Reducing Summer Pest Pressure in the Garden (The Easy Way)

Reducing Summer Pest Pressure in the Garden (The Easy Way)

Author: Homesteading Family July 19, 2025 Duration: 41:44
Everyday Homesteading
LeisureArtsEducationGardenHome

In today’s episode, we dive into a summer gardening classic: how to manage insect pressure without chemicals, using simple, natural and organic pest control strategies you can start implementing today.

For more information on organic pest control, check out our blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/garden-pest-control/

In this episode, we cover:

🌿 Seasonal chit-chat: What’s thriving in our North Idaho garden: garlic scapes, raspberries, Napa cabbage, red currants, hops, asparagus, shallots, strawberries, and our first round of chicken processing.
🍽️ How we’re enjoying the harvest: kimchi, red currant syrup for breakfast casseroles, and freeze-dried raspberries to savor all year.
💡 Foundational pest prevention: Why soil health, deep watering, and simple compost/manure teas make your plants more pest-resistant.
🌱 Garden design tips: Shade tunnels, mulch beds, and stress-free planting schedules to keep pests at bay.
🌼 Creating ecosystems: Attracting predator insects and songbirds with diverse plantings like dill, flowers, and habitat zones.
🛡️ Companion planting, trap crops, netting, and the low-stress method of planting extra to enjoy what does well, even if some gets nibbled.
🧘‍♀️ A reminder: A few chewed leaves don’t mean defeat. Learn to embrace nature’s system and keep your garden thriving.

Grab your copy of the Homestead Kitchen Magazine here: https://classes.homesteadingfamily.com/homestead-kitchen-magazine-special-offer-organic

Steve Solomon's Complete Organic Fertilizer Recipe: https://www.rainyside.com/resources/fertilizer.html

Compost Tea Recipe: https://homesteadingfamily.com/compost-tea-recipe-tips-uses/

🛒 Sponsor Highlight: Azure Standard
- We’re grateful to our friends at Azure Standard, our go-to for quality organic and bulk pantry goods. New to Azure? Use coupon "homesteadingfamily15" for 15% off your first $100+ order: https://homesteadingfamily.com/main-azure-standard-b

Time Stamps
0:00 - Introduction & Chit Chat
6:24 - Azure Standard
8:16 - Homestead Kitchen Magazine
9:56 - Tracking Financials
15:56 - Main Topic

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MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.


There’s a quiet revolution happening in backyards and on small plots of land, where people are choosing to grow and preserve their own food despite busy modern lives. Everyday Homesteading, from the Homesteading Family, speaks directly to that reality. It’s for anyone who feels the pull toward self-sufficiency but is short on time, sorting through the noise to find what’s genuinely practical. This podcast focuses on methods that are tried and true, saving you from wasting effort and resources on well-meaning but unproven advice. You’ll hear honest conversations about fitting homesteading tasks into a realistic schedule-think five to ten hours a week-transforming that dream of a full pantry into a manageable weekly rhythm. Episodes delve into the nitty-gritty of growing food, cooking from scratch, and preserving your harvest, all with an eye on efficiency. The tone is less about achieving perfection and more about building confidence through simple, actionable steps. Tune in for a sense of community and grounded wisdom that makes the homesteading journey feel possible, starting right where you are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 278

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