The 100% Natural FREE Pest Control Method for Your Vegetable Garden

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Right before the new season really kicks off, I thought I would make a video outlining my strategy for natural pest control in the garden and provide plenty of tips and actionable steps for you to start implementing too. The best thing about this method of organic pest control is that you don't sacrifice space for edible crops and you don't need to use any chemicals at all!
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Introduction 0:00
The Goal of the Garden 0:13
Attitude to Nature 0:47
Supply & Demand Principle 1:20
Minimal Intervention Pest Control 1:50
The Trick to Reduce Pests 2:59
Two prime examples 3:45
What Pests & Diseases Really Are 4:35
8 Fantastic Plants 5:38
Why it's so simple 9:09
Slugs 9:25
#permaculture #pests #gardeningtips

[@Picci25021973]

I recently found the perfect slug destroyer, as some toads colonized my garden pond. They don't just kill slugs, they pleasantly sing at night as well...

[@uschiaala]

I've had great success in my garden with regular mustard seed from the supermarket spice aisle. The cabbage moths prefer it over any other of my brassicas, and when scattered around or planted in a ring before planting seedlings or other plant seeds, the slugs and snails seem to prefer the mustard seedlings and I have higher success in keeping my veg/flower seedlings alive. The surviving mustard plants are chopped and dropped as mulch as they mature, with some going on to flower for the bees and hover flies. The flowers are delicious in salads, and I put them into potato salad as well for a little bit of interest. Mustard, borage, comfrey, calendula, clover (various types) and nasturtiums are my absolute must-grows, wouldn't be without them. I never had much interest in growing flowers because I saw them as a waste of resources - but now I adore having them interplanted in my garden.

[@gardenboots7464]

I wholeheartedly AGREE and really value your comment :)

[@KitchenGardenTherapy]

Love the permaculture approach of dealing with pests. Balance is the key in everything. When we observe wildlife we can see nature at work and learn a lot. Thank you for emphasizing the importance of this.

[@HuwRichards]

You are most welcome!! I'm so glad to hear it🌱

[@alfredotebasco]

Permaculture is how I fell in love with a form of farming. Started late this year, but loving every moment in the garden. Seem to be low on pests due to starting off with wild flower mixes

[@klaudiaw6562]

I really loved the simple explanation about using sprays: when we use sprays we tell the nature that we are the predator here so other predators are not needed. That is building up the problem with every future pest hatch and we basically sign up for this role for life lol.

[@ozilmeora1368]

Love how you care about nature balancing, it's really important.

[@emnic1627]

I have gophers and rabbits eating my brassicas so I bought some wire baskets from the dollar store to cover them up! Keeps cabbage butterflies off as well!

[@bluebirdhomestead]

Such a great video! We grow our food to feed our family and knowing what is going into our food is so important to us. We are planning on keeping our garden chemical free as well.

[@TheUltimateGardener]

Great video Huw!! Thanks for inspiring young gardeners like me! I’m 15yrs old and I’ve been gardening 8yrs now! And I have a channel called Ultimate Gardening where I teach to grow your own food & flowers! Amazing video keep up the great work💚

[@HomesteadHopeful]

Love this video. I'm such a garden geek, I love talking about beneficial insects. In my first year of gardening I made the mistake of using those yellow sticky traps to trap flies. Out of curiosity I started to look up all the other insects that I caught with the sticky trap and found out I had trapped far more beneficial insects than harmful ones! I know better now.

[@saussite]

Hei ,nice observation,mine is that the yellow traps helped me manage Fungus gnats- house plant flies:).also watered less,almost stressed the plants because forgettig.having a few they borrow/use humidity together and survived 🙃.

[@gardenofseeden]

Rabbits, cabbage moths, vine bore beetles, and my dogs are my garden bane. Oh, and something that keeps eating the base of my trees, just the bark.

