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All Rights Reserved No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any informational storage and retrieval system without the express written dated and signed permission of the author.

Disclaimer/And Or Legal Notice The information presented herein represents the view of the author as of the date of publication. Because of the rate with which conditions change, the author reserves the right to alter and update her opinions based on new conditions. This e-book is for informational purposes only. While every attempt was made to verify the information provided here, neither the author nor her affiliates assume any responsibility for errors inaccuracies or omissions. Any slights to people or organizations are unintentional.

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Table of Contents
Introduction The Difference Between Chemical Alternatives And Organic Management Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Organic Pest Management for Your Natural Garden Identification and Monitoring of Pests Avoidance Crop Rotation and Interplanting Pest Resistant Plants Plant a Garden Insectary Nematodes Controlling Insects Conclusion 6 8 10 10 11 12 15 16 20 4 5 4

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Introduction
Theres no worse feeling than stepping into your garden in the morning to see that unwanted pests have munched though your coveted crop. A gorgeous shock of squash plants can be destroyed in one day by a hungry band of bugs. Tomato plants can die within days of being attacked by hornworms. You can lose those cukes youd planned to pickle thanks to voracious beetles. The good news is that you dont have to give up your garden or resort to dangerous chemical pesticides to enjoy healthy produce. And pest management does not mean that you should be on the hunt for complete elimination of pests. You want to control the numbers of pests you have in your garden before they become an unmanageable problem. Welcome home to Integrated Pest Management or IPM.

The Difference Between Chemical Alternatives and Organic Management

Back in the 1940s when chemicals first came on the scene as a means of pest control, farmers were thrilled to be able to spray one application and have total control over the pests on their farms or in their gardens. But it wasnt more than a decade or two later that problems arose. And even though the super chemical DDT has been banned for generations, its still showing up in some animals.

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com Whats the answer for a home gardener who has spotted insect trouble and doesnt have any idea how to battle it without using dangerous chemicals? IPM When using IPM for pest control, youll begin to see even your small vegetable garden as its own unique ecosystem. The goal of IPM is to solve your pest problems using the least amount of toxins possible. Integrated Pest Management employs a four-step plan thats easy to incorporate into even the smallest of gardens. Here are four steps to think about and start using: Set an Upper Limit Youll need to decide ahead of time how much damage to your garden youll accept and when the bad bugs have crossed over your line. Is it a few chewed leaves or when plants are dying? Its your call. Identify and Monitor Yes, youll need to do a little work in this area because not all insects or pests are bad or harmful. This method also allows you to determine when more control is really needed. Avoid the Problem Prevention is key. The best defense is a good offense and if you monitor and manage your insect population, you can keep it from turning into a raging wildfire. Some helpful controls include crop rotation to avoid infestation by insects that may have over-wintered in your garden soil, choosing pest resistant plants, and setting up an insectary to attract beneficial insects. Control If you find that you need to employ more drastic means to controlling insects and pests, always choose the most effective and least risky method first. Some possibilities you can try before resorting to Page 5 Copyright www.JoyfulTomato.com

Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com chemicals include use of pheromones to disrupt the mating process, trapping, or erecting barriers. Plan out your IPM strategy just like you plan out what youd like to plant in your garden. These time tested tactics will help you keep the pest population to a level you feel comfortable with which also avoids destruction of valuable crops. Try these ideas to jump start your IPM plan Start with healthy soil Grow pest resistant plant varieties to reduce the chances of infestation. In choosing the right plant, try to incorporate as many native plants as you can Weed your garden to remove harmful insect habitats When you see an unwanted pest, remove it with your hands (as long as its safe to do so) along with anything residue it may leave behind Introduce some beneficial insects to keep the harmful pest population in check by planting a companion garden Keep mulch around plants so unwanted soil-living insects have less of a chance to get to your plants this will also help prevent plants from being attacked by fungus. This practice will also make your beneficial insects happy as hey hate dust. If you dont want to mulch, make sure you cover the bare ground with some plantings Interplant Make sure you plant lots of things together instead of just one type of plant. For instance, plant marigolds along with your tomatoes Rotate your veggies -- If you planted tomatoes in one area of your garden last year, plant them in an opposite end of the garden Keep a journal Youll have a better time remembering what pests you dealt with from year to year as well as what method of control you used

