Nearly every single plant, or seed requires a growing zone it will grow in. You read about different types of plants, and almost every good information site will provide the hardiness zones that it will grow in, but you don’t know which zone you are in. This map will provide this information to you, either by clicking on a zone in the map, or in the list of state abbreviations below the map.

Link to the site (opens in a new window).

How to Use the New Map:
Zones 2-10 in the map have been subdivided into light- and dark-colored sections (a and b) that represent 5 F (2.8 C) differences within the 10 F (5.6 C) zone. The light color of each zone represents the colder section; the dark color, the warmer section. Zone 11 represents any area where the average annual minimum temperature is above 40 F (4.4 C). The map shows 20 latitude and longitude lines. Areas above an arbitrary elevation are traditionally considered unsuitable for plant cropping and do not bear appropriate zone designations. There are also island zones that, because of elevation differences, are warmer or cooler than the surrounding areas and are given a different zone designation. Note that many large urban areas carry a warmer zone designation than the surrounding countryside. The map-contains as much detail as possible, considering the vast amount of data on which it is based and its size.

The previous article was about growing tomatoes in containers. But suppose you have the space to grow tomatoes in soil, and want to figure out what all you need to do to get a healthy output. There is plenty of information that would help you in this process; after all, you need to know about which types of tomatoes, what are the pests and blights that could affect your plants, what is the best type of soil, what is the amount of watering and sunlight that should be given to the plants, and so on. Further, if you get tips and points that you should avoid doing, those will help you a lot. Here is the link to an article that should help you in this regard:

# Good first-time growers’ varieties include Better Boy, Creole, Big Boy, Early Girl, Brandywine, Celebrity, Lemon Boy, or just about any cherry or grape tomato variety.
# Plant several varieties rather than all of one type– this ensures a steady harvest. As a rule of thumb, it’s good to have two plants for each member of the family who will eat tomatoes. If you plan on canning or making salsa, use up to four plants per person.
# Prepare the garden bed by adding lots of compost (5 to 8 pounds per square foot/25 to 40 kilograms per square meter) to the soil. Turn compost into the top 3 inches (6 to 8 cm). Tomatoes demand a growing medium rich in organic matter. If you don’t make your own compost, use store-bought compost or composted manure available in the 40-pound bags. Compost or Manure is usually less than US$5 per 40-pound bag.

The referred article provides help from the process of selecting the tomato plant / seed, and then goes onto providing an estimate of how many plants you should have. You learn about the tomato spacing, watering, providing fertilizer, support for the growing plant, when to pick the tomato, warnings and things to avoid, etc.

So you went ahead and decided to grow tomatoes, having been allured by the thought of growing some beautiful tomatoes that you can admire while they are growing, and then enjoy in your kitchen - there is a different sort of feeling that you get when growing your own food, especially something as attractive as a tomato.
And then disaster; the tomato is struck by pests, or by some sort of blight, or does not grow at all. And then you need to go looking for help, for somebody to tell you what can be the problem. So, here is a link to a resource that should be able to help you grow your tomatoes better.
It is a short guide, but one that tells you about the basics of growing tomatoes, as well as why tomatoes can get sick. You also get to know about organic treatments for some of these problems. In the end, you get a listing of disease resistant tomato varieties, and also a listing of the favorite varieties of the tomato. Here’s the link to the article:

If you’re new to tomato gardening, you should note that the key to avoiding problems with your tomatoes is to grow them under the healthiest conditions possible. This involves proper watering, sunlight, air circulation, and good quality soil with plenty of organic material mixed in. There are also a variety of organic fertilizers out there to give your tomatoes an extra advantage.
Tomatoes can suffer attacks by bugs, fungi, viruses, or bacteria. Tomatoes also suffer stress due to environmental conditions such as excessive cold, heat, sunlight or moisture. Some problems are associated with deficiencies in certain nutrients. Tomatoes can pick up diseases through contaminated soil, the air, through rain or irrigation water that carry fungal spores, or through insects that carry a disease.

You are an avid gardener, and love to have beautiful flowers in your garden. However, as you do research on these flowers, or want to buy some, you come across some names that seem all Latin or Green to you (and they may be, since these are the scientific names given to these flowers). So, for example,

Aconitum carmichaelii is actually Azure Monkshood
Ageratum houstonianum is Ageratum / Flossflower

There is this site that lists the common names and scientific names for plants. You can find a plant from either the common name or the scientific name at this valuable site in the University of Cornell site (link)

Growing herbs indoors is a cost-effective–and handier–alternative to buying them at the supermarket. Some of the easiest ones to grow indoors are thyme (Thymus vulgaris), basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), oregano (Origanum vulgare), chives (Allium schoenoprasum), mint (Mentha sp.) and sage (Salvia
officinalis). For people who love garlic, a great alternative is garlic chives (Allium tuberosum). Cut the tops of the grasslike blades and chop them up into your food for a mild garlic flavor.
There are three ways to start an indoor herb garden: transplanting store-bought or garden-grown plants or starting new ones from cuttings or seed.

A Seedy Beginning

For those who like to get their hands dirty, try starting herbs from seed. This is the least expensive way to grow an indoor herb garden, but it takes a bit of babysitting.
You’ll need the following materials: a lightweight soil less mixture, seeds of your favorite herbs, clear plastic baggies and small pots with drainage holes. Some pots are too large to start seeds in, so plant them in a peat pot to get them started. Once they germinate and grow a bit, transplant the whole thing–peat pot and all–into the larger container. Fill the peat pot completely with the soil less mixture, then place it in small bowl filled with water. Allow the peat pot to absorb the water from the bottom up, until the entire soil less mixture is saturated. Make certain the peat is completely wet; otherwise, it will act as a wick and pull water away from the seeds. Watering seeds after they’re planted can wash them away, so it’s important not to skip this step.
Bury seeds to a depth that’s three to four times their diameter. With really small seeds, like basil, you’ll only need to press them into the soil. Plant a few in one pot to ensure success in the event that one doesn’t germinate.
Slip a plastic baggie over the peat pot. The plastic will help the seedling retain moisture and create a warm environment, essentially simulating a greenhouse effect. To prevent the pot from drying out, place it on a saucer and add water to it so the peat can continue to soak up water.
After all the prep work is completed, leave the plants in a sunny location or positioned under grow lights.

