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Eight Tips To Pest Proof Your Garden

 

As an avid gardener, your crops are your pride and joy. Thus, there is nothing more frustrating than going out to tend to your garden, only to find that critters or insects have demolished your plants. While it isn’t possible to entirely eradicate pests from your garden area, there are a couple of things you can do to prevent them from entering. This article will provide you with eight tips you can use to pest-proof your garden to the best of your ability.

  1. Attract Beneficial Insects

According to the University of Florida, insects such as ladybugs and lacewings are incredibly beneficial to gardeners because they eat the insects that commonly attack gardens. An excellent way to lure these beneficial insects to your garden is to collect plants such as yarrows, sunflowers, daisies, thyme, mint, parsley, and dill. These plants are all natural attractants for harmful insects and will help safeguard your garden.

  1. Install A Fence Or Barrier

Country Living advises that fencing is the most effective way to keep unwanted pests out of your garden. A fence that is a few feet tall should be able to keep most rodents out. To ensure persistent rodents are unable to burrow under your fence, bury it about 10 inches underground. If you live in an area with larger animals such as deer, you will need to install a fence that is at least 4 feet tall. You may also consider installing a net or overhead fence to keep birds and climbers out. You can purchase bird netting and critter netting for a reasonable price on Amazon.

  1. Keep Lawn Grubs Under Control

Grubs are a food source for rodents. If you can remove grubs from your garden, you will be able to reduce the number of rodents who feed on your garden, as well as avoid a Japanese beetle infestation.

  1. Store Garbage & Recycling Responsibly

Try to avoid placing your garbage and recycling bins near your garden. If you have no other storage option, make sure to keep your bins clean. In addition, always make sure that your bins are secured with a tight lid so rodents are unable to get inside. Leftover food or even the scent of food is an open invitation to rodents and other harmful insects.

  1. Remove Nesting Places

By keeping your garden neat and tidy, you can eliminate potential nesting places for rodents. Make sure the area around your garden is free from piles of wood, garden clippings, and any other soft material rodents could use to nest.

  1. Eliminate Rodent Food Sources

If you have a bird feeder near your garden, you could be unwillingly inviting rodents to your garden. This is especially true if you have bird food spilled on the ground. If you have a bird feeder near your garden, and you are experiencing a rodent problem, consider taking down your bird feeder for a couple of weeks to see if the rodents move on. If you are still experiencing rodent issues after removing your bird feeder, enlist the services of a professional pest control company.

  1. Install Ultrasound Repellents

There are frequencies that the human ear cannot hear, but are audible to rodents. Thus, many people believe that high volume ultrasound can deter rodents. There are mixed reviews on this preventative measure; however, some gardeners have found success with such devices. It’s important to note that ultrasound repellents will not be effective if you have a rodent infestation.

  1. Set Traps

If all else fails, you can always rely on rodent traps. There are various types of rodent traps to choose from including spring and snap traps, electrocution traps, and live capture traps. This measure will not be effective if you have a large rodent population, as most traps are only able to trap one rodent at a time.

What If I Have An Infestation?

If you are experiencing an insect or rodent infestation, preventative measures will not be of use to you. If your garden’s condition is getting worse by the day, it’s time to call on a professional pest control company. Enlisting the professional services of a pest control company is a safe and secure option. You can have peace of mind knowing that your pest control professional has all the training, experience, and equipment necessary to help you protect your garden.

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