Be sure to use only the amount you need, and to treat only the crops that need treating. Spot treatments are effective and may be practical for home gardens. Before using any pesticide, check the label - the crop you want to treat, and the pest you are treating for must both be listed on the label. If not, do not use the pesticide. It is important to note just because a pesticide may be botanical in origin, it does not mean that it is non-toxic.
Some botanical insecticides are more toxic than some of the commonly available synthetic chemicals.
Insecticidal soaps are also an alternative to some chemical pesticides and may be useful for certain pests, especially aphids, in the home garden. Diatomaceous earth , a desiccant is sometimes used for control of insects, slugs and snails. Once it gets wet and compacted, however, it loses effectiveness. No matter which methods you choose, try to keep a record of what you did and whether it was successful. Such a record should be a great help in the future when you are faced with similar pest management decisions.