You’ve been enjoying the fruits of your labor – literally! – and you want to continue to enjoy them after all the hard work you’ve put into starting and maintaining your garden. But there are garden pests lurking out there, whether you know your foe or not, and we want you to be as equipped as possible to battle them! Here are some things to look out for and ways to combat them:
Bugs
Insects and bugs like certain breeds of ants, beetles, flies, mosquitos, moths, slugs, and worms are harmful to your garden and hurt your chances of growing more. Some options to fight back are:
- Orange or vinegar sprays
- Sticky traps
- Recycling tomato leaves, as they have a naturally toxic chemical to bugs
- Using organic matter for your soil and gardening over plastic or cardboard for six months to heat up the soil and drive bugs out
Animals
As cute as bunnies, chipmunks, and squirrels are, they’re still animals that come in and eat away at your garden. Consider warding them off with:
- Repellents like castor oil, mint, scented soaps, and spices
- Scare tactics like scarecrows, garden gnomes, sensor lights, and wind chimes
- Fencing and letting your pets out to play
- Raised garden beds and wire cloches for particular plants that seem to be a target
And if you do want to enjoy the animals visiting your yard but want to protect your garden, provide an alternative source of food for them to enjoy elsewhere, like nuts and seeds from a feeder.
Weeds and Disease
You might not think of them as pests, but weeds and disease are the nastiest things for trying to take our your beautiful garden! Lucky for you, we have more in-depth articles on putting a stop to weeds here and what diseases to look out for here.
Overall, it doesn’t hurt to take precautions against all of these potential villains if you want to be extra safe. You can generally plant with disease and pest-resistant seeds and close off your compost to make your home seem uninviting to pests.
At Burger Farm and Garden Center, we want to equip everyone with the tools and knowledge to make their plants, lawn, and garden beautiful and healthy. Learn more and visit us today at burgerfarms.com.