Often times, farmers face huge problem as a result of pest invasion. Pests are dangerous; they are great threats to the success of any farm business. Chemical pesticides have been the usual way to control pests on farms; however, its effect on human’s health has waged a huge campaign against its use. Most of these pesticides are poisonous in nature, this is what exactly eradicates pest. But, at times, these pesticides do have residual effects on human as a result of the contamination of the crops during its application.
There are some measures that can be implemented to control pests on farm, without the use of chemicals; some are:
• Proper land preparation: If you adopt a conventional tillage system, where the soil is heavily pulverized to expose pests and their habitat to desiccation, you will experience a pest free situation on your farm.
• Timely cultivation: This involves studying the reproductive cycle of the prevailing pest, such that, planting is done when the pests are less populated. Also, pests are more active during the dry season, thus, planting during the rainy season is another way to boycott pest.
However, taking preventive measure is better than controlling. As you plant your crop, there are some plants you can as well plant simultaneously; these plants are called companion and pest repellant plants.
They help to reduce pest population and also serve some beneficial purposes like proper utilization of space and enhance crop safety through the provision of habitat for beneficial plants, the companion plants. These plants can be harvested and consumed too. If you are looking for plants that repel flies; or plants that repel aphids; or plants that repel bugs; you can plant any of the following plants alongside your crops and get them protected. Instead of spending more on chemical pesticides, that is detrimental and expensive, you can just invest in edible pest repellant plant. These plants are:
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Radish
If you plant cabbage and cucumber, radish will repel cabbage maggot and cucumber beetles; it will enhance the quality and quantity of your crop. You can as well consume the radish because it is an edible root vegetable.
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Garlic
Garlic is a known spice but can as well be grown as a pest repellant plant. Garlic repels root maggot, bean beetle, cabbage looper and even rabbit. Garlic is a very useful plant.
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Lettuce
Lettuce is a good companion and pest repellant plant for carrot. It repels carrot flies. Both can be harvested as they are edible vegetables.
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Mexican Marigold
This ornamental plant can be used as a pest repellant; it repels insect and rabbits.
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Onion
This is another spice plant that can be used as a pest repellant. It repels rabbits and cabbage hooper.
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Oregano
This plant is a very effective pest repellant plant, it repels many pests.
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Peppermint
This plant is another effective pest repellant; it repels aphids, cabbage looper, flea beetles, squash bugs, and white flies. These pests are major threats to crop production.
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Rosemary flower, botanically Rosmarinus officinalis.
This flower repels cabbage looper, carrot fly, slug, snail and the Mexican bean beetle.
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Spear mint
This plant is a broad spectrum pest repellant plant; it repels fleas, moths, ants, beetle, rodents, aphids, squash bugs, and cabbage looper.
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Amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus)
This plant is a native of tropical America, this plant repels cutworms.
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Thyme
Thyme is another broad spectrum pest repellant plant; it repels major pests in crop production. It repels pests like: cabbage looper, cabbage maggot, corn earworm, white flies, and tomato hornworms.
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Tobacco
This is an annual herbaceous plant. This crop repels carrot flies and flea beetles.
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Venus flytrap
This is a carnivorous plant from subtropical wetland on the East Coast of the United States in North Carolina and South Carolina. This plant is very good at controlling insect pest. It preys on all insects within its environment.
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Citronella grass or lemon grass
This grass originates from the tropical Asia; it is from the family of Poaceae, it is unpalatable, thus, cannot be eaten. This grass repels insects and even cats.
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Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a flowering shrub, from the family Myrtaceae; it is widely cultivated in the tropical and temperate world, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, China, and the Indian. This plant repels aphids, cabbage loopers and Colorado potato beetle.
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Crown imperial
It is a flowering plant from the lily family; it is a native of diverse countries, ranging from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan This plant repels vertebrate pests like rabbit, mice, moles, and ground squirrel.
You can plant more than one of these plants on your farm, depending on the prevailing pests. This is a natural way of controlling pests. With this preventive measure, you can produce a quality and organic crop for the populace.
How can one get these plants here in Naija for planting?
This involves studying the reproductive cycle of the prevailing pest, such that, planting is done when the pests are less populated. Also, pests are more active during the dry season, thus, planting during the rainy season is another way to boycott pest. Insect Pest Control in Edgware Road