Soil improvement comes in the form of increasing soil nutrients (usually by adding fertilizers) and improving soil structure.  Improved soil structure increases the soil’s ability to hold and release water, oxygen and essential plant nutrients.  Adding organic matter in the form of compost accomplishes all of this and more.  The contributions of compost are many, and a gardener’s job is never finished.  Because of the many benefits of adding compost and the fact that compost doesn’t just stick around, but is broken down and utilized, compost or organic matter should be added to the garden and landscape beds at every available opportunity.

The best opportunity of adding compost to annual flower beds, and fruit/vegetable gardens is during the spring prior to planting, and during the fall after harvest.  For perennial fruit trees and berry plants, as well as woody landscape plants, work compost into the planting hole and incorporate into landscape beds prior to planting them.  In most cases this may be your only opportunity to get these perennial plants off to a good start.

How does compost improve soil structure and why is this so important?  Good soil is composed of approximately 50% pore space and 50% solid material and of the pore space, half of this is air and the other half is water.  Part of the function of compost is to create the all-important pore space, and to help soil particles clump together and form aggregates, furthering the creation of additional pore space.

So much happens in this all-important pore space.  First of all roots grow into these pores and voids, water is able to collect there when the soil gets a supply of moisture, which is then absorbed by the roots, and when the soil drys out, the roots get their oxygen supply in the pore space.

The importance of compost and its contributions to great gardening was one of the reasons EcoScraps decided to start here, with its flagship lineup of compost, garden soils and potting mixes.  Our goal has been to create a premium line of growing media which utilizes fruit and vegetable scraps, diverted from landfills in the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner.  Our process helps reduce the harmful effects of greenhouse gases, so it’s a win for gardeners and the environment.

This Spring before planting your garden, consider adding EcoScraps Garden Soil.  Before planting your landscape beds or any trees and shrubs, consider working in EcoScraps Compost.  Try a container plant or two and try out our premium brand of EcoScraps Potting mix.  Out EcoScraps Potting mix is ideal for raised beds as well.   EcoScraps wants to be an active part in all of your landscape and gardening experiences this year and in many years to come.

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PROVO, Utah (April 22, 2013) – In honor of Earth Day, EcoScraps is pleased to announce that in the past 12 months it has diverted over 30 million pounds of food waste from landfills, an environmental milestone equivalent to removing 3.5 million cars from America’s roads for a day. When left in landfills, food waste rots and releases harmful greenhouses gases such as methane, a more potent pollutant than those emitted by motor vehicles.

EcoScraps, a provider of organics, chemical and manure-free lawn and garden products, is dedicated to doing all that it can to help better the planet and conserve its resources. Safe for children, pets and the planet, EcoScraps recycles produce waste that would otherwise be hauled into the nation’s landfills to create methane. By diverting waste from landfills to create its products, EcoScraps is significantly reducing damaging methane gas from being released into the air, which perfectly aligns with this year’s Earth Day global theme of “The Face of Climate Change.”

“Earth Day is a great opportunity for people to recognize and remember the importance of environmental responsibility,” said Dan Blake, CEO and co-founder of EcoScraps. “Our mission at EcoScraps has always been to attack environmental problems head on in everything that we do, so essentially every day is Earth Day here at EcoScraps. It only takes small changes in the ways we live to make a big difference.”

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the following 10 simple steps anyone can take to reduce greenhouse emissions, and EcoScraps encourages everyone to use these as a starting point to becoming more environmentally conscious.

1. Change five lights to ENERGY STAR lights
2. Look for ENERGY STAR products and appliances
3. Heat and cool your home smartly
4. Seal and insulate your home
5. Reduce, reuse, recycle
6. Use water efficiently
7. Be green in your yard
8. Purchase green power
9. Calculate your household’s carbon footprint
10. Spread the word of energy efficiency

About EcoScraps

EcoScraps is an organic lawn and garden products manufacturer that was established in 2010. Its process recycles food waste into nutrient-rich products that help plants grow healthier in the most environmentally friendly way possible. The company now manufactures its products in Utah, Arizona, Texas and California. EcoScraps has received several awards in its short history, including the 2010 Sparkseed Innovator honor, 2010 SOCAP Scholar and was named as one of the Top 25 Most Promising Social Ventures in America by Businessweek. To learn more about EcoScraps and its products, visit: ecoscraps.com.