Organic Pest Management for Your Natural Garden

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Let's take a look at the four things that you'll want to employ when constructing and implementing your own form of insect pest management. The first thing you need to think about is how much damage you will accept in your garden. There isn't any way I know of that will give you a completely insect free garden, even in a greenhouse. I once read a story about a gardener in the Southwest United States who needed to create a way to stop large animals from getting into his garden. What he did was rather ingenious...
He constructed his garden in the usual manner by churning up a field with a teller and then deciding what crops would go where. Then he created a cage. The cage consisted of stainless steel ribs and heavy-duty insect screening and he was able to keep large animals out of his garden as well as the majority of large insects. The problem, of course, is that he also eliminated the beneficial insects that either pollinated his garden or took care of any of the pests that got into the screening.

So, how much damage is too much? That's something that you'll need to ultimately decide for yourself but, for me, I don't worry about a couple of chewed holes in leaves or some aphids on stems. What I do worry about is damage that starts to destroy the integrity of the plant. That means that leaves are starting to yellow or curl up, fruit is being attacked, and plants are dying. The best way to determine your upper limit for insect damage is to do a little research. If you have access to a computer and the Internet, get on the superhighway and look for some of the more common insect varieties for the plants that you want to cultivate.

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com Not only should you be able to find pictures of the insects so you can better identify them you should be able to find what their damage looks like as well. Some of the most common garden pests and insects are: Aphids Caterpillars Colorado potato beetles Cucumber beetles Cut worms Flea beetles Leaf hoppers Leaf miners Squash bugs Slugs and snails Green flies Ants Moles and voles Rabbits and other pest animals Japanese beetles Fruit feeding insects

Identification and Monitoring

The first active step you'll want to take in your new program of Integrated Pest Management is to identify what pests are commonly in your garden and monitor what happens. You'll find out pretty quickly that not all insects and pests need to be monitored. However, you need to know that they're there and what kind of damage they tend to do. Part of the reason you want to invest time in this important step is because by identifying and monitoring what's going on in your garden you will avoid using any kind of unnecessary pesticides. Page 8 Copyright www.JoyfulTomato.com

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Now, I'm not advocating that you should never use some kind of natural pesticide. There are times when you may have to use one. But, you can avoid over use by knowing what natural and beneficial insects are in your garden to help keep law and order. Early detection of harmful pests will save you time and money in the long run. There are two critical components involved with identification and monitoring of garden pests. They are 1. How much money and time you are willing to contribute for organic pest control 2. What is going on in your environment at the time of the outbreak Obviously, the first issue is one only you can determine. There are some of you reading this report who will want to do everything possible to manage pest outbreaks before thinking about using either an organic pesticide or synthetic one. Identification and monitoring your garden the very first time will probably eat up the most money and time spent. After that, though, you should have a fairly good idea of the kind of insects that come to visit your garden. Then it's just a matter of keeping your eye out for anything new. The next issue is what's happening in your environment at the time of the outbreak. That's something you have very little control over and is nearly impossible to predict. Now, I'm not talking about when plants that bloom each year -- that's very predictable and you'll be able to see how the insect population increases at those times.

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com I'm talking about something like an unexpected brush fire that wasn't expected which drives more insects toward your garden or even an infestation of other bugs like cicadas or locusts.

Avoidance
The best way to deal with pests and insects in your garden is to not deal with them. What does that mean? It means avoiding the problem altogether. There are ways you can manage pests and insects in your garden without having to resort to using even a natural pesticide. As a first line of defense in your new organic pest control program, you'll want to manage pests rather than wipe them out. You can do this using a couple of methods, like Crop rotation and interplanting Choosing pest resistance plans Setting up a garden insectary Using nematodes

Let's take a look at all four of these suggestions individually. Crop rotation and Interplanting

