A person who is involved with gardening knows the need of pesticides and other chemicals used in the process of gardening. But chemicals are dangerous to your plants. Anything which is not natural has adverse effects and this is applicable to plants and other elements of nature. Among the most commonly used lawn and garden chemicals, many are probable carcinogens, others are nerve poisons and several of them have been linked to human birth defects. Studies have found that children exposed to garden pesticides may have an increased chance of developing leukemia and further studies are under way. Acute exposure to these chemicals may also trigger allergies, chemical sensitivities and other conditions. You cannot complete avoid using them but switching to chemical free gardening would make plants more healthy.
1. For the best weed control in your flowerbeds, lay down a sheet of gunny mulch and plant through it. Then cover the area with bark or other organic mulch, such as shredded leaves or compost. Pull them out. Use simple muscle power to uproot weeds from your lawn instead of long-handled tools designed for the job.
2. Instead of using herbicides, lay down plastic edging and tree rings, plastic mats that can be placed on the ground around tree trunks to keep weeds down and lawns and landscape looking neat.
3. When plants are stressed by growing in the wrong place at the wrong time, they are more prone to insect attacks and disease and less able to withstand either. Grow appropriate varieties for your climate and choose those with disease resistance.
4. Basil and marigold often keep pests away from neighboring plants. Lemon grass and citrus plants keep mosquitoes away. Garlic drives most pests away.
5. Choose your plantings to encourage beneficial predatory insects and animals, including, dragonflies, parrots, sparrows and other birds, that will eliminate pests for you.
6. Plant a wide variety of flowers. Their nectar is especially attractive to beneficial bugs.
7. Use organic products. baking soda. Other organic pesticides, such as insecticidal soap, neem oil and horticultural oil, are available at garden centres and hardware stores. These organic pesticides can control a myriad of insects including aphids, spider mites and flea beetles on trees, herbaceous perennials and other landscape plants.
8. Milky spore is effective against lawn grubs, which cause grass to die in large patches. If you suspect grubs, dig up a patch of lawn and look for the curled brown or white larvae. If you find them, sprinkle milky spore powder on the lawn and then water well. The bacteria colonize the soil in most climates, so one application should keep grubs under control for many years.
The best way to save the nature is going the natural way. Enjoy the chemical free gardening with these tips.