Natural Pest Control

One of the most annoying problems that any gardener will have to deal with is insect pests. Don't get me wrong, I like bugs in general, but there are a few I really, really hate. The subjects of this article are three that happen to fall in the latter category.

Some pests, such as Whiteflies, can be carriers of plant diseases, so it's important to identify problems early on and eradicate them as soon as possible. A growing number of plant enthusiasts are becoming aware of the problems of wholesale pesticide use and finding ways to fight insect pests while doing as little harm as possible to beneficial insects and the soil.

Let's talk about spider mites first, since most people tend to be somewhat paranoid about them. I used to get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I saw a plant with tightly grouped webbing and tiny white or brown dots.

The good news is that they are pretty easy to kill. Just spray the affected plant or plants liberally and regularly with water. Be sure that you use a water wand or sprayer that allows you to reach under the leaves as well, otherwise you won't kill all the little buggers.

After a few treatments, your problem should be taken care of. If the plants in question have been infested for a while, you may need to trim the dead or dying areas from the plant. This will usually entail just a quick cutting of the browned stem tips.

Whiteflies are next on the "most dreaded" list. Your first sign of them will probably be a large number of small, white, insects flying around the plant, especially when you first begin watering. Unfortunately, they have developed a resistance to many commercial pesticides, so your best bet is to hit them with an oil-based spray that will cause them to suffocate.

With a consistant treatment program, they're usually not that difficult to eradicate. You just need to keep killing as many of the adults as possible before they have a chance to lay eggs. After several generations have been exterminated, you should have won most of the battle. Here's what you need to do: mix up a solution of one teaspoon vegetable oil, one teaspoon Dawn liquid detergent, and one pint of water.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind before you begin spraying. First, if you've never used this on a certain type of plant, test a small area first and wait at least two days before treating the rest of the plant. As long as there is no visible damage to the test area, you should be good to go. I've never had any plants react negatively to this recipe, but that doesn't mean it's safe for everything.

The second point is to concentrate primarily on spraying underneath the leaves, as that's where the Whiteflies like to hang out and lay their eggs. For plants with larger leaves, such as cucumbers, you'll probably need to lift each leaf by hand in order to achive maximum spray coverage.

Aphids are all over the place and can be a real problem when you bring plants inside at the end of the summer. They suck fluids from the host plant and leave a sticky residue on the leaves and stem which can turn black due to mold growth. For serious Aphid infestations, you may even need to clean the black areas from the leaves by hand using a wet, soapy sponge. Notice the ants with the aphid larvae in the photo above. They are will use the aphids to produce nectar but unfortunately, will not remove them entirely from the plant.

One good remedy for getting rid of them is to spray with a solution of 1/3 cup household Ammonia to one quart of water. After the Ammonia has done its job, it will then help to fertilize the plant. The only problem is that some plants don't like Ammonia in such strong concentrations, so you'll need to test for damage before proceeding with a wholesale eradication program. For more sensitive plants, try the soap and oil recipe that I gave for Whiteflys. It has done a pretty good number on the Aphids that were bothering my Tomato plants this summer.