[@karenharkness4847]

Thankfully there has been a huge revival of home seed saving and it is wonderful to see many gardeners facilitating the veg plants full life cycle instead of ripping them out when they were deemed to be past their 'prime' and no longer good to eat. Also a growing interest in perennial veg and leaving some annual veg to self sow adds to the completeness of natural cycles in food production, benefiting us and wildlife. It also cuts down on all that seed buying, plastic and bought in compost and labour.

[@anatevkabell6046]

Another inspiring video. I like how you explained the correlation between predators and their prey and that changes will not happen over night. Two years ago, I had coddling moths in my apples. Therefore, I created habitat for their predators last year - and it worked perfectly. No need for pasting rings 🙂

[@honeyhousehold9480]

Hi, just out of interest, what have you planted alongside your apples to assist w/moths? Ty & happy season! :)

[@RESMITHcarpentry]

They're often hated around the yard, but I have found yellow jackets to be one of the best predator insects. They completely cleared out a terrible aphid infestation I had. I find if you're calm and give them water and food they never bother people.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

that stick in the river sand visual was very clever good job... personally I've had great success by planting onions and garlic right in the middle of brassica crops with no intention of harvesting large full sized bulbs from them but using their pest repellent attributes... another great plant is Calendula and Marigolds seem to work the same way as Nasturtiums...

[@Cheriesgardenvegplot]

I had no idea coriander seed was edible at the green stage. Another addition to my edible fflower plot.

[@jandmlewis4294]

Cynoglossum is my favourite flower for attracting bees into the garden. I went to pull out a self-sown plant a few years ago and realised it was alive with bees. Since then I have encouraged it to grow all through the garden. Bees love blue flowers.

[@jblewis1975]

I've been planting mostly native flowers for years now, along with some proven flowers for the food garden, and knock on wood, my pest problem has been minimal. What a good video - thanks for sharing!

[@louisegogel7973]

🌻🌿🌼🌸🌱🌺🍀🌷 Biodiversity of flowers: Borage, leeks, onions, chives, nettles, dandelions, nasturtium, coriander, brassicas, dill, etc to encourage pest control species: hover flies wasps ladybugs lacewings

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

Love the opportunity to stand back and let nature work her balsnce.

[@user-hd5se1yj4b]

Thank you! I just want to add, that nasturtium is also edible plant (leaves and flowers), it tastes like cabbage)

[@karenharkness4847]

To see a great example of restoring natural harmony and balance between pests and predators while trying to grow food I can highly recommend watching The biggest little farm. Amazing film.

[@GuyG.KTalesOfAnimals]

Their name is hilarious to me because it makes me imagine them having a pest concert on a patch of leaf, so fancy.

[@Car-jy8pw]

I don’t know what weed grows in between my rows, but the flea beetles LOVE it. I let them grow to keep flea beetles off my vegetables.

[@rosemaryryan6455]

O have nasturtiums growing wild throughout. Each season is wonderful. We use the leaves n flowers in summer on salads, collect the young berries in spring and use them as preserve like capers. Amazing, and give away young crops of new sprouting to friends. It is such a great companion plant bring in d right bugs n bees n looks lovely. Especially in winter when there are less flowers around

[@ohio_gardener]

One of the most beautiful flowers that i grow to attract parasitic wasps is the Sweet Alyssum. Parasitic wasps such as the Aphid Wasp and Braconid Wasp love the small sweet flowers, and then lay their eggs in the pest larva.

[@conradcodfish8638]

I have an allotment most plot holder's use pesticides, I don't use anything only thing I do is cut and drop, had no problems with blight last few years around my beds I allow for a 1cm width of uncut grass to grow and trim them just before the seed this makes a natural wind break and can slow the process of blight, as for bind weed I place bamboo sticks in and around leafy areas to allow for vine weed to trail up the flowers attract preditors and any brassica cutting left over I tuck into the vines few inches from the ground on the sticks, the shade and the food draw in the slugs and snails, then each week I'll alter which stake gets pulled out and vine removed for the disposal of them, I average about 10 slugs, snails and caterpillars each week per stake. Once done I look for another bind weed and repeat the process.

