Insect & Disease Control

If you’re wondering how you can tackle insect problems and diseases organically, there are several strategies you can use, including biological controls, natural plant oils, and even sticky traps.

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​Biological Controls

Biological controls are some of the most powerful tools for fighting unwelcome insects. And organic gardeners have the advantage over chemical proponents of being able to use these living beneficial controls when they would normally be killed (along with pests) by chemical pesticides.

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Predatory Insects

For example, Beneficial Nematodes kill fire ants in the soil. When released into your garden, populations of Ladybugs, Trichogramma Wasps, Praying Mantids, and other predatory bugs do an excellent job of keeping pests to a minimum. Ladybugs and Praying Mantis devour aphids and other insects while microscopic Trichogramma Wasps parasitize the moth egg stage of destructive caterpillars so that the caterpillar never emerges.

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Beneficial Microbes

Along with these biologicals, organic gardeners can also treat their yards with specialized bacteria, such as Spinosad and bacillus thuringiensis (BT), that target destructive bugs without harming honeybees and other pollinators. Spinosad bacteria infect and kill almost all insects. BT is a bacterium that kills caterpillars that ingest it. And another strain of BT can be used to kill mosquito larvae.

In an organic landscape beneficial microbes in your soil also help prevent diseases by keeping harmful pathogens in check. An example is the microbes that control Take All Root Rot fugus that can attack St. Augustine lawns.

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Plant Oils​

Plants oils such as Neem, Orange, Sesame, Clove and Rosemary kill insects quickly. Others, like Cedar, Garlic and Citronella, repel mosquitoes and many other insects. Diatomaceous Earth, which is composed of the skeletons of ancient diatoms, is an effective killer of crawling insects, yet it’s safe enough for people to eat.

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Sticky Traps

Sticky traps are quite effective in cutting down populations of squash vine borers, fungal gnats, and white flies inside and outside of the house. And roach traps contain a lure to attract and trap these pests.

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The essence of an organic program is making your soil healthy, and healthy soil makes healthy plants. Because insects and pathogens prefer to attack unhealthy plants. So when plants are healthy, they’re less likely to have problems in the first place.​​