Transcript Organic Vegetable Gardening What makes it
Presented by JCC/W Master Gardeners
Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
How did plants thrive B.C.—(Before chemicals)?
Natural fertilizers, such as composts and pasteurized manures Cover crops over the winter to add nitrogen Soil testing before gardening and every two years following Treat your worms with loving care!
Must have 6-8 hours of sunlight Keep garden small never step on tilled soil Have watering source nearby Consider raised beds or “lasagna method” of preparing soil
Plant what your family will eat Allow breathing space between plants Plot your garden on graph paper Make use of vertical space trellises, stakes, cones
Look for plants with healthy roots and leaves Plant only certified seed Buy plants from reputable growers
Water in the morning Cover your soil with mulch Use organic herbicides to control weeds Inspect plants for insects Dispose of diseased leaves & plants
Build a fence to keep the big critters out!
Use row covers when plants are tiny If necessary, hang strong-smelling soap or shiny objects to deter animals
Beneficial Insects
YOUR GARDEN HELPERS!
Beneficial Birds Companion Planting Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects
Beneficial Insects
Ladybug
Everyone recognizes the familiar reducing infestations.
Ladybug , or ladybird beetle. Many species have an enormous appetite for aphids--one of our most common plant pests. Others prefer scale insects and mites and are very effective in
Ladybug Eggs and Larvae are colorful, but their ferocious appearance often causes unknowing gardeners to assume that they must be harmful. Nothing could be further from the truth. The larvae devours aphids and hundreds of other insects.
Garlic Chives Fern leaf Yarrow Butterfly Weed Tansy Prairie Sunflower Dill
The Praying Mantis is another widely-recognized insect predator. Nymphs and adults alike lie in wait for an unlucky insect which strays too close, then strike out to grab it with their modified front legs. Butterfly Caterpillar
Place water nearby To Attract Preying Mantis… Plant a flowering shrub nearby Provide lots of pesky insects and moths
The Green Lacewing Larvae are miniature monsters when viewed at close range. They are deadly enemies of small caterpillars, aphids, and other soft-bodied insects.
Dill Fern-leaf Yarrow Coriander Fennel Caraway
Parasitic wasps on a tomato horn worm Many Small Wasps are important parasites of other insects. Adult parasites are quite small. Most range in size from 2 to 15 mm. Larvae of most parasites develop inside the bodies of their prey, but some feed externally or pupate outside the host's body. These parasites are important in suppressing populations of many insects. The adult small wasp also feeds on many destructive insects as well as providing food for birds.
Chervil Fennel Mint Cilantro
Some herbs and flowers naturally attract insect predators.
Some herbs and flowers have substances in their roots, flowers or leaves that naturally repel insects.
Some herbs and flowers naturally attract pollinating insects.
Leaf miners chew up your spinach leaves.
The asparagus beetle feeds on the asparagus spears, causing browning and scarring.
Potato beetles chew up the leaves of both potato & eggplant, weakening the plant until it cannot produce.
So Plant…
Planting radishes among your spinach draws leaf miners away from the spinach. The leaf miners will eat the radish leaves, but not harm the radishes!
Plant beans next to eggplant and the beans will repel Colorado potato beetles which harm eggplant.
Plant parsley or tomatoes next to asparagus as either repels the asparagus beetle.
Aphids enjoy eating most vegetable leaves, drawing out their sap and spreading viruses. They are one of the most common garden pests.
Cabbage moths may look pretty, but their eggs turn into hungry caterpillars that gobble up cabbage leaves.
Tomato hornworms are voracious, munching entire leaves, small stems, and even parts of immature fruit.
So plant..
Plant chives & coriander to keep aphids out of your garden.
Plant pot marigold or opal basil next to tomatoes to keep the tomato hornworm away.
Plant rosemary or sage with cabbage to keep the cabbage moth and caterpillar away.
The squash bug loves to eat up all your squash leaves, weakening the squash plant.
Look for the eggs of the potato beetle and remove them before the beetle hatches! Nematodes can seriously damage most garden plants by puncturing cell walls and sucking out their insides..
Bean plant leaves are the favorite food of the bean beetle.
So plant..
Sweet alyssum repels the potato beetle and other damaging insects as well as attracting beneficial insects.
Marigolds repel many types of beetles, aphids and nematodes and attracts pollinators as well as enhancing the growth of many vegetables. Nasturtium repels squash bugs, attracts beneficial insects and tastes good.
Blue Bird Wren Swallow Cardinal
Daisies Birdhouse Lots of Bugs Bird Bath Sunflower s Bird Feeder
Remove rotting leaves immediately Pick ripe produce every week Cut back overgrown plants Resolve pest & disease problems as they appear Always pick the most environmentally-friendly solutions first
For insect eggs and aphids scrape them off or spray them off into a jar of water.,,or spray with insecticidal soap But leave the ladybug eggs and let them hatch!
For tomato hornworms and slugs pick them off and dispose of them or stamp on them.
Insecticidal Soap Spray 2 tbs liquid soap without additives or perfume 1-3 tbs horticultural or canola oil quart of water Fill spray bottle with solution. Spray small invasive insects thoroughly. Let dry and rinse with clear water.
Use sticky traps for any insects that are attracted to color such as aphids. They are also useful in protecting cucumber from the cucumber beetle.
Use floating row covers to protect squash from squash bugs or beans from the Mexican bean beetle.
Plant in warm soil & water often.
Work in plenty of rich compost & mulch well.
Add crushed egg shells and/or clam & oyster shells for calcium.
There are three stages of the squash vine borer. The first are minuscule eggs, then a red-bellied adult and finally a hungry caterpillar that devours the stem.
A floating row cover early, then a commercial organic insecticidal soap, and finally, if the caterpillar still appears-an organic BTK such as Thuricide are efficient organic controls.
Product1 Bacillus thuringiensis Insects Controlled Most caterpillars, loopers, hornworms, bagworms M-One, M-Track, Colorado potato beetle Foil, Novodor Insecticidal soap Rotenone Two strains of Bt will control potato beetles: Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. san diego & ssp.tenebrionis.
Works well on soft bodied insects, in This product is sold under many particular aphids, mites, mealy bugs trade names & is a fatty acid soap.
Colorado potato beetle, aphids, Usually sold as a dust, but some weevils, Mexican bean beetles can be mixed with water, Whiteflies, fire ants Remarks This product, also known as Bt., is sold under many trade names See label for precautions Pyrethrum/Diato Maceous Earth Neem Hot Pepper Wax Broad spectrum Aphids, mites, thripes See label for precautions.
See label for precautions
Our gardens don’t always look perfect… When we try to control nature, we’re on the losing side.
..as we are respecting all life on our planet.
…but our harvest is beautiful and delicious!!
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