[@tennesseenana4838]

I don't know what birds you have there. We have wrens, hummingbirds, etc and they're awesome for taking care of small insects that harm your garden. Make sure you have a bird bath, a nesting area and other bird friendly things. The birds will also add to your garden's pleasure, especially when they're feeding their young.

[@nasabee]

Love the permaculture approach to dealing with pests. Balance is the key to everything. When we observe wildlife we can see nature at work and learn a lot. Greetings from Norway

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you so much!! Really appreciate it😊

[@michelmartin742]

When I put my nasturtium in the understory of the garden along the perimeter, it grows lanky and weak. I always find aphids on them but not elsewhere. I think it’s because the plant is already soft and attractive, but forcing it to grow in sub optimal conditions really makes it an effective companion plant due to the sticking to the weak principle that you mentioned.

[@JRoadzReegz]

What to do about Japanese beetle's??

[@yeevita]

Good. This actually starts as a frame of mind. I have been chemical/spray free for over a decade now. It takes about 3 years interference free before the garden pretty much takes care of itself. I just have to make sure the base food plants are there. I actually find that having a few areas od mixed plants, flowers, weeds is very good. I do use a bit of barrier, such as meshing fruit trees as the fruit ripens. I find these days I so not get much caterpillar damage. My predators are very good at hunting them and eating them. There are beautiful flies and wasps out there. Saw some hummingbird moths recently. I really enjoy the life in the garden.

[@resi2120]

I love your videos and content so much! Was really happy to see a new one 💕

[@gratitude1]

I was delighted to see that a possum has taken up residence in our urban garden (middle of city). They patrol for slugs and snails and are generally great for the garden. I had a farmer who does standard industrial practice ask me what i did about pests when he heard I used organic techniques. I said "Pests? . . I don't know as I have many." (because I use all the techniques you talk about - love my borage! and mustard greens)

[@freeangel378]

Just when I need it. Thanks Huw.

[@kathrynpatrick69]

I’ve always believed that vegetable gardeners should grow a few more flowers and flower gardeners should grow some vegetables too! Biodiversity is our greatest asset!

[@ole340]

It is really difficult to be heard about that. Even when people are convinced, you can see how they think "it's not for me". Some people can't stand any bug! Thank you for your way, and for your neat english!

[@HilaRah]

Hello and a very warm Welcome back to the Garden. It's still snowing here in 6B Indiana :( Blooms to eat, decorate, and promote good bugs- pak choi, kale, turnip, coriander, dandelion, nettle, nasturtium, dill, borage, leeks, onion, chive.

[@JeanReinhardtWriter]

Last year I planted nasturtiums around my garden and they definitely attracted the white cabbage butterfly. I had very few caterpillars on my other plants. The nasturtiums thrived but I had to check the leaves before picking them for eating.

[@mariet4894]

Tulips and rose buds already caked in Aphids they seem to have gone crazy this year!!

[@jackm2293]

this is brilliant. really great. your philosophy is wonderful. thank you for your existence.

[@HootMaRoot]

A video on how to get rid of ants and earwigs would be quite useful Last year most of my first planting of veg many of the seedling leave had been cut back and lost more than 50%, my second planting I resorted to putting diatomaceous soil round all seed trays and seedlings and only lost about 5 to 10% of every seed that germinated

[@deadtreebark]

Used coffee grounds

[@HootMaRoot]

@@deadtreebark I tried used and unused coffee grounds and they had no effect

[@deadtreebark]

@@HootMaRoot your just gonna have build up the plants indoors until they can survive some pests, I have similar problems here in Texas

[@katblyth8153]

The thing I’ve noticed with nettles is they’re the first plants in the garden aphids go for. As for cabbage whites, they’re relentless here (Tasmania) and will completely wipe out an entire crop in a couple of days. I cover seedlings with $2 wire waste baskets from Kmart when I plant them in late March. Normally this protects the seedlings as they’e impenetrable, but not this year. I’ve lost about half of each crop. Bane of my life!

