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Posts Tagged ‘organic garden pest control’

Roxy, one of my "kids"

In my case the kids refers to 2 dogs and 2 cats with a taste for house plants. The cats in particular are fond of anything green trying to survive indoors. But not to be outdone Roxy our precocious 3 year old Blue Heeler mix has a thing for my small grove of citrus trees. I find her munching on the leaves regularly. So when I noticed several of the citrus trees infested with spider mites… well lets just say I thought I was faced with a choice of the trees or the kids. And some times that is a tough choice to make.
 
I have grown the little trees from seeds. The seeds all came from the old fashioned method of saving seeds from fruit rather than tossing them out. Everyone told me “They will never grow” or “They will never produce fruit”. The common assumption being fruit is irradiated to kill bugs and such, so the seeds would not be viable.

I have withstood much ribbing and teasing by my spouse and friends, regarding their viability. Much to their chagrin, the seeds did sprout. In fact nearly all of the seeds sprouted and several of the little trees have flourished. These I have protected and pruned. they have become more than the little experiment that I started on.  They are still little more than tiny saplings, and consequently none have flowered, yet. Regardless they have become a symbol, of something bigger. That I was right, and they were wrong.

 Even more than the validation of my idea, they make me feel anything is possible. Very few citrus plants can grown in my region. So these little guys surviving is a symbol of hope, and survival.

The orange Grove winter home

 Attributing so much to these 7 little trees, is a bit much, and setting yourself up for heartbreak, I know. But here I am with all this hope, anticipation and everything.

 Now imagine my horror when I noticed something attacking one of the little trees. It seemed to be sucking the life out of it. Once I noticed, the infestation was quite advanced. Several of the trees were affected, and one was in dire shape indeed.

 I started the way I always do, pruning away the most affected areas. This had a minimal effect.

 So now there I was, my hope infected with mites. Could I disregard my deep sense of dislike for chemicals, to save the “orchard”? Or was there another, better way?

 I always want to use organic methods. Up until that point, I had no real nasty bugs to eliminate. So it had been easy, and I was clueless.

 I didn’t want to make the kids sick. I want to use organic methods, if possible. I want to save the little trees. So, what to do?

 The internet is an amazing tool. After a few minutes of research I found a whole host of solutions, and in that search I located a site that has become a lifeline, Arbico Organics.

 For the past 30 years Arbico Organics has been producing and marketing natural products for organic homes, businesses, lawns, gardens, farms and pets. They had several products that work for the problem I was faced with.

 Since purchasing the  spray for my little trees, I have not noticed any recurrence of spider mites. The trees again look healthy. And none of the kids seems to have had the slightest ill effects. I am hopeful that after 2 or 3 more growing seasons they will finally flower, but if they just survive that long I will be proud. For now they are a nice little edition to our deck in summer, and our guestroom in winter.

About the Author: Christian Hammer is a self proclaimed Serial Entrepreneur, inventor and green advocate. His website, www.mindzle.com is a resource for people who are wanting to live a more sustainable life, but don’t necessarily know how to get started, or are worried about how they can afford it. He tries to lead by example, with a wide variety of projects, ideas and how-to’s.

Organic Garden Pest Control
By David Karlson

Organic garden pest control is the safest and the easiest way to hold good control over a lot of creepy creatures that you assume as a part of your daily diet. The best thing about Organic garden pest control is that it does not interfere with the natural arrangement of your garden.

Most people think that practicing organic gardening will help them to gain good control over pest. No, this is not so. It is equally important to focus on pest control.

These days a lot of farmers are aware of the harmful effects of chemical sprays on their plants. Hence, they are shifting towards Organic garden pest control. Here, they require protecting their garden plants via minimizing the use of chemical methods.

Here is what you need to know about controlling pests without any chemical use. Any organic garden pest control mixture will include the following and work in the way mentioned below:

Smell: Strong odors of fish, garlic, rhubarb, tobacco many strong odoured substances are utilized generously to keep pests away.

Soap: Most of the organic pest control sprays are made with detergents and vegetable based natural soaps. These sprays tend to stick on the plants. Most insects have a strong dislike towards these soaps and can be harmed by them.

Heat: Pests can also be burnt with chilly, salt, methylated spirits or kerosene fumes. This is one of the best ways to kill pests.

Gases or odor molecules: Most plants tend to release natural odors or consist of volatile oils. Some of the bugs may find thee repulsive. If you want to prepare your own organic pest control mixture, here is an easy recipe.

Ingredients required Amount

• Garlic bulbs Three
• Small hot chili peppers Six large or 12 small
• Vegetable oil One tablespoon
• Liquid detergent One desert spoon
• Water Seven cups

Preparation Method:

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend well. Now pour the mixture into muslin cloth and strain. You may also use a coffee filter for the same.

Now pour the mixture into a spray bottle so as to use. You can keep the rest in jars and close it tightly with a lid label the mixture well.

The mixture needs to be sprayed within short intervals. It would be best to spray within a few days until you see some sign of pests. This mixture will efficiently repel a lot of pets coming into your garden including gophers, rabbits, woodchucks and pests such as ants, caterpillars, grubs, aphids, bugs and any small creepy creature that tends to disturb your garden environment.

Some tips on spraying organic pest control sprays:

1. Do not spray on plants during hot weather. This may burn the leaves
2. Use of natural soap is better than detergent based soaps to keep the plants unaffected.
3. You may use just a dash of detergent in order to provide some stickiness.

We have done a lot of research on Organic gardening. Organic garden pest control is a serious concern amongst gardeners. Visit our site today for more information.

http://www.thegardeningorganic.com/
By M. Applebaum

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Karlson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Organic-Garden-Pest-Control&id=1712935