Organic pest-control
Organic pest-control has been used for centuries. Over the decades its methods and approaches have gone through a great deal of progress. In Hungary the practice of biological defense stayed isolated in the research community and among the eco-farmers until the beginning of the 1980’s.
Sadly we have to face the fact that the agricultural activities are one of the most environmentally damaging of all human operations. Due to the establishment of plantations and the large scale production the natural eco-system has been replaced with an unbalanced and reduced flora. However to ensure the production and to fight against pest the farmers are using synthetic chemicals with which they seriously poison the environment and presumably the food as well.
The biological pest-control method uses the natural enemies of pests and pathogens by which it is possible to avoid environmental pollution. Favorable conditions such as flowering spots or hedgerows are important for the benevolent natural actors to find shelter and settlements. Hang a flower pot up-side-down, fill it with hay and straw, this will make a perfect hiding place for earwigs. Stand a T-shape pole for the birds of prey. Forming certain group of plants are also helpful. For example various species of the papilionaceous plants (Papilionaceae), the Cruciferae family (Brassicaceae), the Umbelliferae or the Labiatae families are beneficial in the orchard.
What are the advantages of organic pest-control?
- Using the most up-to-date preparations can be even more effective than chemicals
- Eco-friendly pesticides don’t harm the environment and the benevolent natural actors (ladybugs, ichneumon flies, etc. )
- Enhances the restoration of the ecological balance
- By the assistance of the natural enemies we can reduce or even stop using pesticides (eg.: mites in the vineyard)
- We can avoid pesticide residue in or on the food products
- We can avoid sales difficulties caused by the waiting periods
- Most of the methods are preventives hence they precede the damages
Applied natural actors
It is common to use bacteria against worms and moths. Such as Bacillus thuringiensis, whose several phylum upon sporulation produce crystal proteins that have insecticidal action therefore usable against gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar), bell-moths (Cochylis ambiguella), leaf-rollers (Tortricini) and cabbage-butterflies (Pieris brassicae).
Warblers, like tits and woodpeckers, are particularly helpful thereby it is practical to take good care about them during the cold season. ‘Garden-resident’ mammals like hedgehogs, rats, and moles consume a lot of insects, just like frogs, lizards and grass snakes. Gardeners’ favorite friends, the ladybugs are effective against aphids while the ichneumon flies are great enemies of the whiteflies. Lacewings, earwigs and forest caterpillar hunters (Calosoma sycophanta) also defeat against insects. If those minute, slender thrips (Thysanoptera) or spider mites are causing us headache, predator true-bugs (Hemiptera) or some mite species (Phytoseiulus persimilis) are the best solution. Some of these beneficial arthropods can be immigrated to the garden through pieces of branches or plant parts where they are settled.
Streptomyces griseoviridis is a special bacteria which is effective against root rots, seedling death or wilting caused by fusariosis. This microbiological fungicide is strongly performing on the protection of vegetables, ornamental plants and melons.
We wish you a joyous gardening!
