Natural Plant Protection: No Need for Chemical Solutions

If you have your own garden, you naturally want to make the most of it. Planting some pretty flowers, perhaps starting a small vegetable patch. What begins with enthusiasm is often dampened by unwanted garden visitors.

A bee-friendly garden also means that other insects feel welcome. However, there are many ways to protect yourself from pests.

While you might not want insects in your house, in the garden, they can work wonders. It's much like with us humans: some insects simply can't stand each other, while others have a particular appetite for one another. For instance, the lacewing absolutely loves to devour aphids, and the dark-armored ground beetle cleans up slug eggs, aphids, or mites during its nightly garden patrols.

And by designing your garden to be bee-friendly, you're also doing something good for the future. After all, the pollination of flowers by bumblebees and bees ensures that we'll continue to enjoy our gardens for years to come.

It's not just insects; plants can also protect their botanical companions from unwanted hungry visitors. For instance, the pungent scent of lavender oil often makes pests turn tail as soon as they sniff it out.

Many plants also work wonders as pest deterrents when used as liquid manure (jauche). Elderberry or fern liquid manure steeped in water can be highly effective. If you plant onions near your favorite vegetables, their scent will irritate and deter pests. Nasturtiums and marigolds are particularly appealing to pests, diverting potential threats away from your vegetable plants very effectively.

Sometimes, you just have to bring out the heavy artillery – and get your hands dirty in the garden: because not only unwanted insects, but also unwanted plants love to spread if you don't do anything about them. That means: weeding, cutting, scarifying, scratching.

You should weed before the unwanted plants flower to prevent unwanted reseeding of the herbs. Long-term, you can keep weeds in check with ground covers like woodruff or forget-me-nots. If you prefer something simpler, you can use organic materials like bark mulch or pine bark – the brown of the bark often creates a nice contrast to the rest of the garden.

If your garden constantly battles pests or diseases, it might just need a break to strengthen itself. Mixed cropping (Mischkultur) fortifies the soil and helps prevent the spread of diseases or fungi. In a mixed crop setup, several plants with different characteristics are planted together in one bed. This way, they support each other and don't deplete the soil of necessary nutrients.

Furthermore, these plants protect each other. Some, for instance, release scents that deter predators. Talk about good neighborly help!

There are many ways to deal with unwanted garden guests without resorting to chemical solutions. Often, the location of your garden plants can make a difference; for example, a plant in the shade might attract more insects than one in full sun. But if you keep a constant eye on your green refuge, you really can't go wrong.