Contact:

Brian Spittler
EcoScraps PR
801.461.9780
brian@methodcommunications.com

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Ride instead of Drive

If everyone rode a bike when running a short errand instead of driving their car, we would save over 70 million gallons of fuel each year in the United States alone. Plus, when you ride your bike you get to enjoy the fresh air and it’s a great way to exercise. So this Earth Day ride your bike to work, school, or the grocery store.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

It’s been said before, but we will say it again: reduce, reuse, recycle. This Earth Day, take a special effort to donate old clothes to charities. Pack your lunch in a reusable container instead of a paper bag. Turn off the lights when you leave the house. These are just a few of the hundreds of easy ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Properly Inflate Your Tires

Every year Americans waste 700 million gallons of gas because their tires are not properly inflated. Make sure your tires have all the air they need. This will save you money and reduce emissions by taking time to make sure your car is properly tuned up.

Plant a Tree

Trees provide oxygen. They also help to control and reduce air pollution, they provide shade, and they protect against soil erosion.

Use EcoScraps

Buy EcoScraps Compost Mix. EcoScraps turns expired fruits and veggies into premium, organic potting soil. One bag of EcoScraps represents 37 pounds of produce waste deterred from landfills. This equates to a greenhouse gas reduction equal to not driving your car for two whole weeks.

Celebrate Earth Day this year by reducing your impact on the environment. Most things only take a couple of minutes, but the impacts on the earth are huge.

The post Five Ways to Celebrate Earth Day appeared first on Organic Compost - Organic Gardening - EcoScraps.

PROVO, Utah (February 26, 2013) – EcoScraps, a provider of organic, chemical- and manure-free lawn and garden products, today announced that its sustainable, 100 percent organic, potting soil is now available at more than 1,700 Target stores nationwide. This marks the first time that EcoScraps will appear on the shelves of a major retailer at the national level.

The move is an historic expansion for EcoScraps, as it enters just its third year of operations. The company’s process is unique because it enables retailers to recycle produce waste from their grocery department and then resell it as an organic lawn and garden alternative across the store. Stocking its shelves with EcoScraps’ potting soil is in alignment with Target’s mission of integrating environmental sustainability into every facet of its business, and its commitment to expanding its selection of sustainable product choices that effectively balance price, performance and convenience.

“There is no national brand that is bringing organic, sustainable lawn and garden products to consumers like EcoScraps is,” said Nancy Pfund, managing partner at DBL Investors. “The growth that this company has seen in just a few short years validates that EcoScraps answers a large consumer need that has not been met until now. As awareness about EcoScraps’ products continues to grow, I anticipate that other major retailers will follow Target’s lead.”

EcoScraps is dedicated to doing all that it can to help better the planet and conserve its resources. Target shoppers will find EcoScraps’ products are held to the highest eco-friendly standards while maintaining the industry’s highest levels of lawn and garden performance. Safe for children, pets and the planet, EcoScraps recycles produce waste that would otherwise be hauled into the nation’s landfills to create methane – a greenhouse gas emission more harmful than CO2.

“There is no way to overstate what a big milestone this is for us,” said EcoScraps CEO and co-founder, Dan Blake. “This partnership with Target underscores the drive for consumers to find simple, easy ways to use sustainable high-quality products and we are excited to be a part of that.”

