You want to avoid the conditions that invite pests into your garden in the first place.
These five tips will help keep your plants healthy and problem-free.
Your garden must regularly get air circulation from a good breeze.
The Spruce / Paige McLaughlin
Tightly packed plants invite feeding insects that enjoy shelter from the heat and cover from predators.
They will raise their families in there and eat their way out.
So, if you must plant closely, you must frequently monitor for pests.
The Spruce / Alandra Chavarria
Water in the Morning
Water in the morning, if possible.
This practice offers a couple of advantages.
A little rain is always welcome on rainy days; a lot can cause trouble.
The Spruce / Alandra Chavarria
Monitor closely and adjust your watering schedule until the garden dries out.
It doesn’t take much to attractbeneficial insects.
The trick is keeping them around when all the pests have been eaten.
The Spruce / Alandra Chavarria
Be sure to clean up any fallen fruits.
In the meantime, be alert for any opportunistic pests that might venture to make their move.
Natural and organic options are the best long-term pest control options.
The Spruce / Alandra Chavarria
Chemical pesticides may be stronger but can also kill beneficial pollinators and introduce environmental toxins.
To keep pests from eating crops, people use pest-resistant seeds that are genetically modified to keep pests away.
Other successful methods are physical barriers, like mesh, floating row covers, fencing, and pesticides.
The Spruce / Alandra Chavarria
A healthy population of beneficial insects will also keep bothersome pests in check.
If aphids are eating your plants, encourage ladybugs to your garden.
Their favorite meal is aphids, but they also eat mealybugs and spiders.
Insect Pests of the Home Vegetable Garden| Mississippi State University Extension Service.
