Organic gardening?
Image by Newton Free Library
By proclamation of the Board of Aldermen March 2010 is Newton’s 14th Annual Alternatives to Pesticides Month. In recognition of this important event Green Decade/Newton has installed a display in two of the first floor cases with information pertaining to organic gardening and landscaping.
Newton Free Library
Question by Hope’s_My_Girl: Organic gardening?
What are some things I can do to keep my plants from getting diseases, I don’t want to use any chemicals? And how do I keep vegetable eating insects out of my garden? I know there are some insects I can put in to eat the others, what can I plant to attract them?
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
4 Responses to Organic gardening?
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Pepper plants are good for unwanted insects.
You can also use dish soap. Nothing fancy just regular “Joy” soap cheap soap only. But, there is a good chance you will kill the good insects too.
1st: Get a bucket, fill it with water
2and: Pour the soap in (not to much because you don’t want to get rid of all the good insects)
3rd: stir it up so it can blend. (not to much suds)
4th: Let the bucket of soap sit out in the sun for at least a couple of hours.
5th: Use a sprayer and distribute it all over your plants.
See the soap gets in the insects esophagus and the insect dies because it can’t breath.
You can use this anywhere in your yard.
works GREAT for cinch bugs.
michelle
May 7, 2011 at 6:37 am
A way to detect disease is by planting a quinoa plant in your vegetables. It is called an indicator and can tell you what’s going on in the midst of your garden. To see what insects are there, both beneficial and those that “bug” you, put out some insect traps and identify the bugs. This should be done each spring and summer to see the changes in insect life.
Compost tea is a great way for helping out plants in teh way of diesease and preventing insects from thinking they are yummy. It can be used foliarly and is not difficult to make.
I like these links for bug identification:
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/
http://www.insectidentification.org/ (includes a “helpful bug” category)
http://www.backyardnature.net/insectid.htm (lays out the process nicely)
http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740 (my personal favorite, choose what the bug looks like from the graphic list on the left)
I like your idea of companion planting, it has not only saved me much heartache from chewed up vegetation but some have helped others to grow better! Here are a few sites I like to go to (books are available too) :
http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html (alphabetical listings of plants)
http://www.companionplanting.net/(not only lists companion plants, but also a good insect resource!)
http://www.gardenersnet.com/organic.htm (good listing of insects/plantings/fertilizers for organics)
S0rcy
May 7, 2011 at 7:33 am
use khadi products as it’s specially made for plants keeping thm protect frm any of insecticide.
Anupama
May 7, 2011 at 7:46 am
First if you want to control insects using beneficial insects do not use any pesticides as most organic pesticides are broad spectrum and injure/kill any insects they touch. Same with chemical insecticides. Even occasional use or “a little bit” will set back the ultimate goal of organic gardening years.
Beneficial insects need food so if there are not enough pest insects in your garden you will not attract the beneficials. Plants can lose over 70% of their leaves and still produce fruits and flowers just fine and the first couple of years of going organic your garden will be out of balance so you will have attacks by pest insects. I advise you live with it and give nature time to balance out things. If you interfere you will have to keep on using toxins to sorta kinda control the pets.
Healthy soil is the number 1 defense against pests and diseases. Healthy soils = healthy plants which are simply not all that attractive to pests and diseases. The best way to get healthy soil is to apply compost several times a year to your garden beds. Organic growers also grow green manure crops that are turned into the soil to add organic matter and nutrients.
ohiorganic
May 7, 2011 at 8:25 am