If you're an avid gardener, you may be wary about using too many chemicals in your home vegetable patch. While thorough washing gets most pesticides off your plants, many people would still rather turn to organic methods of pest control before going for the heavy duty stuff. Organic methods are also easier on the environment and can prevent harming beneficial insects such as as bees. Keep reading for some interesting organic pest control methods to consider:
1. Biodiversity
This tip is perhaps the easiest to implement. Rather than planting many similar species all in one spot, you should plant a number of different species near each other. According to Rodale's Organic Life, this will confuse pest insects by offering too many different types of stimuli. Although insects might see the world differently than people do, they still depend on the senses of sight and smell to locate their prey. By mixing up the signals sent by different kinds of plants, the bugs may get confused and turn around. This method works best when combining edible plants with ornamentals. Instead of having separate gardens for your veggies and flowers, consider combining them for a healthier ecosystem.
2. Natural predators
In ideal circumstances, the natural food chain would limit the number of pests. However, if there are no predators, the lower species will thrive. Take slugs for instance. They love to devour plants and can cause whole gardens to fail. But when there's a predator species in the area, the number of slugs goes down, limiting the amount of damage they can wreak. Mother Earth News reported that, besides handpicking slugs, you could enlist the help of slug predators such as ducks. A single pair of ducks can easily eliminate slugs and other insect pests in your garden.
3. Row covers
Instead of spraying your plants with chemicals, you can prevent insect pests by laying down a physical barrier. Row covers are made of a special material that lets in sunlight and water, but prevents insects from getting onto the plants. According to Food Renegade, these covers can be very effective at keeping pests at bay without having to resort to sprays, soaps or other forms of insecticides. Plus, they're very easy to deploy. All you need to do is set up a simple frame, then drape the covers over the frame and the plants. Once it's weighted down, you can leave the cover on all season long.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
