My Vegetable garden is under attack-!?
Sep.25, 2011 in
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BUGS!I don’t want to use chemicals because my kids often just pick and eat right out of the garden- Any safe suggestions? Slugs and some type of bright red ant looking insect seem to be my main problems!
October 1st, 2011 at 1:36 am
they make organic pesticides, pepper spray works for some plants.
http://www.soiltechcorp.com/
srw
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October 6th, 2011 at 3:36 am
ur gonna have to use spray, tell ur kids not to eat ur veggies
srw
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October 11th, 2011 at 9:37 am
Get some marigolds and plant them in a row in front of your garden and most bugs will stay away.
srw
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October 16th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
You can get rid of slugs with the old “beer” solution. Bury a cup in the ground so that it’s flush with the earth, but leave the “hole” open so that you can pour beer into it. Slugs are attracted to the beer and drown. Pick any off your plants daily.
I’ve had a lot of luck with a diluted solution of dishwashing soap and water sprayed onto the mature plants. It keeps most bugs down considerably, although you have to spray daily. Organic gardening is labor intensive but IS worth the effort.
I like the marigold solution above me. I use lemonbalm instead of marigold and then have the herb to use for teas. (It’s use may have some anti-Alzheimer’s implications.)
srw
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October 22nd, 2011 at 9:36 am
Try gardensalive.com – they offer a lot of organic solutions to problems like yours.
For slugs get some diatomaceous earth (DE) at the garden center and spread it around your plants. DE will feel like needles being stabbed into the underside of the slugs and they will go the other way. You need to reapply DE after watering/rain, so depending on the size of your garden it could get expensive to manage.
srw
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October 27th, 2011 at 10:36 pm
For slugs, you could try the ol’ beer bait trick. Or you could just go out at night with a flashlight and pick them off by hand. A fine activity for the kids. You could also try encouraging natural predators like birds to visit your garden.
Planning for next year, think about drainage; slugs will favor areas that stay wet. Also, maybe watering in the morning instead of evening will help.
The red insects, are they ants? Aphids? Something else? There are lots of non-pesticide options, depending on what you have. Sprinkling diatomaceous earth (DE), which looks like a fine, white powder, around your plants is supposed to kill most insects. But remember, it will also kill off your beneficial insects like ladybugs, which eat aphids.
Also, look into companion planting. Certain plants repel certain pests. Garlic, onions, and cilantro are supposed to repel aphids.
Start by capturing one of your red insects and taking it to your nearest garden store for an ID.
srw
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November 1st, 2011 at 5:36 pm
There is an organic pesticide that is based with plant oils (sesame oil, clove oil and thyme oil). Its made by Green Light and will be sold under the name Bioganic. It will kill just about any kind of insect on contact, and help keep them off. There is another product made by Green Light for ants called Spinosad. Its also plant based and natural. It won’t harm your pets or kids. Good luck!
I run an organic gardening center.
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November 1st, 2011 at 5:36 pm
There is an organic pesticide that is based with plant oils (sesame oil, clove oil and thyme oil). Its made by Green Light and will be sold under the name Bioganic. It will kill just about any kind of insect on contact, and help keep them off. There is another product made by Green Light for ants called Spinosad. Its also plant based and natural. It won’t harm your pets or kids. Good luck!
I run an organic gardening center.
Report this comment
November 5th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Use beer in a lid for the slugs. Plant marigolds and garlic to keep pests away from the plants. You can also spray the plants with a couple of drops of liquid dishwashing detergent in water and alternate with a solution of hot pepper in water sprayed on the plant.
gardener
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November 5th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Use beer in a lid for the slugs. Plant marigolds and garlic to keep pests away from the plants. You can also spray the plants with a couple of drops of liquid dishwashing detergent in water and alternate with a solution of hot pepper in water sprayed on the plant.
gardener
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