Organic gardening techniques

BY HOLLIE WATSON

Whether staking tomatoes in the community garden or patting petunias into townhouse window boxes, West Islanders on the whole are fond of exercising their green thumbs. But a province-wide pesticide ban, coupled with overwhelming evidence that chemical controls wreak havoc on both our health and the environment, are prompting people to seek out organic alternatives.

Options include a wide range of eco-friendly products readily available in local nurseries, from insecticidal soap to more potent botanical treatments like rotenone, effective in battling caterpillars, weevils, beetles and a host of other pests.

There are innumerable tried-and-true techniques to which people can turn, according to Linda Cutler, past-president of the Dorval Horticultural Society.

“There are many simple things people can do. Earwigs seem particularly bad this year; diatomaceous earth works very well. To get rid of ants, I recommend a mixture of Borax and sugar water. To deter slugs, I use eggshells, which I save all year and then crush and spread in a ring around the base of plants,” she said, adding they also add calcium to the soil.

“Insects can decimate rose bushes in no time — dormant oil will help take care of that problem. It’s also good for all ornamentals and fruit trees, as well as lilacs,” Cutler said.

Birds are also vital in controlling bugs, and gardeners should consider erecting feeders and providing nesting materials to attract more birds to their property. For example, a solitary chickadee can devour close to 140,000 cankerworm eggs in less than a month.

Companion planting is a practice that emphasizes the relationship between plants. Marigolds placed strategically throughout the garden are an effective deterrent to nematodes and other insects, while planting garlic near roses is reputed to discourage aphids.

Compost bins have become a fixture in countless backyards, and are an ideal means of recycling kitchen and garden waste, Cutler pointed out, adding she is appalled when she sees big bags of leaves roadside in fall.

“Add them to the compost heap — with the nutrients they give back to the soil, they’re garden gold.”

As for grass clippings (they can turn into a slimy mess when improperly composted), they can be left on the lawn or used in flower beds and vegetable patches to retain moisture and suffocate weeds.

“It’s simply a matter of people educating themselves,” Cutler said.

There are hundreds of books on the many facets of organic gardening, available in bookstores and many libraries, as well as a wealth of information on the Internet, all which can help ease the transition to a healthy, environmentally friendly garden.