To call hornworms, locusts, and squash borers pests is sort of an understatement when you garden for survival. They kill the plants upon which you are depending for food and leave you with nothing.
There are lots of commercial, industrial chemicals (poisons) that you can spray. I'm trying to find other ways. Even if we wanted to eat poisons on our food (we don't) then we can't rely on those chemicals in a post-collapse situation. So the need is to learn other methods now while you have the opportunity.
Companion planting and DE seem to be good ways, though the DE is somewhat iffy. I don't have a supply of it ready to hand. I think in the long run, good healthy soil and big healthy plants is going to be the key. I believe that plant disease and pests are the same as human disease and pests ... in a healthy clean environment they simply do not thrive. I don't have to spray myself down with chemicals everyday to keep the ticks and fleas at bay, so why should I have to do so for my plants?
5 comments:
Tobacco tea.
Old-timers used to douse their plants with wash water. The soap kept away a lot of pests.
we pay the kids a nickel per hornworm.
Xa Lynn
My garden has always been pest free. I guess I've been lucky (companion planting and marigolds helped a lot). My pole beans were decimated by a rabbit last year but everything else was left unmolested. Tonight, I went out to the garden and the jalepeno and both bell peppers were chewed down the stem. Damned rabbit! I need a pellet gun and some time. I think rabbit stew might be on the menu soon.
Although most would consider me a kind-hearted Christian woman, I find it extremely satisfying to go out at first light and drown Japanese beetles in a cup of soapy water.
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