Tips & Hints

Is there any way to reduce garden pests without resorting to toxic pesticides?

Build healthy garden soil that contains enough organic matter and the righ nutrients. The healthier the plant, the better it can resist attack by disease and insects.

Nontoxic pesticides include hroticultural soaps and oils; diatomaceous earth is a supereffective bug weapon that is safe for humans, animals, and watersheds.

Ladybugs, purchasable by the box at nurseries, are garden predators whose favorite food include some of the most pernicious pests.

Know your insects; some may not be all that harmful to your plants, so there may be little reason for wholesale slaughter.