Editor’s Note: Originally published July, 6 2020.

With the popularity of gardening on the rise, many people are realizing the pastime comes with some pretty spectacular mental health side effects. It’s wonderful to have such a productive hobby aid in stress relief, that is until you suddenly discover your dearly tended plants are being devoured by tiny unwanted guests. Fear not, humble gardener, because there are lots of tips and tricks to the trade that experienced gardeners love to share. 

As with most problems we face, I’ve personally found the best approach on garden pests is a holistic and comprehensive one. When you start with practices that consider the health of the whole ecosystem (soil, plants, and critters), you are more often able to prevent an unbalanced environment that allows for infestations. With gardening you learn through trial and error, so sometimes it’s impossible to control the imbalance beyond your garden plot or there’s just a new pest in town, but it’s vital to see synthetic chemicals only as a last result.  

PREVENTION

Start with prevention via healthy ecosystems, nutritious soil, and diversity of plants. Much like communities, the healthier a plant is, the more likely it can survive trauma. Make sure it has ample room to grow, appropriate sunlight, and consistent watering. Monocropping or not rotating your plants leads to pestilence. 

BENEFICIAL BUGS

This leads me to the importance of beneficial bugs! Around 95% of insects are actually not detrimental to plants. Get to know what good guys look like both as adults and in their funky larval form. I have loads of lady beetles, native bees, lacewings, centipedes and yes, even some predatory wasps and yellow jackets. Also accept that you will always have some pests in your garden, not just because it's part of a healthy ecosystem, but also because chemical eradication of one will also likely kill the important beneficial critters (worms, bees, birds, fish, and more).

COMPANION PLANTING

Explore Companion planting! There are many plants that either deter pests or attract beneficial predators. Plant onions, chives, garlic and coriander to deter aphids. Plant borage to attract bees and deter tomato hornworms, geraniums to repel cabbage worms, and lavender to repel rabbits. My favorite four to plant all over are nasturtiums (repels cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and whiteflies and detracts aphid from other plants), calendula (repels whiteflies from tomatoes and attracts lots of beneficials), oregano (repels the evil white cabbage moths), and marigolds. Trust me, just plant marigold everywhere. 

HANDS ON

When prevention isn’t foolproof, try to employ sustainable gardening pest control. While tomato hornworms may not be common in the NW, you are sure to encounter slugs, snails, aphids, leaf miners and cabbage moths at some point. 

Slugs/Snails: Occasional nighttime slug patrol with a flashlight and scissors helps, or a tuna cans filled with beer. Use Sluggo in moderation as a last resort.

Aphids: Dispose of badly infested leaves, use hands to wipe off (followed by dipping in soapy water), or if plants are not in bloom and it’s not raining, you can use Diatomaceous earth (DE). While non-toxic and organic, it can harm pollinators. Organic Neem oil is a last resort option because of its potential to harm pollinators and waterways.   

Leaf Miners: They go after my spinach and chard. Just immediately destroy the infected leaves.

Cabbage Moths: This pretty little white moth likes to lay its eggs on the underside of my cabbage, broccoli and kale leaves. Handpick or squish the eggs and worms, or for serious control you can use floating row covers. 

It can take a little time investment to establish a balance, but organic gardening can be so rewarding. So take a mental health break; go garden.  

Here is a great resource for more information.

Header image: Calendula repels whiteflies from tomatoes and attracts lots of beneficial insects.

Check out our other Everett gardening articles.

Mary Fosse owns Carnivorous Terrariums nursery in North Everett. Awarded 2019 Conservation Leader of the Year, you’ll usually find her running the Delta Neighborhood Association or getting dirty in her garden with the kids.