Organic Gardening: Ditch Pesticides for Good

2. Check your garden frequently

“Having the gardener out there among her plants, looking closely at what’s going on…is huge when it comes to preventing pest problems,” Pleasant says.

By taking a brief stroll through your plot at least once a day, you’ll begin to notice the “who’s-who” of garden critters. Insects like lady bugs, bees and butterflies will become commonplace, while harmful aphids and crop-dwelling beetles will stick out like sore thumbs.

Pleasant, who takes a leisurely walk through her garden a few times each day, notes that pest problems often don’t take long to develop. So, spotting trouble early can be the difference between a brief outbreak and an utter infestation, she explains.

“If you do have a pest outbreak, most plants can tolerate some damage,” Pleasant says, adding that when caught early, most pest problems won’t detrimentally affect your garden at all.

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