One of the greatest threats to your garden is insects. An infestation can damage, or possibly kill, plants, ruin soil, and waste a lot of your hard work. There are a few things you can do to help combat an insect invasion or to at least dampen the effects. Here are some tips to keeping pests out of your yard.
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Grow Healthy Plants
Just like humans, plants are more susceptible to disease when sick. Pay special attention to your plants to make sure they are healthy. If you notice holes in your leaves or discoloration, get to the bottom of the problem immediately. A few insects won’t seriously harm your plants if they are healthy to begin with.
Plant Strategically
All insects have their plant species of choice and plants that they hate. If you are finding a certain insect in your yard, finding out what deters the insect can help you fight them off. For example, potato bugs will eat your vegetables, but they hate yarrow, catnip and garlic. Planting one or all of these plants strategically around your vegetable garden should help scare the potato bugs away.
Attract Predators
If your garden is attracting bugs you don’t like, attract other insects that don’t like them. For example, aphids and leaf hoppers can seriously damage a garden, but parasitic wasps eat these insects and won’t damage your plants. You can attract parasitic wasps by planting parsley, buckwheat, or yarrow. If a specific insect is damaging your garden, find out who their predator is and invite them over for lunch.
Use Natural Remedies
Typical insecticides for gardens contain dangerous chemicals that can also harm humans. Research some natural remedies for the pests in your yard. For example, if you are dealing with slugs, crushed egg shells can scare them away because they hurt the slug to wriggle across. Soap and water often works for bugs as well. You can also find a recipe for a crushed garlic and hot pepper spray that will send the pests packing.
Call a Professional
If you’ve tried everything and nothing is working, it’s time to call a professional. An arborist like those from Arborcare Tree Service can help make sure your trees and plants are at optimal health. You can also find a pest control company that uses natural sprays that could help fight the insects away. Never be afraid to ask for help.
Having your yard infested with insects can be a very creepy thing. It also makes yard work a chore and much more difficult to maintain in the way that you want it. Some of these insects can be quite a nuisance and some may even be poisonous and deadly to humans. The bottom line is insects and pests are a nasty thing to deal with in your yard, but fighting them off isn’t impossible. Use these tips to help fight insect infestations and to keep your yard looking great all year long.
