How to Control Pests in Your Garden

As you look around at the beautiful garden you’ve worked so hard on, you see signs that something has been nibbling on your vegetables. As well, the earth is dug up in your flower garden. Obviously there is some pest trying to destroy what you have worked so hard on. Immediately you want to know what kind of bugs you have in your garden so you can control it quickly. This is easier said than done. It takes some skill to identify the pest based only on damage done.

There are many different methods to control that intruder, but only once you determine the variety. To start with, is it an insect nibbling away at that lettuce or a small animal? What about the dirt displaced? Is that a mole digging in your garden or is your cat being a pest and using your flower plot as a litter box? Either way, there are methods, both natural and chemical to control those intruders into your garden paradise.

Once you have determined what kind of pest you need to control, you must decide on the method. There are several natural, easy and inexpensive things that can be done to control that pest making things unpleasant in your garden. If slugs are the pests that you want to rid your garden of, then instead of spraying to control, them take eggshells, break them into tiny pieces and scatter them around the plants you want to protect. Or you can control that garden pest, as well as snails, by using ginger powder and scattering it around the plants in your garden. Just be sure to do it again every time it rains. The ability to control an outside pest without pesticides means being prepared to try new things.

You’ll find that the average garden pest does not like certain plants that you can put throughout you garden to help control the influx of destructive forces. Plant mint, dill, chives or basil and that garden pest will think twice before venturing in to harm your plants. It’s a simple method to control most insects.

You can also make your own sprays to control insects in your garden. One good combination is water with crushed hot peppers. Another means to control the bugs is by using garlic and mineral oil. Either of these mixed properly and sprayed on the plants will help to control the insect problem you are facing.

If the pest digging in your garden turns out to be your cat, or more inconvenient, the neighbor’s cat, there is an effective little device you can set up. It is a device with a motion sensor that will spray water every time a cat comes to use your garden as its litter box. It operates on a common nine-volt battery and will make the cat regret being a pest.

You of course have the option of using pesticides to control the insect problem if you prefer. Just be careful. Pesticides are strong chemicals that you want to use to control the insects while at the same time keep away from your pets.