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Re: pests

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Hi Theresa:

I like the pest chapters in Eliot Coleman's The New Organic Grower, revised
and expanded edition, 1995, Chelsea Green, ISBN 0-930031-75-X

 The Olkowski's have a big book full of pest controls. that is expensive,
and a smaller book that is an abridged version of that. Sorry I don't have
the titles, but the author name should get you started.

Another recent title is Rodale's Pest & Disease Problem Solver, Gilkeson,
Pierce and Smith, 1996, Rodale and Landsdowne Presses, ISBN 0-87596-705-1.

An oldie but a goodie is Organic Plant Protection, ed Roger Yepsen,1976,
Rodale, ISBN 0-87857-110-8.

The core idea of organic growing is that healthy plants in a healthy soil
are naturally resistant to pests and diseases.  While your soil is
improving, or if you choose to grow plants that are not resistant, you may
have problems, and of course weather and the whims of nature can also
intervene.

Companion planting is a method of keeping pests at bay by confusion,
repulsion, mutual aid, and so on....this fits nicely into square foot
gardening.  Many companion plants will also attract and harbor beneficial
insects.

A classic book is Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte; Rodale has one
called Rodale's Successful Organic Gardening Companion Planting, 1994, which
has nice photos.

Physical barriers like Remay, birdnetting or chicken wire suggest themselves
for insect and animal pests.

Foliar feeding with seaweed can often relieve stress on plants (by providing
trace minerals and small amounts of growth factors), and thus enable them to
fight off attacks by pests and diseases.

Anti-feedant materials like cayenne, garlic, or neem are relatively benign
(neem crosses over into the insecticidal realm, but is a natural plant-based
material).

Finally, the more toxic botanical insecide materials can be used when
absolutely necessary (I never use them).  Pyrethrum, rotenone, and sabadilla
are some of these.  They have the virtue of rapid biodegradation and will go
back into nature without residue, but are somewhat toxic to non-target
animals and humans, and like most pesticides will destroy predators even
more thoroughly than pests, and leave a vacuum for the next pest horde to
fill without patrolling predators at the ready.

The ideal should be healthy plants in a healthy soil, as mentioned above.
Thus the best pest control strategy may well be making a lot of compost!
Coleman's basic premise is to focus on plant-positive activities, and avoid
letting a pest-negative mindset dominate your gardening thoughts!

Frank---ends his ramblings as a creature-feature preacher...:-)

Theresa wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Unfortunately, I don't have an answer to the original pest post, but I
>would like to ask if anyone has a recommendation for a good overall book on
>garden pests and organic ways of getting rid of them. I want to avoid
>chemicals at all costs.
>
>Last night when I was out surveying the garden I noticed a ton of what
>appeared to be baby flies bouncing around the garden. They were hopping
>like fleas but were much bigger. Any ideas on this would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks to everyone so far that has offered previous advice. I'm glad I
>found this list.
>
>Theresa
>zone5
>Bay City, MI
>
>
>At 09:07 PM 6/9/99 EDT, you wrote:
>>Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>>
>>Thanks to everyone who replied to my plea for help.  I spayed them with my
>>hose and I'll keep watching for a while.  Meanwhile my holyhocks are lace,
>>but It's not  leaf miners--this sometimes happens to my cole crops.
Anyone
>>got an idea?
>>I want to catch them before they get into the garden.
>>BTW that 4 inch horse fence it great for trellising.  I got one  16 footer
>at
>>our local Farmers store and put it in the raised bed at the back of the
>>garden anchored with just plain old wire onto three of those green metal
>>fence posts with the little spade thing about a foot up the pole and it
sure
>>looks sturdy.  I can't wait to see all those squash growing on it.  Is
there
>>something else that can be used as a sling for the fruit of these vines
>other
>>than panyhose---God willing there will be a lot of them and I won't have
>that
>>many hose.
>>Bonnie C Mt.zone 5
>>Making good use of that hat these days---the rain we hope is mainly on the
>>plains of Spain
>>
>>
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>
>
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