I'm trying to think of a pest or disease I haven't contended with. Okay, that's a little dramatic given this is California. Our weather is ideal, and when compared to other states, we're practically considered pest-free. But we do have our share.
The ones I hate the most are the tomato horn worms, which come at me like this in my dreams:
Well, not seriously. But that's how they seem when I unexpectedly find one in my tomato vines or pole beans. They'll do devastation if you don't control them, and they are only one of many things that can ruin a good garden.
I'm a big believer in organic gardening. Not only for the environment, but because I have more success when I work with nature instead of fighting against it. But understand that organic gardening is all about prevention. You'll have a hard time fighting back pests and diseases if you do nothing before the pests arrive. So the best offense is a good defense, and that starts with:
- Rich, fertile soil
- Healthy, quality plants
- Varieties suitable to the area
- Varieties suitable to the season
- Plenty of sun
You can't plant shitty Walmart greenhouse plants in a pot of last year's dirt and think you can fertilize and pesticide your way to prosperity. But even the healthiest starts can use a little boost.
Here's my arsenal:
- Plant rotation: Unless it's a perennial like artichokes and strawberries, I never plant the same thing in the same spot two years in a row. Many fungus varieties are soil borne and will stay in the soil long after you've pulled the plant. Fungus also tends to like certain vegetables, so if it's hanging out over the winter waiting for you to plant those yummy tomatoes again, dupe it by planting green beans there instead. It'll die off for lack of a host. (This is also a good idea to keep your soil from being depleted of the same nutrients every year, since different plants take different nutrients out of the soil).
- Drip watering: As mentioned, many fungus varieties come from soil, and they will harmlessly stay in the soil as long as you aren't splashing them up onto the leaves of your plants. Aphid defense aside (which I'll talk about below), you never want to water your veggies from above, leaving your plants dripping and dotted with splashed-up dirt. A simple soaker hose or drip is best, and you can buy inexpensive hose attachments (many with timers!) that can be used for even the smallest in-ground or container gardens.
- Thinning: Tomatoes especially can get dense and bushy, making them susceptible to trapping our foggy morning moisture. When my plants get dense, I occasionally thin them out as they grow, removing some leaves from the center of the plants so they maintain air flow. Though be careful! Those leaves will also shade your tomatoes on hot days, preventing sun scald, so you want to focus on only thinning out the center, without removing the outer branches that are shading your fruit. I also thin out squash plants and vines when they get too unruly, and you definitely want to cut and discard older zucchini leaves if they're starting to turn yellow and moldy.
- Neem and Copper Fungicide: Every spring I take a gallon pump sprayer and mix a potion of Neem & Copper Fungicide. These are both considered organic and won't harm you or the good bugs in your garden. (Though if I do see friendlies out there while I'm spraying, I try to shoo them away.) I typically wait until my plants are established and beginning to grow (maybe a foot or so) before I start spraying, and I usually concentrate on tomatoes and squash, which are most susceptible to fungus and pests. I'll do this once every 4-6 weeks during the growing season from about May through July, so we are only talking about a few applications a season. Fungus, in general, is a classic situation where prevention matters, as once it sets in, this mixture may slow it down a bit, but will rarely cure it.
Caterpillars and Hornworms:
These are about the only pests where I'll wait for signs before I spray. They start as eggs laid by those pretty white butterflies (moths, actually) that float around and land on your plants. And spraying the eggs does nothing. You really have to wait for them to hatch into caterpillars, and when they do, I find Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) extremely effective in killing them off before they do much damage. You find Bt in the stores under the label "Caterpillar Killer" and I've had a container of Safer brand in my shed for years. Mix it in a pump or hand sprayer and spray at the first sign of trouble. Because it only kills pests that actually eat the plants, this won't harm any bugs that are just hanging out enjoying the sun. Again, though, I typically try to avoid spraying things like bees, so when I do spray, it's in the morning before they're active.
Cucumber Beetles:
Do you ever see ladybugs in your garden but they're green? That's because they're cucumber beetles, and they especially love my pole beans. To a certain extent, I simply let them share. They eat holes in the leaves and suck spots in some of my beans, and as long as they don't get greedy, I let them be. When they do get out of hand, I've found the only way to get rid of them organically is to just pick them off the plant and squash them. And it's surprisingly effective. You'll find them more often when it's cool--in the morning or evening--as they tend to hide in the shadows when it gets hot. They are slow and quite trusting. I can often catch them in my hand or carefully pluck the leaf they're sitting on, set it on the ground and then step on it. I was surprised how well this works in keeping them at bay, because in my yard, they don't show up in large numbers. I only need to squash 2-3 cucumber beetles a couple times a season to stay ahead of them.
Aphids:
I have a rainbow of aphids in my garden, from the classic green to gray to black and even some red. They are the bane of my existence, and because of them, there are some plants, such as chives, that I've almost given up on. I find aphids extremely difficult to eradicate entirely, but I have found some things that help:
- Petunias - for some reason, when I started planting petunias I stopped having aphids on my squash. At first I thought it was a fluke, but I'm now into about Year 5 of petunias and it's still working.
- Water - when aphids do show up, the best way to rid them is to spray them off your plants. Most get stuck in the mud and die. This is something you'll have to do often, though, as they come right back every few days.
- Timing - I find aphids are more prevalent in the warm summer months. So if your short-season veggies like lettuces and chard get eaten alive in June, try an earlier spring or later fall planting instead.
- Explore alternate varieties - I had no idea there was such a thing as aphid-resistant lettuce until I stumbled on it in a seed catalog. Apparently, Chinese Garlic Chives are also supposed to be resistant to aphids, so I intend to try those next year.
People have also used insecticidal soap that you can purchase or make DIY. And while I won't dismiss that as an option--even have some in my shed--it's never worked well for me, even when applied after a good water spray gets the bulk of them. But that is an option if all else fails and you're trying to save a plant.
Inviting The Good Bugs:
I always sigh a little when I see people talk about buying a jar of ladybugs to come eat the aphids that have set up shop. The problem with relying on this method alone is the ladybugs will eat the aphids then leave when most are gone, leaving your garden defenseless when the aphid army rebuilds. And that happens fast! Fun Fact: A newly born aphid becomes a reproducing adult within about a week and then can produce up to 5 offspring per day for up to 30 days! Do the math and ask how many ladybugs you want to buy every year.
Instead of buying beneficials, I try plant things that will naturally bring them around and--most importantly--keep them with you all year.
I found this great list of plants that attract ladybugs from a site called BalconyGardenWeb. Many flowers and herbs on the list not only bring around ladybugs, but other beneficial insects that will help you out. Which is the primary reason you want to keep to an organic garden. Sprays that kill bugs will kill ALL the bugs, including the ones on your side. And in my opinion, working against nature is the quickest way to fail at gardening.
I also add sunflowers and marigolds, artichokes, and sweet alyssum.
Nasturtiums are another staple, as they self-sow everywhere. And when I say everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE.
So while you're planning out next year's garden, make sure you leave space for flowers. They'll not only help you be successful, but they're just darned pretty:
