There are many natural ways to control or eliminate common garden pests such as aphids, white flies and spider mites without resorting to dangerous pesticides.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pesticides have been linked to cancer, nerve damage, birth defects and other medical problems. The serious dangers posed by pesticides require the adoption of natural options for pest control.
Three of the best methods of natural pest control are incorporating pest-repellent plants into your garden, encouraging pest-reducing insects to visit your plants and applying home-brewed non-toxic pesticides.
Plants that Repel Pests
There are a number of plants you can add to your garden that repel pests. These include:
Basil – asparagus beetles, tomato heartworms and thrips
Green Bean – Colorado potato beetles
Nasturtium – Colorado potato beetles and squash bugs
Tomato – asparagus beetles
Wormwood – slugs
Rue – aphids, cats, dogs, Japanese beetles, onion maggots, slugs and snails
Oregano – cabbage butterflies and cucumber beetles
Rosemary – imported cabbage worms and slugs
Dill – aphids, cabbage moths and spider mites
Lavender – mice, mosquitoes, moths, rabbits and ticks
Fennel – aphids, slugs, snails and spider mites
Pennyroyal – ants
Mint – ants, aphids, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, imported cabbage worms, rodents, squash bugs and white flies
Tansy – ants, cucumber beetles, Japanese beetles and squash bugs
Coriander/Cilantro – aphids, Colorado potato beetles and spider mites
Horseradish – potato beetles
Geranium – Japanese beetles, leaf hoppers
Butterfly (white) Sage – asparagus beetles
Larkspur – Japanese beetles
Chives – aphids, Japanese beetles and spider mites
Cloves – cowpea curculio, spider mites and squash vine borers
Lettuce – carrot flies
Petunia – leafhoppers, Mexican bean leaf beetles and squash bugs
Parsley – asparagus beetles and carrot flies
Companion Planting
There are a number of plants that can protect other plants from pests and disease and improve the flavour of certain food plants. Some examples include:
Basil planted near tomatoes improves flavor and protects against a variety of pests.
Oregano planted near cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber or grape vine repels pests that attack these plants
Garlic helps prevent disease in rose canes and raspberry
Borage repels pests that attack tomatoes and attracts pollinators to squash, tomatoes and strawberries.
Horseradish planted at the corners of a potato patch with beans also planted nearby repels potato beetles
Chives planted near apples help to control apple scab.
Chives planted near roses reduce the risk of “black spot” and repel aphids.
Chives planted near tomatoes and carrots repel pests and improve the flavor of the vegetables
Petunias repel pests that attack beans
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Pest Repellents and Insecticidal Soaps
North Carolina’s Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance offers a number of recipes for non-toxic pesticides that you can make at home and apply to your plants with a spray bottle, including the following:
Grind 3 large onions, 1 bunch of garlic and 3 hot peppers. Mix with water and leave overnight in a covered container. In the morning, strain through fine strainer or cheesecloth and add sufficient water to produce approximately one gallon (16 cups) of pesticide.
Soak 10-15 diced garlic cloves in a pint (2 cups) of mineral oil for 24 hours. Strain and add to a spray bottle.
Annie B. Bond, Care2 Green Living Executive Producer, offers a recipe for all-natural insecticidal soap spray, which uses 1-2 tablespoons of a natural liquid soap such as Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile soap in a quart (4 cups) of water. Once this solution is mixed, it can be added to a spray bottle.
Attract Beneficial Predators Such as Ladybugs, Praying Mantises, Dragonflies and Spiders
Another method of natural pest control is attracting ladybugs to your garden. Ladybugs are voracious consumers of aphids and other garden pests. Plants that attract ladybugs include Angelica, Caraway, Cilantro, Coreopsis, Cosmos (particularly white), Dandelions, Dill, Fennel, Geraniums, Tansy and Yarrow. Ladybugs can also be purchased from certain garden supply stores.
There are other insects that can aid in pest control, such as praying mantises and dragonflies. Spiders (which are arachnids rather than insects) are also highly beneficial.
Art Knapp Information Library. (n.d.). “Plants That Repel Pests.” ArtKnapp.com.
Bond, A.B. (30 May 1999). “Homemade Insecticidal Soap Spray.” Care2.com.
City of Carlsbad, Public Works, Municipal Water Division. (2007). “Plants That Repel Pests.” Carlsbadca.gov.
Environmental Protection Agency. (2007). “Pesticides and Food: Health Problems Pesticides May Cause.” EPA.gov.
Ferragine, F. (n.d.) “12 Pest-Repelling Herbs.” CanadianLiving.com.
Government of Yukon. (2007). “Natural Pest Control for Your Garden.”
Hamir, A. (2008). “Luring Ladybugs Into Your Garden - Garden Pest Tip.” GardenGuides.com.
North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance (DPPEA). (n.d.) “Home Brewed Pest Control.” P2pays.org.
The copyright of the article Natural Garden Pest Control in Organic Gardens is owned by Jennifer Copley. Permission to republish Natural Garden Pest Control in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Don't ya just LOVE those ladybugs - they kick ass! :-)
Dec 8, 2008 12:33 PM
Guest
:
I don't know what to do, it looks like spiders is making webs allover my
yard, I don't have any experience with spiders mites, I hadn't heard about
them, until I moved in this house, and was alarm at all spiders webs in the
yard, they are all over my trees, webs on top of the leaves, webs on the
bottom of the leaves, and even in the limbs of the trees, especially a
mango tree I have in my yard, I have tried insecticidal soaps, orangerard,
etc, but I can't get rid of them, should I have all my plants cut down? I
don't want to put harsh chemical in the yard, because I live near the
water.
Dec 8, 2008 1:09 PM
Jennifer Copley :
Are they spiders or spider mites? If they're spiders, they shouldn't harm
your plants, but spider mites (a related species) will. Have you tried
hosing all the plants down? That's often recommended for spider mites. Here
is a website that provides information on strategies for getting rid of
them: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/insect/05507.html Good luck!
May 7, 2009 8:12 PM
Guest
:
Thanks so much all this was very helpful in so many ways
Jun 3, 2009 12:49 PM
Guest
:
we love those ladi bugs! wooaahhh;)
Jun 28, 2009 8:42 PM
Guest
:
icant get rid of the japanese beetles they are all over my roses, i tried
sprays but they come right back .please tell me what i can do. charlotte.
Jun 29, 2009 7:54 AM
Jennifer Copley :
See
http://vegetablegardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/pest_control_for_japanese_
beetle for a variety of methods to get rid of Japanese beetles.