What Is A Natural Pesticide?

If you garden and do not use commercial fertilizers or any substance that improves the growth cycle and especially manufactured pesticides, you are basically doing organic gardening.

You have decided to use nature to grow your plants, vegetables and fruits. It is certainly better for the earth and if you use natural insecticides, will cost less. Using natural insecticides will improve the quality of the vegetables and fruits that you produce and you will not add any man-made chemicals to your dirt or into the air.

This does not mean that you should not wash your fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking them. You should continue this practice. You should also understand that more is not always best. There is a misconception about insecticides that if you use more the results will be quicker and last longer. This is not a good approach to have. You must examine the effects of anything you add to your soil or apply to your plants.

Do the plants react in a negative way? Is there wilting of leaves or discoloration? What harm could these insecticides cause to me, my family or our pets? If you ingest any of the insecticide what might the side effects be?

We must realize that not all insects will cause harm to our plants. Butterflies are beautiful creatures but gardeners sometimes do not appreciate their caterpillars. Honeybees can sting but without them we would not have our honey supplies.

Spider mites are the most common plant pest. They multiply very rapidly and can defoliate and kill plants. They are yellow or green colored and are very hard to see. One method of locating these pests is to tap a leaf over a piece of white paper. Look at the paper for very small moving objects. If you see them, these are pests that you want to remove.

Another very small pest is Shell Insects. Often these appear as a bump on a stem or a leaf. They stunt a plants growth and can kill a plant over time.

Mealy bugs look as though they had fallen into chalk and have a long waxy looking growth from their tails. They resemble a very small piece of cotton on the underside of leafs. You can remove them by washing but they will return. A couple of weeks use of an insecticide can rid you of these pests.

Natural Fertilizers

Soap, diluted liquid dish washing detergent, used in a 1 to 2% solution has been used as an effective spray for years. If you use this, remember that repeated use with a high concentration may cause damage to some plants. While this mixture is less toxic to humans and animals than other mixtures it might be less effective than other insecticides if you have an infestation of pests.

Neem oil, produced from the Indian lilac tree, and is used to prevent feeding and stunt the pest's development cycle.

Pyrethrum, produced from the Dalmatian chrysanthemum, is used in dust or a liquid form sprayed on plants. It attacks an insect's nervous system. Can be used in small concentrations to repel but not kill insects. It is toxic to fish but less toxic then synthetic pesticides to mammals. It breaks down easily when exposed to light and is used in many pet shampoos for flea and tick control.

Boric acid has been used for many years to control roaches.

Other more common pests are ants and wasps. These are pests that can cause allergic reactions and cause fear in children and adults. These have been attacked successfully with hairspray and soap solutions.

Cinnamon has been used in some areas to prevent ants from entering structures such as central air registers.

What ever natural pesticide you use, do so with caution and care. Examine the plants closely after each use and watch for a detrimental effect on your plants. Experiment with various natural pesticides until you find the one that works for you. The application of any insecticide should be in a safe manner and only at a frequency that is necessary to maintain a healthy crop of fruits and vegetables.