MissT MissT:
The first year you stop using pesticides (for insects), the bugs are more likely to return with a vengeance, unfortunately. But if you look at gardens which have been free of insecticides, herbicides and fertilisers for a number of years, a natural balance has returned, especially if plants and habitats which encourage helpful predators (birds, ladybugs, lacewings, dragonflies) are put in place.
Pests are the lowest on the food chain, they eat the plants and reproduce in large numbers very quickly. THis is why they also develop resistance to pesticides quickly. The animals higher up the food chain, the predators mentioned above, eat the pests, but can accumulate pesticides and die off. They reprodice more slowly, their numbers are down for a few years, and they are slower to develop resistance. When the predators are not there, the pest numbers can flourish again, which is why pestices often INCREASE the numbers of pests, and stronger and stronger applications or mixtures are required year on year. This is called the Volterra effect.
So yeah, banning pesticides is a good start. And then encouraging wildlife back into the garden.
Oh, and as a (sometimes) tolerable coffee substitute, you can chop up dandelion roots, roast them just until the moment they smell sweet and grind them up. Some people say it's ok...
That requires a big thumbs up
We have been pesticide/herbicide free for 15 years.
We also mulch all the fall leaves back into the grass.
Guess whose lawn never dries out in a dry spell.
Guess who picks any dandelions to make dandelion tea and wine.
Guess who gets all the butterflies and humming birds.
Guess who spends the lowest time tending the lawn.
Pity my neighbours cannot see the light.
CKA Uber 
