At 19AGRO, insects are not viewed as one group that must be removed. Some pollinate, some decompose organic matter, some hunt plant-feeding insects, and some become damaging only when their numbers or the condition of the crop changes.

Ask four questions first

1. What is the insect doing? Feeding on the plant, visiting a flower, sheltering, or hunting something smaller? 2. How many are present? One insect and a rapidly expanding population require different responses. 3. Is the plant actually being harmed? Look for fresh damage, weak growth and changes over time. 4. What else is happening? Heat, water stress and poor plant health can make an insect problem appear worse. Take a clear photograph and return later. Observation across several days is often more useful than an immediate spray.

Support balance

  • Keep flowering plants available for pollinators and beneficial insects.
  • Maintain plant diversity rather than offering one uninterrupted host crop.
  • Improve soil, water and plant health before treating every symptom separately.
  • Use any intervention carefully and direct it only where necessary.

"Natural" does not automatically mean harmless. Even a botanical preparation can affect useful insects if it is applied without thought.

Our farm includes honeybees, worms, poultry, fish and many other animals. Working among them has made us more cautious about solving one problem by creating another. The aim is not an insect-free farm; it is a system able to hold a workable balance.

Related questions & topics

beneficial insects in gardenhow to identify garden pestsnatural pest control gardenpollinators and predatorsinsect biodiversity farm