A Cut Above

Stem cuttings are an easy method to grow herbs indoors. Before the growing season ends, you can always take some cuttings from your outdoor plants or use cut herbs available from a grocery store. Cut about six inches of a stem at the base of the plant.
Once the branch is cut, strip the foliage off the bottom so it won’t rot. A root should develop everywhere that a leaf or stem has grown. Place the cutting in a small jar of water, and in no time it will set roots. When that happens, pot the cutting and let it grow. Keep in mind that these cuttings need a sunny location, and the water should be changed out every day.

The Easiest Way

If you don’t want to wait to start seedlings or grow plants from cuttings, you can have an herb garden now by purchasing live, grown plants from your local garden center. Keep plants in a sunny location with sufficient water. Once a week, feed them, using a diluted, organic fertilizer; fish emulsion is one good option. Also give your plants a periodic trimming as it helps them to branch out and grow
more vigorously.

In discussion with a friend, I heard of this site (link) and decided to read a bit more about it.
From the website:

Our studies have shown that the EarthBox can double yields, using less water and fertilizer compared to conventional gardening. More importantly, thousands of EarthBox customers prove our claims every time they plant. We’re so sure that the EarthBox will work for you; we offer a one year satisfaction guarantee. That’s right, you can use the EarthBox all season long and if it doesn’t produce as advertised, we will promptly refund your purchase price.
Since The EarthBox uses potting mix available at any garden center, soil conditions in your area mean nothing. In fact many people have tremendous EarthBox gardens on their patios, balconies and decks. Since the potting mix in The EarthBox is covered, weeds don’t even have a chance to start. There’s never any need to pull weeds or use herbicides.
Each time you plant in the EarthBox, use two cups of a dry granular fertilizer or plant food for vegetables. The three numbers of the elements making up the fertilizer content should be in the range of 5 to 15; i.e., 12-8-10, 10-10-10. After you have applied the fertilizer stripe, no additional fertilizer will be needed.

This information again came via email, and is pretty useful, hence posting

Plant Guide

ALFALFA: Perennial that roots deeply. Fixes the soil with nitrogen, accumulates iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Withstands droughts with it’s long taproot and can improve just about any soil! Alfalfa has the ability to break up hard clay soil and can even send its’ roots through rocks! Now that is a tenacious plant! Alfalfa is practically pest and disease free. It needs only natural rainfall to survive.

AMARANTH: A tropical annual that needs hot conditions to flourish. Good with sweet corn, it’s leaves provide shade giving the corm a rich, moist root run. Host to predatory ground beetles. Eat the young leaves in salads.

ANISE: Licorice flavored herb, good host for predatory wasps which prey on aphids and it is also said to repel aphids. Deters pests from brassicas by camouflaging their odor. Improves the vigor of any plants growing near it. Used in ointments to protect against bug stings and bites. Good to plant with coriander.

ARTEMISIAS: See Wormwood

BASIL: Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor. Basil can be helpful in repelling thrips. Said to repel flies and mosquitoes. Do not plant near rue.

BAY LEAF: A fresh leaf bay leaf in each storage container of beans or grains will deter weevils and moths. Sprinkle dried leaves with other deterrent herbs in garden as natural insecticide dust. A good combo: Bay leaves, cayenne pepper, tansy and peppermint.

BEANS: All bean enrich the soil with nitrogen fixed form the air. In general they are good company for carrots, brassicas, beets, and cucumbers. Great for heavy nitrogen users like corn and grain plants. French Haricot beans, sweet corn and melons are a good combo. Keep beans away from the alliums.

BEE BALM (Oswego, Monarda): Plant with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor. Great for attracting beneficials and bees of course. Pretty perennial that tends to get powdery mildew.

BEET: Good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are composed of 25% magnesium. Companions are lettuce, onions and brassicas.

BORAGE: Companion plant for tomatoes, squash and strawberries. Deters tomato hornworms and cabbage worms. One of the best bee and wasp attracting plants. Adds trace minerals to the soil and a good addition the compost pile. Borage may benefit any plant it is growing next to via increasing resistance to pests and disease. After you have planned this annual once it will self seed.

BRASSICA: Benefit from chamomile, peppermint, dill, sage, and rosemary. They need rich soil with plenty of lime to flourish.

BUCKWHEAT: Accumulates calcium and can be grown as an excellent cover crop. Attracts hoverflies in droves. (Member of the brassica family.)

CARAWAY: Good for loosening compacted soil with it’s deep roots. Tricky to establish. The flowers attract a number of beneficial insects.

CATNIP: Deters flea beetles, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, ants and weevils. We have found it repels mice quite well: mice were wreaking havoc in our outbuildings, we spread sprigs of mint throughout and the mice split! Use sprigs of mint anywhere in the house you want deter mice and ants. Smells good and very safe.

CHAMOMILE, GERMAN: Annual. Improves flavor of cabbages, cucumbers and onions. Host to hoverflies and wasps. Accumulates calcium, potassium and sulfur, later returning them to the soil. Increases oil production from herbs. Leave some flowers unpicked and German chamomile will reseed itself. Roman chamomile is a low growing perennial that will tolerate almost any soil conditions. Both like full sun. Growing chamomile of any type is considered a tonic for anything you grow in the garden.

CHERVIL: Companion to radishes for improved growth and flavor. Keeps aphids off lettuce. Likes shade.

CHIVES: Improves growth and flavor of carrots and tomatoes . Chives may drive away Japanese beetles and carrot rust fly. Planted among apple trees it may help prevent scab. A tea of chives may be used on cucumbers to prevent downy mildew. See chive tea on disease page.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS: C. coccineum kills root nematodes. (the bad ones) It’s flowers along with those of C. cineraruaefolium have been used as botanical pesticides for centuries. (i.e. pyrethrum) White flowering chrysanthemums repel Japanese beetles.

CLOVER: Long used as a green manure and plant companion. Attracts many beneficials. Useful planted around apple trees to attract predators of the woolly aphid.

COMFREY: Accumulates calcium, phosphorous and potassium. Likes wet spots to grow in. Traditional medicinal plant. Good trap crop for slugs. More on comfrey.

