The good news is that if you have a well prepared site in full sun with regular watering, your plants will be able to fend off many insects and fungal problems on their own without the need for pesticides. Some are particularly persistent, though, and there are some crops that we can’t easily grow in our area without chemicals. That's OK because there are many more that we can grow very easily.
Choose Strategies
Many strategies may be employed to keep insects from devouring your plants, without resorting to dangerous pesticides.
Title: 10 Worst Garden Insect Pests and How to Get Rid of Them
Author/Source: Luke Miller
Description: This article by a master gardener has useful photographs and safe techniques and home remedies for dealing with insects that harm vegetables and other plants.
Title: The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food
Author/Source: Tanya L.K.Denckla
Publisher: Storey Books, 2004
Description: Chapter 5 Controlling insects and animals, p.348.
Title: The Garden Primer
Author/Source: Barbara Damrosch
Publisher: Workman Pub., 2008
Description: Chap. 1, pp. 60-67, organic approaches to managing and avoiding insect pests.
Title: The Gardener's Guide to Common Sense Pest Control, Completely Revised
Author/Source: William Olkowski
Publisher: Taunton Press, 2013
Description: For each pest, treatments are offered ranging from indirect strategies (such as pruning), through direct physical and biological controls, to least-toxic chemical controls. Easy-to-access finding guides make it a snap to find out what's bugging your plant.
Here are some sources of advice and supplies. It’s also a good idea to stop by your local nursery if you encounter a serious infestation.
Title: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County - Horticulture and Environment
Author/Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County
Description: Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators are available to answer questions about vegetable and flower gardening, and home and garden pest management practices for county residents. Horticultural Hotline (914) 285-4640, 9am - 12 noon. Also: .
Title: Resource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management
Author/Source: Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Description: Guides for specific vegetable and fruit pests. Although this website is aimed primarily at farmers, the information about integrated pest management is useful in backyard gardens as well. If you’re having a problem, come here.
Title: Welcome to BugGuide.net
Author/Source: Iowa State University Department of Entomology
Description: An online community of naturalists who enjoy learning about and sharing our observations of insects, spiders, and other related creatures.
Title: Tree Fruit Integrated Pest Management
Author/Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension
Description: Includes a variety of resources and information for home and commercial growers regarding insects and mites, diseases, beneficial insects, pesticides, etc.