How to get pests out of your garden
The situation is dire: a multitude of destructive super-villains are attacking your precious garden. These creatures have no remorse and they won’t stop until they exterminate every last blade of grass in your precious, green utopia.
These criminals are each specialized in a specific method of destruction and are so powerful that your innocent plants don’t stand a chance against them, alone. They can level a healthy-looking garden in as quickly as a week and can leave nothing standing.
Beetles, aphids, caterpillars, and a whole host of baddies descend into your garden and they are not taking any prisoners today. They are set on plundering and looting everything they see till there is nothing more left to destroy.
Is there no way to defeat them? Must you stand by helplessly and watch as they wreak havoc?
Not really. Enter the Guardians Of The Garden.
These superheroes are the perfect counter to the destructive nature of the invaders. They can save your beautiful garden paradise from pests ensuring that they do not cause detrimental effects to the plants themselves. These guys are your best bet to get rid of pests without resorting to chemical methods that can also cause problems to your plants and your space.
These heroes come in two flavors, aggressive and defensive. The aggressive hunter-killers range from cheerful-looking ladybugs which combat sneaky aphids to the serious-faced soldier bug which exterminates caterpillars.
Specific insectary plants form the defensive backbone of superheroes. Plus they look good doing it! These are considered defensive as you need to wait for a specific period of time for them to work their magic. The advantage of these plants is that they are non-intrusive and are able to function in the background. They either attract beneficial insects or work to repel pests. Good examples of plants that keep pests away are chrysanthemums and eucalyptus.
Let’s get to know how best to protect your garden without using toxins or other harmful chemicals.
Getting Rid Of Pests From Your Garden
It can be a tricky situation if you are trying to implement pest control strategies in your garden without using chemicals. There are various methods on how you can use eco-friendly steps for controlling pests. One of them is the biological pest control method where you hire good insects to take on the bad ones. Of course, this is a great, environment-friendly method where no harmful chemicals are used and Mother Nature does most of the job for you.
Through the implementation of these methods, you are creating a safe and secure haven for those creatures that are helpful for the growth of your plants and garden. Alongside, you are trimming down the population of insects that create havoc in your garden.
Not only these methods are 100% safe for your plants, but they are also even pet friendly. In addition, try to have a cautious approach and wear protective gear as and when required. The methods consist of –
- Installing row covers
- Drawing beneficial insects
- Planting Insectary plants
- Application of food-grade diatomaceous earth
- Creating yellow flypaper and hanging them in your garden
Just take a look at the below infographic to get to know more about how to get started with the organic method of pest control for your plants and gardens during this planting season.
Getting Started With Safe Pest Control
It is not rocket science to understand why implementing organic and safe pest control systems is good for your plants. Keeping them away from harmful chemicals is significant for a healthy and beautiful garden. You can implement many pest control methods for keeping bad insects at bay and protecting your garden.
What Pests Do?
Harmful insects lay eggs on the leaves and plants which results in the hatching of the larvae. These larvae consume more than what an average adult insect eats. In addition, they make a mess of your garden by eating the crops and taking residence. Also, they create an inhospitable environment for your garden through various issues.
Influencing Mother Nature Through Biological And Safe Pest Control
Through biological pest control tactics, you can leverage Mother Nature by controlling the dangerous insects present in your garden using their natural predators. Various insects like tachinid fly, spiders, parasitic wasps, and ladybugs act as a security force in the garden by hunting and feeding on harmful insects like beetles, aphids, leaf miners, leafhopper,s and more.
These natural predators will control the count of bad insects while taking refuge in your garden and making it their new home. This can easily be done if you make sure that the beneficial insects stay in your garden. Through the introduction of certain plants in your garden like sunflowers, cosmos, mint, cilantro, and marigold you are giving food and shelter for the new brute squad.
Make sure to keep them happy and they will pay their dues (rent) by hunting and annihilating the bugs that destroy your garden. It is highly recommended that you plant around 5% to 10% of your garden with insectary plants so that it can attract beneficial insects to your garden.
Installing Row Covers
This might seem to be one of the easiest means to figure out however, the best and feasible option for protection is a physical barrier like a row cover to be placed over the plant. It provides a good barrier between your garden and pests. Furthermore, row covers allow various kinds of natural elements like moisture, sunlight, and oxygen to pass through and keep the bugs out.
The following are the procedures for installing them and they are fairly straightforward –
- Place hoops on the ground. It has to be about two feet apart from each other and your plants
- Put a medium-weight row cover on the top of the hoops
- Secure the cover using a heavy object like soil or rock at the edges.
Yellow Flypaper
Yellow Flypaper helps to prevent flying insects from attacking your garden as well as crops. The procedure to create yellow flypaper is –
- You need to have a thick yellow paper or yellow color grocery bag, scissors, twine, ¼ cup sugar, and honey or corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons of water.
- Cut the paper bag into strips that are 2 to 3 inches wide.
- Punch a hole on each end of the stripped paper bag and thread a piece of twine through the hole.
- Tie the ends in the form of a knot and create a loop for hanging.
- Now mix the contents of sugar, honey, water in a saucepan on a heated stove (low temperature), until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour this mixture into a shallow bowl. Run each of the paper strips through the sticky mixture, until it becomes well coated on both sides.
- Hang them on your field or garden especially near your plants.
Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.)
The D.E. (food grade) is an excellent powder that has got fossilized algae matter. This is one of the best pest control agents. If you check or examine it under the microscope, you can see that it has got sharp edges that puncture the exoskeletons of dangerous hard-bodied insects.
The affected pests will simply die within a couple of days due to dehydration. This powder will not affect soft-bodied insects and earthworms, but it is prudent to take notice of where you are going to apply it. Make sure that the D.E. does not affect the good and allied hard-bodied insects like bees. In addition, make sure to avoid applying it on open blossoms and places where bees will land.
Through the introduction of a natural pest control methods for your garden, you are expanding the life span of your plants. Also, you are giving a healthy alternative to traditional pest treatments.
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