You do not have to spray synthetic pesticides to win the bug war. These twelve organic methods, used in combination, handle 95% of home garden pest pressure.
The 12 methods, ranked
1. Hand-picking — boring but unbeatable for tomato hornworms, slugs, Japanese beetles 2. Row covers — exclude pests entirely from cabbage moths, squash bugs, carrot flies 3. Beneficial insects — ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps eat aphids and caterpillars 4. BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) — targeted bacterial spray for caterpillars only 5. Neem oil — broad-spectrum but use sparingly; coats and disrupts molting 6. Diatomaceous earth — sharp dust shreds soft-bodied pests; reapply after rain 7. Insecticidal soap — kills aphids and spider mites on contact 8. Trap crops — sacrificial nasturtiums lure aphids away from your main crop 9. Companion planting — see our companion guide 10. Crop rotation — see our crop rotation guide 11. Healthy soil — strong plants shrug off pest damage that wipes out weak ones 12. Acceptance — 10% leaf damage is not a problem
What does not work
Garlic spray (overrated), companion marigolds (overhyped), ultrasonic gadgets (useless).