Eco-Friendly Insect Control

Put away the pesticides and work in concert with nature to manage pests in the garden.

Lady beetles, praying mantis and other beneficial insects feed on damaging pests like aphids. Tolerate a bit of damage and wait for the good guys to move in and clean up the problem.

If you can't wait, try knocking aphids and mites off the plants with a strong blast of water.

Traps like shallow cans filled with beer for slugs or yellow bowls filled with soapy water for aphids attract, trap and kill these pests.

Barriers of netting or floating row covers keep pests like cabbage worms and bean beetles off the plant and prevent damage.

Remove and destroy, smash or prune out pest-infested stems as they are found. Select an eco-friendly insecticide if additional control is needed. As always read and follow label directions.

A bit more information: Enlist the help of young gardeners. Teach them the difference between the good and bad bugs in the garden. Then show them how to pluck, drop and stomp the plant-damaging pests. They'll burn off some of that excess energy while helping maintain your garden.

Tags

sustainable-gardening mites floating-row-cover beneficial-insects pesticides slugs aphids lady-beetles praying-mantis pests

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