CHAPTER 11 - The Best Control 2

Nothing - Doing nothing is a choice. We have repeatedly proved that if you stop spraying pesticides for a fewyears there is less damage because the natural predators can reestablish themselves.No-till Farming - Leaving all crop residue on top of the field will stop year-round solar radiation from scorchingthe ground in tropical settings. No-till greatly minimizes soil disturbance and thereby greatly improves the healthof the soil and actually saves labor and costs. Without ground cover, up to 90% of rain can be lost. Decayingplant residue is green manure and makes excellent mulch to help suppress weeds and improve the soil structure.Noxema ® - Lightly cover exposed skin to repel biting insects, e.g., mosquitoes. Noxema ® will also repel somecrawling insects, e.g., ants, temporarily.Nutmeg Oil (Myristica fragrans) - Has caused some beetles and grubs to just stop feeding. Nutmeg topicallyalleviates muscle aches and arthritis pain. Never take essential oils internally. Ingestion can be toxic.Nutrasweet ® - See Aspartame.Nutrition - Proper nutrition protects plants from pests, diseases and viruses.Oak Leaves - repel insects in a green house by slow burning oak leaves in a large metal can punched withaeration holes - put can in a charcoal grill first - so you don’t burn down the greenhouse. Oak leaf mulch willrepel snails and cutworms.Oats - The oat plant is toxic to sawfly larvae.Observe - Many people see but they do not observe or look at something very carefully. You may have seensomething thousands of times, but you can not describe exactly what you have seen because you really werenot paying close attention. For example, how many steps are there to your own porch or front door? Start toobserve and not merely see.Occupants - Often your greatest source of pest control data and information; the occupants can tell you whatand where they are, where they have been, what they are in, how many of them you have to deal with, etc.Odors - can be used to attract or repel pests.Oils - Have been used for years as adjuvants and for pest control. In 200 B.C.E. the Roman, Cato the Censor,advocated oil sprays for pest control. Diluted oils that are plant-based (canola, castor, coconut, corn, etc.),mixed at a rate of 1 tsp. oil and 1 tsp. soap or Safe Solutions Tweetmint Enzyme Cleaner in 1 gal. water (Youcan add some chamomile or compost tea) will help prevent fungus and pest and disease problems. You lightlyspray daily for the first week; then weekly and/or as needed. DO NOT SPRAY ON FUZZY LEAF PLANTS ORTHEY WILL BURN!OILS: dormant oils, horticultural superior oils, VolckAdvantages: No residues on fruit when applied prebloom. Effectively controls many overwintering pests.Disadvantages: Must be applied while tree is dormant, though lighter weight oils are being developedthat can be used in spring and summer. Must be applied when temperatures are above 40° F but below80° F for several hours to avoid injury.Oils can be used to control insects, mites or plant pathogens. Oils are generally effective against soft-bodiedinsects such as aphids, scale crawlers, mealybugs, spider mites and whiteflies. Small larvae of some caterpillarsand sawflies may also be controlled with oils. Dormant oil sprays are also used against overwintering eggs andscales. Horticultural plants oils are commonly used to suppress certain fungal diseases like powdery mildewand black spot on roses. When applied to the plant, a thin film of oil must thoroughly cover the target insect ormite. The oil plugs the spiracles or pores through which the insect breathes and the insect dies by suffocation.Oils can also disrupt insect membrane function or structure and can also disrupt feeding by the insect . Whenused against plant pathogens, oils may smother fungal growth and reduce spore germination on treated surfaces.Apply dormant oil sprays only after winder hardening has occurred. Some neem oil products contain an additionalactive ingredient, azadiraction, which is an insect anti-feeding agent and insect growth relator. When applyingoils, it is best to agitate hand pump sprayers frequently and keep tank spray agitators running to reduce the421