Part II of Chem-Free Gardening Series

In our previous post, we talked about organic methods you can use to get rid of those unwanted pests! In this post, we’ll cover some natural pest control solutions to target specific pests!

Culprit 1: Stink Bugs

Be wary of stink bugs in your garden, particularly during the fall months. These pesky pests are attracted to tomatoes, peppers, beans, and a variety of fruits. If you don’t take care of them promptly, they can ruin your harvest. You can make your own natural pest control by mixing 2 cups of water for every 4 teaspoons of garlic powder. You’ll want to spray anywhere you want the stink bugs to stay away from. Strong essential oils also work as great deterrents for not only stink bugs, but other bugs too.

Culprit 2: Slugs

You can actually use other plants to help keep pests away from your garden. Forming a border around your vegetable garden with marigolds or onions are an ideal pest control for slugs. You can also just pick slugs off your plants as an easy solution. Hornworms, beetles, and adult weevils can also easily be hand-picked off plants.

Culprit 3: Moths and other bugs

As a general pest control for bugs, you can lure them into a dish of soapy water to kill them. In addition, certain moths and bugs can easily be knocked from trees with a stick. Just make sure you have a large piece of cloth laid out underneath so they can fall onto it and be easily gathered. You’ll then want to submerge them in a soapy solution or incinerate them. Wood ash, when used as mulch can also keep insects away from trees and shrubs. 

Culprit 4: Your Own Pets!

Both cat grass and wheatgrass are good for making sure your cute feline friends don’t make trouble in your garden. Another option is to place something smelly, like citrus peels or mothballs on soil surrounding already-eaten plants. Using vinegar and lime juice will keep those cute canines away too!

Summary

Being familiar with what pests and threats are going to be native to your environment can help you to know exactly what methods you need to use to target your specific pests. Using these methods, you’ll be able to eradicate outside threats so you can grow your garden safely and organically.  

**Look for the next post in our series on what you can use as a natural weed killer! Remember to let us know what you think in the comments or in our Facebook group!**