Pest control in the home garden

An increase in farm productivity during World War 11 resulted in an increase in pests – from insects to rats, mice, squirrels, wood pigeons and sparrows. A wide range of insecticides and pesticides had been used experimentally before the war, and they now began to be used widely. Many of these chemicals are today considered to be unsafe, but one non-chemical weapon against sparrows was big groups of boys and girls making lots of noise with rattles and shouting at the tops of their voices for long periods of the day during the harvest season. Rhodents were poisoned, trapped and hunted down with ferrets. Also there were rat catchers who were trained to  catch these prolific breeders which could quickly devour crops with their voracious appetites, gnaw at doors and windows to find their way into houses, as well as contaminate drinking water and feed supplies.  Another non-chemical strategy was crop rotation which prevented the buildup of diseases and insects.

Crop rotation  meant not growing the same crop in the same place two years running. Dig for Victory Leaflet No. 1 (see the link below) gave the Brits colourful illustrations of a detailed cropping plan.   www.earthlypursuits.com/AllotGuide/DigforVictory1/DigForVictory1_2-3.htm

 HOW CAN I APPLY THE ABOVE INFO TO MY LIFE?

While I plan to not grow the same vegetable in the same spot for more than 2 years, 

keeping a record of what I have planted and where, 

I will be hoping to prevent a buildup of disease. 

Also I will apply a sprinkling of fossil shell flour if necessary – natural damaceous  earth can act as an insecticide which is harmless to humans. 

http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1007800-11-banned-food-ingredients-still-allowed-us/#slide=14

Nettles are a great insecticide and fertilizer. But because I don't want nettles going to seed in our garden and spreading as weeds,  I will only pick the nettles from our bushland when I want to use them. Comfrey leaves are not only useful as a herbal tea, for they can also be used as both an insecticide and fertilizer (with a little added soft soap) - so I will be encouraging my comfrey plants to grow bigger!

http://merrilynhope.com/how-to-make-liquid-organic-comfrey-fertilizer/  this site talks about adding onion skins and garlic to the comfrey fertilizer/insecticide.