How to Grow a Garden

So my new Square Foot Garden is slowly coming under attack, which has me wondering how I am going to control the crop damaging pests that are making their way into my baby garden. I know for sure that I don’t want to use chemicals if I can help it, so I am looking into natural garden pest control.

The first insects to arrive are what I believe to be springtails. They show up when there are wet conditions, and a watered garden is just perfect to entice them. From what I understand, typically they go for decomposing plant matter, but if fresh is available, they will partake of it, too. They are extremely numerous – probably in the tens of thousands. The ones that are invading my garden are a grayish color, ranging in size from the tip of a pin to the head of a pin, have six legs (I think), antennae, and jump when in danger. I see them swarmed around my little seedlings and all over the soil and I hope that they aren’t too voracious. I still have not had any confirmation on what beneficial bug will be best to combat them, although I am thinking since they stick close to the ground for the most part, with some climbing on the plants, that perhaps a combination of beneficial nematodes and lacewings may do the trick in my natural garden pest control endeavors with these critters.

The next insect to appear and which is causing quite a bit of damage to my poor radish seedlings, are the potato flea beetle. So far there aren’t very many of these, probably less than twenty, but the damage caused by these guys is very obvious – very tiny holes just smaller than the largest springtails on the leaves of the radishes, and so far they have managed to completely devour at least one seedling. From what I have read about these insects, while they will also eat the leaves of tomatoes, potatoes, and other related plants, if radish is nearby, they will flock to it instead. In fact that is one recommended method in combating this pest – plant a tastier crop away from the usual victims to lure them away. Then, one of the recommended natural garden pest control methods to get rid of the flea beetle is to use diatomateous earth. You can get a 4 lb. bag of Diatomaceous Earth here. I am currently waiting for an order of DE so that I can sprinkle it on the radish leaves. I also plan on using it around the outside of the raised garden beds so that I can get rid of the ants that are showing up.

So far those are the only two insects that I have seen in any great numbers to be alarmed about. I have seen other insects but usually they are lone and I do not believe them to be a threat at this time. And of course, bees have been visiting as well, but those guys are welcome in my garden.

Other natural garden pest control options are using other live insects, such as lady beetles, praying mantis, lacewings and nematodes. Most or all of these helpful natural garden pest control methods can be found at the following places: Arbico Organics, and Gardens Alive!