Mulches are also used to prevent weed seed germination and conserve water. Organic gardeners select plant varieties carefully. Disease resistant varieties are important as is crop rotation and garden sanitation. The most difficult area of organic gardening is insect management. Cultural controls such as hand picking, non-chemical insect baits, release of beneficial insects, and organic pesticides are used to control pests that reach damaging levels.
Many people already implement organic gardening techniques without giving it a second thought.
All involve proper site and plant selection, adequate soil preparation, and supplying organic matter and fertilization. Pests are identified, populations are monitored, and control is done at the proper lifecycle stage and time for the pest with the least environmentally harmful product. Increased public awareness concerning long-term effects of chemicals has brought common sense gardening practices back in the limelight to show the important roles they play in a successful garden, lawn, and landscape. Iowa State University , Ames, Iowa. This information subject to a usage policy .