Original Down East

Over the last fifty years or so, gardening practices have closely followed those of the commercial grower and even the farmer. New methods of cultivation which improve yields or which reduce losses from pests and diseases have been discovered, and these have been translated into gardening terms. A great deal of research has also been directed at finding new methods of growing plants commercially. There is no doubt that much of the information that has come from this research has benefited the gardener, but it would be a mistake to fall into the trap of following the commercial grower automatically. Nowhere has the mimicry of the professional been more evident than in the field of pest and disease control. Just as soon as a new chemical has been produced for commercial use, so a slightly diluted version of the chemical appears in the garden shops and centers, accompanied by seductive claims that it has proved to be more effective than its competitors.

You have to remember that your requirements are very different. The farmer or commercial grower is constantly on the look-out for higher yielding, larger and therefore more profitable varieties of plants, while you are after fruit and vegetables with flavor, that are not contaminated with chemicals. In addition, he or she may have many acres of, for example, cabbages, that are infested with caterpillars, and so have no alternative but to spray them. If you have only one or two rows of cabbages, you do not need to cover them with chemicals. Instead, walk down the rows two or three evenings a week, pick off the offending creatures and drop them into ajar of kerosene. Likewise, a few well-direct squirts of soapy water will wash any aphids off your couple of dozen rose bushes in next to no time.

The plain fact is that, by cultivating a natural organic garden, you simply will not come across the pest and disease problems that can face the mono-culture grower. Where large acreages of one crop are grown year after year, a rapid build-up of pests and diseases can easily occur. They have a plentiful supply of food and virtually no competition. In the organic garden where there is a great diversity of planting, you will attract the complete spectrum of wildlife - insects, birds and small mammals - that will create a natural balance. The result is that the hover-flies and ladybirds eat the aphids, and the birds eat the caterpillars and so on no insect pest, fungus disease or bacterium will ever have it all its own way, so there will never be an unnatural build-up of one species. But, if you start to think that all the insects are friendly and all the fungi benign, be warned that pests and diseases will rear their heads just as surely as they will anywhere else. Prevention is the best approach and there are many physical ways of doing this. Although it would be a foolish over-reaction to think that you can do without pesticides completely, you should only resort to the few organic pesticides available when all else fails.

Things to Do

Start by growing strong, healthy plants that will have the ability to resist attacks from pests and diseases. Always plant into fertile soil and make sure the plants never go short of water and food. Rely as much as you can on physical methods of pest and disease prevention and control and constant vigilance, and you will cut down the need for chemicals. Nature will do the rest for you.

Nature has worked out the most complex "balance of power" that makes modern international politics look like a nursery game. Build up as diverse a collection of plants as you can, including as many native flowers, trees and shrubs as possible, especially those that grow in your own locality, and provide a small area of water. By doing this you will build up a varied colony of useful insects and birds and thus keep problems to a minimum.