Pest Control

Pests are animals of various kinds that reduce the amount of produce available for harvest. We can't turn the clock back to the days of relatively stable pest/predator conditions that existed in the 1800's, but we can re-create a similar pest/predator balance that needs very little intervention from the home gardener. The golden rule of pest control in the garden is: "if in doubt, do nothing".

The first and best defence for plants against predators, parasites and diseases is general health and resistance. Many insects do very little damage directly.
The first step is to recognize that 99% of insects are either harmless or predators of those we don't want. You can encourage predators by increasing the ecological diversity of your garden.

Birds are effective predators of insects and grubs. Plant shrubs where they will reproduce and increase their numbers.

In the home garden, mixed plantings of different types of vegetables, herbs and flowers is a long used system, called companion planting. For more detailed information, take a look at my e-book: Companion Planting - a Complete Guide to Growing Healthy Plants. - I've included bonuses such as Seed Saving tips & techniques, A 4 year Rotation plan and a report on Natural Pest & Disease deterrents. Companion Planting can confuse the pests' detection systems so much as to almost eliminate loss.

Disease Control

The main damage that insects do is the spreading of viruses. Natural immunity is your plants' only defence. A weak or unhealthy plant is more likely to suffer disease. A strong, healthy plant can defend itself. Your first line of defence against pests and diseases is to choose plants with the most genetic potential for self-defence.

This is where your record keeping or garden diary becomes invaluable. Make note of both poor and excellent performing varieties. You will save seed from the varieties that do well, and you will know not to get those varieties that do not.
Always plant more seed than you need; select the strongest and cull the weakest. Do this at the seedling stage and again when planting out into your garden beds.

No genetic inheritance will reach its full potential without the right nutrition. Well cared for plants can fend off disease themselves. Don't overindulge with water-soluble fertilizers. If your fertilizer is very Nitrogen-rich, plants can put on lots of new growth and appear to be doing well. However, without the other nutrients necessary to construct healthy new cells, this new growth can be made up of thin-walled, weak cells that are excessively vulnerable to pests (particularly sap-suckers like aphids) and diseases (particularly fungus diseases). Click here for natural alternatives and pest deterrents.
Malnourished plants succumb to diseases that healthy plants hardly notice.

Micronutrients probably perform something like the same function in a plant's diet that vitamins do in a human diet. A great remedy for a number of plant ailments, especially aphids, is a good dose of seaweed brew.
It doesn't kill the pest, but (probably because it is so rich in micronutrients) it increases resistance to the point where the pest is irrelevant.