Alternative natural solutions

• Optimize growing conditions of plants and suppress weed growth to reduce competition for nutrients - weeds also tend to harbor pest and disease problems.

• Monitor and scout regularly for pest pressures placed on crops and practice companion planting by grouping particular plants together that mutually benefit each other and reduce the likelihood of pest attack -e.g. garlic or marigolds-.

• Create a safe and friendly habitat for birds, frogs and lizards (snail patrol) without the use of chemicals and providing shelter such as shrubs, water bowls and leaf litter for the ground dwellers.

Chemical pesticides side-effects

Have you noticed that there have not been as many honeybees buzzing around your flower garden? Do you stop and wonder why? Is the severe decline in bee population which is affecting the American farmers a gentle warning from nature? Possible theories are being investigated as research scientists conduct more tests in their plight to solve the mystery of the missing bees. One of the possible reasons or “candidates” causing the bee colony deaths is chemical pesticides!

Other ways in which chemicals are harming our environment are that synthetic sprays do not discriminate between target pests and beneficial insects and therefore kill everything. Regular use may also have detrimental effect on your health. Insect pests are developing a resistance to chemical sprays so stronger formulas are required. Soil becomes contaminated and toxic with residual effect, so earthworms (our soldiers of the soil) either die or move on to cleaner pastures. Whilst chemicals can be effective for treatment of the adult pest they often remain ineffective for the egg and pupa stage of target insect, requiring repeat applications of the product. Incorrect use of chemical or prevailing weather conditions may cause spray drift, contaminating aquatic environments such as ponds and dams and possible spillage into waterways.

Renewed interest and increasing demand for organic food products, trendy backyard vegetable plots replacing the once popular and iconic family swimming pool and a ground swell of public opinion shouting “green,” finds us at a perfect time to replace chemical control with biological control in the home garden - the preferred choice for the bees knees when it comes to pollination. Just as nature intended.

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More information about this topic in our home & garden section.

Written by Vivien Kappos