Compassionate garden pest control - no kill gardening

[Liberal_in_LA]

Compassionate garden pest control

From bugs to birds to bunny rabbits, you can control almost every animal annoyance without resorting to violent means.



Pests are a part of gardening. Period. And although traditional techniques (like the ones recommended by the Chicago pest control experts at the University of Illinois Extension Service) revolve around killing these creatures — either chemically or manually — a small but enthusiastic group of food growers is reimagining the ethics of gardening. And including a strict “no-kill” policy.

From bugs to birds to bunny rabbits, you can control almost every animal annoyance without resorting to violent means. But before you even begin to target the critters, there are a few very general rules for keeping your crops protected: 1) growing in raised beds as opposed to the ground, 2) using scattered and diverse planting patterns (no monocultures) and 3) practicing crop rotation each season. These are fundamental to a healthy backyard food or flower ecosystem.

As for the actual pests, aim to reduce them, not to completely wipe them out. You’ve got to be realistic, and work with the natural world, not against it. Focus your energy on making your plants strong. Healthy soil will build hardy plants that can handle a small assault now and them. Try to include plenty of pest-deterrent allies, like marigolds, garlic, basil, coriander, thyme, dahlias, dill, etc. And finally, for those pesky little pests ...

go to link below for list of tips

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/compassionate-garden-pest-control

[Warpy]

1. I see tomato hornworms and cabbage loopers, those things

are going to go into a can of soapy water and disposed of far, far away from my precious garden.

Other than that, I did a lot of companion planting and had few problems.

I dispatched critters that were killing the veg but not with bug spray.

[tsuki]

8. Chinese stink bugs get no mercy from me. nt

[cwydro]

2. I never use chemicals.

I've had great success with my crops, but the storms we had the other night flattened my corn and uprooted the squash. The corn stood back up...we'll see with the squash.

[GoCubsGo]

12. Fortunately, squashes grow quickly.

At least summer squashes do. Not too late to replant in most places, especially since it's looking like we may have a longer than normal summer.

[roody]

3. I always say sorry to snails before

I smash them. I hope they feel no pain. I sometimes use the organic snail killer. That is probably inhumane.

[TalkingDog]

15. Crushed egg shells lined around the plants you don't want snails on.

They do not like.

Also: small bowl of beer. They crawl in and die happy.

[Arkansas Granny]

20. I don't have a problem with snails, so I haven't tried this myself, but I've been told that

sprinkling used coffee grounds around your plants will discourage snails and slugs. They don't like to crawl across them. Wood ashes have been used for the same purpose.

[Walk away]

4. Dish soap and mail order lady bugs work for me.

I grow lots of herbs and that helps. I don't even use organic fertilizer because the dogs roll in it.

[MADem]

5. Coyote piss will scare away critters.

You can buy it online or at feed stores!

[sendero]

6. It's generally considered.....

.... that any predator piss will scare off deer and rabbits and ?. Man counts as a predator in this case (or woman of course) so pee in your garden early and often (but not directly on the plants).

We have deer tracks all around our garden but they haven't eaten one thing as far as I can tell.

[a la izquierda]

7. I will refrain from telling my husband this...

he thinks it's perfectly fine to pee in the yard when he's too lazy to stroll back indoors. I do not want to garden around man-pee.

[TalkingDog]

16. Urine has lots of good stuff it. And you don't waste perfectly good drinking water by pissing in it.

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2009/07/trickle-down-theory

Nutrient rich and superabundant, urine is a top-rate fertilizer. One person's yearly output contains enough nutrients to fertilize up to a tenth of an acre of fruits and veggies.



/snip

but as noted. Just avoid urinating ON the plants.

[a la izquierda]

22. Oh, no doubt...

It just makes me a tad squeamish.

[MADem]

10. I dunno--I don't think the rabbits and squirrels are scared one bit of people pee.

But they'll run like they are scalded from coyote piss!

[BlueToTheBone]

9. I'm getting lion and tiger poop

to drop at the places where they want to come into my garden and around places they think they own in my garden. I'll keep you updated, the poop comes today.

(We have a big cat preserve where we live and they are happy to give away) Wish me luck!

[MADem]

11. Wow--that's something! I am curious to know how this will work out, too!

I can tell you that coyote pee works, I never thought about poop!

[HiPointDem]

13. where do you get coyote pee?

[roody]

23. That process may be inhumane.

[HopeHoops]

14. Pennyroyal keeps out many insect pests. Dogs work for rabbits.

Deer don't venture into our yard so I don't have to worry about that yet. I use a mixture of hot pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a sugar shaker around the perimeter. That helps a lot and doesn't change the pH.

[raouldukelives]

17. Rifles, traps & poison work well for the wineries around here.

The entire animal population has dropped a huge amount since they moved in and started waging war on them. I miss the company of them. I myself could never shoot a doe & her fawn but people do like old grape juice so I guess its a necessary evil.

[Oilwellian]

18. I have a handy tip for mole problems

If your yard has moles and you want to get rid of them without killing them or poisoning your yard, spread blood meal over the little critters. They pick up their belongings and vacate rather quickly when you do that. If you have a rather large yard, you may have to reapply as you continually nudge them to the end of your property. I learned this from a local farmer and it really works well.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

19. Two products that keep deer away...

No chemicals, all natural stuff:

Liquid Fence
http://www.liquidfence.com/deer-repellent.html

IMustGarden
http://www.imustgarden.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=8&pg=1

Liquid Fence STNKS - rotten egg, vinegar smell - but goes away when it dries & deer will still smell & avoid it & anything it surrounds - spray on or around individual plants and/or entire garden.

I prefer IMustGarden, which works as well and is used same way - but without the atrocious odor.

[LiberalEsto]

21. I do not feel compassion for Japanese beetles

When I see them devouring a beautiful rose, I bring out a paper cup of water with a bit of dish detergent, hold it under the flower and inform them that it's swim time. They usually drop right in. I dump the dead beetles under the rosebushes to provide them with extra nutrients.