• Supplement. Kelp meal contains trace
elements such as iron, zinc, barium,
calcium, sulfur and magnesium, which
promote healthy development in plants.
Repels slugs and makes strong plants
stronger.
• Keep it clean. Clear garden area of debris
and weeds. Insects breed in refuse.
• Mix it up! Interplant and rotate crops.
When plantings are mixed, pests are less
likely to spread throughout a crop. Rotate
every year and avoid pests which overwinter in your bed.
• Water early. Wet foliage encourages
insect fungal damage to your plants.
Water in the morning so the plant can
dry during the day. Try a drip-irrigation
method to water the root, not the foliage.
• Disinfect your tools. Like a hospital,
sterilize your tools if you’ve worked with
infected plants or even just when moving
garden areas.
BENEFICIAL INSECTS ARE BUGS THAT
CONTROL PEST POPULATIONS TO KEEP YOUR
GARDEN HEALTHY IN A NATURAL WAY.
• Red worms
• Build a worm bin into your compost pile
• Praying mantis
• Lady bugs
NON-TOXIC HOMEMADE REMEDIES
• Mites, Aphids and Mealybugs – mix 1
tbsp. canola oil and a few drops of ivory
soap in 1 qt. water. Spray plant from
above down and from below up. The oil
will smother the insects.
• Earwigs, slugs and other soft bodied
garden pests: Use diatomaceous earth
over plants and edges of garden beds.
The particles are sharp and small and
insects cannot become immune to it. It’s a
22
mechanical killer – not a chemical one.
• Insects and Fungal Diseases – Combine
1 tbsp. of cooking oil, two tbsp. of baking
soda and a few drops of ivory soap into
a quart of water and apply. Pour into a
spray bottle and spray affected areas.
TRAPS AND BARRIERS
• Yellow flypaper is effective in the garden
for aphids and whiteflies. Any board or
heavy paper painted yellow and coated
with a sticky substance such as Tanglefoot
will do the job.