Pest Control in an Organic Garden

Pests are a part of every garden whether they are organic gardens or not. Even the healthiest plants attract insects, and some of them will take a few bites now and then. The goal of organic pest control isn’t to eliminate pests completely (that isn’t possible). The goal is to keep damage in check using natural methods that support a healthy garden ecosystem.

With a little observation and a few proven organic practices, you can prevent most problems before they get out of hand.

Why Pests Show Up in Healthy Gardens

If you’re growing healthy plants, insects will notice. That’s natural. In fact, a little pest activity often means your plants are thriving and producing the tender new growth insects prefer.

Pest pressure becomes a problem only when plants are stressed or the garden gets out of balance.

Organic gardening restores that balance by focusing on:

• Healthy soil
• Resilient plants
• Regular observation
• Natural predators
• Targeted treatments only when needed

This approach keeps your garden productive without relying on synthetic chemicals.

Step 1: Learn Which Insects Are Helping and Which Are Hurting

A big part of organic pest control is learning who’s helping and who’s doing the damage. Many insects are beneficial, like ladybugs, green lacewings, hoverflies, ground beetles, and even spiders quietly patrol for troublemakers. These are the insects you want to keep around because they reduce pest pressure on their own.

Of course, every garden also has its share of true pests. Aphids, squash bugs, hornworms, cucumber beetles, potato beetles, and slugs are some of the most common troublemakers, and they can cause noticeable damage if left unchecked.

Tip: The EASIEST and fastest way to identify pests in the garden? Use our app From Seed to Spoon. You'll find photos of beneficial insects and pests so you can easily compare the types and make your plan.

Step 2: Walk Your Garden Regularly

Healthy plants speak up when something’s off. Curling leaves, fresh chew marks, clusters of sticky residue, or tiny eggs tucked under a leaf are all early signs of pest activity. A quick walk through the garden each day helps you spot early signs of trouble so you can act before pests get out of hand.

Step 3: Attract Natural Predators

Your garden becomes more resilient when you give beneficial insects and birds a reason to stick around. A mix of blooming herbs and flowers, like borage, calendula, yarrow, nasturtiums, and alyssum, brings in the nectar and pollen they depend on. Birds, especially bluebirds, wrens, and sparrows, also help by picking insects directly off your plants.

Step 4: Keep Pests Out with Simple Barriers

Sometimes the easiest way to protect plants is simply to block the pests. Lightweight garden mesh, floating row covers, and plant collars stop many insects before they reach tender foliage. Row covers work especially well for cabbage worms, flea beetles, and cucumber beetles when used early in the season.

Step 5: Handpick When You Can

It’s not glamorous, but it’s effective. Hornworms, squash bugs, Japanese beetles, and slugs are all easy to pick off once you know where to look. Dropping them into a container of soapy water quickly stops the problem from growing.

A few minutes of handpicking is often all it takes to keep a plant healthy.