How to Keep Pests Out of Your Garden

After hours and hours of hard work preparing for and then planting your garden, you’ve found yourself overrun with pests attempting to destroy the space you’ve worked so diligently to create. Sadly, once they find your newly planted greens, insects and pests have the power to totally destroy them – sometimes within mere hours.

The very best thing you can do to control pests is take action to keep them out of your garden area from the start. While pesticides are the most common method for preventing or getting rid of pests, they’re not all safe for use.

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 PEST CONTROL GARDEN!

Encouraging Protective Insects

One of the best ways to keep the unwanted pests out is to let the wanted pests in. Doing so will ensure that the bugs who are best able to protect your plants are able to wage war against the ones who are not as friendly.

How can you do this? Start by including plants in your garden that the helpful insects will find welcoming or homey. The type of plant you include will depend on the geographic area in which you live, but the experts at your local gardening center should be able to help you make the right choices.

Clean Gardening

While it sounds a bit odd to think of your garden as “dirty” to start with, take a look around to ensure your garden is clean. The bugs that can do the most damage to your garden are the same ones who enjoy living in weeds, dead leaf piles, and grass cuttings. These types of environments provide a thriving atmosphere for bugs, so weeding and cleaning up the debris from your garden area will reduce the likelihood of damaging bugs finding a permanent home.

WANT A PEST FREE GARDEN?

 PEST CONTROL GARDEN!

Wanted vs. Unwanted Garden Pests

Some pesticide sprays are great for getting rid of unwanted bugs but can also be harmful to the health of your children or animals if they should come into contact with them. Some pesticide sprays are so strong they can effectively rid your garden of all pests, but that can be a problem as well. After all, there are a few bugs you might actually want to keep around.

So what bugs are actually beneficial to a garden? Try ladybugs and spiders, for starters. These two bugs have a reputation for feeding on other insects and they can save your plants from the bugs out to do them harm. Allowing ladybugs and spiders to live in your garden is like hiring a set of bodyguards for your plants!

COMBAT COMMON GARDEN PESTS WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE

 

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There’s nothing worse than seeing your carefully tended plants chewed to pieces by pests. Protecting your home garden can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Try these at-home pest remedies to save some green.

First, visit your pantry. Pests find the scents and textures of many food and spices repellent. Try sprinkling some chili powder or red pepper flakes on your favourite decorative plants. The strong scent and burning taste will often deter animals. Spoiled milk, rotten eggs, and garlic are also great options, as long as the scent doesn’t keep you out of the garden along with the deer.

Another proven method is to use the scent of animals that pests are afraid of. The next time you clean out your hairbrush or get a trim, save the hair and sprinkle it around your garden. Not only will this keep away pests, but  the hair decomposes it adds valuable nitrogen to your soil. If you own a pet, encourage them to do their business near your garden. If you know the location of any holes or burrows, toss in some of your pets’ droppings. Smelling the fresh scent of a predator will scare away many pests that are looking to grab dinner, not become it.
Before you spend a fortune on pest repellants, try these free at-home methods first. They are often just as effective. Just remember that any pest repellant must be reapplied regularly, especially after rain.

CONTROL GARDEN PESTS NATURALLY

 

When you see slugs, beetles or mildew on your plants, your first move may be to drive to the local gardening store and purchase an insecticide or anti-fungal spray. While these products are effective at treating the problem, they also have some drawbacks. Most contain chemicals that are not great for the environment, and if you plan on eating the plants you are spraying, you have to be concerned about chemical residues. Luckily, there are other more natural ways to control garden pests.

Control Slugs with Beer

Slugs can’t resist a tasty brew. Fill a bowl with beer, and bury it in your garden soil so that the top of the bowl is even with the ground’s surface. The slugs will be attracted to the beer and fall into the bowl. They’ll get drunk and drown before they can escape.

Repel Insects with Garlic

Aphids, beetles and flies can’t stand the smell of garlic. Some even die when they come into contact with the potent herb. To keep these pests away from your vegetable plants, combine ¼ cup minced garlic, ¼ cup water and a few drops of dish soap. Sprinkle this mixture over your plants. It won’t harm the plants, but it will chase the bugs away.

Kill Mildew with Baking Soda

Mildew can ruin a vegetable crop overnight. Make sure you catch it early before it has a chance to spread to other plants, and use this simple baking soda mixture to kill it. Combine 1 tablespoon baking soda, a squirt of dish soap, and 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Liberally spray the effected plants. The mildew will be gone within a day.

If you’re like most gardeners, you grow and eat vegetables for your own health. Spraying them with chemical pesticides, which have been linked to cancer and other ailments, simply does not make sense. These natural pest control methods are simple and inexpensive. Once you see how great they work, you’ll never be tempted to use chemical control methods again.