Flowers need the best tender loving care for them to provide those beautiful blooms that you desire. One way to do this is by constantly checking if they are free from insect damage. This ensures that the flowers are always safe and secure. Being a home gardener, you must be vigilant for possible solutions to your home garden’s health problems. This will help you succeed in your flower gardening business.
Planting the same kind of flowers must be avoided because they carry the same pest attackers. You’ll suffer a great loss if all of your flowers are infected. So a great way to minimize the attack of pests is to practice a multiple-cropping system. This has been proven effective and also improves the soil condition while lessening your pesticide costs.
Another method is to include insect repellant crops in your garden. This system together with the multiple-cropping system doubles your gain versus your production cost. These crops help control destructive insect pests. They have an organic smell that drives off insect pests.
Lemon grass. Plant them by the sides of the fence as border plants.
Marigold. These are also good as border plants. Plant them between plots.
Neem tree. Plant them around your garden. They also serve as wind breakers.
Cosmos. Plant them as border plants between flowers.
These plant repellants can be fund all over the country. Check with your local agriculture extension office and get some advice regarding garden pest control.
Additional natural insect control for common pests
Chewing insect pests (hard or soft-bodied). Mash 10 gloves of garlic or a medium size onion. Mix with 2 quarts of water. Let it sit for a while. Strain to remove impurities. Immediately spray the solution without diluting it. To make it stronger particularly for those hard-bodied insects, add 30 pieces cayenne pepper.
Warning: Cayenne pepper is irritating to the eyes. Use protective eye covers when using them.
Sucking insect pests (hard or soft bodied). Melt ½ a bar bath soap (not detergent soap) in 8 quarts of water. When dissolved, immediately spray directly to the insect pests. For hard-bodied pests, add 2 teaspoon salt and 30 pieces cayenne pepper.
Aphids and red ants. Soak 1-2 dried tobacco leaves overnight in 1 liter water. Strain and mix 2 teaspoons powder soap (any powder soap). Spray directly into the ants or aphids. This mixture can also be used for hard-bodied insect pests. Add 20-30 pieces powdered hot pepper.
Use protective eye covers to protect eyes.
By using the natural pest control, you protect our environment by reducing chemical pollution. If you can control it, avoid using chemical insecticides at all cost if you can go on the natural way of controlling pests.
Whenever we see weeds or pests infesting our garden, our immediate reaction is to apply chemicals such as weed killers or pesticides. But we have to know that as we use these substances to manage our lawn and garden, we are also being exposed to their harmful effects. Exposure to pesticides and herbicides has been linked to Parkinson’s, infertility, cancer, birth defects, ADHD and lymphoma, to name a few. Even though you can’t see them, pesticide residues, which are often more harmful than pesticides themselves, remain in the home and lawn for 6 months up to several years.
The law does not require the same standard of testing for residential use lawn pesticides as it does for commercial pesticides used around farmed animals and vegetation for food production. In both instances, pesticide manufacturers are responsible for doing the efficacy & toxicity testing of their own products. The EPA reviews it, but does not test it themselves. There is not a true check and balance system. Lawn pesticides contain ingredients which will never be tested for harmful effects simply because the current law in the USA doesn’t require it. In addition, the Center for Disease Control has reported an alarming number of cases related to farm worker illness from exposure to pesticides used in food production.
Aside from harming humans, these insect killers also pollute the air, water, soil, plants, and animals all around us. Studies have shown that pesticides harm the helpful insects like honeybees, butterflies, ladybugs (which eat a lot of other bad pests) and are highly toxic to toads, frogs, and fish. The scary thing is that these lawn fertilizers and pesticides seep into the water table through rain, runoff, and storm drains!
We should learn how to control pests without using harmful chemicals in order to help our health and our environment. Healthy organic soil is the best way to lessen the amount of pests in the first place. Plants grow quickly in organic environments because the healthy surroundings naturally fight off pests.
