Are you fed up with those pesky bugs invading your home? Are you worried about the potential health risks of using chemical repellents? If you’re looking for natural solutions that work, this article is for you!
We’ll show you how to exterminate common household pests without harsh chemicals.
Whether you’re a food lover, growing your own backyard full or food or are a homeowner looking to get rid of the pesky bugs; this article is worth a read.
In my today’s blog; I’m going to give you guys my 10 top organic ways to control pests in your food garden.
Let’s get into it.
Fortunately, there are several effective natural and non-toxic pest control solutions available for dealing with common pests like ants and cockroaches or an ant exterminator near me.
Using soapy water spray
The first pest control method that I will put to the test is the dish soap spray method. I can’t tell you how many times over the years people have said to me, “Why are you using those pesticides? It doesn’t.
You’re wasting your time. You’re wasting your money.
You don’t need to use them.
All you have to use is soap and water, and that will kill the pests instantly.”
So, to try that, I’m going to use this non-antibacterial dish soap.
You can take a spray bottle and have filtered water that you can take right out of your fridge filter to be fair.
Try to pour a little bit of dish soap in there, probably about a teaspoon’s worth.
Make sure to shake it up really well because you want to make sure that it gets really nice and sudsy.
This is all suds on the top. To make absolute sure that we get nice soapy discharge from the spray bottle, It’s really nasty soap. So that is as soapy as you get right there.
So, just take the soapy water and spray it on to the bugs.
Neem Oil
The second remedy for pest control is one that every organic gardener seems to talk about, and that is neem oil.
Now, neem oil is different from neem extract that they sell in lawn and garden stores, which is largely a scam.
The thing that makes the neem oil so toxic to insects is as a directin which you only find in the pure cold pressed neem oil itself, not the extract.
You can take a spray bottle meticulously cleaned out. Now a lot of recipes say that you should emulsify the neem oil in soap because the soap will help bind it to the water obviously we are not going to do that now that I saw how incredibly toxic regular dish soap is so that would ruin the integrity of the liquid we’re just going to place the neem oil directly into this water bottle and I’m going to drop one dropper full into this 20 ounce bottle of water.
Healthy Plants
Pests like to target sick or dying plants because that’s the way they’re programmed to by nature. It’s nature’s way to clean up old plants and recycle.
Yes, of course, pests will attack healthy plants too. However, I’ll elaborate more about this in some of the other points later. But it is true, if you keep your plants healthy by feeding them appropriate amounts of fertilizer and trace elements, and growing them in good soil with the right amount of water, healthy plants will get hit less often than weaker plants.
Poultry
Chickens and ducks can be excellent at controlling pests around the property or the home garden. Chickens are a good clean-up bird to prepare garden beds for the next season, but they can be destructive so I wouldn’t give them free range in the vegetable garden when it’s growing.
But wandering through an orchard or around the property, chickens can be an excellent bug catcher. When hens scratch the ground, they dig up and eat pupating pests like fruit fly that mature under the soil surface before flying out as adults to sting fruit and veg.
So having a few chickens around can help reduce pests overall and break the life cycle of bad bugs. And I’ve recently found out that ducks like eating stink bugs such as citrus bugs and especially seek out the baby ones, the nymphs. So that could be very handy in the orchard.
They love slugs and snails too. Also, ducks don’t dig as much as chickens making them less damaging in the garden.
Habitat
In my opinion, one of the reasons that farmers need to use pesticides is because they grow one big large crop and pests are naturally attracted to a glut of produce.
Nature often tries to correct imbalances by counteracting them to bring numbers back to manageable levels. Organic farmers are discovering that diversity of habitat is a strength and by growing a variety of produce and plants rather than one big mass of the same crop, they have fewer problems with pests invading their property in destructive numbers.
Us backyard growers have an even bigger advantage because we don’t have the same commercial pressures to produce a whole heap of the same product. Therefore, we can grow lots of different plants at the same time and incorporate the natural landscape, native flora, and fauna to encourage good bugs and predator bugs into the garden and other beneficial animals too like birds.
Creating a more natural habitat on your property is the best way to keep nature balanced and happy. Companion planting is another great way to naturally repel pests. For example, planting basil alongside tomatoes.
But I must admit I’m not one to consider which plant is best planted with another one for that type of effect. Instead, we don’t have a dedicated herb area.
We prefer to grow our herbs in the regular vegetable patch because we’ve found that scattering our herbs around the vegetable garden and orchard not only adds to the diversity of plants, they also help to keep pests away from our property.
Organic Sprays
Now, I’ve just talked about using natural means to control pests in the garden so this is going to sound a little controversial and contradictory really and I get that.
But let me just say that using the habitat in my last point really does work wonders and we rarely ever have to use sprays even organic ones in our garden.
However, there are times when pests will still hit your valuable crops in numbers that are difficult to control through manual or natural ways. When this happens, what can we do?
Well, there are organic sprays and remedies that can be used to control pests in your food garden without harming other animals or ourselves.
For example, you can easily make a very effective pest oil spray at home by mixing two cups of cooking oil with one cup of dishwashing liquid and then use about a tablespoon of this mix per liter in a spray bottle.
