How can I keep deer away from my garden? 

     There are a few possible methods for repelling deer. You can place a high (8 foot) fence around your garden. You could also place human hair (from your local barber shop) in a net or mesh bag and hang the bags three feet above the ground and three feet apart. There are sonic deer repellers on the market which emit a high frequency sound that deters deer and other animals - these are fairly expensive and I am not sure of their effectiveness. You can also spray your plants with an egg-water mixture. Mix at a ratio of one egg to one quart water, making enough to spray all of your plants. Spray the plants thoroughly and recoat after rain.

     You may also try hanging bars of soap (common household soap) from the plants in your garden, or nail each bar to a four foot stake at 15 foot intervals along the perimeter of the area. I found an organic deer repellent online called Deer Off - Click here for more information. Also check out your local garden supply store or gardening catalogues for deer repellents - make sure that they are organic, though.

 I'm having problems with earwigs eating my young green seedlings - what contol measures would you suggest? I have covered the seedlings but they have now outgrown their protection, and I see earwigs can still squeeze in under the covers at times. 

     Use floating row covers of spunbonded polypropylene material. This barrier net can be found at your local garden supply store. Simply bury the edges of the netting in the ground, leaving plenty of slack for plant growth. You can leave this cover over low growing crops (like carrot and onion) all season. For other plants, you can remove the covers as soon as the plants are well grown or the generation of earwigs has past. If row covers are not a viable option, you can check an organic gardening catalogue for predatory insects and earwig-specific fungi or diseases. You could also simply patrol your plants regularly, hand-picking any earwigs that you might find.

  How can I get rid of fireants without poisoning the land? I want to grow herbs and vegetables, and the ants are quite a problem. 

     Before you begin pest control, it's a good idea to have some fire ant background information:

Fire ants are social insects consisting of a queen, workers, eggs and larvae. The queen lives in a protected nest which may be several feet deep. There may be several satellite nests near the main nest and some nests may have more than one queen. Fire ants usually have two flying swarms each year. After mating the fertilized queen begins a new colony. One more thing - as you probably know, fire ants can and do sting, so you'll have to use caution when administering pest control.

     I have two possible solutions. The first involves the use of an organic pesticide. These pesticides are safe and only contain chemicals that occur naturally. Try using Safer Yard and Garden Insect Killer from Safer Brand, Inc., or Concern Insect Killing Soap from Necessary Organics. Open up the ant hill with a spade or shovel (remember - the hills can be a few feet deep) and spray the pesticide into the hole. Be very generous with the pesticide and coat all visible ants. Also, make sure that you cover up your feet and legs so the ants will not be able to get through to your skin.
     My second solution is flooding the ant hill. Basically, you dig up the ant hill (which should be easily visible) and then flood the hole with water from your garden hose. Use lots of water, because you want to destroy the hill and kill as many ants as possible. Again, make sure your legs are covered.
     Remember, there may be several nests - search your yard and garden thoroughly and destroy each hill you find. Keep in mind that fire ants are continually recolonizing. You will have to keep an eye out for emerging mounds throughout the year. Destroy these mounds as soon as you discover them.

  Can you give me some information on a good, organic method of repelling gophers? I feel like Bill Murray in Caddy Shack. I want to get rid of but not kill the little devils. 

     I found a website that features an electronic gopher repellent...It is an excellent organic solution to your gopher problem. For more information, go to http://www.gopher-it.com

  Due to drought conditions here in North Texas, we are plagued with grasshoppers - how can I organically get rid of or control them on my five acres? 

     There is a bacteria available that specifically targets grasshoppers. It is called nosema locustae and will control your grasshoppers for several years. About half the grasshoppers that eat the bait containing the bacteria will die within 3 to 4 weeks. Surviving grasshoppers will infect the next generations. Go to the following website for more information on the bacteria and ordering information - http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/nolo.html
     Additionally, you may want to use floating row covers to prevent infestation in years to come. These covers are made of mesh or some other lightweight fabric, and can be used to keep harmful insects away from your plants. Check out your local garden supply store or home improvement retailer. Purchase a fabric that has small holes, but that will allow a significant amount of light to pass through. Cover your plants with the fabric and bury the ends in the soil/cover ends with rocks. Support the covers over the plants - the fabric should not contact the plants. Floating row covers are ideal for plants that can't tolerate full sunlight, because the fabric will dissipate the sun's rays.

  In the late summer my lawn has become infested with Japanese beetle grubs. Now the turf is being dethatched very efficiently by crows. I want to prevent re-infestation next spring without using poison; I don't want to poison the birds. Every neighbor has stopped by to advise me to pour diazinon on it. We'll have a freeze any day now, so I'm not going to do anything but clean up for the winter. Two questions: 1) What can I use in spring to combat the problem? and (2) If I put a perennial border instead of grass in that area will the grubs destroy their roots as well? Thanks for any ideas or sources you can provide.  