A good, non toxic organic bug killer is WonDefense natural insect control by Wondercide. The active ingredient cedar oil (cedar oil extract) damages the wax coating of the insect’s respiratory system and suffocates it. Wondercide also makes a product called EcoTreat outdoor insect control that attaches to a water hose for easy application to your home lawn and garden.
Here are other helpful links about pesticides and important information about them:
Beyond Pesticides – This contains fact sheets about specific chemical and what to do in a pesticide emergency. They also provide the least toxic solutions for common household and garden pests.
Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides – They offer the latest news on pesticide issues and healthy solutions to pest problems.
Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Database – They have a database of pesticide toxicity and other regulatory information. Their reference section provides information about pesticides and their effects on our health.
Food News – They offer a downloadable wallet card to help you choose produce which has a low exposure to harmful pesticides.
Wondefense™ is a natural pest control that is perfect for all purpose pest management. Use this safe and effective green pest spray on your planter box herbs, organic garden and anywhere inside your home. Wondercide™ Wondefense™ is an excellent alternative for apartment and condo units! Understandably, renters don’t want the added expense of pest control, but really don’t want chemicals sprayed around their pets and children either. Wondefense™ offers a safe, affordable, effective solution.
Wondercide is excited attend this educational OBHA conference with keynote speaker Paul Tukey: March 9, 2010
8:30am – 9:00am: Carl Masterson – Houston-Galveston Area Council. Regional Program Coordinator for Community and Environmental Planning. Carl will discuss the federal and state regulations in place regarding fertilizer & pesticide run off issues. Also discussed will be how water conservation is now viewed and what legislation may be proposed. What are the potential impacts for the landscape industry?
9:00am – 9:30am: Bill Wyatt – Owner Grace Outdoors, an Organic Landscape Care Company. We live in a simply amazing world. Imagine if you could multiply your effectiveness in lawn care by partnering with nature in instead of trying to control it. During this session Bill will discuss the ins and outs and the whys of using Compost Tea.
9:30am – 10am: Mike Serant – Owner San Jacinto Environmental. For 24 years in Houston, Mike has been an Organic product supplier and advocate of Organic turf management. Mike will give his ideas on how to run successful Organic turf programs in the Houston area.
10am – 12:30pm: Paul Tukey – Author of the Organic Turfgrass Manual, Executive Director of www.safelawns.org and Executive Producer of the nationally acclaimed movie ‘A Chemical Reaction’ and former owner of one of Maine’s largest lawn care company. Paul, an accomplished speaker and noted national Organic turf consultant, will give a comprehensive presentation outlining the Organic approach to managing residential and commercial turfgrass. Paul will explain the science, programs, reasons, economics and the business behind the process while including topics of soil fertility and control of weeds, insects and diseases. Participants will be well prepared to transition their conventional turfgrass business to an Organic one or to be able to develop an Organic turfgrass business from the ground up.
OHBA, a committee of Urban Harvest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the education & improvement of the landscape industry in the metro Houston area
The Wondercide crew is headed to eco-friendly Austin this weekend (Jan 29th-31st) for the 12th Annual Austin Spring Home & Garden Show taking place at the Austin Convention Center. Catch up with Wondercide at this fantastic event where you can receive show specials, chat with the Wonder-workers, and go home feeling good & “GREEN”.
The Home & Garden show will showcase numerous exhibitors, green technologies, and new ideas for a more Eco-conscious you! There will even be a Bird of Prey Demonstration given by “Last Chance Forever”. By visiting 12th Annual Austin Spring Home & Garden Showyou can find the schedule of events and show hours, see show features, and receive a free $1.00 off coupon to get into the event! The Celebrity guest is Jason Cameron from DIY Networks “Man Caves”.
Wondercide is excited to participate in this local Austin event for the 2nd consecutive year as a GoTexan Member. In 2009, Wondercide left the 11th Annual show having sold out of almost every product they brought, leaving them with a warm heart for the folks in Austin. This year they will have t-shirt giveaways, cool canvas totes, product discounts, FREE shipping coupons, and loads of advice for using green, organic pesticide! Stop by booth #1729 located in the Go TEXAN pavilion to learn about natural flea control, deet free mosquito repellent, and purchase Wondercide products at reduced prices to start your spring off right, pest & worry free. See you there!
