For those who are new to gardening, it can seem easy to maintain a lush and attractive outdoor space.
All you need to do is add some plants, do a bit of mowing, and voila! Surely, the space is set.
Of course, that is not the case, especially when it comes to pests. From aphids to slugs, all manner of pests can attack your lush garden space and pretty soon, you can be left with some very unhappy plants and you yourself feeling very irritated!
Luckily, there are some ways to make your garden less appealing to pests, and in this article, you will be talked through four effective ways to keep pests at bay.
Encourage Natural Predators
A simple way to manage pests is to encourage pest predators.
These creatures are the birds, frogs, and ladybugs, all of whom you can easily attract to your space. You can install birdhouses, feeders, and bird baths for birds, as this will attract blackbirds and sparrows, which feed on caterpillars, beetles, and grubs.
Add a small pond with natural ramps to attract frogs and even invest in a frog house. You will also want to leave the area around the pond un-mowed, so put the Cub Cadet away and give the frogs some space to sit and relax in! To attract ladybugs, plant some daisies and marigolds, and any aphid issues should soon be a thing of the past.
Use Companion Planting
Companion planting is ideal for deterring pests, as certain plants release chemicals that repel insects.
As before, if you plant marigolds, you can attract ladybugs, but the smell of the marigolds also deters aphids. Basil and tomatoes repel mosquitoes and whiteflies, and if you want to keep moths, fleas, and beetles away, it’s worth looking into lavender.
Practice Crop Rotation
As any gardener will tell you, pests often target specific plants and can remember where said plants were placed in the previous year. They are clever that way!
So, aim to rotate your crops yearly, as this prevents pests from becoming established. You can try mixing plant species, as this will confuse any pests that want to chomp on your veg or florals! Try interplanting herbs and veg, as this will make the garden more visually interesting and will prevent large-scale infestations.
Use Physical Barriers
For larger garden pests, like mice and rats, companion planting will do nothing, and as such, you will want to put in some physical barriers.
You can opt for row covers and netting or fencing to prevent rodents and even rabbits from accessing your crops. If you want to deter slugs, it is worth applying mulch, as this is hard for them to move across and helps to maintain soil moisture at the same time.
Of course, it is also worth doing spot checks for larger pests like slugs and snails. Both tend to be more active in the evening and early morning, so go out with a torch and look for them. You can place them in a bucket and physically remove them from your garden, or you can identify how they are getting in.
