A lot of environmental problems have occurred due to the overuse of pesticides as far as pest control for trees. Not only is this approach to crop “preservation” bad for pests, though, it is also bad for humans, birds, animals, good insects, and the trees themselves! We all want our fruit trees to yield a good harvest of beautiful fruit, or our ornamental trees to stay healthy. This can be done without chemicals, but it does require a certain amount of work. Let’s take a look at some organic pest controls you can use to protect your trees. 

• Knowledge. There’s no weapon more important in your tree care arsenal than knowledge. You need to take the time to find out which pests your trees are vulnerable to, and how they affect it. Sometimes a pest may be a secondary indicator of a bigger problem; termites in your trees, for example, indicate that something is already killing the healthy wood. Dealing with the termites won’t mean the survival of your trees!
• Use an integrated mix of solutions. Depending on the pest attacking your tree, there can be any number of control methods. A healthy population of ladybugs, for example, will prevent the aphid population from becoming a dangerous infestation. If you are dealing with an aphid infestation already, try using a spray which combines soap and water, as well as tobacco.
• Tree vents. Clay pipes placed underneath a tree are known as tree vents, and can be very helpful against all sorts of different pests. They contain a mix of compost, water, and some kinds of dust which provide plenty of nutrients to the trees’ roots. These nutrients keep the tree healthy, and healthy trees are far less prone to pest attack. If the tree is already under attack, a tree vent can provide nutrients which are distasteful or indigestible to the pest (again, tobacco, garlic, and good compost will often produce the desired result). The key with a tree vent is time; the roots will need it to transfer the materials up to the tree system.
• Sprays. You can make spray to deal with tree pests without using chemicals. We’ve already touched on the effectiveness of garlic and tobacco, and tobasco sauce, various kinds of soap, and seaweed can also be highly effective.

An organic approach to tree protection is good for humans, trees, and other organisms, just not the pests. Remember that in many cases, an infestation of your trees may indicate a larger health problem!

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 5:58 pm and is filed under Lawn and Garden, Natural Pest Control. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.