1. Grow plants that are well adapted to the soil and climate of the area. For example, grow fava when and where the climate is cool and moist for a long period.

2. Grow crops at the proper time. For example, grow cole crops in the fall only; except turnip. They are too attractive to insects in the spring and summer.

3. Grow resistant varieties.

4. Use integrated pest management tehniques by getting bacteria, fungus, plants, beneficial insects, and animals to control harmful insects for you. For example, grow plants that attract beneficial insects in and around the garden.

5. Crop rotation. See:

Organic City Garden Crop Rotation

Organic Self Sufficiency Crop Rotation

6. Avoid large monocultures if at all possible.

7. Hogs can be used to eat fallen fruit and interrupt insect breeding cycles.

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PLANTS THAT ATTRACT BENEFICIAL INSECTS

PERENNIALS TO PLANT OUTSIDE THE GARDEN
Yarrow - parasitic wasps, lady beetles, bees, deer resistant
Tansy - parasitic wasps, lady beetles, insidious flower bugs,
        lacewings, deer resistant
Daisy - parasitic wasp, nectar
Alfalfa - parasitic wasp, nectar
Seedum - parasitic wasps
Comfrey - spiders
Tree bark not sprayed by oil - predatory wasp nest site
Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria) - nectar
Butterfly Weed - nectar
Goldenrod(Solidago sp.) - wasps, preying mantis, deer resistant
Hard-leaved Goldenrod - wasps


ANNUALS TO PLANT INSIDE THE GARDEN
Alyssum - parasitic wasps, pollen and nectar
Parsnip - parasitic wasp
Caraway - parasitic wasps, lacewings, hoverflies, insidious flower bugs
          , spiders
Amaranth - tachinid fly
Marigolds - pollen and nectar
Buckwheat - hoverflies, minute pirate bugs, predatory wasps,
            tachinid flies, lacewings, lady beetles
Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) - lady beetles
        , minute pirate bugs, predatory wasps
Chamomile - predatory wasps
Hyssop - predatory wasps
Celery - predatory wasps
Borage(seed needs light to germinate) - pollen and nectar
Batchelor button - pollen and nectar
Corn flower(Centauren cyanus) - pollen and nectar
Mustard - pollen and nectar
Coriander - pollen and nectar
Nasturtiums - nectar and pollen
Sunflower family - attracts lacewing

BIENNIALS
Parsley - predatory wasps

WEEDY PERENNIALS AND BIENNIALS (Best grown in fields around garden)
Sweet fennel - parasitic wasps, predatory wasps
Dill - seed needs light to sproat, predatory wasps
Queen Ann's Lace - parasitic wasps, nectar
White sweet clover - tachinid flies, bees, predatory wasps
Clover - predatory wasps
Dandelion - nectar
Echinacea - nectar and pollen

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CONTROLLING INSECTS UNDERGROUND

Practice clean culture in the fall. (Work in all crop residue.)
This will also reduce soil insect populations.

Hard wood chips - grows fungus which kill nematodes
Grasshoppers - plowing in the fall can kill eggs
               , work in insectidal plants
               , growing oats and peas repels grasshoppers 
Parasitic nematodes - kills many soil insects
Milky spore - kills grubs

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ORGANIC INSECTICIDE

Bacillus thuringiensis - bacteria which disrupts the disgestive system 
         of leaf eating worms.
         Not necessary for cole crops if they are planted in the fall.

Till into the soil under fruit trees:
tobacco - insecticide
wormwood - insecticide
high camphor lavender - repels everything
walnut (Juglans nigra) - odor of leaves repels insects
rosemary
wild plants with insecticidal properties 
     listed in Peterson's
     Medicinal Plants Field Guide

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ATTRACTS INSECT AND PEST PREDATORS

bat nest sites.
very small bird (warblers) nest sites. 
grow trees for nest sites.
tomato cages for perching in the garden.
snakes, lizards, and frogs - 
      water and hiding places. 
      (ie: log pile, rocks)
snakes will breed in a wood chip pile.
wasp boxes
water in gravel pans for wasps
grass or straw mulched areas - spiders
birds - Do not put out bird feeders.
        It will only train them to eat your crops, 
        instead of the insects you want them to eat.
owl nest boxes - owls for mouse control

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BENEFICIAL INSECT LINKS:

www.gardenguides.com
www.gardensalive.com
www.phancypages.com
www.bugladyconsulting.com

Garden For Nutrition Index