Pests, Pollinators and a Living Fence

There is nothing more magical and fulfilling than growing your own garden…. until the uninvited guests show up. I am not talking about the surprise visit from relatives or friends that plan to stay; enjoying your hospitality and feasting on your harvests. That is what gardener’s love to do! I’m referring to the garden pests that think you have planted breakfast, lunch and dinner just for them! There are so many different pests that sometimes it can feel overwhelming, however if you have followed my previous articles for planting a kitchen garden, then a good defense is already in place. This includes location providing plenty of sunlight, convenience from the house for regular tending and watering, and intensive planting to protect the soil adding herbs that repel pests and flowers that attract pollinators.

 

There are many online recommendations and well-marketed products promising a quick fix to our pest problems, but don’t give into them. Remember, we are growing our own gardens for a reason; to maintain soil and plant health without chemicals or synthetic fertilizers. That is the garden to table lifestyle! A kitchen garden is organically grown working with nature and natural methods which may take a little extra effort but is well worth it.

 

The first defense against pests is YOU. Since your kitchen garden is close to your backdoor or in my case my front yard, a quick daily visit to harvest the contribution for the next meal allows you to keep an eye on things, preventing any small problem from becoming a big problem. For example, take a few extra minutes to trellis up the tomato vine, prune damaged leaves, add extra worm castings or kelp fertilizer and gauge the need for water.   

 

Here are a few other suggestions for growing without pesticides:

1.     Plant pollinator plants in the beds such as Zinnias, Snapdragon, Globe Amaranth and Marigold to attract the bees and beneficial insects.

2.     Herbs are a great deterrent to several variety of pests so plant them all around the edges of your garden beds.

3.     Chives, oregano and rosemary repel slugs, aphids, cabbage worms and mosquitoes.

4.     Sage is good for repelling cabbage moths, flea beetles and carrot rust fly.

5.     Plant marigolds and calendula in the beds as trap crops to distract the pests such as cabbage worms and asparagus beetles. Nasturtium is another excellent trap crop for aphids which I plant on a corner of the beds since they can grow quite large.

6.     Prune away any leaves touching the ground or affected by pests.

7.     Grow vertically on trellises as much as possible. This promotes airflow, keeps plants off the ground and reduces rot.

8.     Add compost often to keep plants happy and healthy.

9.     Cover crops such as cabbage and lettuce with netting or light cloth like wedding veil to keep pests out.

10.  Make garlic spray as an insect repellent. Blend 3 bulbs of garlic, 1 quart of water and a drop of dish soap, apply once a week.

 

For the larger pests such as squirrels, rabbits and deer, larger measures may be necessary to keep them at bay. Some gardeners have the means to install 8-foot fencing to surround the garden. However, there is another option that works with nature, which is planting a living fence. What is a living fence, you may ask? It is a 3 to 4-foot-wide border around your garden, tightly planted with loads of native plants that repel pests and attract pollinators. Plant a variety of native grasses, bushes and flowering pollinator plants; mix in a few evergreens for winter interest. The use of native perennial plants works as the first line of defense and will be there year after year. They also tolerate the winter weather and are easy to maintain. Here is a starter list that I have used: Rudbeckia, Yarrow, Baptisia, Salvia, Echinacea, Coreopsis, Bee Balm, Big Blue Stem grass and Boxwood.

Pests are part of a gardener’s life so take every defensive measure using work-with-nature-organic-methods, remembering the best defense is a good offense. For more information check the Goodenergygarden.com website or contact me at goodenergygarden@gmail.com