Insects such as the squash bug, spider mite, and aphids are common annoyances in organic gardening. They can ruin your harvest with their chewing and stinging habits, and finding the best organic insecticides to get rid of them is a must. Here you will find useful insights into which insecticides are safe for your vegetable garden, plus information on how to create an insect-free zone around it.
If you have ever kept chickens in your yard, you are probably already familiar with the concept of using roosters as an organic pest control method. Chickens are very aggressive at keeping pests away, and they do so by chasing them off or killing them.
While chickens are not necessarily the most natural fit for a vegetable garden, their presence allows you to keep insects like snakes out of your plants without resorting to harsh chemicals that could harm other living creatures.
That said, using roosters as an insect killer and clearing out animals from your organic garden is not always a good idea. If you know what you’re doing and if there’s enough space for them, chickens can be a great solution from time to time, but only if you don’t have any other options available.
What is a Vegetable Garden?
Unlike any other garden on your land, vegetable gardens are unique. With various annuals, perennials, warm-season, and cool-season plants, these gardens can be just as appealing as a flower border. A vegetable garden is, in the most basic sense, a garden, typically linked to a house, where vegetables, herbs, and fruit are produced for domestic use. Cold frames and greenhouses may also be present.
What is the Best Organic Insecticide For Vegetable Garden?
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Diatomaceous Earth is a non-toxic substance that kills insects by drying them up. It’s also very safe for human consumption and is a great organic pest control and the best insecticide to keep your garden safe because it does not have any effect on other living creatures.
Most diatomaceous earth products are made of the fossilized remains of diatoms, which are single-celled algae, so you do not need to worry about using something that could harm the environment. You can use DE as dust around vegetable plants or in your garden, where it will kill pests naturally and prevent them from coming back.
If you are planning to plant anything other than vegetables in your garden and you plan to use diatomaceous earth, make sure you are not planting anything near the area where diatomaceous earth will be applied. The sediment from diatomaceous earth can clog up your drains and pipes if used improperly. If this is a concern for you, consider creating an insect-free zone around your garden with chicken wire instead of using an insecticide like Diatomaceous Earth.
Boric Acid
The powdery substance boric acid is a safe and effective vegetable insect control method. It’s often used as a natural pesticide for ants, cockroaches, silverfish, tomato hornworm, Japanese beetle, and flea beetle. There are some concerns about its safety when ingested in high amounts, but the benefits outweigh any potential risks.
You can buy boric acid in bulk or create your own by mixing it with water. The boric acid powder can be an excellent solution to keep garden pests away from your vegetable garden and will provide you with long-term results.
However, if you’re worried about insects getting into your plants, you’ll need to make sure that you seal them in some way so they don’t escape once they have been dosed with the insecticide.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is a natural insecticide that can be used against fruit flies, cabbage worms, adult beetles, spider mites, aphids, and other garden bugs. It’s safe to use on most plants in your vegetable garden.
You can also try using horticultural oil spray, which contains essential oils that are toxic to insects, and gently coat the leaves of the plants with this substance. This will help keep pests away and your vegetables fresh.
Neem Oil
Neem oil is a common organic insecticide that is safe to use in your vegetable garden. It contains neem seed oil, which is rich in natural pesticides, and it’s a common ingredient in many commercial organic pest control products.
Neem oil has been used for centuries as an effective natural pesticide for all sorts of insects (like spider mites, bugs, and termites) that thrive on fruit trees, vegetables, and other plants.
The good news? Neem extract is considered safe by the EPA, so you don’t have to worry about any harmful effects on the environment or your health if you use this insecticide in your garden.
Another benefit of neem oil is its proven effectiveness against aphids and mealybugs. Essentially, these pests are repelled by its natural properties that are thought to be similar to nicotine and caffeine-neem is a plant-based treatment with strong anti-toxins.
A bonus: neem comes from India, so it’s cost-effective when compared to other organic pest control options like garlic pellets or periwinkle pellets.
Crushed Garlic Cloves
Another tremendous organic pesticide is crushed garlic cloves. This has been used as a natural repellent by pest-control professionals for years and is especially effective against slugs and snails, who hate the smell. You can sprinkle crushed cloves around your plants or mix them with water and place it in a spray bottle to create a spray effect that will kill slugs and snails without leaving harmful chemicals behind or killing any plant.
Pheromone Traps
One of the best insecticide options is pheromone traps. These traps attract male moths and flies by releasing chemicals that make them think they’re in danger, but they’re just drawing more flies into the trap to feed on a chemical they find irresistible (yum!). Pheromone traps have been proven to have an 80 percent success rate in eliminating flying insects from your vegetable garden.
If you want to go even further, there are plenty of organic pesticides you can experiment with to find the best organic insecticide to get rid of any garden pest from your vegetable garden. Some options include clove powder, cayenne pepper powder or oil, homemade bug spray, insecticidal soap, Monterey garden insect spray, pine tar soap flakes, Dr. Earth, and liquid soap flakes (which contain lye), and more.
Our Organic Insecticide Recommendation
Monterey LG6135 Garden Insect Spray
Monterey bug Killer is a bacterial product created by fermentation that treats plants quickly and is smell-free. Caterpillars, leafminers, codling moths, fire ants, and other insects are all controlled by this insecticide spray. It can be applied to broadleaf weeds, lawns, vegetables, and outdoor ornamentals. Before using, carefully read the label directions to ensure proper application.
Ortho MAX Garden Disease Control Concentrate, 16 oz.
The Ortho MAX Garden Disease Control Concentrate, 16 oz., controls and eliminates plant diseases like rust, blight, powdery mildew, leaf spot, fruit rot, and others. It works well to manage infestations on fruit trees, shrubs, vegetables, flowers, and shade trees. Yes! Vegetable, fruit, and ornamental plant diseases are efficiently controlled. It also inhibits and prevents garden diseases.
Other Options
There are other natural options for controlling pests in your vegetable garden, but they can be more difficult to implement. For example, if you have a fruit tree or berry bush, you could use a physical barrier with holes so that pests cannot enter, such as bird netting or mesh fencing that is at least 3.5 feet tall.
This will also help keep out pesky birds who may want to steal your fruit. Just make sure the barrier is not too tight and that it is easy for you to get through it when harvesting your produce!
Another safe organic option to control pests in your vegetable garden is planting marigolds around crops that attract pests like whiteflies. This is because these flowers attract these pests and will deter them from chewing up your vegetables.
Conclusion on The Best Organic Insecticide for Vegetable Garden
Regarding organic insecticides for vegetable gardens, various options can be used to keep your plants safe. If you are interested in using a specific organic or homemade insecticide, you should speak with your local cooperative extension agent before using anything on your plants. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us.
