When people think of organic gardening, they often conjure the image of a crop grown free of any pesticides; however, the concept of organic gardening is much more broad, and, believe it or not, many types of pesticides are permitted. These pesticides can be included in pest management programs in home landscape situations. Pesticides, as defined by the Colorado Organic Certification Act (COCA), are substances or organisms that prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate a pest. Normally when we think of pesticides, we think of synthetically produced pesticides (e.g., carbaryl/Sevin, Malathion, etc.). These pesticides are prohibited on organically grown commodities. There is nothing wrong with them when used as needed and according to label directions. However, they also are the types of pesticides that have been misused and overused by urban gardeners. Alternative controls can be used in place of the more common synthetic pesticides. They can give the home gardener a satisfactory way to control pests while eliminating the potential for pesticide misuse; however, just because the materials are natural does not mean that they are always less toxic than synthetic pesticides. The types of pesticides allowed in organic production under COCA include microorganisms, microbial products, and materials derived or extracted from plants, animals or mineral-bearing rocks. Exceptions also exist for certain synthetic pesticides such as soap, oil and lime sulfur. As a general rule, pesticides approved for organic production break down rapidly and often are less destructive to natural enemies and other organisms. Soaps have been used to control insects for more than 200 years. Recently, there has been increased interest in and use of these products. This change is due to a better understanding of how to use soaps most effectively and a desire to try insecticides that are easier and safer to use than many currently available alternatives. How soaps and detergents kill insects is still poorly understood. In most cases, control results from disruption of the cell membranes of the insect. Soaps and detergents may also remove the protective waxes that cover the insect, causing death through excess loss of water. Some household soaps and detergents make effective insecticides. In particular, certain brands of hand soaps and liquid dishwashing detergents can be effective for this purpose. They are also substantially less expensive. Note however, that there is increased risk of plant injury with these products. They are not designed for use on plants. Dry dish soaps and all clothes-washing detergents are too harsh to be used on plants. Also, many soaps and detergents are poor insecticides. Identifying safe and effective soap-detergent combinations for insect control requires experimentation. Regardless of what product is used, soap-detergent sprays are always applied diluted with water, typically at a concentration of around two to three percent.

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