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Off The Shelf Pest Control - The
range of low toxic, off the shelf pest
control preparations available to
gardeners is expanding. Here are some of
the main products/ingredients available.
BT - Also sold as Dipel, this
naturally occurring bacteria (Bacillus
thuringiensis) controls some types of
caterpillars. It has been cultured and
is available in a powdered form that is
mixed and sprayed on to plants.
CONDIES CRYSTALS - (Potassium
permanganate) A few drops in a bucket
will turn the water pink. Controls
powdery mildew and is used by some
gardeners to kill ants in potted plants.
It is toxic to worms!
COPPER SPRAYS - Copper
oxychloride, cupric hydroxide and
Bordeaux mixture are used to control a
range of fungus diseases including
mildews, anthracnose and leaf spots.
DERRIS DUST - Derris is made from
the ground root of the rotenone plant
(Derris elliptica). It is used to
control chewing insects. While it is
allowable under organic growing regimes
it is toxic to worms, but some gardeners
do use it for lawn grub control.
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH - Composed of
the ground tiny salt-water organisms
called diatoms, insecticide grade
diatomaceous earth has microscopically
sharp edges that desiccate insects on
contact or kill them when ingested. The
fine grey powder is mixed with water
then sprayed on to plants. Please note
that the diatomaceous earth used in
swimming pool filters is heat treated
and cannot be recommended for use in the
garden.
HORTICULTURAL GLUE AND BARRIER PAINTS
- These products are applied to the
trunks of trees to prevent insects
making their way up into the foliage
canopy. They are particularly effective
against ants, preventing them
transporting scale, aphids and other
insects from overcrowded colonies
located nearby to clean plants. They can
act as effective barriers to a range of
caterpillars.
NEEM OIL - Neem oil has a long
history of use in countries like India
where it can be found in everything from
soap and toothpaste to pest control
products. Eco-neem is a
naturally-derived botanical insecticide
that contains a highly stable and
effective extract from the neem tree.
eco-neem controls caterpillars, lace
bugs, aphids, whiteflies, beetles,
mealybugs, scale, mites, fungus gnats,
grasshoppers, leafminers and thrips.
OIL BASED SPRAYS - Oil sprays
derived from petroleum such as white oil
and PestOil are frowned upon under
organic certification. Fortunately, it
is possible to make up your own
vegetable based oil spray (see
Do It Yourself
Control).
Oil sprays are great for controlling a
wide range of insect pests including
scale, mites, aphids and citrus leaf
miner. Commercial products such as
EcoOil contain plant based oil and are a
better choice.
POTASSIUM BICARBONATE - Exciting
news for gardeners on the disease
control front with the official
registration of Australia’s first
organic fungicide. EcoRose (based on
potassium bicarbonate) has recently been
released as the home garden version of
EcoCarb. It is exactly the same product,
but comes in a smaller size for home
garden use. A broad spectrum fungicide
that controls powdery mildew and black
spot, the new registration applies for
use of the product on grapes and roses,
although it receives regulatory approval
in the USA for a wide range of foliar
diseases.
PHEROMONE TRAPS - A pheromone is
a non-toxic species-specific scent
produced by the female insect to attract
the male. Pheromones are often used as
the attractant in baits and traps.
Products available include Wild May and
Eco-Naturalure for fruit fly control.
PYRETHRUM - Natural pyrethrum is
extracted from the flowers of
Chrysanthemum cinerariafolium. It will
kill predators if used indiscriminately,
so be sure to spray late in the day when
bees have returned to their hives. It is
used for a wide range of insect pests,
particularly beetles. Synthetic
pyrethroids or products in which natural
pyrethrum is mixed with piperonyl
butoxide are not allowable under organic
certification.
SEAWEED SPRAYS - Foliar sprays
made from seaweed have been found to be
very effective in reducing fungus
diseases that affect leaves and flowers.
Seaweed extract also increases the
microbial activity in the soil. This
activity helps to make existing
nutrients more available to plants.
Seaweed also increases the ability of
plants to cope with extremes of
temperature including frost and drought.
SOAP SPRAYS - Soap sprays break
down the waxy layer of the insect
exoskeleton causing the insect to
dehydrate. Be sure to use pure soap and
not detergent. Commercial products
include Natrasoap.
SULPHUR - Dusting sulphur and
wettable sulphur preparations are
effective against mites and powdery
mildew.
Products acceptable under organic
growing regimes are constantly under
review, so always check with your local
organic growing group or certifying
agency [http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/export/organic-bio-dynamic]
before using any pest control product.
(This text contains an edited extract
from my book, 'Organic Vegetable
Gardening', published by ABC Books, plus
additional information). See [Books] | 
