What to Do About Garden Pests
There are tons of different types of pests that can affect your herb garden, and like weeds they are unwelcome. For those of you, who have chosen to start a container garden, do not think that pests are something you won't have to worry about. They can affect your container herbs too, and since the area is small, can cause a lot of damage very quickly.
Your plant will let you know whether or not it is being attacked by pests. Common signs that your garden is being infested are if the leaves of your plants look like they're being eaten. Leaf discoloration (remember to check the underside) is another sign. Some pests, particularly thrips leave a silver or white mottled look on the leaves and flowers of your plants. Other pests stick to eating plant roots, and if so your plant will show signs of struggling or wilting as well.
The first way to make sure your garden is pest free is to make sure you have never brought them in without knowing it. Sometimes when we purchase plants from the gardening store, pests come along for a ride. Examine your plant purchases well, making sure there are no pests on the plant. This way you know you will not be bringing pests into your garden. If you do find pests, do not buy this plant or the ones near it as those are likely to be infected too.
Some gardeners believe that if you care for your plants well, water them, keep them happy with fertilizer and nutrients then you will not have pests. This is because the plant will be able to fight the pests off. While it’s true that there are some opportunistic pests or pests that attack sickly plants, perhaps these gardeners are doing something extra without realizing it or their areas are relatively pest free. This logic does apply for plant illnesses or disease, but when it comes to pests, it is in many gardeners' experiences that these creatures to do not discriminate the healthy plants from the sickly ones. No matter what kind of plant, they will attack.
Depending on the type of pest you have, you will need to employ different methods for getting rid of them. A natural method of getting rid of some pests is to plant a neem tree in your garden. This tree keeps a lot of bugs away, and can help with the pest problem. You can also choose to spray your plants with some neem oil. You will have to use the neem oil spray for about three weeks. This will assure you that it's had time to take effect and be a good pesticide. It works especially well on white flies. Don't spray too much oil, a good two or three spritzes per plant should do.
Another natural way of keeping pests away is to plant horseradish. Horseradish is an easy to grow herb that can be planted around the perimeter of your garden. Their strong roots can repel pests naturally. Horseradish roots steeped in water also makes a good natural pest control solution. These two methods (minus the oil and liquid solution) are part of the companion planting method, which is discussed in detail in other sections of the site.
Page Two: Home-Made Pesticides for Your Herb Garden (What to Do About Garden Pests continued)
