Posted: 3/24/2012 5:21:33 PM EDT
| I'm going to try square foot gardening AGAIN. My problem has always been pest control. Does anyone have an all natural, yet inexpensive method of pest control? Every time I plant tomatoes or bell peppers or any fruit trees they get eaten up by insects. Any suggestions? |
| Go to Home Depot and buy a small bottle of Thuricide. This contains the BTK bacteria, which is an organic means of killing caterpillars that love feeding on peppers and tomatoes. Spray the plants with a dilute solution of the bacteria at the first sign of caterpillar damage and continue for three or four days until the bugs are dead. Spray in the evenings and reapply after rain. The bacteria works by basically giving the caterpillars a killer (literally) stomach ache after they ingest the contaminated plant matter. It's harmless to humans and animals (and other bugs that aren't caterpillars). For aphids, and some other bugs, make what is called horticultural oil. It is also sometimes referred to as white oil. Mix 2 cups vegetable oil with 1/2 cup dish washing detergent. To use, add 2 table spoons concentrate per quart of water. Spray on plants in the evening, otherwise the oil will cause the sun to burn the leaves. For other bugs, you can mix a garlic juice and chili powder concentrate that makes the plants unpalatable to them. Sometimes you can find a pre-made mix at Home Depot or Lowes. |
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Quoted:
I'm going to try square foot gardening AGAIN. My problem has always been pest control. Does anyone have an all natural, yet inexpensive method of pest control? Every time I plant tomatoes or bell peppers or any fruit trees they get eaten up by insects. Any suggestions? Cheapest most effective way to keep pests out is exclusion..... Use a hoop house or row cover as appropriate. |
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Quoted:
What's a hoop house? A real simple example is to take two 10 foot sticks of 1/2" PVC pipe and bend it into a upside down U shape on each end of your SFG and cover with plastic sheeting or a light cloth. Just stick the ends of the pipe into the ground about 10-12" deep inside the box frame. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efQYpzNJOiE |