Controlling Garden Weeds and Pests

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Two wild, native young rabbits on the edge of farmland

Examples of garden weeds and common garden pests can help you to identify and control harmful garden invaders. Once identified, you can take quick action to stop the spread of weeds and pests in your garden.

Garden Weeds and Garden Pests Preventative Measures

In many instances, preventative measures can keep your garden free of the most aggressive weeds and pests. You have many choices of organic and eco-friendly ways to control weeds and pests. These can include things like crop rotation and companion gardening as your first line of defense.

How to Identify Common Garden Weeds

You want to identify specific weeds in your garden. Once you identify invasive weeds, like Creeping Charlie or crabgrass, you can find quick solutions to prevent it from spreading throughout your garden.

Natural Garden Weed Control

As part of your preventative measures, it helps to understand how weeds spread. You can take steps to keep weeds from setting up a network underneath your garden. However, if you need to fight weeds, you can first try one or more natural weed killers.

Guide to Garden Pest Control

You can use a guide to garden pest control to build your arsenal against garden pests. This should also include preventative measures just like weed control.

How to Identify Garden Pests

It's vital to first identify the garden pest eating your flowers or vegetables. One easy way to identify these intruders is with pictures of various garden pests. Once you know what you're battling in your garden, you can find a way to stop the destructive path these pests can make through your garden plants and vegetables.

Attract Beneficial Predator Insects

You can add plants to your garden that attract beneficial garden insects. These insects are natural predators to specific garden pests. You want to establish your beneficial insects in your garden before an infestation, such as ladybugs to defend your vegetables and flowers against aphids.

Natural Ways to Combat Garden Pests

There are several insecticidal soaps you can use to control harmful insects. Unfortunately, these carry the risk of harming beneficial insects. You may need a more direct method for some insect infestations, such as Japanese beetles by using Japanese beetle traps.

Controlling Burrowing Garden Pests

Underground garden pests often go unnoticed until your plants begin mysteriously dying. These burrowing pests, such as voles, moles, and gophers tunnel underground and feast on the roots of your plants as well as tubular vegetables. From castor oil or peppermint oil to special traps, you have a wide range of possible remedies for these garden pests.

Choose Your Garden Plants Wisely

One proven way to prevent garden pests is to use plants that are designated as resistant to the pest. For example, deer can obliterate your garden overnight. Some gardeners choose deer resistant plants in a wide border along the perimeter of their garden. The deer aren't attracted to these plants and don't venture further into the garden to find something tastier. There are other methods you can try to prevent deer from feasting on your garden.

Resorting to Pesticides for Garden Insects

Most gardeners attempt various non-pesticide methods to get rid of garden insects. However, there may be times when a pesticide is needed to kill bugs, such as a rose plant infestation.

Cats, Rabbits, and Furry Garden Pests

You may need to combat large garden pests. When faced with cats, rabbits, and chipmunks, you need creative and harmless ways to deter these garden pests. You can keep rabbits out of your garden with a variety of repellents, sprays, herbs, and other plants. You can discourage cats from using your garden as a sandbox with a little chicken wire, aluminum foil, or motion activated devices.

Garden Weeds and Garden Pests vs Healthy Gardens

The most vital counter measure you can take against garden weeds and garden pests is a healthy garden. Care and maintenance ensure your garden thrives and garden weeds and pests are controlled.

Controlling Garden Weeds and Pests