Many of these options are non-toxic (or have very low toxicity), short-lived, and fast-acting. However, they\u2019re not perfect. While generally safe, they can harm plants and some animals when not used properly. They can also be more expensive and harder to find than conventional pesticides, especially those approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute.<\/p>
When it comes to pest control, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Dr. Chris Kerr<\/a>, a former Duval County Extension agent with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, said it best: \u201cThe healthier the lawn is, the less damage pests are going to do.\u201d <\/p> He also says that pesticides are often unnecessary for the worst landscape pests in Jacksonville<\/a> if your lawn is properly managed. <\/p> Oil is a great eco-friendly pest control alternative against soft-bodied insects. Many oils work by blocking off the insects\u2019 breathing. They breathe through holes on the outside of their bodies, so the oil makes them suffocate and die. The oils can also affect insect metabolism, feeding habits, and even eggs. Here are a few plant oil products that you can use in your garden:<\/p> This product is extracted from citrus fruit peels, like orange peels. Citrus oil can then be refined into d-limonene and linalool \u2013 contact poisons that mess with insect nervous systems. These products can kill aphids, fleas, mites, fire ants, flies, paper wasps, and house crickets.<\/p> While citrus oil and citrus oil-derived products evaporate quickly, you should be careful when using them. They can cause mild \u2013 but thankfully temporary \u2013 skin and eye irritation and cause some leaf burn on new or sensitive plants.<\/p> Extracted from the seeds of the neem tree, this oil contains several insecticidal and fungicidal chemicals. It works well against soft-bodied pests like aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, mealybugs, and scale nymphs. It also prevents leaf diseases like powdery mildew and rust. Neem oil isn\u2019t difficult to find, as it\u2019s commonly sold in garden centers.<\/p> It can also be refined, producing concentrated azadirachtin. This product handles a variety of insects through many avenues. It deters insects from eating and laying eggs, repels pests, and regulates insect growth. It works especially well when used on young insects, as it prevents them from molting; the insects die after a few days because they can\u2019t grow up.<\/p> There are many neem products on the market, and it\u2019s worth trying different ones if the one you choose doesn\u2019t work out. They vary in effectiveness, but there\u2019s little harm, as they\u2019re generally not toxic. However, always read the label and make sure to use products that are labeled for horticultural use; cosmetic and medicinal neem oil products won\u2019t work well.<\/p> Shop here<\/strong><\/p> Some other oils that can be used on plants are extracted from sesame, garlic, canola, soybean, thyme, rosemary, peppermint, cinnamon, and cloves. Sometimes called essential oils, they can be used alone or with other plant oils, plant extracts, or even fish oil.<\/p> These other oils can be more helpful against larger pests, as they hurt them beyond smothering them; they are toxic against these pests.<\/p> Shop here: <\/strong><\/p> Horticultural oil goes by many names: hort oil, spray oil, summer oil, and dormant oil. It’s a lightweight refined oil \u2013 often refined from petroleum \u2013 that\u2019s mixed with water to form a spray. It must fully coat an insect to work. <\/p> Applied to leaves and bark, hort oil helps homeowners infested with piercing-sucking insects and mites. While it works best against soft-bodied insects like aphids, whitefly nymphs, mealybug nymphs, and scale insect nymphs, horticultural oil also works on hard-bodied adult insects.<\/p> Because of how it works, hort oil should be used on the underside of leaves, as that\u2019s where many pests tend to hide. Dormant plants can handle mixtures with higher concentrations of horticultural oil, while such concentrations can cause leaf burn on active plants. Don\u2019t use hort oil when it\u2019s hotter than 90 degrees outside, and definitely don\u2019t use it on waxy succulents.<\/p> Shop here: <\/strong><\/p> Pyrethrin is a plant extract from the Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium<\/em>, a daisy-like flower that\u2019s commercially grown in Kenya. The flower can also be ground into a powder called pyrethrum. Pyrethrins are available in powder, spray, and aerosol bomb forms.<\/p> Garden pests will get paralyzed when they come into contact with this natural pest control alternative, as pyrethrins attack their nervous systems. While pyrethrin products aren\u2019t very toxic, they can still cause some allergic skin reactions in people and poison cats. Before using pyrethrins, you should check the surrounding area for water sources, as it can harm fish too.<\/p> Shop here: <\/strong><\/p> Insecticidal soaps are useful against soft-bodied pests like aphids, soft scales, psyllids, whiteflies, mealybugs, thrips, and spider mites. Although they\u2019re effective, it\u2019s still a little unclear how they manage to kill pests. It\u2019s speculated that they work similarly to horticultural oils, making pests dehydrated while also suffocating them.<\/p> These are made by combining potassium hydroxide with salts of fatty acids like lard, fish oil, coconut, and olive oil. They combine to make a soap with potassium salts of fatty acids.<\/p> Shop here: <\/strong><\/p> Kaolin clay is a mix of water and finely processed aluminum silicate, a naturally occurring mineral. When sprayed on plants and dried, it becomes a film that repels insects, discourages them from eating and laying eggs, and makes plants difficult for pests to recognize. It also helps prevent your plants from getting scorched by the sun.<\/p> However, kaolin clay has its downsides as well. If you use it too much, you might repel and harm beneficial insects. Kaolin clay must also completely cover the plant to work, and you have to reapply it when it gets washed away by heavy rain. Lastly, the film it leaves is powder, white, and very visible, which could be aesthetically displeasing.<\/p> Shop here: <\/strong><\/p> Plant Oils<\/h2>
![\"Oil](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Plant-Oil.jpg\")
Citrus Oil<\/h3>
Neem Oil<\/h3>
![\"neem](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Neem-Oil.jpg\")
Other Plant Oils<\/h3>
Horticultural Oil<\/h2>
Pyrethrins<\/h2>
Insecticidal Soap<\/h2>
Kaolin Clay<\/h2>
![\"Hard](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Kaolin-Clay.jpg\")