons that your children can teach you about gardening and life in general when you take them out into the garden with you!

Video - Organic Weed Control Methods

This short video quickly covers a variety of natural methods for controlling weeds in your garden without resorting to toxic chemical herbicides. Keep your garden healthy, safe, and weed-free with these helpful tips.

Organic Weed Control - Mulch, Corn Gluten Meal, Flamers and More!
A whirlwind tour of organic weeding methods. Get more info plus organic gardening supplies at Peaceful Valley, GrowOrganic.com www.groworganic.com. Read our blog post on "How to ID the weeds in your garden" http Organic weed control such as corn glut...

More Organic Garden Mulching Ideas

Here are some helpful articles on using mulch to control weeds and enhance your organic gardening efforts. Mulching has many benefits, but there are many different types of mulch you can choose from, depending on your climate, your garden and what you wish to accomplish. Check out these ideas for inspiration on the different ways you can use mulch in your own organic garden.

Organic Methods for Controlling Weeds ~ Learning Through Life
Mulching is another option. You have many different mulch options available to control weeds in the organic garden. A few commonly used mulches are compost, yard clippings, cardboard and newspaper. All of these will help ...
Publish Date: 02/04/2012 9:27
http://learningthroughlife.blogspot.com/2012/02/organic-methods-for-controlling-weeds.html

Aged mulch of coarse home compost (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Magic of Newspaper Mulch - Organic Gardening - MOTHER ...
A bit of experimentation revealed newspaper mulch was just the thing to keep quack grass and other weeds under control in the author' s garden.
Publish Date: 11/09/2004 19:00
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/newspaper-mulch-zmaz80mjzraw.aspx

Growing Potatoes in Mulch - Organic Gardening - MOTHER EARTH ...
No matter your soil type, you can try Dorothy Johns' easy method of growing potatoes in mulch.
Publish Date: 04/05/2004 20:00
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-potatoes-in-mulch-zmaz78mazjma.aspx

Make Garden Compost and Mulch With a Yard Chipper Shredder ...
A good garden yard chipper/shredder machine can turn scrap brush and garden waste into great compost or mulch.
Publish Date: 04/06/2004 20:00
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/yard-chipper-shredder-zmaz86sozgoe.aspx

Cool it with mulch
There are two kinds of mulch: organic and inorganic. Organic mulches include formerly living material such as chopped leaves, straw, grass clippings, compost, wood chips, shredded bark, sawdust, pine needles, and even ...
Publish Date: 06/19/2012 17:00
http://blogs.thepoconos.com/home-garden/2012/06/19/cool-it-with-mulch/

Southeast Spreading Company » Rubber Mulch… Gaining Traction?
Rubber Mulch… Gaining Traction? Landscape Rubber mulch: Remains porous at all times (never mats) allowing nearly 100% of all rain water direct to the soil. Soil temperatures remain only 2 to 3 degrees above wood mulch ...
Publish Date: 06/16/2012 15:39
http://southeastspreading.com/2012/06/rubber-mulch-gaining-traction/

Types of Mulch For Organic Vegetable Gardens

Mulching is a great addition to your organic garden which adds fertilizer, cools the soil, and helps retain water. Simply defined, mulching involves placing matter, whether organic or inorganic, around your plants.

(Photo credit: t0msk)

Aside from providing fertilization, mulch also protects your soil. Whether your garden is subjected to heavy rains or at the risk of weed infestation, mulches provide ample protection and strengthening needed to supplement the natural growth processes of your organic garden vegetables. Aside from this, it also regulates the temperature of the soil, plus it can also render aesthetic appeal to the garden because it will help improve the ground texture and overall appearance.

If you have effectively established mulches in your garden, less watering is required because it will also help the plants retain water. The plants will also experience better growth levels and moisture retention.   Although known to help in weed control, it does not directly fight or ward off the weeds. It just helps as a filler for bare areas that are at higher risk of weed infestation.

For the case of organic mulches, bacteria has the tendency to eat up the much-needed nitrogen, so in some cases, you might be required to inject additional dosages of nitrogen to your soil. Some examples of materials you can use for mulching include lawn clippings, composted materials, leaves, straw, sawdust, or wood chips. These are examples of organic materials for mulching.

Inorganic mulches include such things as plastic, fabric, or even metallic mulches. However, be careful when using these in hot or sunny climates, as they can cause plants to overheat and die. Watering is also very important when using these types of mulch, which may not be as permeable to rainfall.

Whichever type of mulch you choose, mulching can be a great enhancement to your organic garden, and help you grow healthy organic vegetables quite successfully right in your own backyard.