Many good books and periodicals are available on modern organic gardening and lawn care. Check References section, and visit your library. The general principles of indoor pest control also apply outdoors.

Barriers: Collars of stiff paper, fitted snugly around stems on top of sell stop larva from burrowing around plants. Fine netting such as cheesecloth protects seedlings from insects, cats, and birds.

Companion Planting: Certain pests dislike certain plants, and you can put this to good use. For example, beans can be planted near potatoes to ward off both potato beetles and bean beetles; and, chives will chase aphids from roses.

Fertilizer: Compost lawn, garden, and food wastes for a dirt-cheap supply of soil-enriching humus. Used with other additives such as bone meal, wood ashes and granite dust, compost yields rich healthy soil. Don't use any artificial fertilizer without a soil test. Avoid highly processed fertilizers which add to pollution problems.

Hand-picking: Time-consuming, but unbeatable as a non-toxic alternative. Both weeds and pests can be hand-picked. Wearing gloves, remove all offending invaders. Dandelions are edible but, if they unnerve you, cut them off several inches below the ground and reseed the bare spot.

Insect Repellents: Many garden pests can be repelled from foliage (indoors and out) with sprays. For example,

Hot Peppers: blend 2 or 3 very hot peppers, 1/2 onion, and 1 clove garlic in water. Boil, steep for 2 days, and drain through cloth. Can be frozen for future use. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and mucous membranes.

Soap: 2 T. of liquid soap per quart of water. Use only pure soap; additives and detergents may damage plants. Another option is to use "insecticidal soap."

Insecticides: A wide variety of non-toxic and less-toxic insecticides for lawns and gardens are commercially available. Ideally, these should affect only a few target pests, they should not release toxic pollutants to the air or water, and they should break down quickly to amid polluting soil and water. The following examples meet some or all of these criteria, although labels must be carefully checked for "inert" ingredients that may be harmful, and for precautions in use (Keep children and pets away, etc.):

Diatomaceous Earth: the powdered skeletons of tiny marine creatures (avoid inhalation);

Pyrethrins: extracts of certain chrysanthemums (check labels carefully for other toxic ingredients); and,

Bacillus Thuriegiensis: one of numerous bacteria which attack insects.

Mulching: A protective covering of compost or sawdust (from untreated wood) on the ground around plants reduces evaporation, presents erosion, enriches the soil, and controls weeds.

Plant Varieties: Grasses adapted to local conditions will yield a lawn that requires less work. This goes for other plant varieties, too. Bluegrass is popular in many areas, but not necessarily best suited for all areas. Use pest- and disease-resistant plant varieties in the garden also.

Predator Insects: Whether picking or spraying, leave predators such as spiders, ladybugs, and praying mantises alone. They're on your side.