Organic insecticides are a prime need for those who are into organic farming. In organic farming, you depend on your farming methods to ensure that your plants do not have pests, but even when there are pests, you can learn to ignore some of them as long as they are not enough to cause damage to your plants. However, when you reach a stage whereby you need to get rid of your pests, you need to use organic insecticides to get rid of these pests.
Organic insecticides are thought to be environmentally sound, causing no harm to the earth, humans, or animals. They often consist of such things as fatty acids and plant oils. Natural pesticides act upon pests either through contact, or through absorption by the pests of these chemicals. The advantage of using organic pesticides is more of a reverse strategy, whereby you consider that artificial pesticides can use harmful chemicals (DDT anyone?), with a lot of residue left behind that affects other insects and pollutes through run-offs into rivers and streams.
However, you should keep in mind that using pesticides is part of an overall pest avoidance strategy that employs the usage of traps, and naturally occurring insects / other animals which counter the pests. This is also because artificial insecticides are more powerful than organic ones, and you need to compensate with a more comprehensive pest avoidance strategy. You need to ensure that you are following all these tactics before you start considering the use of pesticides (even organic pesticides). Further, just because an insecticide is organic does not mean that it is totally harmless; you should make sure that you are using the insecticide in the quantities and in the mechanism as directed. Also, be careful about the exact insecticide you are using.
Read this article for how to buy organic insecticides (link).

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.

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.

Rats are a significant risk to humans, especially to the elderly, young and weak. They can carry dangerous diseases, and wild rats do not make any kind of good pets. Rats also carry fleas, mites and ticks and can cause acute allergic reactions.
Any rat problem inside the home must be treated urgently. Rats in the garden and other external areas can also be high risk, particularly in areas used by children or pets. It is important to get rid of rats in the garden to reduce the risk of them trying to enter the home. You need to prevent rats from entering both the garden and home to prevent them making either area as a base. Just fighting them in the garden or home is not enough.
Gardeners wage an ongoing battle with animals that eat their plants. Using poisons is dangerous; they pose a dire threat to children and to pets. What’s more, they are only marginally effective. Using a trap to capture or kill an animal may be illegal in many areas.

Signs of rat infestation:
* Urine dribbles left in high traffic areas, usually near walls and other objects. The residues will glow under a black light.
* Dirty ‘rub’ marks along the sides of vertical surfaces that they often run along.
* Gnawing damage and debris, especially around food stores.
* Entry-holes gnawed into walls.
* Scratching noises in walls or under the floor as rats scurry around.
* Distinctive smell – rats leave an ammonia-like smell that will be particularly strong in enclosed areas such as under cupboards.
* Nests – rats build nests in warm, hidden places using shredded material such as newspaper and fabrics. Nests will often contain young rats.
* Burrows – In gardens, rats will dig burrows especially in compost heaps or under sheds. They will also build nests under garden decking.

Never use rodent poison in homes with small children. You might be able to reduce a mouse population by eliminating their food supply or at least their access to it. Put pet food and bird seed in metal or glass containers with tight-fitting lids. Keep garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids. Don’t feed birds in summer when birds have many other food sources and the seed can attract ro-dents. Keep outdoor areas clean and free of garbage. Keep grassy or weedy areas mowed to minimize potential nesting sites.
Rats are very talented at getting into human structures. Norway rats can come up from sewer lines and actually swim up and out of toilets and drains. Roof rats have been known to run along electrical lines and onto roofs where they find entrance into the house and take up residence in attics. Both are good climbers, burrowers, and can gnaw through almost anything. When rat-proofing your home you must be thorough and block all such entry mechanisms.

For a garden, use the following measures:
* Birdhouses and seed should be on poles and in trays rats can’t get.
* Plant bushes so they will stay at least 3 feet from your house.
* Do not compost any animal products (fish, meat, chicken, cheese, butter). Keep lids tight.
* Do not leave your pet food outside. If your pet doesn’t eat it, the rats will.
* Roof rats get into your house from tree branches that hang over the roof. Keep trees cut back and cover any openings in the eves.

Now if you have rats, then some mechanisms for getting rid of them:
* Barn owls are extremely efficient at getting rid of rats. Consider erecting a nesting box to attract some onto your property.
* Use traps. The best trap is the large, simple, cheap wooden “snap trap.” They are sold in hardware stores.
* If you have a mouse problem that you do not wish to deal with yourself, contact the environmental health department of your local council or call in a pest control company.
* Lay glue boards in pathways that rodents travel as an alternative trap.
* Use a natural rodent poison as a last resort. Look for brands of rodent bait made with vitamin D3. Rats and mice eating a small amount of this vitamin suffer heart failure within days. There is no chance of secondary poisoning of your pets even if they find and eat the dead rodents.
* The use of anticoagulant rodenticides is the most efficient and cost effective control technique currently available. These rodenticides are based on a number of compounds. However, adequate care needs to be taken while using them.