Keep garden bugs in check with organic methods.
Organic grub control for vegetable gardens utilizes a variety of methods, usually in conjunction with one another, to keep garden grubs at a manageable level. The ideal organic garden will have a balance of good and bad bugs, much like the good and bad bacteria found in the human intestines and digestive system---only when the balance is tipped are extra grub-control measures put into place. Does this Spark an idea?
Types of Grubs
Grubs in the vegetable garden come in many different varieties---and not all of them are detrimental to the health of the garden. Aphids, spiderworms, root weevils, wireworms and root worms are some of the problem grubs in a vegetable garden, as they eat or otherwise destroy the vegetables and plants or their root systems. Lady beetles, bees, spiders and ants are all to be encouraged in a garden, as they are predatory bugs that help keep problematic grub populations under control.
Types of Organic Control
The most basic of organic methods is hand picking grubs---it can be laborious and tedious work, but is very effective. Companion planting also plays a part in organic grub control---for example, the oils and aroma of a basil plant deter the kind of grubs that will feast on a tomato plant, so growing them next to one another helps to keep grubs at bay. Natural spray-on control methods, such as a neem oil and water solution, infused garlic sprays and vinegar and water solutions are common organic deterrents. Bacteria is also used to fight grubs organically, as are insecticidal nematodes---parasitic nematodes are dangerous to humans and animal, but the insecticidal species are debilitating to a wide range of problem pests and insects and are harmless to mammals, according to experts at Cornell University.
Effects
Most organic grub control methods have a repellent, rather than lethal, effect. The overall organic ethos is manageability rather than total elimination. That means grub control methods needn't kill every grub in the garden, but just keep populations at a less-than-critical level. According to Simple Gifts Farm, a test for determining the need for grub control is counting the grubs in a square foot of garden soil. If there are more than seven grubs in that square foot, then organic grub control should be applied---otherwise, no action is necessary.
Benefits
Organic grub control has the benefit of providing grub manageability without the application of harmful chemical pesticides. Because organic gardening aims to create an ecosystem within the garden, organic pest control in conjunction with organic gardening principals help create a long-term balance of grubs in the garden---meaning that if the balance of the garden ecosystem is maintained, no extra control action should be needed. According to JRank.org, organic gardening that utilizes natural systems of soil and grub management also minimizes the adverse affects that chemical alternatives have on the environment.
Misconceptions
As stated on JRank.org, it is a common misconception that organic gardening is simply a "not" philosophy---not using chemical fertilizer, not using chemical herbicides and not using chemical pesticides. Contrary to that belief, organic gardening is a proactive approach to garden management---it is correct than an organic gardener will not use chemical pesticides for grub control, but the absence of chemicals does not make a successful organic garden.
Tags: organic gardening, grub control, chemical pesticides, control methods, grub control