Organic Gardening Tips

I have an indoor garden where these tiny little gnats seem to spring forth like wild-flowers after a long rainy winter from the soil of my plants. I have a few yellow fly strips up, however, after about a week and a few hundred flies later, they stop having any space left for more flies!

I have tried nematodes and ladybugs, however those are very expensive require lots of work. My indoor garden, because of where I live, is going to be prone to these bugs no matter what I do.

I have a small outdoor garden where spiders have taken residence and seem to keep my bug problem at bay, and I have had MUCH experience with spiders and how beneficial they can be as predators. I always leave 2-3 in or around my house or garage that are out of reach to keep my bug problems at bay. (we all have flies, face it…)

Is there a "safe" species of spider that I can introduce into my very small indoor garden that will keep the bug problem at bay? Can a "safe" sepcies be kept under control?

Curious answers, I agree with some, not with others. (also a degreed horticulturist)

There is no one general pest control method. For example, the insecticidal soap works great on soft bodied insects, but not the hard shelled. Plus the soap can severely harm certain plants. Horticultural oil works by smothering insects, but once again, can harm certain plants. Neem is selective, diatomaceous earth is selective, pyrethrum isn't all that safe (even if it is from nature….so is tobacco/nicotine and nicotine is extremely toxic and no longer available for pest control. Get the idea? Same thing with predatory/beneficial insects; they are selective and with pray mantids, they eat all the other bugs including fellow family members.

The answer……….use a multiple approach, what we call integrated pest management. First know what your pest problems are, learn how to treat each (hopefully there will be something that will work on many, be prepared to have multiple pest control options running at the same time. For example, the yellow sticky traps, make your own out of bright yellow plastic, coat with a sticky substance and when filled with pest, scrape them off and put the boards back out. Release parasitic wasps, use beneficial nematodes if you have large container plantings, use insectidial soap where appropriate, oil elsewhere, Neem, etc. By alternating treatments you keep the pests from developing a resistance. Also…….have a look at your growing environment. Is it such that you have breeding areas for these pests and through good cleanliness and techniquest you can eliminate many of these pests before they reach your plants?

Related Reading:

Organic Gardening: Tips For Every Season Of The Year

Good Ideas 7-Cubic-Foot Compost Wizard Jr.

The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener's Handbook: Make the Most of Your Growing Season

Sid the Science Kid How Do Plants Grow?

Norpro 1 Gallon Ceramic Compost Keeper, White

Preferably stuff that I can make at home.

For aphids, you can mix a tiny bit of dish soap in water and spray it on them. For many insects, a strong spray of water from your hose will knock them off as well.

I use white vinegar and water to kill ants, and I assume it would repel them if it didn't evaporate.

Search for "companion planting" on the web and you'll find other PLANTS you can plant nearby to repel insects, like marigolds. I also plant radishes nearby other veggies because some insects like them much better and will eat them and leave the other veggies alone. You can also plant beneficial plants to encourage a pest's predator to hang out near your plants (again, search "companion planting").

ex. –

http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/vegetables/vcomp.asp

Related Reading:

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible (10th Anniversary Edition)

From The Back Acres, A Humorous Guide to Organic Gardening

Organic Gardening: Tips For Every Season Of The Year

Fiskars 9424 Garden Bucket Caddy

Fresh Flowers - Purple Dendrobium Orchids with Vase

We would like to start an organic garden this spring. I tried to grow from seed, but I am no green thumb.

Is there a place to purchase organically grown vegetable transplants?

BBC Gardener's World has an article on this in this month's edition (April 2007). They recommend www.organicplants.co.uk. That's only any use if you are in the UK of course!

I find most plants are easy to grow from seed if you start them indoors in a seed tray. You only need to keep them moist, really. Then you need to "prick them out" i.e. ease them out of the tray and transplant them on a warm, dampish day. when soil temperatures are up to at least 7 degrees Celsius. (You can't do most root veg this way, tho').

It gets easier with practice but the main thing is to read the seed packet carefully and follow the instructions – and to check the seedlings daily.

Related Reading:

Norpro 1 Gallon Ceramic Compost Keeper, White

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

Ringer 3050 Compost Plus 2 Pound Box

Gardman R687 4-Tier Mini Greenhouse

Apartment Gardening: Plants, Projects, and Recipes for Growing Food in Your Urban Home