Pest control is one of the biggest issues for gardeners everywhere. Insects can destroy a garden quickly, and ruin months of work and planning in a matter of days or weeks. Seeing a prized plant eaten by pests is a heartbreaking event, but it is one that can be avoided with a little extra work on the part of gardeners. There are many solutions for pest problems, from using specific plants to utilizing chemical pesticides.
How to Identify Garden Pests
One of the best ways to stop pest problems before they get out of hand is to learn the signs of various pests. Looking for the common signs of various garden problems is a simple way to get pests under control.
Some common signs of pest infestation include
Look for the presence of insects like grasshoppers, whiteflies and aphids on plants to determine what type of pest is attacking the garden. Knowing what types of pests are around can influence the most effective method of pest control.
There are many ways to control pests in a garden, and these can be tailored to solve a particular problem. Focused and specific pest control practices are more environmentally friendly, cost-effective and require less labor over time.
Hiring a pest control service is a simple way to reduce the presence of garden pests. Pest control services spray pesticides over plants that help to kill eggs and mature insects, dramatically reducing insect populations very quickly. However, there are issues with pest control services that gardeners should consider.
General chemical pest control kills all insects in a garden, including the beneficial ones like honeybees and butterflies, as well as the ladybugs that can help to eat aphids, a common garden pest. Losing these beneficial insects can make a garden less healthy over time, and require more applications of chemicals.
Most chemical pesticides are heavily reliant on fossil fuels for their creation, transportation and application, as well. Oil dependency is environmentally risky, and applying these chemicals to a garden can increase both global warming and environmental pollution.
Although pest control services provide a short-term solution to a serious pest problem, there are better ways to combat pests in the long term.
Biological pest control is a type of pest control that uses natural means to combat infestations of insects. One of the most common types of biological pest control is the use of ladybugs to dramatically reduce aphid populations. Ladybug populations are low due to invasive species, which means that aphid populations can rise quickly.
Many university extension and gardening centers provide biological pest control services. A group of ladybugs released into a garden infested with aphids can eat aphids quickly and effectively, while simultaneously promoting the local population of true ladybugs.
This type of biological pest control can be very effective in controlling garden pests, greenhouse pest problems and many other areas of gardening.
There are a number of ways to plan a garden to more effectively resist pest problems. Use local, native plants in a garden -these plants have evolved to survive in the area, and are more likely to be pest-resistant. Additionally, they require less maintenance, watering and fertilizer.
Plan a garden that utilizes plants that repel pests, such as Artemisia and basil. Chives repel the Japanese beetles that can destroy many garden plants, and catnip repels a number of other pest insects. Putting these plants throughout a garden can help keep away insects that would feed on and destroy other plants.
Use plants that attract beneficial predatory insects, as well. Plants like dill attract predatory wasps that reduce pest populations, and attract tomato hornworms that can destroy tomato plants. Putting dill at a distance from tomato plants can help protect them. Hyssop is a good plant for attracting beneficial honeybees to a garden, which can then pollinate many flowers.
Pest control is a serious challenge for gardeners. Keeping plants healthy and free of pest insects can take up a great deal of time, effort and money. However, there are simple, easy methods of solving pest problems without resorting to chemical pest control. Additionally, many of these natural methods can help make a garden even more beautiful.
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