Defend Your Garden with Herbs

Enlarge Image Image Gallery You don't have to resort to harsh chemicals to keep pests out of your garden. You can make your own insecticidal spray, like this one that uses garlic and chile. Melisa Beveridge

You’ve coddled your seedlings, nourished your soil, and provided a cozy habitat for beneficial birds and insects. Yet by early to midsummer, an explosion of aphids, Japanese beetles or some other insect pest threatens to destroy not only your serenity, but also your garden’s beauty and bounty.

The good news is you can stop these insect invaders without turning to dangerous pesticides. We rely on several common-sense strategies and time-tested herbal repellents that almost always do the trick.

Ant-Repellent Herb and Soap Spray

Garlic and Chile Insecticidal Soap Spray 

Keep Your Eyes Open

The strategies for staying ahead of garden pests are fairly simple. First and foremost, be aware of the life in your garden. Look for insects and mites and observe their activity daily, or as often as possible. Scout for common pests (click here for our "Garden Rogues Gallery"), but keep in mind that some insects, such as ladybugs, lacewings and praying mantises, are beneficial predators that can help control pests. If you have trouble identifying what you’re seeing, contact your County Extension agent, who can help. The Penn State IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Program for home gardens (http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/385.htm) has photos and information on 25 common garden pests.

Damaged leaves are a good indication that a plant is infested with some insect pest. If you look a bit closer, you’ll probably see eggs, larvae and/or adult insects. Check the bottom of leaves, where pests (especially spider mites) often congregate. Also examine stem junctions, where mealybugs hide their egg masses. Aphids are especially fond of the tender tips of plants, and ants even will carry them there to keep the population growing!