For more information about EcoScraps, see the following:

• Visit the EcoScraps website: ecoscraps.com
• To purchase EcoScraps’ products online: ecoscraps.com/shop
• For more information about EcoScraps’ products: ecoscraps.com/products
• Learn about EcoScraps’ history: ecoscraps.com/story

About EcoScraps

EcoScraps is an organic lawn and garden products manufacturer that was established in 2010. Its process recycles food waste into nutrient-rich products that help plants grow healthier in the most environmentally friendly way possible. EcoScraps has received several awards in its short history, including the 2010 Sparkseed Innovator honor, 2010 SOCAP Scholar, Utah Business’ 2012 Sustainable Business Award and was named as one of the Top 25 Most Promising Social Ventures in America by Businessweek. To learn more about EcoScraps and its products, visit: ecoscraps.com.

The post Target to Sell EcoScraps’ Organic Potting Soil Nationally appeared first on Organic Compost - Organic Gardening - EcoScraps.

• Amy Yoder, Business Unit Head of Arysta LifeScience North America, Joins the Board of Directors to Advise the Company as it Prepares for National Expansion

PROVO, Utah — January 23, 2013 — EcoScraps, a provider of organic, chemical- and manure-free lawn and garden products, today announced veteran financial executive Ron Ross has been named the company’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. The company also announced that Amy Yoder, the Business Unit Head of Arysta LifeScience North America and an industry expert, has joined its board of directors.

Ross, most recently Vice President of Finance and Principal Accounting Officer at Skullcandy Inc., was a key player in the company’s rise from a Utah-based startup to one of the world’s leading headphone makers and helped oversee the company’s initial public stock offering in 2011. He has developed deep financial and operational knowledge from his time working in public accounting and from the years spent working with startups. In addition to his career achievements he holds a B.S. degree from the University of Utah, an M.S. degree from Boston University and an M.B.A from Bentley College.

“I am excited about joining EcoScraps and the opportunity to be part of a young energetic team working to introduce unique products into the market,” Ross said. “My experience working with a consumer-facing branded product company like Skullcandy translates well to the role I will play at EcoScraps. The company is in the early stages of its expansion and I look forward to implementing some of the processes I learned and leveraging some of the experiences I’ve had in my previous positions to help the company grow.”

In Yoder’s current position she is responsible for the company’s crop protection businesses in the United States, Canada and Australasia. Before joining Arysta LifeScience in 2010, she held a number of positions in the agrichemical industry including Senior Advisor to Atlas Advisors, President of the United Industries division of Spectrum Brands, Vice President and General Manager for Biolab of Chemtura, Vice President of the turf and specialty division of Nufarm, and President of the UAPTimberland division of United Agri Products, among others. Yoder is a graduate of Michigan State University, and holds a degree in agricultural technology and systems management.

“I’ve spent my career in the lawn and garden business and my passions have always centered around agricultural topics,” Yoder said. “EcoScraps is in a prime position to really shake up the way that we approach garden care and I look forward to being a part of the movement.”

Beneficial for both consumers and the environment, EcoScraps processes recycle more than 10,000 tons of produce waste annually. EcoScraps’ products are held to the highest eco-friendly standards while maintaining the industry’s best levels of lawn and garden performance. Made entirely from fruit and vegetable waste, these products are helping reintroduce nutrients into gardens across America that have been victim to soil nutrient depletion levels of nearly 80 percent over the course of the last century.

“We are lucky to have Ron and Amy join our leadership team, as the breadth of their talents will surely benefit EcoScraps at this important time in our company’s growth,” said EcoScraps CEO and co-founder, Dan Blake. “In his combined role as CFO and COO, Ron will oversee the company’s financial management decisions and operational processes and his wealth of experience, investment savvy and financial leadership will be an invaluable asset as our company focuses on national retail expansion in the coming year. Amy, a well-respected figure in the industry, will help develop EcoScraps’ strategy for the future and guide our company in a smart and strategic way that continues to benefit both consumers and the earth.”