CORIANDER: Repels aphids, spider mites and potato beetle. A tea from this can be used as a spray for spider mites. A partner for anise.

COSTMARY: This 2-3 foot tall perennial of the chrysanthemum family helps to repel moths.

DAHLIAS: These beautiful, tuberous annuals that can have up to dinner plate size flowers repels nematodes!

DILL: Improves growth and health of cabbage. Do not plant near carrots. Best friend for lettuce. Attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps. Repels aphids and spider mites to some degree. Also may repel the dreaded squash bug! (scatter some good size dill leaves on plants that are suspect to squash bugs, like squash plants, yeah that’s the ticket.) Dill goes well with onions and cucumbers. Dill does attract the tomato horn worm so it would be useful to plant it somewhere away from your tomato plants to keep the destructive horn worm away from them. We like to plant it for the swallowtail butterfly caterpillars to feed on. Even their caterpillars are beautiful.

ELDERBERRY: A spray (see insect treatments) made from the leaves can be used against aphids, carrot root fly, cuke beetles and peach tree borers. Put branches and leaves in mole runs to banish them. Yes, it works!

FLAX: Plant with carrots, and potatoes. Flax contains tannin and linseed oils which may offend the Colorado potato bug. Flax is an annual from 1-4 feet tall with blue or white flowers that readily self sows. We have quite a few flax plants return year after year here in zone 5.

FOUR-O’CLOCKS: Draw Japanese beetles like a magnet which then dine on the foliage. The foliage is pure poison to them and they won’t live to have dessert! It is important to mention that four-o”clocks are also poisonous to humans. Please be careful where you plant them if you have children. They are a beautiful annual plant growing from 2-3 feet high with a bushy growth form.

GARLIC: Plant near roses to repel aphids. Accumulates sulfur: a naturally occurring fungicide which will help in the garden. Has some value in offending codling moths, Japanese beetles, root maggots, snails, and carrot root fly. Researchers have observed that time-released garlic capsules planted at the bases of fruit trees actually kept deer away! Hey, worth a try! (see treatments: Garlic-oil spray)

GOPHER PURGE: Deters gophers, and moles.

HORSERADISH: Plant in containers in the potato patch to keep away Colorado potato bugs. There are some very effective insect sprays that can be made with the root. Use the bottomless pot method to keep horseradish contained. Also repels Blister beetles. We have observed that the root can yield antifungal properties when a tea is made from it. (See: Horseradish: Disease)

HOREHOUND: Stimulates and aids fruiting in tomatoes.

HYSSOP: Companion plant to cabbage and grapes, deters cabbage moths and flea beetles. Do not plant near radishes. Hyssop may be the number one preference among bees and some beekeepers rub the hive with it to encourage the bees to keep to their home. It is not as invasive as other members of the mint family making it safer for interplanting.

KELP: When used in a powder mixture or tea as a spray, this versatile sea herb will not only repel insects but feed the vegetables. In particular we have observed that kelp foliar sprays keep aphids and Japanese beetles away when used as a spray every 8 days before and during infestation times. If you have access to seaweed, use it as a mulch to keep slugs away.

LARKSPUR: An annual member of the Delphinium family, larkspur will attract Japanese beetles. They dine and die! Larkspur is poisonous to humans too!

LAVENDER: Repels fleas and moths. Prolific flowering lavender nourishes many nectar feeding and beneficial insects. Use dried sprigs of lavender to repel moths. Start plants in winter from cuttings, setting out in spring.

LEMON BALM: Sprinkle throughout the garden in an herbal powder mixture to deter many bugs. Lemon balm has citronella compounds that make this work: crush and rub the leaves on your skin to keep mosquitoes away! Use to ward off squash bugs!

LOVAGE: Improves flavor and health of most plants. Good habitat for ground beetles. A large plant, use one planted as a backdrop. Similar to celery in flavor.

MARIGOLDS: (Calendula): Given a lot of credit as a pest deterrent. Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed to discourage many insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The marigolds you choose must be a scented variety for them to work. One down side is that marigolds do attract spider mites and slugs.

French Marigold (T. Patula) has roots that exude a substance which spreads in their immediate vicinity killing nematodes. For nematode control you want to plant dense areas of them. There have been some studies done that proved this nematode killing effect lasted for several years after the plants were These marigolds also help to deter whiteflies when planted around tomatoes and can be used in greenhouses for the same purpose.

Mexican marigold (T. minuta) is the most powerful of the insect repelling marigolds and may also overwhelm weed roots such as bind weed! It is said to repel the Mexican bean beetle and wild bunnies! Be careful it can have an herbicidal effect on some plants like beans and cabbage.

MARJORAM: As a companion plant it improves the flavor of vegetables and herbs. Sweet marjoram is the most commonly grown type.

MINT: Deters white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas, aphids and improves the health of cabbage and tomatoes. Use cuttings as a mulch around members of the brassica family. It attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps. Earthworms are quite attracted to mint plantings. Be careful where you plant it as mint is an incredibly invasive perennial. We have found that placing mint (fresh or dried) where mice are a problem is very effective in driving them off!

MOLE PLANTS: (castor bean plant) Deter moles and mice if planted here and there throughout the garden. Drop a seed of this in mole runs to drive them away. This is a poisonous plant. See Moles: Critter Trouble

MORNING GLORIES: They attract hoverflies. Plus if you want a fast growing annual vine to cover something up morning glory is an excellent choice.

OPAL BASIL: An annual herb that is pretty, tasty and said to repel hornworms!

NASTURTIUMS: Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Deters wooly aphids, whiteflies, squash bug, cucumber beetles and other pests of the curcurbit family. Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the black aphids) which it does attract, especially the yellow flowering varieties. Likes poor soil with low moisture and no fertilizer. It has been the practice of some fruit growers that planting nasturtiums every year in the root zone of fruit trees allow the trees to take up the pungent odor of the plants and repel bugs. It has no taste effect on the fruit. A nice variety to grow is Alaska which has attractive green and white variegated leaves. The leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible and wonderful in salads! Try our recipe for: Nasturtium Salad

NETTLES, STINGING: The flowers attract bees. Sprays made from these are rich in silica and calcium. Invigorating for plants and improves their disease resistance. Leaving the mixture to rot, it then makes an excellent liquid feed. Comfrey improves the liquid feed even more. Hairs on the nettles’ leaves contain formic acid which “stings” you.

