3 tips to keep pests out of your garden

Abell Pest Control

As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.

Here are three tips for keeping unwanted insects out of your garden:

  1. Coffee grounds
    While you might enjoy a strong cup of coffee in the morning, slugs do not appreciate the smell of coffee grounds. According to LifeHacker, you can take your used coffee grounds and spread them around the roots of your plants for a cheap and easy insect repellent. It's even been known to keep deer away from plants. If you don't drink coffee, ask your neighbor to save their grounds for you, or consider stopping by your local coffee shop and asking there - many places will be happy to give you used grounds for use in your garden.
  2. Bacillus thuringiensis
    Caterpillars can be a huge problem for garden owners. Even a small infestation can lead to massive damage of leaves and fruit. If left unchecked, a caterpillar infestation can completely destroy your plants. Pesticides work well to remove caterpillar infestations, but the use of such chemicals may also kill off other harmless insects. One way to avoid that is to use organic products that contain bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterial disease that only affects caterpillars, according to North Carolina State University. You won't have to worry about it affecting your plants or other insects.
  3. Screens and covers
    If you're looking for a non-chemical way to control insect populations in your garden, you should consider using screens and covers. Recommended by Wisconsin State University, this method is capable of keeping pests away from your plants while still allowing sunlight and rain to get to the root systems of your plants. Setting up the screens can be time consuming if you have a large garden, but once they are up, you don't have to remove them until harvest time.


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Since 1924, Abell Pest Control has provided quality services, protecting our customers and their patrons from coast-to-coast. Our customers enjoy the expertise and resources of a national provider. Prouder yet, we are members of your community, ready to service your home or business 24/7.

We are reliable experts in pest control—experts who care. At Abell Pest Control, we bring experience, efficacy and knowledge to customers who are looking for a fast, safe and effective solution to their pest problem.

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