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Utilizing Pesticides Ought to Be the Final Resort

By: Irwin Brewington

When correct production methods are used in concert with good pest control practices, you can minimize the losses that pests create every year significantly. Did you know that plants that are properly watered, cultivated and fertilize can actually resist pests more than plants that aren't? There are also plants that are naturally resistant to pests, and these should be used whenever possible.

Not too many varieties of plants resist insects well, although a number of them have more success in outlasting the typical diseases found in gardens. If you are planning on growing your garden from seed, do not save the left over seed for another garden. A great number of diseases turn out to be carried by seeds. You always want to buy fresh seed every year and get it from vendors that you know offer good quality product. Make certain that you plant healthy, strong little seedlings, if you are transplanting. If a plant is too sparse, too young or even too old it may not transplant properly and it will be vulnerable to certain garden pests.

An effective and affordable method for controlling a number of soil borne diseases lies in rotating your vegetables around the garden annually. Switching out corn with various other crop choices is a good practice to follow. A good four year rotation would be to alternate corn with plants like broccoli, greens or cabbage, and then alternate those with plants such as pepper, potatoes, and tomatoes, and further alternate those with beans, legumes or corn once more.

Good sanitation in your garden is another way to keep the pests at bay, clear out any cull piles or infested crops. Pests can survive in plant remains, so it is not a good idea to use plant parts or culled plants for mulching. Better mulching choices include straw, leaves and materials that are not leftover from the garden. Mulch, however, has a major drawback of its own that should be considered if you are attempting to reduce or eliminate garden pests. It can be a carrier of insects and can introduce them into your garden unexpectedly.

Good sanitation will also keep your vegetable garden disease free. Soap and water should be used to wash any hand tools before transplanting or pruning is done. This is especially important if you're a smoker, because some quite deadly plant viruses actually originate in tobacco.

Weeding is also an essential part of good gardening as many pests will attack and survive on the weeds. While it may seem good that the pests are attacking the weeds instead of your plants, it is unhealthy for your garden to harbor these pests or allow weeds to spread. Insects such as mites, beetles, and aphids take up residence in weeds, and they can cause plant diseases to spread among your crop. It is equally important to manicure the area that directly surrounds your garden as well, because you could have weeds like Johnson-grass that will harbor insects and disease nearby.

Controlling the level of moisture is also a critical element in maintaining a garden which is pest free. Do your watering early each day, to help with disease control. When you water your garden early, you may even eschew the need for a fungicide. You will likely suffer from fungus in watering your plants at night, since fungus loves wet and warm environments; watering at night keeps the moisture on the plants for greater amounts of time.

Creating a barrier or a shield around any transplanted items will assist in preventing some of the insects from attacking them. You only need a shield that goes into the ground a few inches. Any material from cardboard to leftover roof shingles and empty milk jugs can be used for this. Wire worms, grubs, cutworms and other insects that can attack your plant from beneath the soil will be unable to get through this type of barrier. There are a few potential biological means you could use such as having a predator insect that will eat the pest, but there are ethical concerns about introducing foreign predators. However, you are certainly able to allow any of these predators that are already in your garden to stay, some of the helpful ones are praying mantis, ladybugs, ground beetles, and spiders.

If you cannot keep pests at bay by using methods which don't involve chemicals, you can consider using pesticides, though only as a final answer. If you choose to use the pesticides you must make sure that you read the directions thoroughly and follow them exactly. When the directions tell you to wait a period of time before you respray your garden again, then you need to make sure to wait this time, because if you overdo it you can damage your plants.

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