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Beginner’s Guide To Organic Gardening: 4 Natural Pest Control Techniques

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Organic gardening can be an excellent way to save money and eat fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables; however, it also comes with a fair share of problems and frustrations. One of the main problems that one might encounter is pest control. There are a lot of things you need to take into consideration, especially if you want to use safe and organic techniques.

Organic pest control may seem like a contradiction, but it is not. This involves combining preventive methods as well as supporting the natural eco-system. If you are interested in organic gardening, it is also important to learn how to control the pests in your yard and garden without using chemical insecticides or pesticides. It is crucial to understand that complete annihilation is not the answer in controlling these unwanted creatures.

Why Should You Use Organic Pest Control Techniques?

As a gardener, you need to understand that a healthy garden also needs to have insects. They are an important part of the ecosystem and must not be completely eradicated. Insects and bugs serve as food for lizards, birds, and wildlife as well as assist in the pollination process. They also help break down the nutrients found in the soil, compost, and become nutrients themselves once they die. With that said, completely eradicating them from your organic garden won’t be such as good idea. It is best to simply control them to avoid a full-blown infestation.

When controlling these insects and bugs, you need to avoid using chemical pesticides since these products can eliminate the nutrients produced by plants and vegetables. Chemical pesticides also eliminate beneficial soil microbes which will result to an unhealthy environment. Lastly, long exposure to these toxic chemicals may lead to health problems, such as cancer, alzeimer’s, and fertility issues. If you want to properly control the insects, bugs, and other pests in your organic garden, you can try a more natural approach.

Natural Pest Control Techniques

Companion Planting: This is a crucial technique in organic gardening. This method involves using plants that have natural properties which help others grow as well as deter pests. The plants’ natural properties will also help increase the production in the garden. Here are a few of the most common companion plants:

  • Basil: This plant can be planted alongside tomatoes to improve its production as well as its flavor. Basil is also a good companion plant for peppers. It is also said to successfully repel mosquitoes due to its scent.
  • Chamomile: This is a wonderful companion for cucumbers, onions and cabbages. It also attracts beneficial insects that can help get rid of harmful pests, insects, and bugs.
  • Catnip: This is an herb which is great for squash and cucumbers. It also helps repel bugs and aphids. You can also use its dried leaves to create your own pest control spray in your organic garden.
  • Dill: This plant can improve the flavor of cucumber lettuce and cabbages. It also repels pests found in the garden.
  • Marigolds: You can plant marigolds throughout your garden to repel mosquitoes, flies, and other stinging insects.
  • Sunflowers: These are another excellent companion plants and can add aesthetic appeal to your organic garden while keeping aphids and other bugs at bay.

Powdered Kelp Solution: Aside from companion planting, you can also create a natural pest control spray, such as creating a solution from powdered Kelp. This solution can repel Japanese beetles and aphids while nourishing the plants in your garden. You can spray the solution once a week or before infestation times.

Lemon Balm Tea: This natural solution can keep squash bugs and aphids away from your garden. You only need to spray your plants with lemon balm tea at least two or three times a week when necessary.

Hot Pepper And Garlic Spray: All you need are 2-3 cloves of garlic, 4 hot cayenne peppers, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, a tablespoon of liquid soap, and 2-3 cups of hot water. You must then blend all the ingredients together for several minutes then let it sit overnight. Doing so will help intensify its effects. The next day, you can then strain the solution with a strainer or towel and store the solution in a glass container or spray bottle. Spray the solution directly onto the plants at least once a week. This solution can successfully repel garden bugs, insects, and wildlife pests.

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Kris Lim is an avid gardener who shares her tips and techniques to her readers. In this article, she aims to help her readers learn more about the natural pest control techniques they can apply to their own organic garden.

A well meaning relative

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I received a package from my husbands well meaning aunt earlier this week.

She’s really into organic products. There’s nothing wrong with that … frankly I’m into organics as well … it’s just she’s really into the stuff. She’ll only eat wheat germ for a week as part of some special diet and exclude everything else.

She knows I have crohn’s disease so this care package had some special supplements in it like Devils claw and pamphlets with information about things like a colon cleanse that really works.

Some of the things she sends me is helpful, but I’m not interested in a lot of the things she sends so she’s wasting her money.

Do you have any friends or relatives that buy things for you that you don’t need or want but you just don’t know how to tell them to stop? My husbands aunt is such a nice person I’m sure it’d break her heart if I told her I didn’t want the things she sends me.

Time to put that stinky organic brew on my garden

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I’ll be spending some time in the garden this weekend. It’s time to put some alfalfa tea on the garden beds.

