No organic gardener would ever disagree about organically grown vegetables and fruits being far superior to the chemically grown kind.

Unfortunately another thing they agree on is the frustrating pest problems that creep up and need to be addressed organically.

Of course, it would be way easier to just spray chemical pesticides all over your garden but unfortunately, your vegetables end up being contaminated and toxic! (Not to mention your garden would cease to be an organic one. =))

I’ve had people come and ask me, “Surely there must be some organic alternatives to chemical pesticides?”... and my answer is always the same: of course there are!

Let’s Start With Some Common Problems Found In Organic Gardens And How To Get Rid Of Them

POWDERY MILDEW

To get rid of powdery mildew, you’ll first need a garden sprayer and organic milk.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Mix together 1 part organic milk to 9 parts water.
2. Spray any mildew plants early in the morning, once a week, until the mildew disappears.

You can also try using cornmeal. Just sprinkle it around the base of your plants in the early spring-time – you can do it any time of the year but I’ve found spring to work best.

(By the way: cornmeal works great with roses too!)

Don’t worry about pressing it into the soil too much – just make sure you water the cornmeal well!

Worms Are An Organic Gardener’s BEST Friend!

Why?

Because they “till” the soil and make it fertile. This process actually make nutrients in the soil easier for your plants to consume!

Another invaluable method is to have a compost pile. Compost piles seriously help your garden be pest and disease free.

You also need to be watering your plants frequently enough!

Plants not getting enough water will bring disease and pests into your garden.

Keep in mind: it’s not enough to just water your plants “whenever you can get to it”. Healthy plants need watering at the correct time and temperature.

Of course it goes without saying that they need lots of sunshine… (but you already knew that, right?! =))

Get Some Fungus In Your Organic Garden

Having fungi in your garden will help to prevent disease and also make it easier for your plant roots to get nutrition.

So how do you get fungi in your garden?

It’s easy – find brush piles that are degraded and rotten logs from a nearby area. Just break them up and spread them as mulch!

How To Make Organic Bug Spray That Gets Rid Of Harmful Bugs

I’m going to tell you exactly how to make organic bug spray that does especially well for beetles and june bugs.

Here’s what you need to make organic bug spray:

• 2 cups of water
• A pan (to boil in)
• Chilies and garlic (as funny as it sounds I don’t use specific measurements – just “eyeball it”!)

What to do:

1. First, boil the chilies and garlic together in the water.
2. Then put it aside and let it cool down a bit.
3. Grind the chilies and peel the garlic in a blender. (Add hot water)
4. Strain the resulting liquid into a sprayer and add some biodegradable soap and water. (You can also add a bit of eucalyptus oil into the mix.)

And there you have it. An effective, potent, bug spray for your organic garden!

Little Known Pest Prevention Secret: Use Sheer Curtains From A Thrift Store

Placing sheer curtains down on your garden will discourage pests.

You can use the rebar that you bend into a “U” shape and stick it into the ground to hold the curtains down. (Just pin the rebar with clothespins – you’ll need to remove them later on though so pollination can happen!)

When it gets cold out you can exchange the sheer curtains for plastic – this works great for frost protection!

The Truth About Mulch

Spreading mulch is a *great* way to protect the “healthy” organisms in your garden from getting too hot. It also helps keep your plants from getting more thirsty! (Remember, plants that don’t get enough water are prone to pests and disease.)

Common Mistake: Do NOT ever use straw mulch in your organic garden. Some kinds contain herbicides that can kill your current plants but also infect the soil for *next* year as well!

Conclusion

Use any one of these organic garden pest control methods and I promise you’ll spend energy stressing out and have way more time to enjoy yourself!

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