Natural Pesticides

When it comes to gardening the natural way a big source of concern for a lot of people is keeping their plants free of pests and disease without the use of harsh chemicals or toxic fertilizers. Many people believe that if you don’t use store-bought chemicals or pesticides then you simply wont be able to keep your plants healthy and free from bugs or diseases but this just isn’t the case. There are plenty of natural pesticides and methods of keeping bugs and disease from taking over your garden that will work just fine and won’t coat your plants in chemicals so you’ll be able to be kind to the environment (which in this case is your garden) and you’ll be able to eat your crops (if you decide to plant any) without worrying about what kind of chemicals they’re covered in.

One of the best ways of keeping naughty little insects away that will eat your plants is actually with other insects. It sounds like a bit of a contradiction - I mean after all don’t you want the bugs to leave, not bring more of their friends? But the key here is to choose the right insects to keep your garden doing well. Keeping insects around such as some praying mantises and ladybugs can do a great deal of good for your plants as they will eat other insects that might want to feast on your garden.

Another method is that of companion planting. Companion planting consists of choosing plants that work well with each other and deter certain diseases or pests in other plants and then planting them fairly close to each in a checkerboard sort of fashion which can help keep certain bugs away. Many people also surround their garden with onions, garlic, and various herbs as a natural way of keeping various pests out. This type of planting won’t always keep pest invasions away but it can certainly help prevent them and it can reduce the likelihood of diseases as well.

Another great way to prevent pests is to use natural sprays to keep bugs away. There are some sprays you can buy in stores that are marketed as being natural but I prefer just to make my own at home - it’s easier, less expensive, and that way you can be sure you know what’s going in them. A great one is to mix a few cups of water with some orange juice, some lemon juice, and some chili pepper or garlic and let it sit overnight and mix together. This spray is helpful for keeping away most soft-bodied insects (the spray will burn and sting them because of the acidity or the heat in it) and, if you choose to put chili pepper in it, it can also be helpful against some hard-bodied insects. You can also place peels of citrusy fruits like lemons and oranges around your garden to deter larger animals such as cats or certain rodents from entering into your garden.

There are many more little tricks and recipes available like this if you just take the time to seek some of them out and give them a try.