Banish pests, organically

As the popularity of organic gardening has grown over the years, so have the options for eliminating plant pests. Just because a remedy is organic does not mean it’s nontoxic. Care must always be exercised in the selection and application of pesticides. To better interpret labels—and help puzzled customers—staff members should know some basic categories of organic pest controls:
 

Horticultural oil

• Lightweight oil that’s either petroleum- or vegetable-based
• Applied as a diluted spray on plant surfaces
• Controls pests by smothering them
   

Pyrethrins

• A natural compound derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium
• Generally comes in a powdered form, which is dusted onto leaves
• Kills by poisoning insects
• It’s toxic to all insects—including beneficials, such as honeybees

Insecticidal Soap

• Potassium fatty-acid soaps used to control pests
• Comes in a liquid-spray form
• Works only in direct contact with pests
• Fatty acids in the soap break down cell membranes, killing pests

Neem

• Extracted from the fruit of the neem tree, which is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent
• Applied as a spray
• Affects an insect’s hormones, preventing pests from reaching maturity
• Typically a slow-acting pesticide
   

Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)

• A beneficial bacteria that typically is applied to plants in a powdered form
• Affects a pest’s stomach, and will eventually cause it to quit eating and starve
• A slow-acting pesticide