Do you use pesticides?

[ashley0323]

I am wanting to start planting fruits and veggies again. Wondering how many people use pesticides? I dont want to use them, but even I dont the bugs eat at the fruits. How can you prevent that?

 

[Chuck]

I am wanting to start planting fruits and veggies again. Wondering how many people use pesticides? I dont want to use them, but even I dont the bugs eat at the fruits. How can you prevent that?

I am a totally organic gardener and I have very little insect problems. About the only thing I ever get are caterpillars which are the easiest to control. There are 3 pesticides you should have on hand and they are all organic. Bt (Bacillus thuringensis), Spinosad and Neem Oil. These three products will take care of any insect you will likely encounter and are harmless to people and pets.

 

[remnant]

You can use organic pesticides made from plants with bitter sap in your area. These are not likely to harm pollinators as chemical pesticides won't to do. I used another strategy of covering fruits with a transparent polythene paperbag with holes punched on the sides for aeration and drainage. They should not be big to prevent bugs from entering. If you have to use chemical pesticides, spray in the late evening to prevent poisoning from pollinators and other beneficial fauna.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

I don't use pesticides or herbicides in my gardens or on my lawns, some of them are know to cause cancer in dogs and cats, I just don't think I would want my grandkids or great grandkids rolling on the lawn with pesticides or herbicides in it.

 

[Corzhens]

We used to spray pesticides in the garden when we moved in here in 2001. At that time, the plants and trees were all infested by pests particularly that spider mite and crawlers like that brown centipede which is itchy to the skin. But now we don't use pesticides anymore except for the occasional spraying of water with liquid dish washing soap only on the affected plants. It is effective against bugs and other insects. But with the aphids that inhabit the sugar apple and pepper plant, what we do is to spray it with water using our power hose and the aphids are eradicated.

 

[atlmom5]

I don't use pesticides. Totally organic gardener over here and @Chuck gave you some really great organic options, please try them.

 

[Hilda222]

I'll never use pesticides for my garden. My mother used to say about some beneficial insects which can be used to prey on garden pests. Some of the beneficial insects are lady beetles, praying mantis, green lacewings etc. Else you can use some of the natural pesticides like Neem, Sabadilla, Nicotine Sulphate etc.

 

[kgord]

I am not growing fruit currently, but i think the organic way is best. Let nature take it's course, your crop may not be as beautiful, but you will have no chemical residue to deal with. Organic is in for sure. This is just one of the choices growers have to make, and most now a days choose to go organic I think.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

No never, not good for the environment.

 

[Beverly]

I use organic methods only. In these forums you can find organic solutions for just about any pest that might threaten fruits, vegetables or other plants and trees by doing a search or starting a thread. The GF search box is in the upper right corner of the site.

 

[rz3300]

I try to avoid anything like this, but at the same time I recognize that they really can help and are sometimes necessary. In that sense I am sure that everyone is pretty much in the same boat. Better to avoid, but sometimes you just have to give in.

 

[Beverly]

Hmmmm, i have never given in, absolutely never, and i never will. For me, the use of pesticides is simply not an option. There is always an alternative.

 

[BlueLotus]

I'm a fan of companion planting with my vegetable and fruit garden because I don't like the idea of eating pesticides. Though I can understand some people using them if what they're growing has a thicker skin. The biggest problem with pesticides are with root crops like potatoes and radishes, that just soak up the chemicals. Mostly though, I just leave the predator bugs to do most of the work and it's usually fine.

 

[Aulia Sarah]

nope, better use organic pesticides