Have you ever worked on your garden, given it all the love and tenderness in the world, expecting a garden in full bloom, only to get a dying one instead? Don’t worry about it though, this might not be a problem with your green thumb, but with pests. But how do we get rid of them?
There are numerous commercial pesticides in the market, but you have to be careful when dealing with these, because using commercial grade pesticides are usually harmful to you and to the plant. Such chemicals will also make your vegetables unfit for human consumption. But when push comes to shove, you can check online resources like https://www.yardcaregurus.com/best-backpack-sprayer-reviews/ to better understand how to get rid of pests easily.
So here are 4 different ways you can safely create a pest-free garden:
Homemade Insecticides/Pesticides
One of the most common garden pests is aphids. You can easily get rid of them by spraying a mixture of vegetable oil and organic soap. This solution should be diluted to a quart of water and directly sprayed on the affected plant. This is also effective in getting rid of mites and thrips.
If you want to get rid of insects at any stage of their life, then you use the neem oil insecticide. The neem oil is safe to use as it is not toxic to animals and to humans. It is not only an effective insecticide; you can use it to take care of the fungal infection on your plants.
Diatomaceous Earth
Another eco-friendly way to get rid of your garden pests is to sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the soil or on the leaves of the plants themselves. This sedimentary rock has a lot of uses. It looks like your typical baby powder but it is quite abrasive. This abrasiveness absorbs the lipids from the exoskeleton of the pest.
This will lead to its death through dehydration. To ensure its effectiveness, you must again sprinkle this after every rain. You can easily find this in home and garden stores. But they come in massive quantities so it would be prudent to split it with a neighbor.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Toad
It is also wise to make your garden toad-friendly. They do not just eat the typical garden pests, but they also like to eat slugs and cutworms which are also quite destructive to your plants. They also love moth larvae and sowbugs.
What is great about using toads to get rid of your garden pests is that they are completely free. You just have to create a cool and dark place for them to stay. You also have to provide clean water just like what you do for your furry four-legged best friend. You must put their drinking bowl in a cool and dark place.
Everyday Items from Your House
You can keep insects away from your plants by cutting an aluminum foil into small pieces and putting it into your mulch. You can also use toothpicks to protect your seedlings from cutworms. You just have to plant the toothpick a quarter of an inch away from the plant.
This will prevent the cutworm from enclosing the plant. You can also use your empty milk cartons to protect your plants. You just have to cut the top and the bottom of the box, and use it to cover your plant. This will stop any insect from attacking your plants.
You can use any of these tips to eliminate pests in your garden. And to get better results out of it, you could also mix any of these. You will eventually see a garden in full-bloom. This can be achieved without using toxic chemicals, which can cause serious ailments, and poison the plants and earth.
