Organic Pest Control

	Organic Pest Control: See Also:
	Insect Pest Finder Beneficial Insects Insectary Plants Intercropping Pest Prevention Assess the Damage Implement Insect Control Pest Control eStore Published Your Own Story

Pest Control is About Organic Pest Management

Pest control starts whenever you see an excess of any one insect species, because it indicates a problem exists with an imbalance in your total garden system…not the insect causing the damage. It's much more than the one troublesome insect. Using the traditional methods of poison, not only pollutes your garden system but also kills off many, if not all, the beneficial insects.

Organic Pest Management

Observing and giving attention to your total garden system (soil, plant health, and plant diversity) not only reduces pest damage, but also is safer for you and your garden system. For instance, if you are trying to encourage beneficial insects in your garden it is important your garden contain harmful insects for them to either feed on or use as hosts for their young.

• Not too many harmful insects... just enough
• Not too much water…just enough
• Not too much soil aeration… just enough
• Not too much care and attention… just enough
• Not too much of any one nutrient… just enough

This simple approach to organic insect pest control is called Organic Pest Management (OPM).  You can use OPM to mitigate your insect damage, for the most part, without using organic pesticides.

Seven Steps to Successful OPM

Following these steps and being consistent with your approach will greatly reduce any insect damage in your garden.

1. Pest Prevention - Control starts with prevention.
   
   A healthy soil the most important first step. Test your soil!
   Learn about beneficial insects to help with pest control in the garden.
   
   
2. Identification of the insect problem - I will teach you how to identify the insect pest.
   
   
3. Assessment of Insect Damage - It is important to assess the damage to see exactly what and where the damage is.
   
   
4. Selection of Insect Control Tactic - Here you will select the most appropriate organic pest control tactic for the pest damage.
   
   
5. Implementation of Insect Control - This is need-to-know information before you implement the selected control tactic.
   
   
6. Re-assessment of Insect Damage - It is often assumed that pest suppression has worked because a control tactic has been implemented. You must monitor insect populations and crop yields after implementation to determine if the desired suppression has been attained. For the organic gardener this is simply done by careful observation.
   
   
7. Follow-up Periodic Assessment - Organic Pest management tactics chosen may not result in the desired pest control. Also, migration of pests from other yards or gardens (or from another country!) may occur. Diligence and constant observation is required to prevent unexplained and unpredicted pest population outbreaks.

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Free Organic Pest Control eBook! Now you can take OrganicGardenInfo's valuable Organic Pest Control guide with you.

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Slug and Snail Traps

Slug and Snail traps are used to both attract them in concentrated groups for collection or to bait and kill them in your organic garden.

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Grandma's Penny Pinching in the Garden - I've learned many great gardening tips from Grandma that saves money.

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