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Pest Control in Your Garden
In July, each Sunday's Daily Tip will be devoted to the benefits of gardening. Enjoy!
If you are planting an organic garden try natural pest control with nontoxic products such as pyrethrum or neem:
* Pyrethrum, a mixture of insecticidal compounds found in some species of African chrysanthemums, controls aphids, whiteflies, stinkbugs and mites. You should be able to find pyrethrum products in your local garden center. (Some will say they contain "pyrethrins.") Check labels carefully to make sure you choose the product intended for the crops you're growing or the pests you're trying to eliminate.
* Neem comes from the seeds and leaves of the Neem tree, Azadirachta indica, which is native to India. The compounds it contains (such as azadirachtin) act as insect repellents. Neem is non-toxic to animals and humans and beneficial to bees. Though neem products are somewhat more expensive than most synthetic pesticides, they pay off in the long run.
You might also consider adding beneficial insects such as ladybugs and praying mantis to your garden (both are commonly sold at garden centers). Ask about soap you can spray on plants to kill insects. And you can always pick insects off mechanically or wash them off with forceful streams of water.
In July, each Sunday's Daily Tip will be devoted to the benefits of gardening. Enjoy!
If you are planting an organic garden try natural pest control with nontoxic products such as pyrethrum or neem:
* Pyrethrum, a mixture of insecticidal compounds found in some species of African chrysanthemums, controls aphids, whiteflies, stinkbugs and mites. You should be able to find pyrethrum products in your local garden center. (Some will say they contain "pyrethrins.") Check labels carefully to make sure you choose the product intended for the crops you're growing or the pests you're trying to eliminate.
* Neem comes from the seeds and leaves of the Neem tree, Azadirachta indica, which is native to India. The compounds it contains (such as azadirachtin) act as insect repellents. Neem is non-toxic to animals and humans and beneficial to bees. Though neem products are somewhat more expensive than most synthetic pesticides, they pay off in the long run.
You might also consider adding beneficial insects such as ladybugs and praying mantis to your garden (both are commonly sold at garden centers). Ask about soap you can spray on plants to kill insects. And you can always pick insects off mechanically or wash them off with forceful streams of water.
