1. Grow plants that are well adapted to the soil and climate of the area. For example, grow fava when and where the climate is cool and moist for a long period.

2. Grow crops at the proper time. For example, grow brassica crops in the fall only; except turnip. They are too attractive to insects in the spring and summer.

3. Grow resistant varieties.

4. Use integrated pest management techniques by getting bacteria, fungus, plants, beneficial insects, and animals to control harmful insects for you. For example, grow plants that attract beneficial insects in and around the garden.

5. Crop rotation. See:

Organic City Garden Crop Rotation

Organic Self Sufficiency Crop Rotation

6. Avoid large monocultures if at all possible.

7. Hogs can be used to eat fallen fruit and interrupt insect breeding cycles.

8. Spraying tree bark with dormant oil may kill predatory wasp nest eggs.

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PLANTS THAT ATTRACT BENEFICIAL INSECTS

There are literally hundreds of plants that attract beneficial insects; so many that it can be hard to know where to begin. The ones below are a good starting point and will provide year round blossoms. All of these have small blossoms and will attract parasitics and rare predators.

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ANNUALS / BIENNIALS TO PLANT INSIDE THE GARDEN
Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) - annual, parasitic wasps
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae Amaranthus caudatus) - annual, parasitic fly,
         Love-Lies_bleeding is cold weather tolerant,
         also attracts ground beetles which attack snails 
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) - annual, parasitic wasps 
Tickseed (Coreopsis spp.) - annual, parasitic wasps  
Calendula (Calendula spp.) - annual, parasitic wasps
Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) - annual, parasitic wasps
Anise (Pimpinella anisum) - annual, aphid parasite
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) - annual, parasitic wasps
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) - annual, parasitic wasps, parasitic fly
Marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia) - annual, parasitic wasps 
Cowpea (Vigna sp.) - annual, parasitic wasp
Onion (Allium sp.) - biennial, parasitic wasp
Brassica family (Brassica sp. ) - biennial, aphid midge, parasitic wasps
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PERENNIALS TO PLANT OUTSIDE THE GARDEN
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - perennial, parasitic wasps, aphid parasites, deer resistant
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) - perennial, parasitic wasps, deer resistant
Grass-leaved Goldentop (Euthamia sp.)  - perennial, parasitic wasps
Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) - perennial, parasitic wasps, deer resistant
Orange stonecrop (Sedum kamtschaticum) - perennial, deer resistant, parasitic wasps
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) - perennial, parasitic wasps, nectar
Daisy (Bellis perennis) - perennial, parasitic wasps, nectar
Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria) - perennial, parasitic wasps, nectar
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) - perennial, aphid midge
Candytuft (Iberis sp.) - perennial, spider mite destroyer
Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) - perennial, parasitic wasps
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WEEDY PERENNIALS AND BIENNIALS (Best grown in fields around garden)
White Clover (Trifolium repens) - perennial, parasitic wasp, aphid parasite
Sweet Clover (Melilotus sp.) - perennial, parasitic wasp
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - perennial, parasitic wasp
Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) - perennial, parasitic wasps
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BLOOMING SCHEDULE
(make sure there are several plants blooming at all times):
SPRING PERENNIAL - Dandelion, White Clover, Daisy, Sedum,
                   Sweet Clover, Candytuft, Cinquefoil
SPRING ANNUAL / BIENNIAL - Alyssum, Cosmos, Buckwheat, Calendula, 
                Marigold, Onion, Brassica
SUMMER PERENNIAL - Yarrow, Tansy, Goldentop, Sweet Fennel, Goldenrod, 
         Alfalfa, Golden Marguerite, Thyme         
SUMMER ANNUAL - Amaranth, Coreopsis, Zinnia, Anise, Cowpea, 
                Sunflower
FALL ANNUAL - Buckwheat, Calendula, Marigold, Zinnia
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BLOOMING SCHEDULE LINKS:
The Flower Expert
Wasatch Gardens
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BENEFICIALS LINKS:
ATTRA - Farmscaping
SARE - Manage Insects
University of Vermont
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
USDA
Stratford
Planet Natural
Wisconsin entomology
U.C. Davis - pest management
Farmer Fred

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CONTROLLING INSECTS UNDERGROUND

Practice clean culture in the fall. (Work in all crop residue.)
This will also reduce soil insect populations.

Hard wood chips - grows fungus which kill nematodes
Grasshoppers - plowing in the fall can kill eggs
               , work in insectidal plants
               , growing oats and peas repels grasshoppers 
Parasitic nematodes - kills many soil insects
Milky spore - kills grubs
Ants - they are carnivorous predators that are very good for the garden

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ORGANIC INSECTICIDE

Bacillus thuringiensis - bacteria which disrupts the 
         disgestive system of leaf eating worms.
         Not necessary for cole crops if they are 
         planted in the fall.

Till into the soil under fruit trees:
(These can also kill beneficial insects. 
Best used as an initial treatment before initiating an organic 
control program.)
tobacco - insecticide
wormwood - insecticide
high camphor lavender - repels everything
       (Lavandula x intermedia) cultivars like Grosso 
walnut (Juglans nigra) - odor of leaves repels insects
rosemary
wild plants with insecticidal properties 
     listed in Peterson's
     Medicinal Plants Field Guide

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ATTRACTS INSECT AND PEST PREDATORS

bat nest sites.
very small bird (warblers) nest boxes. 
grow trees for nest sites.
tomato cages for bird perching inside the garden.
snakes, lizards, and frogs - 
      water and hiding places. 
      (ie: log pile, rocks)
snakes will breed in a wood chip pile.
wasp boxes
water in gravel pans for wasps
grass or straw mulched areas - spiders
birds - Do not put out bird feeders.
        It will only train them to eat your crops, 
        instead of the insects you want them to eat.
owl nest boxes - owls for mouse control

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BENEFICIAL INSECT LINKS:

www.gardenguides.com
www.phancypages.com
www.bugladyconsulting.com

Garden For Nutrition Index