[@elizabethannegrey6285]

This channel is delightful, instructive, and so refreshing in demonstrating how a garden thrives when nature’s balance is respected. Great video, thank you. 🌺🌱🌼🐝

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed :)

[@Luna-yf3wx]

Loved this video. I think it’s my favorite of all your videos.

[@peace4peaceful]

My brassicas get hammered. No amount of natural predator insects can manage this. I have little aphid problem..so maybe the ladybirds are working there. I planted cassia around the garden. They have turned into trap plants. Butterflies love then. I pick off 50 to 100 catapillars every 2 to 3 days. Flea Beetles got into us too in a big way. I used flour to get rid of those..also neem oil. My garden is young. I am winning more than losing so I am very happy with the permaculture approach. Especially using beneficial plants for nitrogen, aerating soil, compost material and trap plants.

[@suttonsplash14]

Great video Huw!

[@Familygarden88]

Another Great topic for a gardener, thanks for sharing!

[@mamazeeto623]

Thank you for the amazing help!

[@TheRosangela9369]

Thanks a lot! Great advice, with a holistic view! Everything depends on another...🌞🌈

[@jwalker7888]

This was so helpful~

[@treehouse3240]

Thankyou Huw, great advise.

[@UkAmphibians]

Thankyou I’ve just subscribed what a great channel 🐸💚🐸

[@christiegrows2022]

Fab video and perfect timing. We had a lot of caterpillar demolish my kale last year and in turn the parasitic wasps demolished them. Trying to grow more flowers this year. Slugs have already eaten my test cabbages so nervous now to put my gorgeous plants out 😬 have put up bird feeders to get more into my plot to help me out so hoping that takes effect soon!!

[@rebeccaburrow7199]

a permaculture saying is that a snail/slug problem is a duck deficiency 👍

[@lookingforsalehorses]

Thanks Huw. Share your approach. Admire you 🥰

[@moonafarms1621]

Wonderful video!! Appreciate your insight greatly!!!!!

[@tjenks24]

Any suggestions for treating the soil before planting? We noticed some beetle type insects in our garden soil. Thank you for taking the time to spread your knowledge.

[@millennialmindset3624]

Your plants looks strong 💪 🌱

[@BarnabyFaux1976]

Thanks Huw for the continued sharing of your knowledge and experience. It really helps... I just watched back your video on preparing beds and wondered what you thought of Hugelkultur as means of water retention in polytunnel beds?

[@debbiet5130]

Brilliant video, Huw!😀

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you :)

[@ltyrell405]

My nasturtiums are destroyed every year by cabbage white caterpillars - they are an absolute magnet for them, but it does annoy me because I love the flowers but the plants are literally skeletons within a few weeks of the caterpillars starting! I grew borage years ago on an allotment, it grew so well the plants became gigantic, like over 5ft tall! The beautiful starflowers attracted loads and loads of bees and other pollinators, I would definitely recommend borage but you need some room for it!

[@papawin5532]

Love this video

[@dryb3301]

An absolutely great video, no nonsense, clear and help to reduce the pest phobia among us beginner gardeners

[@HuwRichards]

So glad to hear thank you!

[@koicaine1230]

This video is exactly how things have happened in my garden! In the beginning, there was nothing here, just sand, ants and mosquitoes. A put in a small pond and garden. Since it was sand the plants didn't do much. The next season, I had layed Organic Straw, old leaves, pine needles and compost plus buried fish under the plants. The garden did great, Aphids were the first pest to show up so I bought Ladybugs to combat them and it worked great. The next year I planted Marigolds in with the plants to help repel pests that started to show up in droves, I also planted Zinnia's because they are pretty, the next thing I knew, I had Bees, Butterflies, Dragonflies and Hummingbirds!! Each year gets better and more balanced, we literally have an ecosystem that was devoid of all life beforehand.

