In a harmonious permaculture organic garden, the delicate balance of nature thrives. It's a sanctuary where plants and animals coexist, supporting each other's growth while keeping pests at bay. Rather than resorting to synthetic pesticides that harm beneficial insects and disrupt the ecosystem, we prefer to harness the power of natural pest control methods. In this blog post, we will explore some effective techniques for managing common pests in a permaculture garden, while nurturing the symbiotic relationships between plants, animals, and insects. These are in order of priority and energy input needed to accomplish.
Design and Cultivate a Happy and Healthy Garden:
Healthy plants: By giving your plants rich soil and nutrients, proper amounts and sun and water, they are less likely to get stressed. Just like humans, when stressed, their immune systems are down and they are left far more vulnerable to attack. In fact, many pests won't even be attracted to healthy and happy plants. We use rich compost, worm castings, compost tea, egg shells, bone meal, and blood meal in our garden beds depending on the crops and soil needs. Tell your plants you love them, seriously, they hear you, the science on this is amazing and I encourage you to look into it if you laughed a bit and thought that was crazy. Here is an article about a fun study showing that a mushroom got excited when a friend shroom was sat next to him: https://allthatsinteresting.com/mushroom-communication
Companion planting: By planting flowers and herbs that pests do not like, you can deter them and improve the biodiversity of your garden. It looks prettier too. Great plants are basil, marigolds, and nasturtiums. You can also plant different crops next to each other if they either need what the other gives or generally like the same soil/water/nutrients. The diversity alone confuses pests.
Inspect Routinely:
This is when we transition to more energy input needs. Regular inspections of your plants for popular pests is key. Knowing what to look for based on the plant and your garden zone is important. Below I discuss what we encounter in our garden.
Tomato Hornworms: The tomato hornworm, a voracious caterpillar, can wreak havoc on tomato plants. Thankfully, nature offers a solution. Regular inspection of tomato plants helps identify these green culprits. Signs of them are stems with the leaves gone.
Once discovered, carefully remove them by hand, being cautious not to damage the plant. Instead of discarding them, consider feeding the tomato hornworms to your geese and chickens. These feathered friends will delight in the extra protein and help control the population. Come June in zone 6/7 (seriously, we are right on the border!), the hornworms are out and we spend a quick minute scanning the plants. I know some gardeners find success doing this at night with a black light because the hornworms are good at camouflaging and its easy to pass one by but I honestly prefer doing this in the daylight. This time of year, it is late by the time the sun sets and I am busy putting tiny humans in beds.
Vine Borers: This is the pest I find the most difficult to identify and remove. Vine borers are a formidable adversary to squash, cucumbers, and melons. Detecting their presence early is crucial for effective control. Look for wilting or yellowing leaves, sawdust-like frass, or entry holes near the base of the plants. If you spot any of these signs, gently slit the stem with a knife to remove the larvae. Cover the damaged part of the stem with moist soil to encourage root growth and plant recovery.
Squash Bugs: Squash bugs can rapidly multiply and devastate your cucurbit crops. Regular monitoring is key to keeping their population in check. Scan the undersides of leaves, as these pests often hide there. Know the stages of a squash bug's life. Squash bug eggs resemble small bronze or copper-colored clusters on the undersides of leaves.
Take these off and squish them. If they hatch, they have 3 lifecycles. First, they are tiny green bugs. Adolescents bugs are a dusty gray/white color and adults are dark gray/brown. Crush any squash bugs discovered to prevent them from laying eggs. I have been told that squashing them releases a scent that attracts more so you can also drown them but I have never had a problem just squishing them as soon as I find one. These take over fast, so it is critical that you do quick checks at least every other day if these pests exist in your environment. This simple act helps maintain a healthy garden ecosystem.
Ants as Aphid Alarms: Ants often have a mutualistic relationship with aphids. They feed on the sticky honeydew secreted by aphids and, in turn, protect them from natural predators. If you spot ants crawling on your plants, take it as a sign that aphids may be present. Inspect the leaves for clusters of soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects. To control aphids, encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, or use targeted interventions such as diatomaceous earth.
Sacrifice a plant: I once had a critter coming and eating a bit of cabbage every night. I left that cabbage and he left my other cabbages alone.
This does not always work but sometimes, leaving one plant as a gift to the other life forms you are sharing space with helps prevent them from taking over more of your plants. This one is harder to articulate when to do, because I would never recommend sacrificing a tomato plant to horn worms, they will proliferate and take over your entire crop if you let them. Other pests seem to have more self control so this is something to just keep in the back of your mind if you think this opportunity has arisen in your garden.
Diatomaceous Earth: This is my last resort as DE does not discriminate and can also harm beneficial insects. Diatomaceous earth, a powdery substance composed of fossilized algae, is a potent weapon against soft-bodied insects like aphids and cabbage worms. I use if I somehow missed an aphid farm and it infected a large section of a leaf or plant. I also use it on my cabbage because I can never seem to find all the worms in the folds of the plant. Signs of cabbage worms on brassicas are holes on the underside of the large leaves. They attack not just cabbage, but the family that cabbage belongs too. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth lightly on the affected plants, ensuring thorough coverage. This natural substance pierces the exoskeleton of pests, causing dehydration and ultimately eliminating them. Remember to reapply after rainfall to maintain its effectiveness.
In a permaculture organic garden, embracing natural pest control methods not only safeguards your plants but also nurtures a balanced and sustainable ecosystem. From removing tomato hornworms to squishing squash bug eggs, these techniques promote harmony between plants and provide bountiful harvests for you and your family without sacrificing your health for the conveniences traditional pesticides may appear to present. Live with and amongst nature not just in it.
If you found this inspiring, helpful, or entertaining, please share and subscribe. Leave a comment I would love to hear from you too.
A super dose of information! Thank you for taking the time to compile it all for us.