Lesson 1
The five principles of organic pest control
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Growing image…
Pest control isn't about a final battle — it's about tipping the daily balance away from pests and towards the predators and conditions that keep them in check.
Healthy plants in healthy compost, with airflow, sun and pollinator-friendly companions, will deal with 90% of pest pressure themselves. Most damage we see is the *symptom* of a plant under stress, not the cause.
The five principles
- 1. Identify before you act — the wrong response makes things worse.
- 2. Strengthen the host — water, feeding, airflow, sun. A vigorous plant outgrows minor damage.
- 3. Invite the predators — open flowers (calendula, ammi, fennel), water dishes, no broad sprays.
- 4. Mechanical first — a finger-and-thumb squish, a jet of water, a sticky trap.
- 5. Targeted treatment only when needed — soap sprays, neem, beer traps, and bacterial sprays (Bt) for caterpillars.
Walk your patch every morning with a cup of tea. Three minutes of looking catches every problem at week one rather than week three.