BEATING the pests can be a real problem, especially for those gardeners who choose organic garden methods.
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Gardening organically means not using chemicals or man-made products and those who choose to follow this path can avail themselves of numerous products that have the totally organic certification, NASAA.
Organic sugar cane mulch, fertilisers and even potting mix are now labelled under the organic banner.
Where am I going with all this?
Why can't diehards just buy a bag of cow or chook poo? Because it is all down to what the creatures have been fed.
I'm often asked about insect deterrent plants. It does help to plant basil or chives to discourage some predators, but one chive plant will hardly deter aphids from a bed of roses, a mass planting is needed.
Bees are important in any garden, but even the safest of organic sprays can be harmful - check labelling carefully and only spray late in the afternoon, when the bees have gone to bed.
Grow a mass of lavender under fruit trees to repel insects and attract the bees to pollinate the fruit blossom.
Many insect-deterring plants are favoured for cooking - dill is a wonderful bee attractor and repels spider mites and white cabbage moths.
Tomatoes present a great problem at this time of year as fruit fly is prevalent.
Try painting your tomato stake with a spreadable paste of Vegamite and Malathon (not organic) which will attract the female fly and kill her.
Staying true to organic, use CeraTrap fruit fly trap which contains a protein that attracts both male and female flies.
If you need an organic fertiliser for pots, Multicrop B-Green is a complete organic slow release bearing the NASAA certification. For bigger jobs use Martins Organic Advanced Plus pellets.
Sprays can be difficult to maintain for organic gardeners - I personally find they are a preventative and need to be used continually as per instructions.
Eco-oil is a miticide/insecticide which controls citrus leafminer, scale and various sap sucking pests. This shouldn't be used when temperatures exceed 35 degrees.