How to prevent common eggplant pests?

It starts with vigilance to Preventing eggplant pests. I check leaves regularly - daily in fact, for signs of trouble - like flea beetle shot holes or hornworm eggs. One hornworm put three plants away in a single day last season, and I ignored the warning signs posted on the leaves - I won't ignore them next time. Organic controls must occur in advance of any damage to be effective.

Companion planting improves pest management. I utilize nasturtiums as trap crops because they have a broad leaf structure to attract flea beetles away from eggplants that I am growing. I remove the sacrificial plants and place them in the freezer to kill the flea beetles. This process reduced my flea beetle damage by 60%, with no toxic chemicals necessary.

Soil health is more important than many people know. Healthy plants are more resistant to pests, and I put crushed oyster shells into my soil for calcium because strong cell walls provide some resistance to sucking insects. I also place sticky yellow traps near my plants, which trap winged aphids before they colonize the leaves.

Night patrols make all the difference. Aided by a UV flashlight, I can find hornworms glowing neon green in the moonlight. For small gardens, hand-picking works better than pesticides. Once caught, you just drop them into some soapy water, a grim solution but has been my go-to method ever since I harvested my first blight-free third crop.

Read the full article: How to Grow Eggplant: Pro Tips for Big Harvests