     Do not fret, there is an organic solution to your problem. Japanese beetle grubs can be killed by milky disease bacteria. This disease (which falls into the organic range) will infect and kill the grubs of the Japanese Beetle and its close relatives. The disease will remain in the soil for many years, so you don't have to worry about repeat treatments. First, you have to find and order the bacteria (scientific name: Bacillus popilliae and Bacillus lentimorbus) from an online organic gardening catalogue (This site sells milky disease spores). Then, you want to follow the directions that come with the bacteria and spread it on your lawn. It may take 2 to 5 years to remove all grubs from your lawn, but you can be sure that the grubs will not return anytime soon. For more information on the milky spore bacteria, visit St. Gabriel Laboratories.

     Nematodes, also called eelworms, can also be used to control Japanese beetle grubs. Nematodes are microscopic, slender, translucent roundworms. They live in moist areas such as soil, decaying organic matter, water, and the insides of other animals. Parasitic nematodes kill Japanese Beetle grubs. Make sure that you purchase the correct type of nematode, because there is a tremendous diversity of species (and not all are beneficial in the garden). For more information about nematodes, visit this website on parasitic nematodes.

     To kill mature Japanese Beetles, purchase a Japanese Beetle trap at your local garden supply store. These traps, which lure the beetles with a scent, are extremely effective.

     About a perennial border instead of grass: grubs will attack perennials too, but the perennials will have a much better chance of surviving the grubs than grass.

  How do I organically keep Japanese beetles from destroying my rose bushes? Since they live in the soil, spraying the bushes does not work.  

     Japanese beetle traps can be purchased at your local garden supply store. These plants use pheromones (insect sex scents) to lure the beetles into the traps. They are extremely effective and are considered organic. If you want to find out more about Japanese beetles, grubs (Jap beetle pupae), or other methods of control (like milky disease spores), click here.

  Moles are digging up my garden! How can I get rid of them organically? 

Moles
	Description: Small, blind animals (about 4 inches in length) that burrow underground. Plants affected: Lawn, the roots of any plant in the garden can be eaten; also eat earthworms Telltale Signs: Holes in garden and lawn (5 inches in diameter) Damage: Affected plants will die; roots will be eaten away
Solutions: There are many mole traps that are sold on the Internet and in stores. Unfortunately, these usually kill the moles. If you're interested in a relatively inexpensive trap that kills moles, visit moletraps.com. You could also flood the mole tunnels with your garden hose. When the moles surface, you would then kill them with a shovel - this method turned me off, but it would probably work for someone who really hates moles. You could attempt to place a barrier around your garden. Dig a trench 6 inches wide and 2 feet deep around the area that you want to protect. Fill it with stones or dried, compact material (i.e. crushed shells). Cover the materials with a thin layer of soil. You could also bury a 1/2 inch hardware cloth 2 feet undergound - that would eliminate the need for such a large trench. I found a site that sells an electronic gopher and mole repellent. Click here to find out more about that product. There are also wind-driven mole repellent devices (Click here for more information) Mole Formula:Mole Formula Try using this formula to drive moles (or other small animals out of your yard    1/4 cup castor oil    2 Tablespoons of liquid detergent soap      -Blend the two together in a blender (they won't mix properly otherwise)    Add 6 Tablespoons water. Blend again. Store this mix in a container till needed. When you are ready to apply the solution to the area where the moles are active:    Mix 2 tablespoons of the solution into 1 gallon of water. Pour it into the problem area.

  I have an infestation of pepper maggots. How can I control them or destroy the adult fly? 

     Destroy any infected peppers. Hand pick the flies (they are 1/3 inch long yellow flies with brown-striped legs) from your plants and destroy them. Additionally, you could try putting a floating row cover over your pepper plants - a floating row cover is a fabric of mesh (or some other material that sunlight may pass through) that has holes which are too small for the flies move through. You should choose a cover with extremely small holes to be safe. Secure the cover to the ground using rocks...there must be no opening for the flies to enter. You could also try using clear plastic instead of mesh.

  I’ve heard that marigolds can be used to keep rabbits away. Do you know of any other organic methods to repel rabbits?  

     Marigolds are the most frequently used plant in organic pest control. For some reason rabbits are repelled by the marigold plant. Rabbits are considered pests because they feed on tomato plants, lettuce, herbs, and basically any vegetable in the garden. If you surround the perimeter of your garden with marigold plants, it will beautify your garden and keep the rabbits away. If the marigolds are ineffective, you can spread blood meal, bone meal, or fish meal between vegetable rows (but you must reapply after a rain.) The blood meal is extremely effective - I personally recommend it.

     The marigolds should keep rabbits from your garden, but what about all the other intruders? First of all, it’s a good idea to surround your garden with a wire fence. Make sure that it is at least 3 feet tall and has fairly small spaces between the wire (half an inch to one inch). I know that hair clippings (taken from your local barber shop) will keep deer away. You could also mix 1 part hot chili pepper to 4 parts water in your blender and spray this mixture on your plants. If applied after every rain, this concoction would keep both insects and animals (especially mice) away. You could also import helpful organisms to patrol your garden. Lady bugs, praying mantises and wasps can be bought from most gardening supply catalogues/seed catalogues. Follow the directions that they come with and these advantageous insects will begin killing harmful insects. For more information on organic pest control visit this site or just run an Internet search. Before you begin any form of pest control you must identify the type of pest that will threaten your specific plants (in your case - veggies) in your specific climate/environment. Then you can take action using the methods that I mentioned above. Good luck with your organic pest control.

