Figured this would be a great post since we’re all starting our summer grows as a go to for some better pest management options without chemical pesticides and ideas of some household stuff we can use. Here’s some of my management ideas that have worked great in my trials
The one thing I’ve found most beneficial in MY garden is cayenne pepper, had a lot of issues with ants in my grows of weed and veggies with em knocking down the youngins. Saved many seedlings putting " a ring of fire" around the base of the babies
As for the ant hills they got filled with boiling water and eradicated
Diamatacious earth I’ve found to be excellent for tackling an overwatering fungus gnat issue dusting the top of the soil and leaving soil to dry for a few days, not the most ideal environment for them to lay eggs with the microscopic shards and now that I’m dialed in I don’t ever have to deal with this issue anymore
Planting Marigolds close to the grow. Rabbits and most small critters can’t stand the smell of em and the roots produce a toxin called alpha-terthienyl which doesn’t allow for root knot nematodes to hatch eggs
Growing garlic around the grow, most critters can’t stand the smell either
Growing Mint and peppermint in the area will keep rats and mice away
In between my grows I use Dr earth final stop that attaches to a hose, ingredients are just smelly essential oils most bugs can’t stand and my entire quarter acre and greenhouse gets soaked down with it. Done well for me keeping bug populations on my property low to non existent and especially out of my greenhouse
I’d love to hear others methods or “out of the ordinary” thoughts for a solution and how u guys may have organically got a hold on some pest problems
