Some certified organic items have additional requirements before they may be used. At first I was concerned that this would make organic choices more complicated, but the referenced requirements for insecticides, for example, turned out to be ones that I think make it much easier!
For example, before using many certified organic Yard and Garden Insecticide products, formal organic practice means that first ... "...requirements of 205.206(e) are met, which requires the use of preventative, mechanical, physical, and other pest, weed, and disease management practices."
Sounded pretty scary, complex, and heavy-handed to me!! -- what could those mechanical practices be?!! But ... here is a summary of what 205.206(e) is recommending we do first ... and I think others may be as surprised as I was to find that:
Pest, weed, and disease management should first include some type of natural means to achieve the same ends, including choices such as:
- Soil and plant nutrient practices, including testing before amending;
- Removal of diseased trimmings, weed seeds, and materials that harbor pest organisms;
- Practices that promote plant health, including "selection of plant species and varieties with regard to suitability to site-specific conditions and resistance to prevalent pests, weeds, and diseases."
- Increasing or introducing predators and parasites of pest species;
- Incorporating habitats that attract and support the natural enemies of pests;
- Nonsynthetic use of such things as lures, traps, and organic repellents;
- Mulching with fully biodegradable materials;
- Mowing;
- Weeding by hand or with tools.
That pretty much takes care of what most daylily gardeners do already, I think! And they were a good reminder to me of things I may have overlooked this summer, or not have done for a while.
My favorite natural enemy of daylily-loving aphid pests (and you can buy USDA-approved ones, just like ladybugs!):
