Natural Pest Control for Small Farms

Small farmers have a lot of different things to worry about. A sudden freeze when newly planted seeds and sprouts can be devastating to their crops. The same is true for too much rain or too little of it. They must also worry about a rapid increase in insects. However, most farms, and homesteads, prefer to avoid using chemicals or pesticides on crops, fearing that it will cause more damage than good. Instead of pest control chemicals, many have begun to discover the effectiveness of natural pest control for small farms.

Damage Bugs Cause

There is no denying it. Bugs are all around us. For a gardener, not all of them are bad, but many of them are. There are some bugs that may linger around the garden, simply to eat the bugs that are bad for plants. They are a farmer’s best friend. Chemicals and pesticides would get rid of each type, and most farmers don’t want that. The worst bugs for a garden include aphids, corn earworms, tomato hornworms, vine borers, cucumber beetles, and many others. They use your plant as food, often killing it or eating the fruit that it may produce. Then, you must also think about the moisture content of your garden, and the unsavory creatures that are going to be drawn to it. This includes mosquitoes and no-see-ums. Even if they do not directly affect the crops, you may still want them gone in order to avoid being uncomfortable while you pull weeds or collect the fruit of your labor.

Naturally Keep Bad Pests Away

Naturally Deter Insects

If aphids are attacking your garden, you can use a dish soap and water solution. Simply spray it on your plants and aphids will move out immediately. If you have a garden that is filled with ants, you can sprinkle cayenne pepper on the ground. Watering will wash it away so you may want to invest in a fair amount, but it will be worth it. It also keeps cats out of the garden where they may go in search of a litter box. A good all-round natural pesticide is diatomaceous earth. Epsom salt sprinkled around plants will run off insects and help the plant’s roots to become healthier.

If you are searching for plants that can help you, you can choose marigolds, chrysanthemums, lavender, mint, basil, and more. Citronella grass is also useful for keeping mosquitoes out and will naturally reduce noseeums. This means it will benefit you as well as your garden.

Watch Your Garden Grow Healthy

Citronella

Part of the enjoyment of growing a garden is being able to watch it flourish and provide you with fruit and vegetables. Your enjoyment should not be diminished because of a bug infestation, whether it is insects that bother you or kill your plants. By knowing tricks that you can use to naturally eliminate them, you can avoid the issue of, “to spray or not to spray” and simply enjoy knowing you are providing a healthy place for your garden to grow. Naturally.