As the weather promises to warm up, people start to think about how to get their gardens in shape. Part of that will be through the control of pests. Here are some of the top ideas for controlling pests in your garden.
Grub Worms
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Grub worms are not such a problem right now, but they will be later in the summer. They are the larvae that hatch from the eggs of June bugs. Grubs are usually the pests that cause the round, dead spots in your lawn by eating the roots of grasses. When you judiciously apply pesticide, you can kill grubs. If you don’t like the use of pesticides, apply milk spore. Milk spore is a natural substance, and will never have to be reapplied. It’s more expensive than chemical pesticides, but may save you money in the long run.
Mosquitos
If you have a problem with mosquitoes, you can plant containers of citronella grasses. This has a stronger smell than the candles you can buy. Horsemint, or beebalm, also discourages the breeding of mosquitoes, as do marigolds. Ageratum and catnip also will drive mosquitoes away. This is good for you and your pets, because of West Nile Virus, which humans can get, and heart worms, which kill dogs by the thousands every year.
Snails Aand Slugs
Snails and slugs can decimate your garden. Not only do they eat your greenery, they leave slimy, glistening trails across your sidewalks, patios, and house. There are a number of home remedies that are said to get rid of snails and slugs. One is to counter-sink cups of beer into the ground under your plants. The yeast in the beer attracts the snails and slugs, and they drown in the cup. Personally, I think it’s a waste of good beer. It didn’t work at my house, and the dogs seemed more attracted to the cups than the snails did.
We did, however, find a pet friendly pesticide powder. This powder got rid of the snails and slugs without hurting our pets.
Ants
Ants eat protein. Protein is found in animal feces. So, if you have pets in the garden, you’re probably going to have ants, as well. They will also eat the pet food. To get rid of ants, sprinkle coffee grounds around the garden and house. The ants don’t like the smell, and will stay away. It is also said to repel cats. Borax is a good way to kill ants. Some say to mix it with jelly or syrup so that the ants will eat it, but others say that the ants will eat it anyway. If you mix it with jelly, make sure your pets won’t get into it.
Squirrels
If squirrels ravage your garden, the best remedy is to irritate them as much as they irritate you. Motion-sensor activation of lights, noise makers, and whirl-a-gigs are your best bet for running off these little creatures. It’s either that, or set up live traps and relocate them.