PARSLEY: Plant among and sprinkle on tomatoes, and asparagus. Use as a tea to ward off asparagus beetles. Attracts hoverflies. Let some go to seed to attract the tiny parasitic wasps. Parsley increases the fragrance of roses when planted around their base. Rose problems? See: Rose

PEPPERMINT: Repels white cabbage moths, aphids and flea beetles. It is the menthol content in mints that acts as an insect repellant. Bees and other good guys love it.

PEPPERS, HOT: Chili peppers have root exudates that prevent root rot and other Fusarium diseases. Plant anywhere you have these problems. Teas made from hot peppers can be useful as insect sprays.

PENNYROYAL: Repels fleas. Many people are now using pennyroyal as an alternative lawn. The leaves when crushed and rubbed onto your skin will repel chiggers, flies, gnats, mosquitoes and ticks. Smells nice too!

PETUNIAS: They repel the asparagus beetle, leafhoppers, certain aphids, tomato worms, Mexican bean beetles and general garden pests. A good companion to tomatoes, but plant everywhere. The leaves can be used in a tea to make a potent bug spray.

PURSLANE: This edible weed makes good ground cover in the corn patch. Use the stems, leaves and seeds in stir-frys. Pickle the green seed pod for caper substitutes.

RADISH: Plant radishes with your squash plants. Radishes may protect them from squash borers! Anything that will help prevent this is worth a try. Planting them around corn and letting them go to seed will help fight corn borers.

ROSEMARY: Companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage. Deters cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies. Use cuttings to place by the crowns of carrots for carrot flies. Zones 6 and colder can overwinter rosemary as houseplants or take cuttings.

RUE: Deters Japanese beetles in roses and raspberries. To make it even more effective with Japanese beetles: crush a few leaves to release the smell. Repels flies and has helped repel cats for us. Some say you should not plant it near cabbage, basil or sage. A pretty perennial with bluish-gray leaves. May be grown indoors in a sunny window. Rue can cause skin irritation! Remedy: See cats and dogs: Rue spray.

SAGE: Use as a companion plant with broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary, cabbage, and carrots to deter cabbage moths, beetles, black flea beetles and carrot flies. Do not plant near cucumbers or rue. Sage repels cabbage moths and black flea beetles. Allowing sage to flower will also attract many beneficial insects and the flowers are pretty. There are some very striking varieties of sage with variegated foliage that can be used for their ornamental as well as practical qualities. More on sage.

SOUTHERNWOOD: Plant with cabbage, and here and there in the garden. Wonderful lemony scent when crushed or brushed in passing. Roots easily from cuttings. Does not like fertilizer! It is a perennial that can get quite bushy. We have started to cut it back every spring and it comes back in not time. A delightful plant that is virtually pest free.

SUMMER SAVORY: Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavor. Discourages cabbage moths. Honey bees love it.

SUNFLOWERS: Planting sunflowers with corn is said by some to increase the yield. Aphids a problem? Definitely plant a few sunflowers here and there in the garden. Step back and watch the ants herd the aphids onto them! We have been doing this for years and it is remarkable. The sunflowers are so tough that the aphids cause very little damage and we have nice seed heads for our birds to enjoy! Talk about a symbiotic relationship!

TANSY: Plant with fruit trees, roses and raspberries keeping in mind that it can be invasive and is not the most attractive of plants. Tansy which is often recommended as an ant repellant may only work on sugar type ants. These are the ones that you see on peonies and marching into the kitchen. At least for us placing tansy clippings by the greenhouse door has kept them out. Deters flying insects, Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs, ants and mice! Tie up and hang a bunch of tansy leaves indoors as a fly repellent. Use clippings as a mulch as needed. Don’t be afraid to cut the plant up as tansy will bounce back from any abuse heaped on it! It is also a helpful addition to the compost pile with its’ high potassium content.

TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many pests like this one. Recommended to enhance growth and flavor of vegetables.

THYME: Deters cabbage worms. Wooly thyme makes a wonderful groundcover. You may want to use the upright form of thyme in the garden rather than the groundcover types. Thyme is easy to grow from seeds or cuttings. Older woody plants should be divided in spring.

WHITE GERANIUMS: These members of the pelargonum family draw Japanese beetles to feast on the foliage which in turn kills them.

WORMWOOD: Keeps animals out of the garden when planted as a border. An excellent deterrent to most insects. A tea made from wormwood will repel cabbage moths, slugs, snails, black flea beetles and fleas effectively. The two best varieties for making insect spray are Silver King and Powis Castle. Adversely Powis castle attracts ladybugs which in turn breed directly on the plant. Silver Mound is great as a border plant and the most toxic wormwood. Note: As wormwood actually produces a botanical poison do not use it directly on food crops. We personally have seen no evidence of artemisias suppressing the growth of plants other than seedlings though many say it does.

YARROW: Yarrow has insect repelling qualities and is an excellent natural fertilizer. A handful of yarrow leaves added to the compost pile really speeds things up. Try it! It also attracts predatory wasps and ladybugs to name just two. It may increase the essential oil content of herbs when planted among them.

Ants

To discourage ants, sprinkle their nest with red pepper, eggshells, bone meal, talcum powder, wood ash, sulphur, blood meal or coffee grounds or diatomaceous earth. Mix 1 tbsp. of bakers’ yeast and 2 tbsp. of sugar in 1 pint of water; spread this mixture on pieces of cardboard, and place them around your yard. Pile up instant grits or corn meal in and around their hills; once eaten, grits expand and no more ants. Mix equal parts powdered borax and powdered sugar. In the garden, plant pennyroyal, spearmint, southernwood, and plant onions around beans as they repel ants.

Aphids

Spray plants with ‘bubble bath’ of soapy water; rinse off after animals are dead. Order from garden store: green Lacewing adults and larvae; “defatted” Ladybug adults and larvae. Plant nasturtium in the garden. Cut up 3 pounds rhubarb or elder leaves. Boil ½ hour in 3 quarts water. Strain and cool. Dissolve 1 oz. soap in one quart water. Mix two solutions and spray. In garden, plant tansy.