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com Crop rotation is good for not only inhibiting unwanted pests but also keeping plants from being infected with soil borne diseases that overwinter in your garden. You'll want to locate your plants according to their needs. Are you growing vegetables that require full sun? Or are you planting ornamentals that need some shade? Since were talking more about vegetables and fruit then ornamentals in this report, let's take a look at how you can set up your vegetable garden on a threeyear rotation that will help keep insects, disease and pests to a minimum. This three-year plan -- where you do not grow the same family of vegetables in the same part of the garden year after year -- helps to starve fungi and soil borne diseases, therefore keeping your plants healthier and your harvests more bountiful. Let's start this cycle by looking at just one part of your garden, the northern third. In year one, plant members of the solanaceous family like tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant. The following year, year two, plant members of the curcurbit family such as cucumbers, pumpkin or squash. In year three you could plant members of the brassica family like cauliflower, brussels sprouts, or broccoli. If you divide your garden into thirds and rotate the vegetables as I've suggested, you'll never have one family growing in the same area two years in a row. Interplanting is also a good practice to follow when managing pests. Insects are often plant specific and when you mix plantings -- like planting marigolds, daisies and rosemary in with your vegetables -- you'll find that insects are less likely to spread throughout the entire crop.

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com Pest Resistant Plants Just as healthy soil is the cornerstone of your organic garden, one very important method to prevent pest infestation on plants is to choose varieties that are naturally resistant. That doesn't mean that youre going to be able to go to your nursery and see tags on plants that read, "naturally resistant to aphids". That's not what you're looking for. What you are looking for are plants that are resistant to disease. Why? Because if a plant is resistant to disease it will be healthier in the long run and able to fight off an attack from pests and insects. Do some research and find out what plant varieties can grow best in your state. These plants will, naturally, be hardier and more resistant to things like black spot and fungi. Also, take a look at the seed in plant catalogs that come out at the beginning of each year and choose plants or seeds that are resistant to diseases. The way seed and plant companies create resistant varieties is to genetically breed them that way. More and more growers are doing everything they can to help gardeners have stronger and healthier plants its all in the way that they cross pollinate seed. When you can, plant native species. Native plants have more protection with their own natural immune systems as well as their own relationships with other plants.

Plant a Garden Insectary

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Both this section and the one on nematodes have a dual purpose. They are both going to help you avoid the problem of insect infestation and, therefore, help you control and manage any pests or insects you may have. Let's start the beginning. What is a garden insectary? A garden insectary is a small next-door neighbor garden created solely to attract beneficial insects. These good guys will feed on the insects you want to control and will keeping their numbers manageable. This is the best alternative to using pesticides -- even organic ones -- to control pests and insects. I think of this neighbor garden as companion planting. By creating this insectary you are setting up a diverse ecosystem that will keep your plants healthy. Here's an idea that might be tough for you to get your head around:

In order for the beneficial insects to do their job properly you must have bad bugs present in your garden.
I know it seems contrary to everything you have learned in gardening and what you feel intuitively is best for a healthy plant. But your insectary to work at its highest level by having the bad bugs present in your garden. Think of the insectary as your own private Garden Secret Service. In addition to allowing the bad insects to be present in your garden, this also means you'll need to accept that the beneficial insects will be living and thriving there too. Page 13 Copyright www.JoyfulTomato.com

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This companion plot to your vegetable garden does not need to be large. Six or seven varieties of plants that attract insects is all you'll need. You'll need to be prepared to experiment a little bit. Just as our world changes around us, so does our garden. What works as a pest management control one year may not be as successful next. But having an insectary is always a good start and should help you keep insects and other pests to a minimum. Some beneficial insects include damsel bugs, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps. Before you get a little crazy about the parasitic wasps, just know that they are really good at controlling things like white flies, moths, beetles and fly larvae. These arent the kind of wasps that are going to swarm and sting you. Rather, they are looking for a habitat where they can exist in peace. Here's a chart that will help you attract beneficial insects to your garden. The first column is the insect, the second is the beneficial insect youll want to attract and the third is what you could plant in your insectary to entice your good bugs to come and set up housekeeping:
Insect Aphids Various pest eggs Whiteflies Slugs Scale Beneficial Insect Plant for Insectary Aphidius, Aphidoletes, Hoverflies, Achillea, Lupin, Sunflowers, Ladybugs Damsel bugs Dicyphus, Parastic Wasps Ground beetles Lacewings Alyssum, Comos, Fennel, Tansy Fennel Digitalis, Cosmos, Statice, Lemon Balm, Parsley Amaranth Achillea, Dill, Queen Annes Lace, Fennel, Tansy