[@WildernessTamed]

Balance is the key to any habitat. My specialty, ponds, will always clear up once balance is achieved. But ‘ cabbage white butterflies’?? You do know there’s no such species don’t you? 😉 My favourite slug control are slow worm. Anguis fragilis. 30 year life span and 90% of their diet is slugs. 👍🏻

[@rosea830]

This is very helpful and we already implement most of these things. What would you suggest planting for flea beetle control? They defoliate every aubergine I plant in my garden.

[@mecoptera102]

Thanks for this lovely video. Can confirm nasturtium very good at attracting Cabbage Whites - in my garden at least.

[@louise2209]

Nasturtiums really do attract cabbage whites, I had the large variety with yellow and black caterpillars eating mine. They did also get on some brussel sprouts and were removed by hand, but on the nasturtiums, I left them alone, they all disappeared at some point and the nasturtiums grew back and flowered.

[@justathought...7271]

Fantastic approach to let nature do it's job. Btw, little fact that I know is that if you have chickens in your garden they will love nettles, either fresh or dried in winter.

[@intuitlife]

Yes, inter cropping this year

[@louisfalberts7760]

dankie Oom. Lekker video

[@amiladybug9526]

Great video very interesting some of the plants u mention am growing.

[@frasersgirl4383]

Great video!!!!!

[@tracys.5143]

Good video, thanks for the tips! Nasturtium leaves are a fabulous addition to an egg sandwich, too......

[@HuwRichards]

Brilliant! Now I want an egg sandwich! :)

[@gaiasoundandvision]

Love this Huw :) it resonates with my own way of doing things :) Nature always knows best :) I don't use the word "pests" as to me all Life Is Sacred & created for a purpose :) I never use the word "weeds" either. They are just pretty wild flowers growing where most humans don't want them to grow ;) I always let lots of my herbs flower too and I let the nettles grow wherever they choose to :) I have created my own little ecosystem in my small back garden and I love it! :)

[@jaclynbrown8641]

Thank you!

[@jeanlamourUK]

Quality video and on the right path Huw, hope you are doing well :)

[@maylastyle5292]

Good job thank you so much 👍👍

[@blancaestelarivera3711]

Balance es la clave. Y todos podemos comer del jardín. 😀

[@klaudiaw6562]

Funny thing is that last year nettle appeared only in one bed. The same one which I needed ladybirds in. Seems like I received help from nature ☺️

[@borqnaplashkov4385]

At 8:09 you have a hoverfly larvae eating aphids and ants tending the aphids like milk cows ^^

[@ShtelmakhHenri]

I have resolved a problem of slugs in unusual way. I have “domesticated” a hedgehog. xD. Actually there isnt only one hedgehog - there is a whole family. Maybe even more. Sometimes i put some chicken meat or fish heads with bones for my cat but i had no idea who ate the bones. Few month later i noticed a hedgehog eating together with cat. Now i try to be careful with them. Not to disturb. They are good night hunters eating slugs, worms, snakes, rats. They have no fear to walk quite near the house if : 1) not to disturb them(don’t touch, don’t be loud , dont move quickly) 2) no dog (it s the main threat) 3) rarely do some bait (left some meat and bones. In this way they always remember a path and visit a garden very often) P.S. They start their activity about 20:00 but in the yard i usually see them after midnight

[@greengoddess6664]

If I pull out the weak plant the pests are feasting on will they then move onto one of the healthier plants? Your sacrificial kale in the polycrub seems to be keeping all of the other plants safe. Another great video. Thanks for sharing the knowledge

[@jamessorensen7277]

Thanks

[@backtonature433]

Fantastic video and ideas 💡 👌 that's huw you make it😁😁😁

[@jasonobrien1989]

I agree.