For more information about EcoScraps, see the following:

• Visit the EcoScraps website: ecoscraps.com
• To purchase EcoScraps’ products online: ecoscraps.com/shop
• For more information about EcoScraps’ products: ecoscraps.com/products
• Learn about EcoScraps’ history: ecoscraps.com/story

About EcoScraps

EcoScraps is an organic lawn and garden products manufacturer that was established in 2010. Its process recycles food waste into nutrient-rich products that help plants grow healthier in the most environmentally friendly way possible. EcoScraps has received several awards in its short history, including the 2010 Sparkseed Innovator honor, 2010 SOCAP Scholar, Utah Business’ 2012 Sustainable Business Award and was named as one of the Top 25 Most Promising Social Ventures in America by Businessweek. To learn more about EcoScraps and its products, visit: ecoscraps.com.

Contact:

Katy Laine Kenealy

EcoScraps PR

801.828.6056

katy@methodcommunications.com

Brian Spittler

EcoScraps PR

801.461.9780

brian@methodcommunications.com

The post EcoScraps Expands Leadership Team, Adds Chief Financial Officer and Board Member appeared first on Organic Compost - Organic Gardening - EcoScraps.

Here are eight benefits we might see:

1. The Promotion of Biodiversity

Organic methods such as rotating crops to build soil fertility and naturally raising animals helps to promote biodiversity, which returns health to each species. Organic farms are havens to wildlife, so our ecosystems are improved, as well.

2. The Reduction of Farm Pollution

No, there’s no such thing as “farm smog,” but conventional farms di create their own kind of pollution in the form of chemical pesticide and synthetic fertilizer run-off that harms the areas around them. With these chemicals removed from the equation, organic farming is far more beneficial and less impactful on our environment.

3. The Reduction of Toxic Substances in the Environment

Currently, 99.5 percent of the acres in the United States devoted to farming use non-organic methods. Approximately 382 million acres of land in the U.S. is used for crop production, and an estimated 525 million acres is used for livestock. Add this up and you get over 900 million acres of land subjected to chemicals for fertilizer and pesticides, as well as other substances used in livestock farming. Any reduction of this number would have a benefit to the environment around us.

3. Better-Tasting Food

It’s not just imaginary: organic food actually can taste better than its conventionally farm-raised counterpart. One scientific reason for this is that some organic produce has lower nitrate contents than its non-organic version. This leads to sweeter-tasting fruits that also have been shown to contain higher levels of antioxidants. So it’s not really all in your head. Organic farming can lead to better flavor.

4. Better Soil

A Cornell University study estimates that conventional farming’s dependency on chemical fertilizers destroys topsoil, which generates a $40 billion annual loss. If organic methods were used – instead of chemical fertilizers and ammonia – we would instead see an increase in the healthiness of this topsoil, which in turn would produce fruit and vegetables higher in minerals and micronutrients.

5. Job Creation

The most recent statistics from the Organic Farming Research Foundation indicate that there are more than 10,000 certified organic producers in the United States. Compare that to the nearly 2 million conventional farms. However, the organic farms are more profitable – even though they often require more employees. It’s not difficult to equate the economic benefit and job creation that a shift to organic farming would create.

6. Assisting the Fight Against Climate Change

Because organic farming eschews chemical fertilizers and pesticides, it reduces nonrenewable energy use. It takes considerable amounts of fossil fuel to create the synthetic fertilizers and pesticides used in conventional farming. What’s more, organic farming increases the amount of carbon returned to the soil, which in turn lessens the impact on the greenhouse effect and global warming.

7. Safer Water

The runoff of chemicals from conventional farming seeps into groundwater supplies, and groundwater pollution has become a serious issue. Soil itself is a natural water filter. Organic farming enriches the soil, which not only removes the risk of groundwater pollution but can also act as a way to rehabilitate soil in areas where damage to water supplies has already occurred.

8. Preservation of the Culture of Agriculture

It is said that every culture shares one thing in common: Food. It is a universal celebration. Organic farming celebrates healthfulness and biodiversity. It removes damaging chemical toxins from our environment and our food. That is something to promote and foster!

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That’s what’s so inviting about organic Farming. Here are eight advantages:

1. Low Investment

Organic farming generally does not require capital investment at the high levels needed for conventional farming. The farmer often can self-produce organic fertilizers and pesticides, so these costs can actually be negligible.

