5 Ways To Protect Your Garden From Pests

Anyone who’s done it will tell you that gardening takes plenty of hard work and patience. Of course, keeping your cool can be a challenge when pests constantly come by to ruin your efforts. Whether it’s insects you’re at war with or dealing with bigger pests, there are a few great ways to protect your garden.

1. Control The Weeds Early

Even though weeds aren’t necessarily the worst thing for your garden, and some can even prove beneficial, you’re better off without them. By not controlling your weeds you’re allowing them to take precious water, soil nutrients, and sunlight away from your crops and flowers.

To keep them at bay, consider using mulch to reduce weeds while simultaneously keeping your plants moist and cool. Mulch won’t completely eradicate weeds from your garden but it does make it harder for seeds to germinate and grow. There are also a number of safe chemicals you can use that kill weeds early without harming your good plants.

2. Create a barrier

If you live in an area where foraging animals are common, your best bet is to make sure they can’t get in. Consider building or purchasing an enclosure if your garden is small and you want to prevent both land and air critters from snacking on your greenery.

Your average fence is also usually enough to keep pests like rabbits and squirrels at bay. Just make sure they’re buried deep enough into the ground so they don’t try digging under it. A bigger fence may be necessary if deer are in your area while netting is a good choice to keep winged invaders from eating your berries and fruit.

3. Protect Plants With Plants

Many animals, including deer and rabbits, are very sensitive to particular scents. If you want to stay away from chemicals and prefer a natural alternative, consider planting strong-smelling crops near or around your garden to keep them safe.

The most commonly-used plants against animals are garlic, lavender, and rosemary. If flies, mosquitoes, and other insects are bugging you, plant basil, lavender, lemongrass, mint, or lemon thyme. Do a quick Google search to learn about the many plants that work against insects.

4. Hire Ladybugs As Security

Speaking of annoying insects, one of the best ways of reducing their presence in your garden is with an army of Ladybugs. These guys love nothing more than preying on some of the more annoying, including caterpillars, Japanese beetles, aphids, and even grasshoppers.

Other bugs you want to keep around in your garden include praying mantis (although they’re just as likely to munch on your ladybugs as they are bad insects), green lacewings, lady beetles, assassin bugs, and minute pirate bugs, as they are known for keeping aphid, mite, and other pest species away.

5. Prevent & Eliminate Disease

While animals and bugs can be a problem, many gardeners lose their hard work due to fungus infections and other diseases. If you notice leaves with weird coloration or a powdery look, it may mean they’re infected. Check often so you can take bad plants out and toss them in the trash— never put them in your compost pile.

There are also a number of things you can do to reduce the chance of diseases from starting. The best option is to choose plants that are known to be resistant to most plagues. Since fungal infections need moisture to thrive, keep plants separated while making sure never to over water.

—

Want to learn more home improvement tips? Read more about the home improvements that can increase the value of your home.