Asparagus beetles : Marigolds keep them away.

Botrytis Mold

Botrytis mold is one of several plant diseases that can be overpowered by the beneficial bacteria present in fermented compost tea.
1. Mix one part manure compost that includes some rotted manure (horse, cow or chicken) with five parts water. A plastic milk jug works well.
2. Allow the mixture to sit and ferment in a shady place for ten days to two weeks. The effectiveness of the tea is highest when the tea ferments for a full two weeks.
3. Filter the mixture through cheesecloth to remove large particles. Do not attempt to remove all residue for some residue gives the tea extra disease-fighting punch.
Warning: This stuff can smell terrible - do your straining outdoors! The odour does vary from batch from batch.
4. If needed, you can dilute the tea with more water, but keep the mixture at half strength, minimum.
5. Either spray on leaves with a pump or pressure sprayer, or dribble it on with a watering can. Coat both sides of leaves.
6. Reapply after two to three weeks.
7. The residue left after the tea is strained may be poured out on the ground below plants.

Cabbage Loopers

Plant one of these insect repelling plants between your cabbage and carrots: sage, rosemary, leeks, hyssop, mint. Buy Bt from garden store. Smash egg masses of moths.

Cabbage Worms

Plant rosemary, thyme, or hyssop. Cover plants with cheesecloth to keep adult butterflies from laying eggs. Sprinkle rye flour over and around plants when covered with dew.

Carrot Flies

Plant one of these insect repelling plants between your cabbage and carrots: sage, rosemary, leeks, hyssop, mint. See cutworms for other possible remedies.

Carpenter Ants

Prevent an infestation by repairing wood damaged by moisture, ventilating damp areas, cleaning gutters and storing firewood on raised platforms away from the house, try one of the organic insecticides included in this packet.
Alternative Pesticides: Pyrethrins. Use less toxic bait stations. Small chunks of bait are usually carried back to colonies where they poison other ants in the colony. Bait stations will help get rid of the source of the problem, and will reduce exposure to non target species. Northern Flickers, Pileated Woodpeckers are known to feed on carpenter ants. Swallows swifts and nighthawks will feed on winged ants.

Caterpillars

Use ’stickum’ made from 1½ cups rosin (from athletic supply store), 1 cup linseed oil, 1 tbsp. Melted paraffin, mixed together and painted around trunks of trees.
Cats
2 parts cayenne powder
3 parts dry mustard powder
5 parts flour add sufficient water
*** use as a spray on the plants and yard areas where these animals are causing a problem. Bury chicken wire under the ground to discourage cats from digging (plants will grow right through it)

Put Cayenne pepper, orange peels, or hang dried rue leaves, mothballs, and dry Borax® soap in the toe of old nylon stockings in various areas of your garden.

Chinch Bugs

Damage: Cause large round patches in the lawn which are yellow in the centre and greenish around the edges. They are found in the sunny areas of the lawn. Adults become more active when temperature is above 70°F. They live above the ground and suck the juice out of the stems. Cut top and bottom out of a tin can and push it into the greenish area of the affected lawn. Fill the can with water, any chinch bugs will float to the top.

Natural controls: (Garden) Plant soybeans near corn as a trap plant. Try planting St. Augustine Grass or endophyte enhanced grass (grass enhanced with the fungus (Acremonium coenophiallum)) which is more resistant to surface grazing by insects. Keep lawn free of thatch, use diatomaceous earth, spray with soapy water once a day for 10 to 14 days, or with a handful of wood ash and lime dissolved in 8L of water. Spread a flannel sheet over the treated area, and wait 15 to 20 minutes; the bugs will be clinging to the sheet and you will be able to drown them or suck them up in a vacuum cleaner. Insecticidal soaps, pyrethrins can be used, Neem, Bigeyed bugs, Lace Bugs and others will prey on chinch bugs. The fungus Beauvaria bassiana (Naturalis-T) can also be effective.
Codling Moths (apple worms)
Hang bright red plastic apples coated with “stickum” (see Caterpillars for stickum recipe)

Cutworms

Damage: will cut off grass and transplants (for vegetable gardeners) just above the ground. Find them in the soil curled up like a sleeping cat.

Natural Controls: Buy Bt from garden store. Smash egg masses of gypsy moths. Sink paper cups (bottoms removed) around seedlings to block cutworms. Parasitic nematodes, diatomaceous earth, physical methods. Plant tansy.

Dahlia borers

Goldenrod planted nearby will attract them. Try planting garlic, tansy or onions.

Deer

A good tall fence is the best bet. Try blood meal, thorny bushes, ‘Deer Buster’ tonic - 2 eggs, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp. of cayenne pepper and 2 tbsp. of Tobasco Sauce® in 2 cups of water. Let set for 2 days, then spray your plants to the point of run-off.

Dog Damage Spots

To repair, overspray 1 cup of very soapy water per 20 gallons of water, and then apply granulated gypsum over the area (use small amount and increase until desired level reached). One week later, overspray the turf with ‘Turf Builder’ tonic - 1 can of beer, 1 cup of ammonia, and 1 can of regular cola in your 20 gallon hose-end sprayer.

Earwigs

Remove their hiding places - piles of plant material, boards/wood, bricks, large rocks, debris, leaves and clods of dirt during the day. Eliminate refuges such as ivy, weeds. Keep debris and weeds away from the trunks of fruit trees. Encourage natural predators (birds and toads). Fill low-sided, old tuna or petfood cans with ½ inch of vegetable oil; place several cans around garden. When full; just dump and refill. Place rolled newspaper, corrugated cardboard, or hose pieces around plants at sunset. Next morning shake earwigs into bucket of soapy water, gas or kerosene. Continue as needed.

Fairy Rings

The fungi create circular patches of dead grass with an outer ring of dark green grass. Very difficult to eradicate. To control the disease, spike the rings to a depth of 15cm with a spading fork. Clean the fork carefully with rubbing alcohol after each use. To avoid contaminating the rest of the lawn you must begin spiking outside the dark green ring and work inward toward the yellow area. Pour soapy water into the holes daily for a week, and then clean water every day for two months. To get rid of the rings completely, remove the soil to a depth of 25 to 45cm on either side of the green ring. This is an exacting task but it is the only way to eradicate the fungus. Be careful not to drop any contaminated soil or grass on the lawn , or the disease will spread elsewhere.