2. High Premium

Organic products are often priced as much as 30 percent higher than conventionally produced counterparts. While some of this additional revenue is offset by the need for additional labor, it is a great benefit and inducement to farm organically.

3. Decreased Dependency on Financial Assistance from Banks

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and genetically modified seed stock, are far more expensive than their organic counterparts. Many organic farmers do not have large bank obligations, which can be exacerbated if there is a crop failure.

4. Readily Available Knowledge

The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides can be extremely dangerous if used incorrectly, and conventional farmers must constantly re-educate themselves on new practices – or hire expensive consultants. Organic farming strives to mimic nature, which means that the knowledge required to farm this way is easy to find and learn, and easy to practice.

5. Friendlier to the Environment and Climate

Conventional farming – with its dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides – consumes up to 10 calories of energy for every one calorie it produces. Much of this consumption is in the creation of chemical products that are made of fossil fuels – which in turn require fossil fuels to manufacture them. The naturally derived pesticides and fertilizers used in organic farming produce considerably less greenhouse gas emissions. All around, organic farming favors our environment.

6. Drought Resistant Crops

Most chemical fertilizers are water-soluble, which means that a large amount of water is required for conventional farming. Plants become dependent on regular feedings of fertilizer-laced water to grow and stay healthy. You might say they become addicted. Since organically grown crops do not follow this practice, they are more drought tolerant and less prone to dependence on large amounts of water.

7.  Less Dependence on Weed Control

Organic farming practices start with a focus on creating healthy soil by adding natural amendments. Nature has evolved weeds to act as a way – in many cases – to restore damaged soil. Because of the improved soil in organic farming, there is a greatly decreased need to combat weeds. What’s more, the healthier crops produced by organic farming can successfully compete against weeds that may gain hold.

8. Job Creation

Conventional farming has become highly industrialized, with huge pieces of automated machinery taking the place of many farm employees. This is necessary because the cost of conventional farming is high – and increasing. Organic farming bucks this trend. Dispensing with chemical fertilizers and pesticides means that organic farmers require more laborers. It’s estimated that an organic farm can employ over 30 percent more jobs per farm than a conventional farm. And, by virtue of its allure to generations who are concerned about the future condition of our environment, organic farming tends to attract younger employees.

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You don’t have to be a scientist to make your own organic fertilizer. There’s no reason to wish you had paid more attention in your high school science or chemistry classes – although you might find some of what you learned can now be put to practical use.

There five steps involved to making this organic fertilizer for your home garden.

1. Gather the Ingredients

This is going to require a trip to your neighborhood garden supply center – but don’t be too concerned. The ingredients will be readily available there…not to mention that you’ll be in the right place to ask for assistance.

You’ll need ingredients from three basic groups:

1. Nitrogen (N)
2. Phosphorous (P)
3. Potassium (K)

Here’s a simple recipe using ingredients from each of those three groups.

• Seed meal
• Finely ground natural lime rock or gypsum
• Bone meal, bat guano, or kelp meal

2. Measure the Ingredients

How much will you need? That depends on how big your garden is. It doesn’t matter here if you aren’t precise in measurements because the consideration for the mix is volume. An old aluminum can or glass jar makes a fine measuring scoop, and using an old five-gallon plastic bucket can yield you approximately 14 quarts of this organic fertilizer.

Here’s the ratio you want to scoop into the bucket:

• Four parts seed meal
• ½ part finely ground natural lime rock or gypsum
• One part bone meal, bat guano, or kelp meal

3. Mix

Even though these are natural ingredients, you’ll want to protect your hands by wearing a pair of gardening gloves. Measure the ratio into the plastic bucket. Consider purchasing a bucket that can be devoted solely for mixing your fertilizer. You’ll be using it regularly.

