Natural methods for controlling garden pests? (Natural Pesticides) Let's find out exactly what this is!

Nowadays, many people like to grow something in a small space at home. It is a pleasure to grow a few chili peppers, a few tomatoes, or a beautiful flower pot or two for their own use. However, the biggest problem that comes with it is the damage caused by pests to these plants. So, many people do not want to use chemical pesticides (synthetic pesticides) that are bought from the store as a solution to this. So, we are now talking about what is called "natural pesticides" as an alternative.

What are these natural pesticides?

Simply put, natural pesticides are pesticides made from things found in nature, such as plants, minerals, or microorganisms.

One of the biggest advantages of these is that they don't stay in the environment for long like synthetic chemical pesticides. They break down quickly. That's why they are often considered less toxic and environmentally friendly than chemical pesticides. But remember the word "often," we'll talk about that later.

Main types of natural insecticides

These natural pest control methods can be divided into several main types.

1. Botanical Pesticides

These are made from natural chemicals extracted from plants. A very famous example in our country is cohosh . The extract of the cohosh tree (Azadirachta indica) is toxic to insects such as caterpillars, aphids, and termites. However, it is less toxic to mammals, that is, humans, dogs, and cats.

Another example is Pyrethrins . These are chemicals found in some chrysanthemum flowers. They are used to control insects such as fleas, flies, gnats, and mosquitoes. They also show low toxicity to mammals.

2. Biochemical Pesticides

These are a type of insecticide that works in a very strange way. Rather than killing insects directly like a regular insecticide, these work by disrupting the insects' natural behavior . For example, they release hormones that interfere with the insects' sexual reproduction. This then controls their reproduction. Sometimes, plant extracts are also used to attract insects to traps.

3. Microbial Pesticides

The active ingredient in this type of insecticide is a microorganism such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi. These can control a variety of pests.

The most commonly used microbe for this purpose is the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) . There are different strains of this bacterium. While one strain kills mosquito larvae and fly larvae, another strain kills flea larvae. This means that it attacks only a very specific target.

Simple natural remedies that you can make at home

There are several simple natural insecticide recipes that you can make at home. However, you need to be very careful when using these . Because their true effectiveness, toxicity, and environmental impact have not yet been scientifically studied in depth. Therefore, first apply a small amount to a single leaf of the plant, wait for about 24 hours, and only use if there is no harm.

Growing plants that repel insects

In addition to spraying insecticides, it's also a good idea to plant plants that some insects don't like between your planting beds.

• Rosemary: Repel insects such as cabbage moths, mosquitoes, and flies.
• Marigolds: Many garden pests, such as pumpkin beetles and slugs, do not like marigolds.
• Chrysanthemums: Insects like ticks and bedbugs do not come close to this type of flower.
• Lavender: Its strong scent repels mosquitoes. Beneficial insects like bees love this scent.
• Basil / Basil: These plants are also often used as an insect repellent to protect the main crop.

Be sure to be careful when using natural pesticides!

This is the most important part of this article. Although less toxic than chemical pesticides, natural pesticides are not completely safe.

• Read the label: Whether the pesticide you are using is natural or synthetic, read the label carefully. It will contain information about its toxicity level and instructions for safe use.
• Toxicity to animals: Some natural pesticides may not be very toxic to humans, but they can be very toxic to other animals. For example, the natural pesticide ryania, which is extracted from a plant, is very toxic to fish. So if you have a fish tank in your garden, you should be very careful about this.
• Harm to beneficial insects like bees: Just as there are insects that harm our crops, there are also insects that help us. Animals like bees and butterflies help crops grow by pollinating flowers. But some natural pesticides also harm these beneficial insects.
• A recent study has found that natural insecticides such as cohosh oil, garlic extract, eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, and rotenone are toxic to bees.
• Even cohosh oil and garlic extract, which are generally considered "safe for bees," have been found to harm larvae in bee colonies and cause them to develop deformed larvae.

So what should you do about this? Avoid spraying pesticides directly on flowers whenever possible. If you absolutely must spray on flowers, spray only in the evening . This is because pollinating insects like bees are most active during the day. If you spray pesticides in the evening when they are out foraging, you can minimize the damage they cause.

If you develop any allergies or health problems from ingesting or touching any of these, see your doctor immediately. If you suspect any poisoning, call the National Poison Information Center at the Colombo National Hospital and seek medical advice.

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