General Insect Control

The ladybug, spiders, bees, and wasps will eat or reduce numerous pests. Try to find pheromone or other traps such as sticky traps - place 6 by 6 inch sheets paper or cardboard covered with a sticky material like castor oil, natural gum resin, or vegetable wax. Encourage parasitic or beneficial insects. Several plants placed throughout your garden naturally deter insects. They include marigolds, garlic, onions, nasturtiums, geraniums and pansy. If nuisance bugs persist, consider planting endophyte enhanced grass (grass enhanced with the fungus (Acremonium coenophiallum)) which is more resistant to surface grazing buy insects. Set your mower at it’s highest setting as longer blades of grass produce more energy and encourage greater root growth; and will be more tolerant to insect attack. Avoid overfertilizing and control thatch buildup in your lawn. Pesticides used to control lawn pests may effect helpful bird species. If problems still persist try sabadilla, neem,
rotonone, or pyrethrins. Limit treatment to infected plants as many helpful insects and related creatures are killed by any pesticide, even a soap spray. Use a milk type pail, fill with lukewarm water, and add approximately 2 teaspoons of Peppermint essential oil.
Grubs {May/June Beetles, Japanese Beetles}
During late spring or early fall, they chew the roots off the grass and keep going. Skunks and racoons will cause golf ball sized holes by digging for grubs or look for mole tunnels. During summer look for metallic-looking green and bronze coloured beetles (Japanese beetles) eating flowers or vegetables. They lay their eggs in the soil and the eggs become grubs. Cut and roll the sod like a carpet, if more there are more than a few grubs per square foot, it’s a problem.
Natural controls: Expose the grubs and let the birds pick them, parasitic nematodes, spread a mixture of diatomaceous earth and powdered soap at a rate of 6 to 9 kg per 100m2, or hand pick beetles into a jar (soap or kerosene and water) and drown them. Every 2 weeks throughout growing season overspray with a mixture of 1 cup of very soapy water, ½ cup of antiseptic mouthwash, and a ½ cup of chewing tobacco juice, in a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer until early August. Unfortunately, grub control is a never- ending battle. Beetles lay their eggs in compacted soil, so aerate, plant resistant grasses such as fescues. Milky spore disease (microbial insecticide made up of two species of bacteria: Bacillus popilliae and B. lentimorbus) kills grubs, and will remain to protect your soil in the future. Use pheromone traps to attract adults and prevent breeding. Robins and Flickers will probe for grubs. See Japanese beetles for additional info.

Gypsy moths

Buy Bt from garden store. Smash egg masses of gypsy moths. Parasitic nematodes, diatomaceous earth, physical methods.

Japanese beetles

Plant garlic, larkspur, white geraniums, rue or tansy near roses and raspberries. Plant soybeans, zinnias or white rose near other crops to lure beetles away from crops. Buy beetle traps or “milky spore disease” bacteria (”Doom”) from garden store (takes 2 to 3 years for full effect). See grubs for additional info.

Lawn Diseases

Always remove any grass clippings if your lawn shows any sign of disease. Planting a mixture of grasses reduces the risk of serious infection since each grass variety is vulnerable to different diseases.

Maggots

Radishes lure them away from sprouting corn and cabbage.

May beetles

See grubs for more info.

Mealy bugs

see Aphids for control. Make a spray of 2 parts rubbing alcohol to 1 part water, and use it to kill mealybugs on houseplants.

Mexican bean beetles

Plant potatoes nearby to lure them away or repel them with rosemary, marigolds, petunia, or summer savory.

Millipedes

Punch holes in both sides and bottom of tall juice can, bury upright in garden border, fill with carrot or potato peelings. Empty can weekly.

Mice

Plant spurge or an herb called “mole plant” here and there to repel them. Fresh peppermint and spearmint plants, placed strategically throughout your home and yard, will keep majority of rodents and pests away from your home and yard. We use a milk type pail, fill with lukewarm water, and add approximately 2 teaspoons of Peppermint essential oil!

Moles

First and foremost, you need to eliminate their major food-grubs. Plant an herb called “mole plant”, daffodils, spurge and castor beans; here and there to repel them. Moles are invading your garden in search of worms and grubs. They actually help to loosen dirt in areas where it tends to be compacted. Place a cutting of human hair (use own or go to the Barber shop) inside the tunnel. Place used kitty litter in their tunnels, tells them predators are lurking. Mix a small bottle of castor oil with MiracleGro Fertilizer and spray. Spray every 30 to 60 days. Add red pepper to the mixture to ward off rabbits and deer. Natural mechanisms that look similar to windmills make a vibratory noise the moles hate and won’t come back as long as it is in place. We use a milk type pail, fill with lukewarm water, and add approximately 2 teaspoons of Peppermint essential oil.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are caused primarily by decaying wood in the soil, and they will soon disappear if picked or raked. Aerate area by hand to poke a lot of holes in the turf. Thoroughly drench the area with soapy water, then give a light dusting with dry laundry soap.

Nematodes

African or French marigolds give off chemicals which get rid of them. Also plant salvia scarlet sage, dahlia, calendula, pot marigold or asparagus.

Onion flies

Plant onion ’sets’, not onion seeds.

Pickleworms

Plant bush squash near cantaloupes and cucumbers. Worms will gather on squash for easy killing.

Plant bugs

Plant sunflowers nearby to lure away from potatoes. Bugs can easily be picked off and dropped into soapy water.

Potato beetles

Plant horseradish or flax to repel. Plant eggplants next to potatoes to attract them, then pick them and drop in soapy water.

Potato Bug

You probably planted your spuds in bare soil and kept them weeded. That is an open invitation to the Potato Bug (Colorado beetle). The easiest way is to lay the “seeds” on the bare ground and cover with a minimum of ten inches of rotten hay, top up as season advances. The deep mulch interferes with the bugs’ reproductive cycle. At harvest time, pull up the dying stalks and pick off the potatoes as if they were apples. Keep the smaller ones for seed next season; they are better than cut pieces. Plant a few beans near potatoes to attract the beetles. See Lebia grandis a predator or the potato bug for more info.

