A Hands-on Approach to Environmental Quality
Richard R. MacMahon, Ph.D.
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Give FeedbackNatural pest control Ð Lesson plan #4
This exercise is done as part of your garden plot. This is a very simple but effective demonstration of the fact that you do not need to use great quantities of man-made insecticides.
MATERIALS: (per pupil)
12 marigold plants
12 tomato plants
6 cabbage plants (raised as part of your study on seed germination)
Other plants as desired, such as potatoes
Pyrethrin spray
Rotenone powder
PROCEDURE for EACH STUDENT:
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1. When planting your garden, reserve a plot about 2 by 4 feet in area. Plant in this area the marigolds and tomatoes, with the marigolds evenly distributed around the outside. The tomatoes should be spaced no closer than two feet from one another. There should be just about enough room for six of your tomatoes.
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2. Plant the other six tomatoes across the garden as far away as possible from the marigolds (upwind if possible). These will serve as a control for your experiment in companion planting.
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3. In two separated portions of your garden plant the six cabbage plants, three to each section. As they grow, watch for any white butterflies in the garden. These are called cabbage butterflies. They lay very small coppery-colored bullet-shaped eggs on the leaves. When the eggs hatch, the resulting caterpillars are called cabbage worms. They eat the leaves of all cabbages and tunnel into the heads of cauliflower and broccoli.
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4. When cabbage butterflies are observed in the garden, dust one group of three cabbages with the rotenone powder. Leave the other group of three as a control.
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5. The pyrethrin spray may be used on other vegetables, and is effective against a number of root-eating insects.
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6. Other insect pests such as the Colorado potato beetle may be picked off of the plants by hand and disposed of by dropping them in a small amount of rubbing alcohol.