Pest Control For The Vegetable Garden
By Karen Gross, Fri Dec 9th
One of the biggest challenges for vegetable gardeners is pestcontrol. Anyone who has tried to keep a determined deer fromeating the sweet corn knows how difficult it can be to deteranimals, including insects, birds, rabbits and other wildlifefrom what, for them is a natural smorgasbord. From theirperspective, there sit these wonderful veggies, all neat andweeded, almost as if you placed the plants there just for them.And so animals that we might otherwise enjoy can become anuisance when it comes to the garden.
While avoiding wildlife is nearly impossible, chemicalpesticides are often an effective means of deterring unwantedinsects. However, many gardeners are uncomfortable using theseharsh chemicals that can leak into water supplies and harm theenvironment. They also have concerns about using chemicals inthe foods they feed their families. Here are some ideas for moreorganic pest control.
Crop Rotation
Practicing crop rotation every year in your vegetable garden andusing companion plants will improve your soil and keep the pestsunder control. Most insects need time to become established inthe soil. They may take two to three seasons to get their lifecycle established. By practicing vegetable rotation and varyingthe type of plants grown in a particular area from year to year,you can avoid establishing plant specific types of garden pests.
Companion Planting
Certain varieties of garden plants are less attractive to pests.To deter rabbits, plant green onions amongst the lettuce plants.Plant several radish seeds in each hill of cucumber seeds toprotect against the cucumber beetle. And when planted near eachother, cucumbers will prevent raccoons from eating all the sweetcorn, while the corn will reciprocate by preventing cucumberwilt.
Tomatoes like to be near chives, parsley, marigolds, garlicbulbs, nasturtiums, gooseberries, asparagus, and carrots.Tomatoes have a natural defense for pest control against theasparagus beetle and are also effective in keeping insects awayfrom gooseberries. Carrots on the other hand are nearly everygarden pest’s friend. To control the carrot fly pest, plantonions, rosemary, or leeks nearby. Potatoes like to be plantednear corn, horseradish, broccoli, cabbage and peas. Avoidplanting by tomatoes, melon, and cucumbers.
Some vegetable gardeners plant pumpkins, squash, and cucumbersamong the corn. The heavy growth and scratching of the vines andleaves helps keep rabbits, raccoons and other hungry critters atbay.
Tricks of the Trade
In addition to the planting methods described above, there are anumber of non-pesticide options for organic pest control. Humanor dog hair spread around the garden and hung from tree limbsacts as a good pest repellent, as do bars of soap hung fromshepherds hooks or laid right in the soil. Deer do not like thesmell of rotting eggs, so a mixture of 9 eggs with 2.5 gallonsof water sprayed on ½ acre of crop will deter deer from enteringthe area, but the solution is diluted enough to avoid annoyinghumans.
Deer tend to be nervous and wary animals and can be scared offby annoying wind activated garden fixtures, plastic foil tape,scarecrows and whirligigs. Those that make noise, suchsqueaking, fluttering, or tinkling, work best. You may have tomove these items around and rotate selection to keep the deerfrom getting use to them. Dogs are also a good source to keepwatch over the garden and help scare off unwanted wildlifediners.
Tall fences (9 to 10 feet high) planted firmly in the ground arethe best way to keep deer out of the vegetable garden. Aninexpensive chicken-wire fence at least 24 inches high is oftenenough to keep those pesky rabbits out of your garden. Or asolution of cayenne pepper spray on the plants after a rain willsometimes deter rabbits from nibbling. Dried blood meal, whichrabbits do not favor, can be sprinkled around when planting. Theflavor will absorb though the root system of the vegetables,making them less appetizing. As an ongoing garden pest control,blood meal can be added to the soil every two weeks.
Live traps can be used for smaller rodents and rabbits. Bait thetraps with a small amount of peanut butter, check themregularly, and transport
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