Slugs/Snails

Build a house for toads and frogs. Encourage beetles who also eat slugs. Plant onions and marigolds to repel them. Place plastic bottle cloches or wrap loose aluminum foil around plants, or sprinkle circles of lime, eggshells, diatomaceous earth, ashes, gravel or sawdust around plants or 4 inch high “fence” of copper strips. Place saucers or plastic pots of milk or beer, grape juice and maybe even vinegar(they drown themselves in ecstasy); sink the saucers so they are level with the ground. Place cabbage leaf, tiles, wet cardboard or an old board on the ground, they will gather underneath and then can be disposed of, or collect them by hand at night or on damp days and dump in salt water or kerosene. Shake salt on them and watch them fizz. Squash all eggs you find while digging. Plant prostrate rosemary, wormwood.

Sow bugs

Remove their hiding places - piles of plant material, boards/wood, bricks, large rocks, etc.

Squirrels
½ ounce Tobasco sauce®
1 pint water
1 tsp. Chili powder dash of dish soap
*** use as a spray on the plants and yard areas where these animals are causing a problem.
4 oz. of castor oil
5 oz. of Tabasco Sauce®
8 oz. of Murphy’s Oil Soap®
1 quart of warm water.
Use 1 cup in 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, spraying soil, leaves, and tree trunks thoroughly to point of run-off. Fox Urine is also a very effective commercial repellent.

Tent Caterpillars

Buy Bt from garden store. Use ’stickum’ (see caterpillars made). Parasitic nematodes, diatomaceous earth, physical methods.

Thrips

see Aphids for control.
Red spider mites
see Aphids for control. HATE WATER won’t hang around when they are constantly subjected to this.

Squash bugs

Plant tansy to repel them.

Tomato worms

Plant asparagus, marigolds, opal basil or borage near tomatoes to repel them. Dill lures them away.

Webworms

Damage: one or two-inch dead patches. Break up the patches to see if there are light brown caterpillars and their nests. Birds and moles feeding on the lawn are a sign of webworms.

Natural controls: Apply 25mL of pure liquid detergent or 50g of hand soap per 4L of water once a week for a few weeks, Palm-oil soap is not effective, garlic juice and 4mL of rubbing alcohol in 4L of water, spreading wood ash, lime or rye flour on the caterpillars will smother them, physical methods (finding and squashing). Webworms like thatch so remove it, and aerate the soil. Be sure to reseed any bare spots.

Weed Control

The presence of weeds is often a sign of fertilization problems or lawn care problems. Thistle, plantain, and dandelions must be hand pulled (mowing isn’t complete). A special dandelion weeder with a forked blade is helpful. Lamb’s quarter and barnyard grass disappear if the lawn is mowed regularly to 7cm. Mallow, purslane and foxtail are found in new lawns, but they disappear as the grass becomes thick and healthy. Some soaps may be effective in killing weeds. Marketed weed killers have a higher proportion of soap to water than those sold to kill insects. Pour very hot water on the weeds (caution this may also hurt grass). Use these techniques to remove weeds: hand weeding, hoeing, cultivating, mowing, flamers (take care when using flamers around mulches, never use them in dry, fire-prone areas), ground covers, and mulches. Apply this tonic before weeds pop-up:
1 cup of Plant Shampoo
2 tbsp. of instant tea
1 cup of hydrogen peroxide
Mix in a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, top off the jar with water.
Whiteflies (on houseplants) Hang yellow strips of cardboard coated with “stickum” (see caterpillars), or buy a “tack trap” at a garden store. In garden plant nasturtium, marigold.

Wireworms

Punch holes in sides and bottom of tall juice can, bury upright in garden border, fill with carrot or potato peelings. Empty can weekly. Plant white mustard, buckwheat or woad.

FLAME WEEDING - This method can be done with a small propane torch, however for larger areas one of the weed flaming torches is an excellent tool. Weed flaming has long been a practice on organic farms in Europe. The point of flaming is not to charbroil the weeds, but heat them just enough that they wilt. This will heat up the cell sap in turn causing them to expand and rupture. Flaming can be used as a spot treatment in lawns. The grass is going to get singed, however it will bounce right back. You may need to flame tough perennial weeds a couple of times to get rid of them. You will have to practice to get the technique down. Keep some water handy when you are flame weeding!

HOREHOUND LEAVES(Marrubium Vulgare) like many varieties in the mint family, the many tiny flowers attract Braconid and Icheumonid wasps, and Tachinidin and Syrid flies. The larval forms of these insects parasitize or otherwise consume many other insects that we consider pests. A hardy plant; it grows where many others fail to thrive it survives all but the harshest winters, and even then will selfseed effectively. Blooms over a long season, attracting beneficial insects almost as long as you are likely to need them. For best results use horehound directly as a companion plant. (Tomatoes are “encouraged” by growing horehound nearby). This applies to peppers and garden variety members of the potato family.

INSECTICIDAL SOAPS are totally bio-degradable and environmentally safe, however, kills beneficial insects as well. The spray penetrates their bodies and causes cell membranes to burst. Spray only those plants exhibiting symptoms. Works as a smothering agent on a wide variety of insects: aphids, mites, white fly, scale, leafhoppers and others. Safe to use up to the day of harvest. Must be sprayed directly on pests for control. Spray the entire plant thoroughly and repeat applications frequently. Soft water produces a sudsier spray that will reach all surfaces of a plant.

LEBIA GRANDIS (Coleoptera: Carabidae) belongs to a large family of beetles containing approximately 40,000 species. Forty-eight species occur in North America. The life history is known for less than 10 of the North American species. The adults are predators and first instar larvae are parasitoids of chrysomelid beetles.

Appearance: Lebia beetles are usually colourful as adults and range in size from 2.5 to 14 mm in length, depending on the species. Head is usually pale (with a reddish tinge) as are mouthparts, antennae, and thorax. Abdomen is mostly black with metallic blue, purple, or sometimes greenish luster to the elytra (wing covers). Legs are entirely pale with a reddish tinge.

