Do you find pests in the garden annoying? If you’re fed up spending time and money treating infestations, these tips will help keep pests at bay.
Garden pests can be disappointing when you have a bounty of plants growing in your garden but some nasty critters get to them before you do. The following is intended to help readers better understand what causes garden issues and how they can correct them in order to grow the best produce possible.
Always maintain your soil health
For your plants and flowers to grow healthy and beautiful, you want the best possible soil with all of the nutrients they need to end up being as big and as beautiful as they can be. You want excellent soil that has microorganisms in it so that your plant’s roots will have a base to grow deep into. Fertilizers help make dirt organic by improving its properties through such means as adding organic materials or enzymes to try and increase microbial activity.
Choose resistant varieties
Prevent garden pests by choosing plants naturally resistant to them. Most seed catalogues list plants that are particularly good for avoiding pests.
Plant in the right place
Many gardeners swear that they can only grow healthy plants when they use a guide or some form of a gardening cheat sheet. Always consider the plant’s needs in relation to the environment they are meant to live in before you choose where to plant any given species. If moisture is already in short supply, resist planting crops that would not survive without it. Some plants may be able to handle a drier environment for a little while but these plants will probably become more susceptible to certain pests living in your area and could eventually altogether succumb under pressure!
Repel pests
If you’re planting vegetables or other vegetables that are prone to be eaten by pests, don’t forget to include plants that produce strong scents near your crop(s) to help drive away the pests. Some of our favourite strong-smelling annuals that make great additions while supporting your garden as well include calendula, coriander, garlic and many others.
Practice interplanting
Intercropping literally means rotating different kinds of crops or plants, especially non-related crops that require different types of soil. For example, intercropping lots of flowers in areas where you know pets might frequent can be very helpful in preventing these animals from leaving behind their waste.
And finally…you will find a few pests…just let them be!
Having a few pests running around your garden is actually a good thing. It seems counterintuitive, but it’s the truth! Without a few pest “baits”, the beneficial insects that dine on them wouldn’t stick around! Beneficial insects are attracted to gardens that have their favourite foods.
We hope these simple tips have helped boost your knowledge about gardening and have encouraged you to use to it grow the most beautiful garden! For more such fantastic content on gardening and plants, follow Shrushti Agro!