Spray over scale, aphids, leaf miner, and even some mites and it will smother rather than poison the insect. Another quick remedy is a ring of Vaseline around the base of a plant that’s getting attacked by aphids or scale.
And what this does is stop ants from climbing up to protect the aphids from its natural predators. See, the ants protect the aphids and scale and in return, these pests feed the ants a sweet honey secretion.
Stop the ants and the pests find it harder to survive. Of course, you can also buy pesto oils and other organic certified sprays like garlic or chili concentrate and pyrethrum which is a pest spray made from the daisy plant.
However, just keep in mind that pyrethrum will kill good bugs too like bees so use it sparingly and target the pests at a time when the plants aren’t flowering or when pollinating insects are not around. I’ll give you a quick example.
Our olive trees got infested with olive lace bug and I tried everything over the past two years from pruning the trees back to giving them extra fertilizer but the bugs kept defoliating the trees to a point where they would die if I didn’t act.
So I sprayed with pyrethrum and now the trees are recovering well. Having said that, let me reiterate the importance of only using organically certified sprays as a last resort in the garden.
Bio Bugs
I wanted to mention bio bugs even though I haven’t used them myself yet. Buying good bugs and setting them free in the home garden is becoming a viable option for everyday people and not just organic greenhouse farmers or scientists.
With just a click of a mouse, you can buy good bugs online such as predatory mites that eat bad mites, ladybirds that eat aphids, and miniature wasps that eat caterpillars.
It can seem a little expensive to buy however, a few releasings of good bugs into your garden might just give your habitat the boost it needs to get the baddies back under control and return nature’s balance without using horrible chemicals that are indiscriminate.
Exclusion
Using nets or bags are one of the best ways to keep pests away from our produce but it can also be expensive, time-consuming, and eyesore and not always practical in the home garden.
Nevertheless, netting whole trees or garden beds is effective against birds and most small animals. Insect netting is also excellent at protecting crops from pests and it’s the only sure organic way I have found to stop fruit fly from infesting our stone fruits and apples.
Making a DIY frame for exclusion netting is easy. Get some 25 mil irrigation hose and about half a dozen stakes that are thin enough for the hose to slide over. Place the stakes in the ground and cut the hose to size. If the frame needs to be stronger, tape a few of the crossovers together. Then cover with your net and hold in place with some clamps or pegs.
Bagging fruit is also a good way to protect it and bananas are a good example for us because if we don’t bag them the flying foxes will have a feast. I’ve had mixed results with bags like these to be honest, say to go over the avocado here but bagging can work and I have had good results with mangoes by using fiberglass netting so not even the possums could rip it off.
Ants: The Tiny Troublemakers
Ants are one of the most common household bugs that can be a nuisance. They are tiny, social insects that live in colonies or nests and can be found almost anywhere in the world. Despite their small size, ants can be resilient pests to eliminate once they invade your home. A trail of ants marching across your kitchen counter or floor is unsightly and can be frustrating.
Effective Ant Control Methods
One effective way to deter ants is by using essential oils such as peppermint or tea tree oil. Mix a few drops of either of these oils with water and spray the solution around the areas where you have seen ants. Alternatively, sprinkle cinnamon powder near ant-infested areas as it exterminates and sends them packing. Prevention is vital when getting rid of ants naturally.
Say Goodbye to Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are common household pests that can cause discomfort and irritation. An effective natural remedy for bed bugs is diatomaceous earth. Another natural remedy is essential oils such as lavender, tea tree, and peppermint oil. Apart from these remedies, regular cleaning and decluttering of your home can also help to prevent a bed bug infestation.
Fleas and Ticks: Persistent Pests
Fleas and ticks are household pests that can be challenging to eliminate. One natural way to get rid of fleas is by using diatomaceous earth. For ticks, essential oils such as lavender or peppermint can help repel them.
Cockroaches: Stubborn Invaders
Cockroaches can be incredibly stubborn to eliminate. An excellent method to repel them is using boric acid or diatomaceous earth. These substances will kill and send them packing in no time.
Mosquitoes: Summer Nuisances
Mosquitoes are the most annoying household bugs that can ruin a perfect summer evening. Planting mosquito-repelling plants or using essential oils like citronella or eucalyptus oil can help repel them.
Meal Moths: Pantry Pests
Meal moths, also known as pantry moths, are common household pests that can infest your dry goods and pantry items. Pheromone traps and bay leaves are effective natural solutions.
Spiders: Fear Factor
Spiders can cause fear and panic for many people. Essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, or lavender oil can help keep them away from your home. Vinegar also serves as a natural spider repellent.
Dealing with Termites
Termites are one of the most dreaded pests that can infest a household. Orange oil and neem oil are effective natural solutions for controlling termite infestations. Prevention is key when dealing with termites.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, natural and non-toxic pest control solutions offer effective alternatives to chemical pesticides for dealing with common insects like ants and cockroaches. By utilizing methods such as diatomaceous earth, essential oils, vinegar, boric acid, silicone caulk, and plant-based repellents, homeowners can effectively control pests without compromising their health or the environment. Whether you’re seeking the best pest control for cockroaches in Oakland, these natural solutions provide safe and sustainable options for pest management.
