Plant Pests and Diseases

Food Garden Plant Pests and Diseases

• Review Your Use of Pesticides
  Native Americans and early settlers obviously did not have today’s chemical controls available to them; they relied primarily on cultural and physical methods to control pests.
• No Chemical Gardening
  Public concern over the use and misuse of pesticides has led increasing numbers of home gardeners to seek means of "natural" pest control. Although some people do not have the time or knowledge to practice all the available alternative methods for controlling pests, there are many cultural practices which will help reduce losses.
• Chamomile a Mild Fungicide
  One of the most common problems people face when starting seeds is a fungus called damping-off. To avoid this problem there are several things you can do, but a really easy to use, and great preventative, is Chamomile Tea.

Insect Pests

• Squash Bug
  Ewwww! Squish the Stinky Bugs on your squash!
• Cabbage Worms
  Learn to identify and control cabbage worms organically.
• Potato Beetle
  Learn to identify and control cabbage worms organically.
• Controlling Slugs
  Unfortunately, there is no foolproof method for eradicating slugs. All one can hope for is to reduce their numbers and protect plants when they’re at a vulnerable stage.

Beneficial Insects for Pest Control

• Beneficial Insects
  A guide to choosing and using beneficial insects and how to apply them.
• The “Do-Good” Bugs
  A guide to choosing and using beneficial insects, mites and nematodes.
• Luring Beneficial Insects to Your Garden
  Create a garden that is friendly to beneficial insects and let nature control the pests that eat your cabbages and roses.
• Benefit and Value of Insects
  The growing public concern over the use and misuse of pesticides has led increasing numbers of home gardeners to seek means of “natural” pest control. Although some people do not have the time or knowledge to practice all the available alternative methods for controlling pests, there are many cultural practices which will help reduce losses.

Organic Sprays

• Organic Gardening- Recipes for Sprays
  Use of organic sprays are more friendly to the environment. They are comprised of common organic materials, soaps and occasionally other environmentally friendly materials.
• Black Pepper as a Pesticide
  Organic gardeners have known it for generations. But scientists have now proved it. Extracts from black pepper discourage insect pests from laying eggs on leaves and pose lower risk to humans and the environment than other pesticides.

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