I’m growing tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers for my first time not on a balcony, and I’m a tad concerned about caterpillars, squirrels, and other wildlife finding their way to my crops; that said, I would like to keep my space as earth friendly as possible, so chemical pesticides are out. I’ve read blog articles about trimming the lowest branches to prevent disease and planting trap crops such as nasturtiums and marigolds to lure pests away from the tomatoes. Do these techniques actually work? How do other gardeners handle this situation?
Look up companion planting for what you’re growing. Some plants others have mentioned are good to deter certain bugs/pests for certain plants. It’ll also give you ideas for plants that attract other bugs that eat the pests. It’s nature at its finest!
squash bugs, get a bernzomatic hand torch(type you use to sweat copper or a brulé torch would work too) and burn them and their eggs off. be diligent about it and you may triple your harvest. it helps to have all your squash growing on trellis and off the ground. I inspect mine 2-3 times a week. I check under each leaf and stem. the plants usually wilt a bit from the flame but are generally unfazed by being torched. on rare occasions the infestation was too much and I just cut off pieces and burned them.
seven dust with a squeeze bulb applicator takes care of the squash bugs, tomato caterpillars, ants, etc. I also have one with diatomaceous earth. this is also helpful to squirt some inside the hollow tubes of squash plants.
light applications of fungicides early when you see it. if that doesn’t work, trim and/or burn the plants with it. as with any fungus, dampness and humidity helps it grow/spread, this means water directly and not over the leaves. as a last resort you could probably mix up a light copper acetate mixture which is used as a fungicide on treated lumber. just keep the solution under 3% and wash your produce well after harvest. also don’t do this unless you know exactly what you’re doing as it can kill your plants, poison your soil, and make you sick if you do it too close to harvest.
I have also heard that a 1/1 mix of water and vinegar can stop white mildew.
if chemicals aren’t your thing, use some oils like mint and eucalyptus. spray around the plants not on the plants. the oils can close up stomata and suffocate your plant. a mist spray is more than enough. I usually do a mix of 1 gallon of water 1 teaspoon of oils(combined) and 1/3 cup of liquid Castile soap. this can help deter some insects and pests like squirrels, rabbits, deer, etc.
I have also had some success using predator urine to keep deer out. it works if you’re vigilant, but wears off quickly. best way to stop the deer is to sit outside at night with a slingshot and clay shot tbh. after a couple weeks they’ll not come back for a few months until they forget.
Oh my God thank you for the flames tip. Squash bugs steal my squash vines every time. I think I have to wait until I’m retired to try squash again, don’t have enough time to be so vigilant but will remember that. Tried growing it in the mint patch, that worked until it got too big.
Liquid copper very very dilute once a year on my citrus trees, I keep them small(Florida - they don’t mind the heat but summer is rainy season). And buy mildew resistant sturdy hybrids for everything in the garden.
Every time I think about pesticide I see bees and ladybugs and oof, start thinking about the insect apocalypse.
Growing what grows best also helps. I can grow fennel so successfully, it’s happy for most of the year. Broccoli in fall to winter does well, basil loves the summer, and okra does too. Radishes, allegedly easy, are difficult here. Tomatoes grow but get bugs and if not bugs, birds! You will learn what works over time.
Birds will sometimes go after tomatoes just for the water inside them. Providing a source of fresh water, like a clean bird bath, can prevent some losses. I’ve also heard that red painted rocks by strawberries will prevent birds from eating the actual strawberries once they grow in, but I haven’t tried that one myself.
We had to build a full enclosure of 1/4" hardware cloth - including the top. Chipmunks were the worst, but birds, squirrels, and deer also attacked the plants. It needs to be tended to keep it effective or something will find a way in. We call it the plant prison.
As for insects, my wife won’t use anything"artificial", so it’s neem oil and diatomaceous earth. It doesn’t work very well so we loose most of the zucchini.
Insecticidal soap should work on squash bugs. Plenty of recipes online for making your own.
tomatoes don’t attract insects as much, with them disease will be your main concern