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Thrips Pirate Bugs Helinathus, Shasta Daisy

Of course, that's just a short list of some good plants. Other insectary plants include ... Astor California poppies Chervil Chrysanthemum Rosemary Black-eyed Susan Yarrow

These flowering plants feed and hydrate your adult beneficial insects. I know one gardener who waters the plants in her insectary with overhead sprinklers so that the beneficial insects will always have droplets of water to drink on the leaves. Here are some other things to think about when you are creating your insectary and keeping your beneficial insects happy: Choose flowering plants with tiny flowers instead of large blooms some of our good bug our friends, like the parasitic wasps, are so small they need less room to gather nectar Allow some of your salad and cabbage crops flower -- this will help attract and keep beneficial insects and flowering vegetables are a pretty addition to your garden once you have harvested all of the produce Make sure to vary the height of plants in your insectary -- beneficials like ground beetles need protection that low growing plants provide. Try

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com planting thyme, rosemary or mint to help them out. Also, lacewings like to lay eggs in shady areas so it's nice to have that for them. Interplant vegetables with rows of annual insectary flowers -- not only will you keep your beneficial insects happy by luring them toward their prey, your vegetable garden will burst with color Nematodes Nematodes are often used in conjunction with other organic methods of pest control because they live and thrive in your soil. But what are they really? Nematodes are microscopic multicellular worms that feed on bacteria, fungi and other insects. They are effective control agents because once they attack an insect, they will kill or hamper the development of the insect host, and then massproduce themselves. Heres an example: A common use for nematodes is when you are faced with an infestation of Japanese beetles. Some organic gardeners would reach for milky spore powder -- which was off the market for a while because of toxin concerns -as an answer. However, you could also use Sf (steinernema feltiae) nematodes because they tend to patrol the top 3 inches of soil and can tolerate cooler temperatures. You would want to use this kind of nematode for the two times during the year when Japanese beetle grubs are feeding: early spring to early summer and again in late summer to early fall. Nematodes are most effective when the insect are they trying to control is in the active larva stage. If you wait until the larva becomes a bug it's too late for the nematode to do much good.

Control
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There may be times when you have to resort to some kind of pesticide, whether it's organic or synthetic. The goal, of course, is to use pesticides sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. The biggest issue with a synthetic pesticide is that it stays in the environment far longer than that one spray of Roundup used to kill weeds. Synthetic pesticides can runoff into groundwater, lakes and streams, pets can get pesticides on their paws which can harm them and your family, and can eventually lead to acid rain. An organic pesticide, on the other hand, typically does not stay in the environment after you've used it. Put simply, this kind of pesticide will do its job and degrade into a harmless compound. Some organic pesticides even permit you to apply it right up to the day of harvest. Some of the more common organic pesticides that have been approved for use in organic crop production include: Baccillus thuringiesis (Bt) -- be careful of liquid forms containing xylene. They are prohibited. Diatomaceous earth -- make sure to use a dust mask if you're using this kind of organic pesticide as the debris can be a lung irritant Garlic -- this staple in the kitchen is well known as an organic pesticide Pyrethrum -- only naturally occurring forms should be used. These products are highly unstable and can cause dermatitis in humans Rotenone -- this has been known to be highly toxic to fish and should never be used on crops during harvest time. It is unknown how long this product stays in the soil but it is known that its effectiveness is greatly reduced within about a week

