Rose Garden Mania

Ask any gardener what their biggest problem is that they face with organic gardening – without fail they will say…’dealing with pests’.

I know of some top gardeners who know first hand that an infestation of aphids or cutworms can absolutely devastate a garden!  They have at one time or another, been victim to these ‘garden nasties’ and have had an entire row of plants wiped out in days, sometimes hours.

Now, far be it from to tell a fellow gardener this, but…it’s important to try to prevent infestations, rather than just treating them when they occur.  So what you are going to have to do is spray your plants with solutions that will deter many of the most common garden pests.

There are many organic solutions available, but like me, you can make your own.  Now you probably are asking the question ‘Where do I find recipes for homemade solutions?

Well, we have some here on our site at RoseGardenMania.com. There are also quite a few interesting potions in  Sherry n Margarita’s long awaited but soon to be released new book called ‘Growin Roses with Sherry n Margarita’ which will be available here on our site in October 2009.

You could also use recipes that can be found in most organic gardening books

Generally most of them are sort of like a tea, made with things like hot pepper sauce and garlic. Oh..and worms!!

When you can, you should try to plant species that are native to the area in which you live.

These plants have natural immunity to many common diseases in the area.  There are also plants that are pest-resistant, and won’t have as many problems with pests as other varieties. If you plant early enough, you may be able to avoid the worst part of the bug season.

Insects have just a short period of each year in which they will be active and eating your plants.  If you plant early, you may be able to harvest before those pesky insects terrorize your plants.

Do everything you can to encourage natural insect predators like ladybugs, praying mantis, ground beetles, and birds.  Some types of plants like mint and rosemary can attract many beneficial bugs that can help you keep other insects under control.

Always, always keep a close eye on your plants

Try to spot potential problems before they have a chance to get out of control.  If you see a hornworm on your tomato plants, pluck it off quickly and drown it by sending it off without water wings for a swim in some soapy water.  By watching your plants daily, you will have the best chance to stop these ‘garden terrorists’ before they become too difficult to handle.

If you’re having trouble with a particular pest, a good idea is to take pictures and then try to identify the pest.  You can go online and try to search for it.  If you can’t identify it, take your pictures to your local plant/nursery centre or library and ask for help to identify it.

Once you’ve identified the pest, you set about to getting the correct advice on how to control or eliminate it.  Just be sure to bear in mind to tell whomever you are asking for advice, that you are an organic gardener, and ask them if they have any ideas for you.

Now I have some gardener friends who prevent some pests by installing netting over their plants.  Although this is probably a last resort, you may be able to save your plants from utter devastation if you have a particularly bad season of beetles or other such bugs.

Just remember, netting will also prevent beneficial insects from reaching your plants, so if some pests make it through, it may be harder to detect them. It may also prove difficult for predator insects to control them as well.

Pest control can be a very challenging part of organic gardening.

If you lose a crop to insects, you may be tempted to abandon organic gardening and rush out to buy a chemical spray.  A lot of organic gardeners experience this!  Don’t feel bad.  It can certainly be very frustrating to deal with pests, especially when you’ve worked very hard to take care of your plants all season.

But just remember, organic gardening has so many benefits that it’s really worth it to go through all of the extra work.  Your family will be rewarded with healthy food that is safe to eat and you will also be able to give yourself a huge pat on the back for the help that you will be providing to the environment as well!

Help and encouragement for the organic gardener is everywhere.

So chin up guys.  Stay cool.  Stay strong.

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