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Working towards a more sustainable lifestyle by growing your own food is all well and good but it’s probably defeating the object to a degree if you are resorting to poisons to get rid of unwanted critters!
Don’t worry though, there are several things you can do before resorting to poisons that will also poison your food supply. The key point to remember with pest control in your flower bed or vegetable patches is that we are not trying to remove the pest completely but to protect your plants and crops from serious damage. So here’s to a pest-free garden without having to use harmful chemicals.
Natural Insecticides
Did you know that there are many things you can plant that will actually deter predators from your garden? Planting marigolds for example in your garden will repel many bugs so be sure to check with your local garden centre or nursery to find out what plants can repel the pests you have in your yard.
Barriers can also be created to prevent rodents from getting into your garden using chicken wire.
If you have infestations of grub worms or insects, you may want to consider an alternative type of pest control. Be careful what you buy though because any insecticide for sale in the UK must go through a registration process, especially if the product claims control of an insect pest so don’t just buy anything.
Many potential garden pests are actually sensitive to specific features which make things a lot easier (and safer!) than using any form of liquid at all. Slugs, for example, do not like copper piping or the sharp edges of eggshells so if you find slugs in and around your planters, such materials may keep many species away. Other methods to keep pests away are plastic bottles and straw around the base of plants.
Simply spraying your plants with water or with a light soap solution is another method and one that has been used for some time to remove aphids and similar species from flowers too.
Natural predators can also be used to help get rid of unwanted pests. For example, adding ladybugs to your garden will help to eliminate aphids from attacking plants. Having a pet dog or cat can also help get rid of unwanted rodents!
We have to remember though that not all invaders to your garden should be considered unwelcome though! We actually need insects to help pollinate plants and decompose the soil. Earthworms are excellent at helping to decompose organic matter in the soil and provide nutrients for plant growth so there’s no need to get rid of everything during pest during your sustainable pest control.
In general, unless insects are eating your plants’ leaves or harvesting your veggies before you get the chance, you may just want to leave them alone.
Part of living a sustainable lifestyle is learning which organisms can actually work with you for plant growth so I hope these sustainable pest control tips help!
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