Organic Gardening has changed its login and registration system as of
December 11. The new system was needed to support some of the major site
enhancements that we are currently developing. The new system is shared with
other Rodale sites, including Prevention, Men's Health, Runner's World and Women's Health.
Click here for answers to the most frequently
asked questions related to the new system.
I am looking for organic anti-insects actions. the most problem i have with some kind of fly that put eggs in cherries, gooseberries and black currants berries. Any ideas?
You have gotten a start on control by kind of identifying the problem, but you do need more information. Organic "pest" control starts with 1) Identifying a problem and what is causing the problem. 2) determining if the problem needs a solution, 3) finding the least toxic means of control. 4) applying that control 5) reviewing what was done. The solution to the problem depends on many things and that does begin with proper ID of the problem. No controls exist once fruitworms (tha larva of any insect that gets into a fruit) get into the fruit so any control needs to be applied before the adults lay eggs that become those larva. That may be Dormant oils, that may be putting a "sock" over the developing fruit to keep the larva out, that may be spraying something at the right time to kill the adults.
The sign of a good gardener is not a green thumb, it is brown knees.
Posts: 2686 | Location: Central Michigan along the Lakeshore | Registered: August 28, 2004
Try a bat house. Flies, mites and mosquitoes are all secondary food source for the North American Brown Bat (moths are the primary source). Get a couple bat houses up near you orchard and give them a nearby (within a mile anyway) fresh water source and see if you can attract a few bats. It should knock your bugs problems down quite a bit.
Bill Griffin
Even Ham Radio operators love organic food. Especially here in SW lower MI.
Posts: 1698 | Location: Edwardsburg, MI Zone 5/6 | Registered: December 08, 2004
I had read that it is good to plant Chives & Alliums (Onions) in your Orchard to repel many fruit pests. I can't remember where I came across it...Maybe someone here can comment if it works? I have no first hand knowledge.
Posts: 72 | Location: Riverside County, CA | Registered: March 12, 2008
here is a link...they also said Nasturtiums for fruit borers. I am trying them around a couple of Hibiscus in hopes I won't have white fly. So far no White Fly...I had just chopped up a couple of vollunteer plants I had and added them to the soil.