Again, don’t be overly concerned about precise measurements as you add each of the ingredients to the bucket. You’re not baking a cake, where you need to be exact in order to get the recipe to work. The only objective is to get the right ratio of the ingredients. Since you’ll be making fertilizer more than once, look around for a scoop or something that helps you measure with reasonable accuracy – and purpose it just for mixing your organic fertilizer from now on.

Once you’ve added all of the ingredients to the bucket, you’ll want to mix them together thoroughly. This is important because you don’t want a clump of one of the ingredients to stand by itself when you’re adding the fertilizer to your soil. A small garden spade is the perfect mixing tool. Don’t rush this part: take the time to make the mixture homogenous.

4. Broadcast and Work it Into the Soil

This is probably the hardest of the five steps. You’ll have previously determined how much of the organic fertilizer mix needed for your soil, and now it’s time to do that.

Using either the measuring scoop or mixing spade, sprinkle it on top of the soil that needs to be fertilized. You can either do this a specific area at a time, or apply it everywhere – but if you decide to work in areas, be careful not to overlap. You don’t want to add too much fertilizer to the soil. This can be as detrimental to your garden plants as if you don’t have enough nutrients in the soil for them.

5. Water

Once you’ve thoroughly worked the fertilizer into the soil, it’s time to help the fertilizer begin to release its nutrients and minerals. Don’t worry; this is far less work than the previous step!

Use a garden hose attachment that will deliver a medium intensity spray, and moisten the soil. You don’t want to create mud, but you do want to make sure you’ve applied enough water to thoroughly moisten the soil to a depth of about two inches. Gravity will pull the water further down over time.

The post How To Make Organic Fertilizer in 5 Easy Steps appeared first on Organic Compost - Organic Gardening - EcoScraps.

1. Learn the Art of Weeding

Yes, it’s an art. Weeds with taproots ­– such as dandelions – will fight back when pulled. And you want to get the entire root. What to do? Wait until after a rainstorm or water the area directly around a weed to soften the ground before you pull it. Or, get an old screwdriver and insert its blade along the taproot to pry it loose before pulling.

2. Boiling Water

Making spaghetti for dinner tonight? Put that pasta water to good use by applying the boiling water directly to any weeds you wish to be rid of – taking care not to scald any of the plants you’re cultivating. Don’t expect an instant result. It may take several days for the tougher weed species to expire.

3. Salt

Got rock salt left from last winter? Salt is an effective natural weed barrier, and you can use it along lawn edgings. But do be careful: this will prevent everything from growing, so it’s not necessarily the best natural weed killer to try in a garden. It is, however highly effective, for gravel paths and driveways – one application of rock salt should prevent weeds for an entire season.

4. Vinegar

If dandelions are getting the best of you, sour their outlook on your lawn with the juice from a finished jar of pickles. This method is especially successful for any type of weed with a taproot. If you aren’t done with the pickles yet, make up a mixture of equal parts of water and vinegar. It’ll have the same effect: dead weeds in about 72 hours.

5. Cut Them Off at the Pass

There’s a reason why firefighters make a firebreak before they even attempt to put out a forest fire. It’s a barrier the fire can’t cross. You can use that same concept. Install a physical barrier. A simple row of bricks along the edge of a lawn or garden is a sufficient physical barrier to repel most creeping weeds.

6. Torch Them

Yes, this time fire is involved. It’s key to point out that the object is not to set the weeds on fire. The simple act of swiftly running an intense heat source over them is usually sufficient to cause them to die in a few days. Check with your local ordinances first, as some states may not allow torch-type weed killers. If they are allowable, you can find them at a garden supply store. Caution! This is a bit more dangerous than other natural methods, of course; but you should also never try this method to get rid of poison ivy. The smoke produced can cause the same allergic reaction as touching it.

7. Overwhelm Them

In nature only the strongest survive. Weeds are tough but even they have natural plant enemies. In most cases, it’s simply a matter of selecting the right ground cover or garden plants that are more efficient at fighting for water, sun and nutrients found in the soil. This is especially true with lawns. A healthy carpet of grass will choke out most weeds.

