Tonight our Grow Appalachia members are discussing Organic Pest Management and how to adapt cultural, physical, and biological means to help aid them when battling weeds, insects, and diseases. A big portion of this meeting will be discussing using beneficial insects to help combat the unwanted bugs that cause damage to the garden.  Green Lacewing, Lady Beetles, and Spined Soldier Bugs are examples of a few beneficial bugs that will feed on the pesky unwanted insects in your garden. Some of these beneficial insects are even available to purchase if you don’t find them naturally in your gardens. It is important to target any pests in your garden in a timely manner, so keeping a watchful eye on your plants most every day to stay ahead of the problem.

Utilizing ground cover is an easy way to help keep weeds at bay, it could save you some trouble of having to hand pull the weeds. Using mulch, cover crops, or the classic black ground cover will help to stop weeds from becoming a problem. Rotating your crops is another great way to avoid some pests and problems in your garden area. There are so many ways to control pests organically, sometimes you just have to think outside the box. After all, you have spent so much time prepping, planning, and planting your garden; losing your crop to a pest or disease would be such a set back to all of your hard work. The work of a garden isn’t finished after planting; keep up the good work fellow gardeners! Happy Planting!