Organic Control of Common Garden Pests

Want to know what the common garden pests are and how you can get rid of them? This is the info-graphic for you!

Common Garden Pests and How to Manage Them

Living at a homestead makes it a guarantee that you’ll encounter more bugs than you probably want to. Some are beneficial and some are, well, pests. It doesn’t really end with bugs, you also have your worms and other pesky critters. So if you want to find out which ones are good and bad and what you can do to get rid of them, get more information with this info-graphic!

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Thank you Fix.com for this lovely Garden Pest Infographic – Click to Enlarge

Getting Rid of Garden Pests

Which insects benefit your garden?

Get to know which is a friend and which one is a foe!

Say “Yes” to these helpful bugs:

• Bees
• Ladybugs
• Spiders
• Green Lacewings
• Praying Mantis
• Ground Beetles
• Small Pirate Bugs
• Predator Flies
• Parasitic Wasps
• Centipedes
• Earwigs
• Ants

Keep these pests out:

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• Tomato Horn Worms
• Cabbage Worms
• Cabbage Moths
• Mites
• Slugs and Snails
• Cutworms
• Flea Beetles
• White Flies and Aphids
• Carrot Rust Flies
• Squash Vine Borers
• Mexican Bean Beetles
• Parsley Worms

What’s Eating My Plant?

How to recognize common pests by leaf damage they cause.
Aphids

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LEAF DAMAGE: Deformed leaves, sucking damage.
Thrips and mites

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LEAF DAMAGE: Discolored leaves, sucking damage
Beetles, caterpillars and sawflies

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LEAF DAMAGE: Chewed or skeletonized leaves
Cynipid wasps, certain aphids, psyllids, and mites

LEAF DAMAGE: Leaf galls (abnormal plant growths)
Beetle, fly or moth larvae

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LEAF DAMAGE: Leaf mines (white patterns on leaves)
Caterpillars, tree crickets and spiders

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LEAF DAMAGE: Folded leaves
Certain mites or some caterpillars

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LEAF DAMAGE: Rolled Leaves
Slugs and snails

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LEAF DAMAGE: Chewed leaves, slime trails.

Plants That Naturally Repel Pests

Now that you know what you’re dealing with. It’s time to find out how to repel them the natural way.
Marigolds

TO REPEL: mosquitoes, aphids
Nasturtiums

TO REPEL: Whiteflies, cabbage loopers, aphids, many beetles, squash bugs
Petunias

TO REPEL: Aphids, asparagus beetles, leafhoppers, squash bugs, tomato hornworms
Basil

TO REPEL: Houseflies, mosquitoes
Lavender

TO REPEL: Moths, fleas, flies, mosquitoes
Lemongrass, Lemon Thyme, Lemon Balm, Mint, Rosemary

Rosemary

TO REPEL: Mosquitoes
Thyme

TO REPEL: Whiteflies, cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, corn earworms, whiteflies, tomato hornworms
Dill

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TO REPEL: Aphids, squash bugs, spider mites, cabbage loopers, tomato hornworms
Also See: 5 Basic Gardening Tips & Tricks

Easy, Safe, Kitchen Remedies to Get a Handle on Garden Pests

Not only can you use certain plants to repel these pests, you can also use some stuff from the kitchen to manage them.
Cinnamon for Fungus

Sprinkle on seedlings affected by damping-off disease (a fungus that proliferates in the damp seedling environment and attacks and kills the young stems and roots).
Garlic for All Insect Pests

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Make a garlic plant spray by pureeing two bulbs of garlic. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over garlic, cover, and steep overnight. Strain, put in a spray bottle. Spray the bottoms of leaves daily, every few days, or once per week.
Orange and Banana Peels for Ants and Aphids

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Orange peels contain d-Limonene, which breaks down the waxy coating on ants and aphids and kills them. Cut up peels and bury one to two inches deep in soil. Alternatively, scatter peels around stems or hang from branches.
Milk for Mildew

Mix with equal parts water and apply to tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and other plants to control mildew.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Aphids and Fruit Flies

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Put a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a jar next to plants. Aphids and fruit flies will be attracted, fall in, and drown.
Hot Peppers or Ginger for All Insect Pests (also deters rodents)

Fresh Ginger

Both contain capsaicin, which burns insects. Combine 1 quart of water, 1 squirt of castile soap, and 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper or ginger. Try on a small portion of plant first. Dilute further if it causes leaf damage.
Baking Soda for Fungus

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Mix 3 tablespoons in a quart of water and put in a spray bottle. Spray plants every few days until the fungus is gone.
Beer for Snails and Slugs

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Put a little beer in a shallow container and place it in the garden. Slugs and snails crawl in, but can’t crawl out.
Castile Soap for Aphids, Spider Flies, White Flies

via the CRUNCHY Urbanite

Mix 5 tablespoons soap with 1 gallon of water. Test on small portion. If the solution damages the foliage, dilute further.
Eggshells for Slugs, Cutworms, other Insects

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Crush shells and sprinkle them on top of the soil around stems. Slugs, cutworms, and other insects are repelled by the sharp edges.

Do you think you’ll be giving these tips and tricks a try? Let us know below in the comments!


(shared with consent from http://pioneersettler.com/)

The Diva Farmer ~ Come Grow With Us