5 Ways to Maintain Your Garden & Make it Free of Pests
If you have a garden in your backyard, then you will know the struggle of maintaining it. When you see someone’s garden, it may look pretty on the outside, but behind it, are hours spent in the soil getting the hands dirty. Your garden is as good as the work you put in. Not only do you need to make sure that your space is aesthetically pleasing, but you also need to ensure that the pests don’t find a reason to attack.
Pests are one of the biggest problems you will face once you have your own garden. They can render all your hard work useless in the matter of a single night, and there will be nothing you could do about it. The best way to overcome this situation is by taking all the precautionary measures you can. Take care of your garden with these simple but effective tips, and you will be surprised at the results!
- Grow Them in the Right Location
Every decision matters. From the moment you plant a seed in the garden, the choices you make will impact the future of your plants. Select a suitable place for your plants because later on, it will matter. A good location needs to have two properties. It should get a lot of light, and it should be away from other plants.
Most of the food crops you choose will require hours of direct sunlight (except a few). If you give your plants less sunlight, they will produce paltry yields. More importantly, due to less sunlight, your plants will become thin and weak. Plants get their food and nutrition from sunlight. When they don’t get enough of it, they will ultimately die. Among plants, the unhealthy ones are the ideal targets for pests and insects.
The other thing you should be careful about is the distance of your plant from other plants. You may already have bad bugs crawling in the rose bushes and weeds that have been growing for months. If you plant your seeds too close to such weeds, it will be easier for pests to migrate to your healthy plants and destroy them.
- Use Repellents and Barriers
It is always a good idea to invest in some good pest repellents as they have all the right ingredients. Use aromatic pest deterrents as sometimes the pests hate the smell and will stay away. You can also plant such aromatic plants like garlic and lavender around your plants. It will help hide your plants’ scents from the pests. Check out these 12 most powerful roach sprays to buy and use them to keep the insects away from your plants!
Another technique to keep your plants pest-free is by using barriers. For instance, planting carrots in toilet paper rolls will prevent the cutworms from infecting them. Plants can also be used as barriers. For example, peppermint and pennyroyal can keep away ants naturally.
- Scout Your Garden Regularly
How will you know that your plants are healthy if you are not going to check them every now and then? Plants are just like us when it comes to their health. It is recommended to get them checked every six months in order to keep them healthy. For plants, you need to scout your garden at least twice a week.
Most of the pests eat and live on the inner sides of the leaves. You should always make sure to check those specific spots closely as there could be pests hiding in there.
If you own a garden, you should have information about the pests as well. Many pests go through some stages in their life, which look very different from one another. If you see a cluster of small stuff that is unrecognizable, do not sweep it under the rug. There is a fair chance that this could be a type of pest during its early stages.
- Use Soap and Oil to Keep Away the Pests
A household solution for these pests is oil and soap, which is quite useful. Neem oil and soaps are effective for soft-bodied insects such as aphids, mealybugs, spider mites and whitefly. Oil and soap may be less effective against adult insects, but you can still use both of them to control the insects in their larval stages. In this scenario, timing is important and it makes a huge difference.
If you notice any insects lurking on a few plants in the garden, spray the surfaces of those infested plants with a neem oil formula and soap. However, in case you detect pests in your garden, you should use the spray all over it.
- Harvest Your Plants Frequently
When plants begin to invade each other’s space, it is when you know that you have a big problem. When you feel that your garden is overgrown and you need to pluck out some weeds, you should do it as soon as possible. An untidy garden is home to all pests, just like a dirty house can attract insects.
A garden overflowing with foliage is a magnet for pests because they have plenty of places to hide and reproduce. It also makes it easier for them to reach other plants and eat them.
Harvest your plants frequently. The main aim of harvesting should be to keep your plants at a small or medium size. Doing so will not only prevent our plants from getting infected by pests, but it will also help your plants get sunlight equally so that they can be healthier.
It will also improve air circulation. When your plants have poor airflow, they will be more susceptible to diseases.
Having a garden and then taking care of it is a full-time job. You cannot leave your garden alone if you want it to look beautiful and healthy. Using these tips will ensure that your plants are protected from all the harmful pests and have an environment to thrive in!