Lebia grandis first instar larvae are pale to tan in colouration, heavily sclerotized (hardened), with well developed appendages, mouthparts and antennae, as is typical for carabid larvae. Body length ranges from 3 to 4 mm and width is about 0.5 mm. The second instar larvae undergo a gradual degeneration of appendages, develop a distended body with reduced sclerotization (a simple form of hypermetamorphosis), eventually bearing little resemblance to the first instars.

Pests Attacked: Lebia grandis is an indigenous natural enemy of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata. In fields of cultivated potato, adults are specialist predators of all immature stages of L. decemlineata. However, note that in no-choice feeding trials in the laboratory, L. grandis adults devoured the larvae of the asparagus beetle (Crioceris asparagi). {Neither adults nor larvae of C. asparagi are known to feed on potato plants.} L. grandis larvae are specialist ectoparasitoids of L. decemlineata mature larvae and pupae in the soil.

NEEM when sprayed to foliage often deters leaf-feeding insects (caterpillars). It apparently affects the hormones many insects need to develop, killing them as they attempt to molt or emerge from eggs. Its demonstrated safety to humans (used as toothpaste in India), has recently exempted Neem from food-crop restrictions, by the EPA; thereby enabling manufacturers to market its use on edible or ornamental plants.

I was hunting for some information about pesticides, then came across this email (sent as part of an email group). I found this information useful, and hence decided to post this so that other people might find this useful as well:

BT Bacillus Thuringiensis

1. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a naturally occurring, soil borne organism that paralyzes and destroys the stomach cells of insects that consume it especially larvae of flies and months. At present Bt is the only “microbial insecticide” in widespread use of insect control. Bacterial agents are effective in controlling insects in the larva stage only. The larvae is usually a caterpillar or worm and you must get it early at this stage both to eliminate the pest and to avoid too much damage to the leaves. This type of Bt kills many leaf-eating caterpillars–including those that will become butterflies. If butterflies are desired, try to use Bt only on the foliage of plants infested with a leaf or needle-eating larva. You’ll usually find the pests on the undersides of leaves and are usually the same color as the leaf so as not to attract predators. Therefore Bt should be applied to the UNDERSIDES of leaves because Bt must be ingested to be effective.

2. Bt is broken down faster in sunlight. Application to the undersides of the leaf surfaces will prolong Bt’s activity. High temperatures do not encourage Bt’s breakdown.

3. After the Bt spores are ingested, they grow and reproduce, producing crystalline toxins. The crystalline toxins paralyze the digestive tract of the larvae causing it to cease eating. Time of death can range anywhere from 12 hours to 5 days after ingestion. This depends on the amount of Bt ingested, the size and variety of the larvae and variety of Bt used for control. There are different strains or varieties of Bt available that have been selected for the control of specific insects. For roses use Bt variety kurstaki (BTK). This controls the European corn borer, tomato hornworms, fruitworms, cabbageworm, cabbagelooper, spring and fall cankerworm, spruce budworm, and other caterpillar-like larvae. Other Bt varieties like San Diego (BTSD) controls early larvae of the Colorado potato beetle, Bt variety tenebrionis coeopteran (BTT) has been developed for the control of the Colorado Bean Beetle while in its larvae stage and Bt variety israelensis (BTI) controls mosquitoes,
black flies and fungus gnats.

4. Bt has gained well-earned popularity because of its distinct advantages over other pesticides such as:

(i) Hazards to humans are negligible (avoid inhalation or contact with eyes or open wounds).

(ii) Bt can be used right up until harvest on vegetables, this allows for a longer-term control. There is no waiting period from time of application before re-entering the field.

(iii) Beneficial or non-target insects are not harmed.

(iv) Insects that ingest the Bt and later die from it are not dangerous to birds or other animals that may feed the dead insect. (v) Not known to cause injury to plants on which it has been applied and is not considered harmful to the environment.

Other Pathogens: The only other possible pathogen I was able to find is the Pheromone Mating Disruption. It lures the insect to it where they feed on a Pathogen that affects their ability to mate, in turn reducing insect population.

*Note: Relying on any one pesticide can lead to the build up of resistance in the pest population. Use of other insecticides and cultural control methods should be used to slow down or eliminate the possibility of resistance developing.

CORN GLUTEN - You may have heard the product “Amaizing Lawns” which has a pre-emergent herbicide effect on lawn weeds in the early spring when they are germinating and is also a fertilizer based on corn gluten. It works on the more common turf weeds and crabgrass. Corn gluten, a protein found in poultry feed, is a by-product of the corn milling process. If you can find source of corn gluten (feed mill companies) you can try it yourself. Here’s how:

Apply 20 pounds of the powdery gluten substance per 1000 sq. feet of turf area, using a fertilizer spreader with the setting adjusted as needed. When you are done water the gluten lightly into the surface, which will help it latch onto the germinating seeds.

DE (DIATOMACEOUS EARTH) is a non toxic flour-like powder made from fossilized skeletons of micro-organisms called diatoms. The sharp edges of the powder cuts the bodies of the insects, causing them to loose their waxy coating, dehydrating them, causing death. Wear a paper mask and gloves. Commercially available products may contain chemical pesticides so read the labels carefully.

DORMANT OR MISCIBLE OILS/SPRAYS mix with water when heated or agitated. Used as smothering agents for- larva, adults, pupae and eggs. Sucking insects such as thrips, scales and aphids are primary targets and also work to control spider mites. The oil forms a thin layer over the eggs, the insect and suffocates them. Only use dormant oil when temperatures are above freezing for at least 24 hours; spray each plant and the ground as well. Spraying should be done immediately after pruning in spring -plants should not have started to grow or bud out; and again in late fall when the leaves drop (usually late Oct.). Dormant oils do NOT control diseases and can be used every two to three years to provide the same control as yearly applications. This application is essential if you are having spidermite problems.

1 cup of liquid dish soap 1 cup of chewing tobacco juice 1 cup of antiseptic mouthwash Mix in 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, filing the balance of the sprayer jar with warm water. Apply this soap solution to the plants, and then use a dormant spray oil over the top. In early spring, before the buds swell up and open, repeat these steps.