Organic Pest Control Keeps Produce Healthy And Consumers Happy
Chemical pest control, once thought to be the most effective means of controlling crop pests, has fallen from grace in both the eyes of consumers and the eyes of many farmers. Organic pest control is proving to be a highly effective way of preserving crops without damaging the environment or the consumers’ health. New scientific advances in organic pest control have made it a very attractive alternative to pesticides which can kill not only pests, but wildlife, and can contaminate water supplies making them unsafe.
Techniques For Organic Pest Control
Organic pest control starts with planting. Instead of waiting for plants to germinate and become infested with pests, organic methods are implemented as soon as the seed is sown. One method is called companion planting. In companion planting, a second type of plant is planted with the crop plant. The plant may be a natural insect repellant, or may be very attractive to pests. The plants that are attractive to pests will become infested, but the crop plants will be left alone. Some companion plants attract predatory insects.
Crops that are grown organically produce stronger, healthier plants than crops that receive chemical pesticide treatments. This also gives the plant more natural resistance to diseases. Frequent use of chemicals on plants is similar to frequent antibiotic use in people, the natural systems are not used and become weakened Additionally, the insects become resistant to the chemicals and grow stronger.
Another organic method for eliminating pests, is to eliminate their breeding grounds. Managing organic and non organic waste is key. A plastic bottle with some water in it, can provide a breeding area for pests. Organic waste provides both a breeding area and a source of food. Stagnant water has to be drained to prevent pests from breeding.
There are also a number of simple though effective organic pest control methods that anyone can adopt in order to combat the menace from pests. For example, using ladybugs to eat up aphids will ensure that your garden is not destroyed by pests and breeding praying mantises will ensure that pests will be eaten up. Of course, you should grow plants that attract these insects in order to ensure that pests are kept at bay.
Organic pest control is not a new idea. Long before chemical pesticides were available, farmers knew how to control pests with organic methods. Overuse of chemical pest control caused widespread damage to the environment, killing birds and fish as well as pests and contaminating ground water supplies. Realizing the dangers posed by chemical pesticides, many growers are returning to organic methods which could help for house pest control as well.
Farmers and agriculturalists are discovering new scientific methods of organic pest control. Even producers of chemical pesticides are experimenting with new organic compounds that won’t harm the environment or the consumer.
