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The 4 Top Tips To Keep Pests Out Of Your Garden
The worst fear of just about every gardener is that after months of hard work, they will wake up one day to find their crops have been eaten or destroyed by pests. Losing some crops to bugs or birds is natural and if you grow extra isn’t such a big loss. However, sometimes your garden can be wiped out overnight.
You’ll need to take some special measures to keep the good pests in and the bad pests out. Some insects, like bees, help flowers grow by spreading pollen. Others, like earthworms, help to enrich the soil. The idea is to take on a balanced approach to make sure your garden thrives and you can get the most out of it. In this article, we will cover some strategies to keep the pests out of your garden.
1 – Block them out
The most obvious way to keep pests out is to make a barrier they can’t get through. Physical barriers like nets or fencing are the best garden pest prevention methods if you are dealing with an infestation of insects or some animals that treat your garden like a buffet.
These barriers don’t hurt the animals, but they do protect your garden. For instance, if you are having a problem with birds, then some netting over the tops of the plants will keep them from getting to the vegetables and fruit. This will also keep the deer out.
One potential issue with using these barriers is you have to remember to allow the beneficial insects in. if the net is too fine, then bees and other pollinators won’t be able to get in and your crops will suffer.
Traps can also work if you have pests like slugs. Slug traps can be effective for keeping these pests from getting onto your plants. You can even make your own traps with a shallow dish of beer. Slugs are attracted to the beer, fall in, and can’t get back out.
2 – Attract beneficial insects and animals
Insects might seem like the enemy of a gardener, but some can be your best friends. Certain types of insects and even animals can help control pests naturally. Inviting them in will help you take care of the problem as nature intended.
One of the most annoying pests to have are aphids. They love to suck the juice out of the plant and cause it to wither and die. Getting rid of them is a challenge without using harmful sprays and chemicals.
Unless you bring in some ladybugs. Ladybugs love to eat aphids. By planting flowers like marigolds or cosmos, you can attract ladybugs to your garden. Once they realize aphids are in your garden, they will swarm in and eat them all within a couple of days without you lifting a finger.
Birds and bats can be great for pest control too. They eat a lot of insects, some of which might be harmful to your plants. By putting up birdhouses and bat boxes, you can invite these helpful creatures to make your garden their home.
3 – Use companion plants
Companion planting is a way of grouping plants that help each other. Some plants will work together to fight off pests. In some cases, it’s because one plant will protect the other because the smell of the flowers are repugnant to certain pests. Others attract the beneficial insects and animals to ward off the bad pests.
For example, planting marigolds near tomatoes can deter nematodes, tiny worms that can harm the roots of your plants. Basil, with its strong scent, can drive away flies and mosquitoes. And plants like dill or fennel can attract helpful insects like ladybugs and wasps, which eat pests.
4 – Use organic methods
You’ve likely planted your garden to be able to eat healthy foods. This means that it only makes sense to use organic methods to help your garden thrive and deal with pests. Otherwise, using harsh chemicals defeats the purpose of growing your own vegetables and fruit.
There are organic, safe ways to handle an infestation that won’t harm your garden or the environment.
Caterpillars can be picked off by hand if you find them in time. But if there are too many, you could consider introducing natural predators, like birds or certain types of wasps, into your garden. Another option is to use a natural insecticide like Bacillus thuringiensis, which is safe for most plants and animals but deadly to caterpillars.
