I'm not squeamish or squirmish when I see bugs. I don't mind the snakes that come to cool off in the plant wells, so long as hey don't have a rattle on their rear end. But when the little pest come along and start eating my leaves, blooms and fruit, I am not a happy camper.
There are few tips that I have found and am trying now. One of them I have actually been using for a long time on my roses when the occasional aphids would show up. That would be diluted dish soap. Simple, effective, environment friendly and extremely affordable. The formula - 2 teaspoons of gentle, environmentally safe liquid dish washing detergent in a gallon of water. Just in case you think there is a proper way to do the mixing, let me tell you the difference.
At this point in my growing season there are only a few pest and nothing that is harming the plants. I am lightly spraying the plants, making certain to get the underneath parts also, once a week. When the season progresses and there is a presence of ripe fruit, I may find a need for more frequent spraying. The other factor is the rainy season as this will wash away a lot of the spray if the rain is heavy.
While doing so research on natural pest control I found an amazing list of helpful plants that will attract the good insects and discourage the ones you don't want around. I have been planting garlic, onion and marigolds from the very beginning of my gardening experiences. I always love these because they are edible or just a pretty accent. The best list that I found is from
P. Allen Smith. I will drop (uncensored) the info from his site here now. You may be as amazed as I was.
Pest Control Plants
One of the great things about gardening is that in some ways
your garden can take care of itself. Now I'm not endorsing abandoning your
garden chores completely, but there are a few things that you can do to make
your work a little easier. One of these things is to select plants for your
garden that will help control insect pests.
Certain plants contain properties that either invite
beneficial insects or repel harmful insects. Beneficial insects prey on pests
that cause damage in the garden. Ladybugs and praying mantis are good examples
of beneficial bugs.
Using plants for pest control not only cuts down on your
workload, but it also reduces the amount of insecticides that you use in your
garden. And fewer insecticides means more good bugs, which in turn means help
in controlling bad bugs.
Remember that what works in my garden may not work in yours.
Every garden is different with its own microclimate, soil type, and pest
control issues. It is important that you experiment to find out what works best
for your situation. With this thought in mind, it also helps to choose plants
that are native to your area. This way beneficial insects will already know
what to look for.
Artemisia - This plant produces a strong antiseptic,
although not unpleasant aroma that repels most insects. Planted in drifts it
can also deter small animals. My favorite variety is 'Powis Castle'. I prefer
to use this plant in flower borders and not in my vegetable garden because it
produces a botanical poison.
Basil -The oils in basil are said to repel thrips, flies and
mosquitoes. I plant basil along side my tomatoes for larger, tastier tomatoes.
However, basil and rue should not be planted together.
Bee Balm - I love this plant because it attracts bees to my
garden. It is another plant that you can grow with your tomatoes.
Borage - This plant is a real workhorse in the garden. It
repels tomato hornworms and cabbage worms and attracts beneficial bees and
wasps. Borage also adds trace elements to the soil. This is an annual, but
readily comes back each year from seed.
Catnip - I think that this plant repels just about
everything, except for cats of course! Use it to keep away flea beetles,
aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, ants, and weevils. I use sachets of
dried catnip to deter the annual parade of ants that invade my kitchen. My
favorite variety of catnip is 'Six Hills Giant' because of its proliferation of
sky blue blooms.
Chives - Chives are one of my favorite herbs. Not only do I
love the flavor but their grassy foliage and round flower heads also add so
much interest to my garden. You can plant chives to repel Japanese beetles and
carrot rust flies. It has also been said that chives will help prevent scab
when planted among apple trees.
Chrysanthemums - When I do use an insecticide I use one made
from chrysanthemums called pyrethrum. This all-natural pesticide can help
control things like roaches, ticks, silverfish, lice, fleas, bedbugs, and I
like to use it to control ants in certain parts of my garden. In the garden
white flowering chrysanthemums are said to drive away Japanese beetles and C.
coccineum, commonly known as Painted Daisy, kills root nematodes.
Dahlias - I have a renewed appreciation for these old
fashioned favorites. Dahlias repel nematodes and the blooms are great for
adding bold splashes of color to flower borders and fresh arrangements.
Dill - I always find a place for this plant in my garden.
Dill is best planted with cucumbers and onions. During the cool season I plant
it with my lettuce. Dill attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps, and its
foliage is used as food by swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. Tomato hornworms
are also attracted to dill, so if you plant it at a distance, you can help draw
these destructive insects away from your tomatoes. Dill repels aphids and
spider mites. I like to sprinkle dill leaves on my squash plant to repel squash
bugs.
Four O'Clocks - This plant is a favorite food for Japanese
beetles. However, because of its poisonous foliage rarely do they get to finish
their meal. It is important to note that Four O'Clocks are also poisonous to
people and animals, so avoid planting it if you have small children or pets.
Garlic - I could write endlessly about garlic. I love the
stuff. In addition to its great taste and health benefits, garlic planted near
roses repels aphids. It also deters codling moths, Japanese beetles, root
maggots, snails, and carrot root fly.
Hyssop - This is another one of my favorite plants. Hyssop
is great for attracting honeybees to the garden.
Lavender - I can't imagine my garden without lavender. I
just love its fresh scent and delicate blue blooms. Lavender is a favorite
among many beneficial insects and also repels fleas and moths.
Marigolds - The marigold is probably the most well known
plant for repelling insects. French marigolds repel whiteflies and kill bad
nematodes. Mexican marigolds are said to offend a host of destructive insects
and wild rabbits as well. If you choose marigolds for your garden they must be
scented to work as a repellant. And while this plant drives away many bad bugs,
it also attracts spider mites and snails.
Nasturtiums - I plant nasturtiums with my tomatoes and
cucumbers as a way to fight off wooly aphids, whiteflies, squash bugs, and
cucumber beetles. The flowers, especially the yellow blooming varieties, act as
a trap for aphids.
Petunias - I plant petunias throughout my garden just because
I love them so much. As an added benefit they repel asparagus beetles,
leafhoppers, a range of aphids, tomato worms, and a good many other pests.
Sunflowers - I use sunflowers as a way to draw aphids away
from my other plants. Ants move their colonies onto sunflowers. The sunflowers
are tough enough that they suffer no damage.
OK - now you can take a look at the insects that just may become a problem and beautify your garden, and even your patios, with beautiful and beneficial plants.
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