While most of us do realize of course that all insects have their place in a balanced environment and we are quite happy to live along side them with this knowledge the problem occurs when they begin attacking your prize vegetables or flowers. This instantly transforms them from friendly residents in the garden to a deadly enemy, which needs to be dealt with.

The most common approach people take is go down to the local hardware or garden center and pick up some chemical based pesticide and then go on to promptly spray this liberally around the entire garden. While this may have an immediate effect it rarely last long term and repeated applications will probably be needed. Chemical pesticides have further disadvantages. They can pollute local water supplies such as garden ponds if not used with care. Additionally most pesticides do not target particular insects but all of them the end result being you not kill only the harmful insects but the ones, which can be beneficially to the garden.

All is not lost though. There are several methods which are both naturally occurring and environmentally friendly which you can employ defeat the harmful insects. The most basic is using a high-pressure stream of water to forcefully dislodge insects from plants. (Do not use an industrial jet wash or you will probably end up removing more than the just insects). Non-detergent insecticide soaps are effective in killing soft body insects such as aphids. It should be remember they are only effective while still wet on the plant once the spray has dried it will not work. It is also recommend that the spray be washed off to prevent a film being left on the plant. The spray should not be used on fruiting plants as well so tends to leave it more suitable for flowers and the like. Other recommend sprays are such as peppermint sprays, garlic and even hot pepper all which will have an effect.

As the saying goes "prevention is better than a cure". They is quite a few plants which have the own natural defense systems against certain insects. When planted amongst the other plants you wish to protect then they can act as a use full defense. For example tomatoes are commonly attacked by whitefly to prevent this Marigolds are an excellent deterrent and look good as well. There are many dwarf varieties and not only do that act as an repellant they can bring some colour to the garden as well.

We have compiled a table which can covers a variety of insects and the plants which are suppose to act as a defense against.

• Ants (Worldwide): Mint, tansy or pennyroyal
• Aphids (Worldwide): Mint, garlic, chives, coriander and anise
• Bean Leaf Beetle: Potato, onion, turnip
• Codling Moth: Common oleander
• Colorado Potato Bug (Not in the UK): Green beans, coriander or nasturtium
• Cucumber Beetle: Radish, tansy
• Flea Beetle(US): Garlic, onion or mint
• Cabbage Worm mint, sage, rosemary, hyssop
• Japanese Beetle(Japan, Some US States): garlic, larkspur, tansy, rue, geranium
• Leaf Hopper (Worldwide): Geranium
• Mice (Worldwide): Onion
• Root Knot Nematodes (Worldwide): French marigolds
• Slugs (Worldwide): Prostrate rosemary, wormwood (or sharp sand around plants)
• Spider Mites: Onion, garlic, cloves, chives
• Squash Bug(US): Radish, marigolds or nasturtium
• Stink Bug(US): Radish
• Thrips: Marigolds
• Tomato Hornworm: Marigolds, sage or borage
• Whitefly (Worldwide): Marigolds or nasturtium

So now you know how to help prevent and insect invasion on you precious flowers and vegetables and what to do if you find yourself facing an infestation all this without having to resort to running down to the garden center for some chemical pesticide.