Natural Methods to Rid Your Garden of Pests

If you’ve noticed something is snacking on your garden, you may just have a problem with aphids, caterpillars or slugs. Before you reach for a pesticide, consider these other natural methods:

Get some ladybugs and/or praying mantises – these predators feed on common garden pests but are kind to your plants. They will become your partners in helping you to harvest an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables from your own yard.

Fence it in – if birds, bunnies, squirrels, or deer are getting their munchies from your garden, there are various types of fencing that can help protect your plants.

Use your dishwater – yes, dishwater can serve double duty! After washing your dishes, use the dirty water to water your garden. Or fill a spray bottle with water and dish soap (1:10 ratio) and spray affected leaves to dissuade unwanted pests.

Throw your eggshells in –did you know that eggshells will deter deer from snacking on your veggies?  They also work as a great fertilizer.

Use spices – cayenne pepper and cinnamon can dissuade ants from setting up a nest. Cayenne will also keep dogs from digging and cats from peeing. A salt barrier can keep slugs from getting to your plants but will affect the PH balance of your soil, so you’ll likely want to add some garden lime to counteract the salt.

We put lots of effort into growing food and watering plants during the growing season, so don’t let bugs and animals cause your time and money to go to waste. Happy gardening!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.