8. Smother Them

Resist the impulse to imagine tying a plastic bag over the head of that nasty weed at the edge of your garden. This sort of smothering involves the use of mulch. Two to three inches of mulch covering your garden soil – or any area you wish to keep free of weeds – is enough to prevent them from sprouting.

9. Soap Them

A coat of soapy water on a hot day is nearly certain death for a weed. Add five tablespoons of a mild dishwashing liquid soap to four cups of water and apply it with a spray bottle.

10. Give them Alcohol

Much like the soapy water treatment, take a spray bottle filled with a mixture of four cups of water and one ounce of alcohol – and apply it to the weed’s leaves. Don’t overspray or you may damage surrounding plants.

11. Eat Them

Have you ever had a dandelion salad? It’s delicious, with a peppery aftertaste that might remind you of arugula. Other weeds such as chicory and dock can be cooked as an alternative to spinach.

12. Live With Them

That weed you’re aiming to kill just might be a rare plant native to your area. Move it – don’t kill it. You might be helping to preserve an endangered plant species!

The post 12 Ways To Kill Weeds Naturally appeared first on Organic Compost - Organic Gardening - EcoScraps.

Plant Your Defense!

Let some of what you’re planting in your garden help you keep the upper hand. Plant your own defense with herbs and flowers that naturally repel pests.

• Plant basil near your tomatoes to repel rabbits, flies and mosquitoes.
• Plant French marigolds to help deal with non-beneficial nematodes.
• Plant rosemary to ward of mosquitoes and cats.
• Plant lavender to keep fleas, mosquitoes and moths at bay.
• Plant onions, garlic and chrysanthemums as a general insect repellant.

Go Garlic!

Garlic may not really work to get rid of vampires, but it does an admirable job of repelling whiteflies, beetles and aphids. Compounds in garlic irritate insects…or kill them outright.

Add four cloves of minced garlic to two teaspoons of mineral oil and allow it to sit overnight. Strain the oil to remove the garlic and add it to one pint of water with a teaspoon of liquid dish soap. When it’s time to use it, you’ll want to dilute two tablespoons of the mixture with one pint of water. Spray on infested plants, but avoid doing this in the heat of the day.

If you’re having a problem with garden mites, mix up a slightly different spray. Take a quart of water and add a tablespoon of liquid dish soap, plus two tablespoons of hot pepper sauce. Like garlic, a compound in hot peppers (capsaicin) irritates insects. They won’t stay where it’s sprayed.

If for whatever reason, you don’t want to involve garlic (perhaps you’re a vampire?) or hot peppers, you can dispense with both active ingredients and make a simple soap spray – which is effective at dealing with scale, thrips, mites and aphids. Mix one tablespoon of liquid dish soap with a gallon of water and fill up a spray bottle. It can be applied directly to pests wherever you see them.

It’s a Trap!

Many pests that bug organic gardens share a common hangout. You’ll find them lurking – if slugs and snails actually lurk – in shaded damp places during the hottest part of the day. So, give them a place to lurk! Set pieces of broken crockery in various parts of your garden. Check them regularly. If you catch a pest, put them in a bucket of soapy water to humanely dispatch them.

Aphids are attracted to the color yellow – and their favorite garden dinner is peppers and tomatoes. You can turn this into a fatal attraction by planting yellow nasturtiums at the base of your pepper and tomato plants. When the yellow flowers have attracted the aphids, pull out the nasturtiums to rid your garden of these destructive pests.

Call Out the Air Force!

Winged beneficial insects can be your best defense against pests you don’t want wreaking havoc in the garden. Plant dill, parsley and carrots this year. Next year they will flower, creating landing platforms preferred by small wasps that are particularly effective in dealing with pest caterpillars. Plants such as mint, chamomile and sweet alyssum can be planted this year, and they will attract a host of beneficial insects that prey on the pests you don’t want in your garden.

Any of these options are powerful ways to proactively stay one step ahead of the pests that can be attracted to your organic garden. Remember, though, that healthy plants are mostly capable of taking care of themselves – so start there first.

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