[@jasonwarren5165]

What if snow is your pest? 50cm blizzard today ☹️

[@yarnpower]

Lovely and informative channel! I live in the U.S. and sadly I am seeing less and less bees and other pollinators. Just a decade ago our clover in the lawn would be covered with bees, now there are hardly any. :(

[@jenniferspring8741]

I'm so happy to hear you promoting biodiversity as a gardening strategy. Truly, this is where stewardship starts to come into play.

[@KCJohn316]

New subscriber from Canada! Started seeds this year. Making large veggie garden in back yard. Bought first walk in greenhouse (cheap one, tent-like). Focusing on organic vegetables incl. potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, beets, radishes, Kale, collards, kholrabi, garlic, asparagus this year in large raised bed plus the pots I have. Thank you for your inspiration. Do you have a video about knowing when to bring seedlings outside into unheated greenhouse? Thought I might plant in ground then cover with plastic once large enough - what is cheapest method? TY ☀️

[@hilarywarner7962]

I have rather a lot of flea beetle and not sure what will help control this. I do love insects and was initially really pleased to have these beautiful iridescent bugs but could do with not quite so many. Other pests here are pigeons, rabbits, deer and badgers the latter are quite partial to squash as a result I have found netting and fencing is quite important but it is possible to net bugs in as well as out🤔. Thank you for an interesting video and I am very keen on putting some borage, dill and coriander in. As for the alliums I put in some ornamental ones. 2 years ago I had a happy accident of a couple of rows of onions go to seed and some 2nd year Vipers Bugloss it was too stunning to take out lasted for weeks and loads of insects 😊

[@jackstone4291]

Great video. Really helpful and really practical for all us gardeners and first timers. Diversity and biodiversity. (? Any mention of getting a wildlife pond in your garden at any point ……? Now that’ll really get your biodiversity going!)

[@manowode6286]

Intresting about using flowers for attracting good predators. Thanks

[@BunnyLang]

Thank. you!

[@HuwRichards]

You're welcome! :)

[@QueenBee-qd7vx]

Love you channel, got one of your books! Greetings from Canada where we call ladybirds ladybugs. I think I will call them ladybirds from now on, suits them better than bug... they are so elegant and my niece's favorite thing at the moment! I will have to look up the beneficial wasps to see if we have any in our area. We definitely have the white butterflies. Guess all my cabbages were weak last year because the caterpillars decimated them all. Sigh.... but I will not give up!! I tried to buy ladybugs, oops, ladybirds online and no one seems to have them in stock. Thinking about the preying mantis but I don't want to upset the ecosystem if they aren't native to around here. Research research and more research! Lol Thanks for all the help, you rock!

[@lauriesmith7517]

Now I know why I have cabbage butterfly caterpillars all over my nasturtiums!

[@adamjohnson4306]

Any advice on moles, shrews, and mice? In raised beds.

[@sarahjohnston1576]

I continue to watch all your videos. Your insights on this video are great. I have focused on increasing the flowers in my vegetable over the last year. I was doing it for the pollinators, but I love the idea of this helping with past management too. Do you have thoughts on how we get these plants? I have heard that nursery bred plants and many hybridized seeds are bred for beauty and are not ideal for pollinators. Is this the case? If so, should we look for heirloom seeds?

[@yeevita]

The easiest is to let your food plants go to flower and seed. My bees love the early cold hardy plant flowers. I let almost everything go to seed in my garden and the insects and birds love them. I get so much enjoyment over watching all the life, the mantii with their territories that I cannot bear to tear out a plant that is still being useful. Sometimes I will tear out an infested plant and throw it into the pond for the fish to strip. Fish love insects too! But generally I do not do this, because I don’t want to kill my predators and I have seen an infested plant become clear overnight. So my interference is generally not needed.

[@roberts9565]

When are your new books being shipped?

[@peaceandlove5214]

Sir what plants I can plant by spreading or broadcasting seeds only?

[@jaradcanty5010]

I'm from Australia does anyone know were you can get water fittings for The IBC tots to attach pipes to.