When you roll out the red carpet in your garden for the butterflies, birds and bees, you have to be extra careful about how you manage the rest of the insects milling about your landscape. Most are harmless – and many are probably beneficial – but to limit the damage to your nectar-producing plants and your host plants, you’ll have to manage a few pests. The key is only using organic and manual control methods – it’s the only way to ensure the safety of visiting wildlife.
Keep your delicate visitors safe by avoiding the use of chemicals in your garden.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Another environmentally neutral pest control method is dusting aphids from flowers and foliage with a fine brush.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
Sometimes unwanted weeds, bacteria, nematodes and fungal diseases become established in the garden soil. Solarizing the soil by covering it for 4-6 weeks with clear sheet plastic to trap the sun’s heat and deeply warm the soil kills weed seeds, living organisms and most fungal spores.
Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
The best way to avoid major problems from the start is to check on your plants regularly and give them excellent care. Plant each species in small groups in several different beds – divided plantings help limit pest populations. Water and fertilize regularly to keep your plants in peak condition. Perform quick, weekly garden inspections. That way, you’ll be sure to notice any new insects or diseases that might pop up. Plant diseases often appear right after an insect infestation. If you do find pests, step in and take action right away before plants become defoliated or stunted or the problem spreads.
Control is easier if you know your pests’ habits – slugs and snails, for example, emerge at night and remain until early morning. You can handpick them and crush them underfoot, or place them in a “killing jar” containing dilute denatured ethyl alcohol or soapy water mixed with household ammonia. For insects, wash infested plants with a strong stream of plain water from the garden hose. You also can introduce beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles, lacewings and praying mantises, which feed on many insect pests.
For infestations that continue after handpicking and washing, either accept your minor loss of plant foliage; use a solution of insecticidal soap to spot-treat identified pest eggs, grubs or adults; or apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) directly to the target pest as a spot application using a cotton swab. Avoid widespread application of soaps or Bt, however, as it’ll also harm butterfly larvae and beneficial insects in your garden. And remember, even though these control products are “natural,” it’s still important to wear protective clothing and gloves. And always carefully read and follow all label directions completely and exactly.
As with pests, forethought is the best defense against disease. Avoid practices that encourage fungal disease, like watering late in the day or overhead watering that splashes plant foliage. Be sure to note when diseases first appear, and pick your fight. You might ignore mildew on lilacs for instance – it’s pretty much a fact of life. You can prune off affected limbs, being sure to disinfect your pruning shears by dipping them into a dilute rubbing alcohol solution mixed with water and household bleach after each cut. (But if a plant comes down with incurable mosaic virus, it’s time to get rid of it!)
Whatever you do, if you want a garden that attracts wildlife, you must stay away from using harsh chemical controls! If a plant problem gets too unmanageable, it may be better to remove the plant completely, along with the pest, rather than bombard your garden with pesticides that can harm the wildlife you’re working so hard to bring into your garden. Vigilance really is your best weapon against damaging pests and disease. It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s work well-worth it. What better way is there to enjoy your garden than strolling through it and taking in the beauty of every leaf and blooming flower – along with the butterflies?