 I have a real problem with slugs. Are there plants which I can use to make a border around my veggie patch to keep the little destroyers out? 

     There are several steps you can take to control slugs. All of these suggestions can be applied to snails, which are very similar organisms:

• Don't plant dense groundcovers or lay mulch near plants you want to protect
• Handpick slugs at night and drop them in a bucket of soapy water
• Set out wooden boards or inverted flowerpots as traps. Check the traps every day and kill the slugs hiding there (slugs seek shelter from the sun)
• Sink shallow containers of beer in the soil near your plants. Slugs are attracted to the beer and will drown after they climb in to drink it.
• Sprinkle dry soil or diatomaceous earth around the stem bases of your plants
• Make a slug-proof barrier around garden beds by edging them with copper-based strips. Be sure to set the barrier down during the winter - before the slugs arrive.
• Lay down an oak leaf mulch
• Drench the soil with wormwood tea

     I also found several products that claim to destroy snails and slugs. For more information and ordering, go to http://www.biconet.com/crawlers.html and look under snails/slugs.

  HELP. Today I found my beloved veggie patch covered in red legged spider mites. My first reaction was to grab the malathon, but I am trying to keep organic. Is there any way that I can rid myself of these pests. 

     First, visit this page for more information on spider mites Click here. From the information provided, I found that spider mites are as small as 1/60 of an inch. This means that you cannot pick the spiders themselves off the plants; however, you can still pick the egg sacks. Look on the undersides of the leaves and the stems for clusters of the spherical eggs. The eggs should be very small and numerous. Scrape the eggs of the plant and crush them or drown them. You might also try giving your plants a hard spray of water daily. This might be a more feasible form of hand picking, and could solve the problem. You might look for an organic spray that kills spider mites at your local garden center or online. Check garden company catalogues for predators (liking praying mantises or ladybugs) or fungal sprays that kill spider mites. To prevent future infestations, be sure you carefully clear your garden of all debris after the growing season...spider mite and other insect eggs can weather the winter inside the stems and leaves of your dead plants.

  How can I prevent squirrels from eating flowers and plants? 

     I wrote a quick segment on rabbit control. Click here to read it. Most of my rabbit suggestions can be applied to squirrels. In particular, the blood meal will be very effective - against both squirrels and rabbits. You can buy blood meal at your local garden supply store. Scatter the blood meal around the perimeter of your garden and in between your rows - following the package directions (Don't be stingy!) Be sure to reapply after rain or watering.

  I have a big problem with ticks! We live in Raleigh, N.C., with 2 young children and behind our house is an area of about 1 mile of woods. We cannot go into the back yard without picking up at least one tick! I do not want to spray diazinon or something similar, but I have to do something. Do you have any ideas on what to do to get rid of these ticks? 

     Honestly, it is extremely difficult to control ticks organically. You might consider covering yourself (and your family) with a protective layer of clothing - especially a hat - to form a barrier against ticks. There are some spraying choices that are semi-environmentally-friendly. For more information on these choices, visit the following website http://www.tickcontrol.com/services.htm

  Would your suggestions for controlling moles also work for controlling voles?  

     Yes, I am fairly sure that my suggestions for moles would work for voles. Check the trap that I recommended to see if it also works for voles.

  For the past couple of years, we have had an infestation of wire worms that affected all our root crops last year. Do you know of an organic way to rid the garden of these worms? 

Wireworms
	Description: Slender, hard-bodied, yellow and shiny larvae are found in corn, potatoes and other root crops, vegetables, strawberries and flowers. Over-winter as: Larvae or adults in the ground Egg Stage: Eggs laid around the roots of grasses Larva Stage: Eggs hatch after a few days or a few weeks and these wireworms (up to 4 cm) spend from 2-6 years in the soil. Pupa Stage: They pupate in summer or early fall and a few weeks later emerge as adults. Adult Stage: Adults are hard-shelled, gray, brown or black, elongated beetles. When on their back they will flip up in the air making a clicking sound when landing. Adults live 10-12 months, mostly in the soil. Damage: Seedlings wilt and die. Root crops are tunnelled Solutions: There are many options for organically treating wire worms. Before you plant you can set traps for the worms. Cut potatoes in half and cut out the eyes (so they do not sprout when you place them in the soil). Poke a stick into each to serve as a handle. Bury the pieces of potato in the soil in early spring, before you have planted anything. Use a potato trap for every square yard of soil, burying it 4 to 6 inches deep. Wireworms will be attracted to these potato traps. Check the traps every day and destroy the wireworms by dropping them into a solution of soapy water. Be sure to replace the potatoes with new ones when they begin to rot.      You can also make a wireworm spray. Crush the wireworms from your trap (or that you have found in the garden) and added some water to make a bug-juice liquid. Strain it and spray on effected crops.