I have two big plastic garbage cans of alfalfa tea brewing in my driveway. Alfalfa apparently has some kind of organic growth hormone in it and it just gives plants a huge boost. It’s the only thing I use to fertilize my garden. Well .. other than some home made compost and sometimes manure. LOL

It’s easy to make too – just add about four cups of alfalfa pellets to a large garbage can, fill with water and stir daily for two to three weeks. I also add some molasses ( it helps combat some of the fermentation) and sometimes – usually in late spring, I add some Epsom salts to the mix.

the only problem with the alfalfa tea is the smell. If you don’t stir it and aerate it daily as it’s “brewing” it can really get stinky. Even well stirred brew smells. When I put it on the garden I have to put on protective clothing to guard against smell splashes, and I tend to apply it to my garden in the evening – usually after dinner time. Why? Well since it smells I’m trying to spare my neighbors some of the bad smell … if I put it on the garden after dinner most of my neighbors who would be affected by the smell are indoors watching tv.

So .. sometime this weekend I’ll be applying the smelly alfalfa tea that I’ve been brewing to my garden. I’ll give it a little water afterwords – as it seems to help ton down the smell. Then .. about four or five days after my application my garden will start to look great. I’ll see new growth on my roses and the leaves of all my plants will look nice and healthy.

Do you ever treat your garden to an organic fertilizer like alfalfa tea?

Buying Garden Furniture On The Internet

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Choosing the right garden furniture is critical to getting your garden looking the best possible way. Make sure that the colour tones fit well with your overall garden look. Today’s garden furniture is a far cry from the earlier versions. Make sure that the garden set or seating blends in with your current theme.


Buying garden furniture can be easy if you know what you are doing and know where to look.The first thing you need to do is research garden furniture onlineA great review site can be found at B&Q Garden Furniture. At garden furniture review sites you will find a lot of information about choosing the correct furniture, style, color, bench, lounger etc, where to go and how to get the very best deal along with all the latest news and resources.

A large amount of different materials are currently used in todays garden furniture. These days the sky is the limit to what you are able to expect. Carefully consider what you want and dont forget to remember about aftercare. If you want wooden furniture make sure that it is treated correctly and always cover it up or take it indoors after use. Make sure that your furniture is covered up no matter how well it has been treated.

The style of your garden furniture is always more important than comfort. Cushions of all shapes and styles are available seperately to make you comfy.Garden benches, love seating, sun loungers and many others are readily available when buying garden furniture to suit your outdoor space. Garden tables of all shapes and sizes are also available. Outdoor patio furniture is available in many colors and you will not have a problem in finding what you want. Choose a few pieces that you like and match them to your surroundings.

Organic Skin Care Could Be The Answer To Your Skin Problems

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Taking care of your skin is very important if you want to have healthy
skin when you get older. You need to make sure that you know what your
skin type is. Do you have dry skin, oily or normal skin? You have to know
this in order to find the right skin treatment for you. This is imperative
because if you don’t find the right one and you use the wrong products,
you could damage your skin. So be very careful and do some research before
you decide what to use. One type that you will want to look at is the
organic skin care.

Organic refers to a food that is grown without using any synthetic
pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers or other
substances that are toxic. Organic skin care is created from herbs,
fruits, and the buds of flowers. These skin care products can benefit your
body and skin and help it stay healthy or help to make it healthy.

You can use the synthetic skin care products if you want to but there is
really no reason to when you can get your skin care needs taken care of
with what Mother Earth is providing you with the organic means to take
care of your skin. Your skin and body is exposed to harmful elements every
day by the environment you live in. The last thing you want for your skin
is for it to be dirty and grimy from all of the chemicals and harmful
toxins that are so prevalent in the non organic products. When you want
healthy skin the Organic skin care is a good one to use because they have
revitalizing and healing properties such as plants and fruits.

Most women will use more than two hundred harmful chemicals on their skin
every single day. There has been research done recently that has found out
that over 60% of the chemicals are absorbed into your blood stream. Plus
it has also been found that people who have allergies, eczema and other
skin problems is on the rise.

Everyone needs to be aware that the skin is the largest organ in the body.
It has many different responsibilities. Your skin maintains your body
temperature and regulates your body’s fluid balance. So you can see why
damaging your skin with the wrong elements to your skin can be very
harmful to the health of it. Organic skin care is effective for
eliminating the many different harmful toxins that you are exposed to
every day.

There are many other benefits for using the Organic skin care. The main
fact is that you can create your own products right in your own home. You
can find many good recipes for Organic skin care. If you have never tried
this type of skin care than you want to do some research about these skin
care products. You will discover a whole new alternative to getting and
maintaining healthy skin.

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