When gardening without the use of pesticides, select cultivars that are the most resistant or tolerant to pest problems. For more information on resistant cultivars, check garden catalogues, seed packages and Extension publications. Crop Rotation Crop rotation can reduce insect and disease damage since pests and disease-causing organisms tend to increase when their host is continuously grown in the same location. For crop rotation to be effective, you need to know the genetic relationship between common garden crops. For example, you should not follow tomatoes with peppers since these plants are closely related and many of the same diseases and insects attack both.
Crop rotation is especially effective with soil home diseases.
Rotation periods are three to five years and may be difficult in a small garden. Mulches Commonly used organic mulches include grass clippings, sawdust, straw, hay, ground com cobs, wood shavings and newspapers. Summer mulches control weeds, reduce water evaporation from the soil, stabilize soil temperature, reduce fruit rot on bare soil, and eventually can be incorporated into the soil to improve soil structure. Winter mulches stabilize soil temperatures, which minimizes heaving of perennial crops caused by alternate freezing and thawing, and reduces water loss from evergreen plant tissue. The effectiveness of organic mulches will depend on the material used, the thickness of the mulch layer, and the weed species involved.