Natural Garden Pest Control: Encouraging Beneficial Allies and Managing Common Pests

Prevention Through Garden Hygiene

Cleanliness prevents pests. Waste heaps breed insects; compost piles are fine, but neglected spots invite trouble. Earthworms aerate soil. Birds (sparrows, robins, chickadees, meadowlarks, orioles) eat insects. Ladybugs, ichneumon flies, and toads are voracious predators—welcome them.

Attracting Birds and Toads

Birdhouses, grain in early spring, water sources attract birds. For toads: provide cool, dark, damp retreats (stones under shrubs with damp leaves). Toads eat live insects at night.

Insect Feeding Types and Controls

• Chewing insects (grasshoppers, caterpillars): eat plant tissue. Control with poisons sprayed on plants (e.g., Bordeaux mixture).
• Sucking insects (aphids, scale, mosquitoes): suck plant juices. Require direct contact insecticides.

Specific Pest Solutions

• Cutworms: Cut tender stalks at night. Use paper/tin collars 1 inch from plant base.
• Aphids: Green/red/yellow/brown, cling to hosts. Easy to find.
• Rose slugs: Skeletonize leaves. Soft, green above, yellow below.
• Striped beetles: Riddle melon/squash leaves. Black with yellow stripes.
• Slugs: Devour any plant. Lay eggs in rubbish. Clean up! Lure to surface with lime water on soil near damaged plants.
• Tomato worms: Large striped worms bore into fruit.
• Celery caterpillars: Green with black bands per segment.
• Squash bugs: Brown, slender, foul odor when killed.
• Potato beetles: Yellow/black stripes.
• Cabbage worms: Small caterpillars, major nuisance.

Identification Tips

Identify pests by damage and sight. Some (cutworms) are nocturnal—look for damage, not the insect.