Pesticide for vegetables.

[Electrode]

I have a small patch where I grow onions, tomatoes and garlic. It is mostly a hobby to purge the body of stress of the day to day hustle. I never used pesticide in the past, but the bugs got wise to my little patch of heaven, and has been mowing it down since 2 months ago. On the net it is suggested that you give a healthy dose of pesticide as it grows. Then give a dose once a week and 1 week before harvesting I stop the dosage and just water normally to purge the plant from any toxins.

Is this recommendation correct?

[Dave A]

SA legislation states you may only use a pesticide as directed on the label of that pesticide.

Application rates, treatment frequencies and withholding periods before harvest will be a function of the crop, pest and the selected pesticide.

[Electrode]

SA legislation states you may only use a pesticide as directed on the label of that pesticide.

Application rates, treatment frequencies and withholding periods before harvest will be a function of the crop, pest and the selected pesticide.

Thus I conclude, follow the instructions to the letter and I don't end up killing myself in the process. I am still searching for something none toxic but if I cannot find anything I will see to it that I do follow the instructions provided.

Are there any none toxic solutions available?

[Dave A]

Are there any none toxic solutions available?

That is always a question which places me in something of a dilemma.

As a registered PCO myself, I am prohibited from recommending anything that isn't a registered Agriculture Remedy (per Act 36 of 1947).

This means I can't legally recommend something really interesting like diatomaceous earth - which probably ticks most of the boxes a person who asks me the question is actually looking for in a potential answer.

I probably had better cover the other side of my dilemma. Whereas diatomaceous earth is "non-toxic" enough that it can't be registered as an agricultural remedy, salt (that's right, good old NaCl) is too toxic and persistent to be registered as an agricultural remedy for anything!
And yet we eat it

(And a while ago a so-called professional suggested salt as a "safe alternative remedy" for pest control on brick paving. I was suitably horrified).

[pmbguy]

I know that diluting some sunlight dishwashing soap and spraying it on plants helps with bugs.

My next suggestion... I don't know, but my father got 2 ducks when I was a kid and they did wonders for his veg garden, eating all the bugs. When they were eaten by a hobo the bugs came back, so I guess it worked. They must not live in the veggie patch, but you chase them into the closed veggie garden once a day for a few hours. Sounds odd I know

[Chack]

Yes, all right. After all, all means of beetles are very toxic.

[Hermes14]

Do you rotate your crops?
First thing you need to do is identify which insects are in your garden.
You can try one of the Bio grow products https://biogrow.co.za/, IPM management (add beneficial insects to your garden) https://livingseeds.co.za/garden-sup...pest-managment.

How interested are you in organic gardening?
You might want to start by learning how to get the correct biology back into your soil. e.g. Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa & Nematodes.
Dr Elaine Ingham has quite a few videos you might find interesting.
She doesn't have them on her Web page anymore but you can still find them on you tube https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...+elaine+ingham
This is the first book I read when I started with organic gardening.https://www.amazon.com/Teaming-Micro...gateway&sr=8-1

When you first break away from hash chemical fertilizers & insecticides you will get an influx of non beneficial microbes & insects in your garden but as you start healing your garden they will start reducing & your garden will eventually be able to handle the odd few that are needed to keep the food chain alive.

[pcspestcon]

Bonide Pyrethrin insecticide for vegetable gardens is the best overall product because it kills a wide variety of insect pests, is easy to apply, and limits damage to nontargeted insects when applied as directed.

[SCW]

I have opted to use no pesticides in my veggie patch, which worked great for the first season, but with each year the bug problem has got worse. I have recently been spraying a tea made from fly frass (the leftovers from a farm using black soldier fly larvae for composting) and although the early signs were good, the bugs are now back. Possibly because I have automatic mist irrigation, the tea is constantly washed off. It still makes a great fertilizer, so I persist with it.
My most bug free year came when I had 2 frogs move in to the veggie patch, this summer I am building a little pond to attract a few more.