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January 06, 2009, 04:10:08 AM

Permaculture Forums | substance | organic practices | Topic: Natural Gardening No Pests

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Natural Gardening No Pests

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Charley Hoke
Posts: 66

July 17, 2008, 09:03:46 AM

In the 5 years since we started our organic garden we have had very little problems with pests. We do not use any sprays, pesticides, herbicides, or any other type of cides. Yet our biggest problem with pests is from Japanese Beetles, they love our green beans.

Funny thing, my neighbor who is about 200 yards away uses chemical cides and fertilizers every year, the deer and birds decimate his garden and blueberries. One year he told me the deer came through one night and ate all the leaves off of his green bean plants, the next night they come through and ate the beans.

I often see deer tracks in and around our garden but they never destroy anything and eat very little, if any. Same with raccoons, although one year they did destroy our corn patch. I do notice birds in the blueberries but there is always plenty for us to pick.

Some have suggested we don't have problems with these critters because we have dogs, my neighbor also has dogs so I'm not sure this is it. My friend Tony who lives with us and is the primary caretaker of the garden now, suggest that it is because we are all natural and we send good vibes to the critters. We really don't mind the critters having a snack as they pass through.

Interested on what your thoughts on this are and if you have similar experiences.


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Leah Sattler
Administrator
Posts: 784

oklahoma

July 18, 2008, 05:07:18 AM

the biggest pests in my garden are my chickens! no really, I have used a pesticide twice in my garden in 7 years that was three years ago. that was for squash bugs that were systematically moving through and destroying my canteloupe and for some kind as of yet unidentifiable beetle plague that was defoliating my tomato patch. the chickens are actually helpfull in many ways because they get the bugs.

strange about the japanese beetles for you . I have tons of them here. They swarm late in the year over the fescue but they never touch my garden. I have found that if I use my trusty dust buster diligently to suck up squash and potato beetles early in the year I can back off a little and it isn't a problem later.

some things I have noticed.

Gardens in urban areas have many more pest problems. I think it is due too a disturbance of natural predator prey populations as well as more enviromental contamination of the soil and air and the higher likelihood of gardeners to use chemical fertilizers.

Although many people appreciate the aesthetic qualities of neat little rows of plants they really do much better if they are randomly planted in the garden. Pests and diseases have a more difficult time moving through the garden to desimate it. This makes it a bit less efficent as far as grouping similiar plants with similiar needs but with a little thought your "random" planting can have some logical pattern that incorporates both schools of thought.

Any time you choose to plant alot of anything you are offsetting the balance of the garden and inviting a particular pest(s) to flourish by providing and over ubandance of their favorite food and likely an increase in their populations the following year. variety is your gardens friend.

Pests have a cycle covering years just like other animals such as deer. populations surge in years of abundance, begin to fail when population outnumber resources (this is when they become destructive) and level off again for a while. This is another reason why it is important to have a variety of plants in your garden.

people who really depend on the garden for sustenance (as in can't go out and replace desimated crops with store bought items) are a little more lenient in the pesticide department. thoughtful sustenance gardeners search for the root of the problem to fix it but in the mean time do what they have to do to feed their family and I withold judgment in those situations. do the best you can imo.


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Put a bit of sunshine in each day;
Others need its cheer and so do you-
Need it most when outer sky's dull gray
Leaves the sunshine-making yours to do.
-"scatter sunshine" Jaunita Stafford

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