Using Safe Garden Insecticides

You do not need to be an environmental activist or only eat organic food to choose safe garden insecticides. Anything you spray on your plants, ends up being breathed by you, possibly ingested by pets and children, and ultimately affects the entire eco-system of insects, birds and mammals in your backyard.

Choosing safe garden insecticides is now simple. More and more businesses are supply our demand for environmentally products, so the choice of safe pesticides is wider than ever. But, even if a product is 'green' it can still harm beneficial insects if you do not use it correctly.

Many commercially prepared organic pesticides are based on old fashioned soap. No-one is entirely sure of all the ways soap spray insecticides work, but one thing they do is coat insects in a dehydrating soapy residue. Neem is another organic insecticide with extremely powerful insect killing capabilities but equally strong green credentials. Used correctly it will leave bees, ladybugs and birds none the wiser that it has ever been administered. But use it incorrectly at it will smother those beneficial insects too.

Always use soap spray insecticides and neem pesticide solution either very early in the morning or late in the evening. This means it will not inadvertantly smother any beneficial pollinating or predator insects. Soaking the plant, including the undersides of the leaves, will leave the product available to be consumed by any insect pests which enjoy feeding on your plants. Only pests which munch your plants will be affected.

If you use the most environmentally friendly pesticide at the wrong time, you can do just as much damage as a poisonous chemical one would. Remember not all insects are pests so use your safe garden insecticide carefully.