Pest Prevention –Long Term

Plant 10% extra.  Anticipate that 100% will not succeed.  Share that 10% with the wildlife instead of calling it a loss.  

Develop an attitude of prevention; avoid an attitude of “Bug Hysteria” and a mindset of combat and warfare.

• Don't spread pests or disease. Use horticultural sanitation.

• Use buy seed potatoes that are Certified Clean.  This means they are disease-free.

• Consider buying vegetable seed treated with hot water to reduce bringing in residual disease.

• Think before you import compost materials, hay, or soil—you may be bringing pests, weeds, or disease with these.  

• Inspect, quarantine, observe, and treat if there is a hitch-hiker pest.

A pest in high numbers indicates an imbalance.  Find out and correct whatever is attracting the pest, such as high pH, inadequate soil moisture, too much nitrogen, too much humidity, mineral disproportion, or mineral deficiency.

Rotate crops each season, especially cole crops and potatoes if they have scab problems.

Choose disease-resistant and pest-tolerant varieties of seed.

Plant several varieties of each vegetable, grain, flower, and fruit for genetic diversity.

Confuse pests by inter-planting vegetables, herbs, flowers.  Avoid mono-cropping.

Utilize repellent plants and other types of companion plants

Utilize trap crops (i.e. a crop sacrificed to collect pests rather that eat)

Nurture a diverse ecosystem. Improve habitat for a wide variety of insects, birds, and other beneficial predators.  This attracts natural pest enemies.

Add compost/compost tea.  Apply compost 1/2" deep each year.  Apply compost tea as drench and foliar addition during growing season.

Do a soil test and apply amendments recommended.  Prevent mineral deficiencies and provide balanced soil fertility.  When N, P, Ca, K are out-of-proportion, this can attract pests.

Check for hardpan and other drainage problems

Avoid “Ice Melter” and road salt near garden beds and lawn; the concentrated salts are very damaging to greenery.

Remove habitat and cover for pests.

Cultivate to bury pests’ eggs.   Or mulch heavily to smother eggs and weeds. 

In Short, Ask…

“What are the factors that are contributing to the pest situation?”

“What may be out of balance that is encouraging the pest?”