As we get ready for Spring, we thought it would be helpful to give you some basics on organic gardening, green pest control, and beneficial insects. Here is one we get all the time…
What is a beneficial insect?
Beneficial insects are natural enemies of yard and garden pests. They control the “bad bugs” (ants, aphids, etc.) and are known as biological control to organic gardeners. Examples of “beneficials”, as they are commonly referred to, are lady bugs, butterflies, bees, nematodes, etc. Broad spectrum conventional pesticides not only kill the “bad bugs,” they kill the “good bugs” too. Another reason to promote beneficial insects by using chemical free Wondercide is that insects have developed unquestionable pesticide resistance. Some insects have become so resilient to pesticides that they are now able to metabolize the poison and use it as food. “Although chemical insecticide use in the United States has grown tenfold in both amount and toxicity since 1945, the crop yield lost to insects has nearly doubled during the same period.” - David Pimentel, 1991
How does Wondercide kill some insects, but not Beneficials?
The answer is simple. Heat seeking, non beneficial insects are pheromone driven to food, mates, and reproduction. Because insects breathe through their bodies, Wondercide is absorbed directly into the breathing pores causing pheromone interruption. The survival of the insect relates directly to its exposure to the foreign substance. So, it repels insects by scent and kills them on contact. Beneficials, on the other hand, are Sight Driven and are not affected by pheromone interruption. The Aroma of cedar oil does not affect them neurologically or biologically simply because they are not driven by pheromones.
Wondercide: Irrigation Systems Can Now Provide the Ultimate in Mosquito, Flea, Chigger, Tick, Grub Worm, and Brown Patch Control
Clear Lake, TX- Wondercide LLC recently announced the introduction of the Pestigator Insect Control System as a delivery method for hands free, natural pest control. Wondercide now offers a Non Toxic Pest control substance that delivers Cedar Oil into a water stream with nano technology. The Pestigator is a water driven injection pump that is instrumental in delivery of Wondercides’ EcoTreat Pro concentrate into the water stream of irrigation and sprinkler heads, providing disbursement to all subject areas. The Pestigator is adjustable in ranges of 1000:1 to 4000:1 providing a delivery rate of the Cedar Oil Concentrate in variable amounts dictated by the landscape and insect control objective. Read the rest of this entry »
Recently, Wondercide has received many calls and questions regarding mosquitoes. ’Why can’t I get rid of them this year?’, ’Nothing is working to repel them.’ With these questions and concerns, Wondercide was prompted to do some extensive research regarding this pesky flying insect. Our results concluded that these aren’t your typical mosquitoes, they are in many cases, an invasive species that is extremely difficult to eradicate. Read the rest of this entry »
How does it Work on Ants in Texas? Read what this southern lady had to say!
OK. Had to tell yall this. The other day Marty sprayed Wondercide on an ant pile that he had been trying to get rid of for months. He was so impressed that the ants died as soon as he sprayed them with the product. He had used several other products on the same mound and the ants kept returning. It has been 2 weeks sence he used Wondercide on that ant mound, and we haven’t seen one ant! He is really a Wondercide believer now. He sprays it on everything! Read the rest of this entry »
Wondercide recently had the honor of listening to and meeting a renowned environmental activist in Orange, TX. Ed Begley Jr., an actor and activist, has been considered an environmental leader in Hollywood for many years. Showing up to events on bicycles, installing solar panels, and catching rainwater with his rainbucket are just a few ways he has helped in saving our planet. Read the rest of this entry »
Search Store
Flowers need the best tender loving care for them to provide those beautiful blooms that you desire. One way to do this is by constantly checking if they are free from insect damage. This ensures that the flowers are always safe and secure. Being a home gardener, you must be vigilant for possible solutions to your home garden’s health problems. This will help you succeed in your flower gardening business.