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com Insecticidal soap -- this is a good alternative to using synthetic pesticides to control softbodied insects like aphids because they get the job done without leaving a residue Any kind of management using pest control applications are best done in the morning rather than any other time of day. This ensures that honeybees, which are becoming endangered, are not active. Early-morning also minimizes any foliar damage that can occur when pesticides are used in warm weather. Here are some ideas you can use to repel insects in your garden without resorting to synthetic pesticides Aphids -- If you've gardened at all, you know that aphids are a staple. You'll often see them in clusters on the undersides of leaves and on the stems of plants. One of the most effective methods to rid yourself of aphids is to spray them off your plants with a garden hose. Don't use the usual garden shower setting on your nozzle; you want a good strong spray. The best way to do this without injuring your plant is to hold the affected area in one hand and spray with the other. Yes, you're probably going to get a little damp but it's worth getting rid of the aphids. If aphids are really bad and your insectary garden has not yet taken over and controlled that population, try using an insecticidal soap like Safer Soap. You can also make your own insect repellent and I'll give you a few recipes at the end of this section. Birds -- Once again, you cant be a gardener without having to deal with birds. Birds are wonderful and keep a garden alive but you don't want them to eat the fruits of your labors. To deter birds from attacking seedlings or plants, cover rows with black plastic bird netting over semicircular hoops. The hoopes go at either end of the row and keep the row cover off the plants. You can get either of these products at home and Page 18 Copyright www.JoyfulTomato.com

Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com garden centers. You'll also want to tie some reflective tape to the netting to keep the birds away. Cucumber beetles -- Planting calendula will help with this problem. The flowers act as a trap crop and beetles will be naturally attracted to them. When you see them give `em a good squish. Snails -- These guys love to find a cool dark place during the day. You can trap them by propping up a piece of pottery or wood on a rock. An old clay saucer from a broken pot works wonderfully. You can also get them drunk by filling shallow containers with beer. Apparently, they love it but end up drowning. Japanese beetles -- We talked briefly about nematodes and their effectiveness on Japanese beetle grubs. But that tactic doesn't work on adult beetles. There are those out there who suggest hanging pheromone traps to draw beetles in and trap them in a bright yellow bag. I think it just attracts more beetles. The best thing I've seen to control Japanese beetles is to fill a container with hot water and dish soap and shake them into it. The way to do this is to go out to the plants where you see them feeding (they usually feed the heaviest in the evening), take hold of the leaves theyre feeding on and shake them into the container of hot soapy water. The soapy water will drown them. Colorado potato beetle -- This particular beetle loves to munch on members of the potato family including eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and, of course, potatoes. The females lay clusters of bright orange eggs on the underside of leaves and handpicking these leaves is the best defense. Just like with Japanese beetles, you can knock them and any larva you find into a dish of hot soapy water. Also, a thick organic mulch spread in the garden makes it harder for beetles to reach the plants in the spring. Cutworms -- These moth larvae live in the soil and come out at night to eat your new seedlings. You can create a barrier around plants by using either a toilet paper roll or collar cut from a plastic bottle. Cutworms are a Page 19 Copyright www.JoyfulTomato.com

Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com favorite feast enjoyed by blue jays, sparrows and wrens. Place a bird feeder near the area where you have had a cutworm problem because birds will help you take care of that. Nematodes also love to feast on cutworms. Leafhoppers -- These common garden pests love to feed on foliage leaving behind brown curled tips. For the most part, they don't require a whole lot of control but if you need be, spot treat with an insecticidal soap. Squash bugs -- These insects are probably some of the nastiest in your vegetable garden. They can completely destroy a squash crop in a matter of days if they arent controlled early on. I have a friend who surrendered her squash crop to the bugs because it had gotten so out of control. Insecticidal soap helps but if you have a bad infestation the only way to cure it is to remove the diseased plants. There are many ways to control pests in your garden without nuking the bad bugs as well as the good. Here are some other ideas you can incorporate into your plan: 1. Be a clean gardener Always clean up debris from the garden like dead plant leaves that prevent moisture from reaching the soil. 2. Dry foliage makes for happy plants When you water do it early in the morning especially during cooler weather so any plants that get wet have a chance to dry. Trim lower leaves back so they arent splashed with soil. 3. Keep your tools clean Clean tools prevent the spread of disease that may be picked up when cutting back foliage. Washing your hands and tools with warm water and soap will keep them in good working order and prevent the spread of insects and disease.

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Good Bugs Bad Bugs www.JoyfulTomato.com 4. Try a homemade spray to control insects Surf over to this link for a bunch of great homemade insecticidal spray recipes: http:// www.realmama.org/archives-spring-2006/kitchentogarden.php

Conclusion
Natural pest control takes some time and thought but is very manageable. Use some of the tips and techniques outlined in this report to keep your garden healthy and happy!

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