Garden pests are the home botanist’s worst enemy. Not only do they eat the hard-grown produce and flowers you’ve been toiling away on all spring, they sometimes target helpful insects that pollinate! If you’ve got a major bug issue in your garden and you’re sick and tired of losing your crops to tiny invasive pests, contact a pest professional in your area immediately. In the meantime, here are a few solutions for keeping bugs at bay in your home garden…

Invite More Pests

It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes the best way to get rid of bugs is by adding more bugs to the mix. Aphids, for example, are natural prey for ladybugs, which won’t hurt your plants. Destructive snails and slugs are terrified of lizards and yes, even snakes. Be sure whatever bug you introduce won’t hurt your garden or become a threat to you.

Make Your Garden Unwelcoming

Slugs and snails are a gardener’s nightmare, sludging through leaves and feasting on everything from flowers to tomatoes. Spreading a few crushed eggshells in the base of your plants will keep these critters from burrowing up through the dirt.

Plant More Plants

Sometimes the best thing you can do to combat a garden insect problem is to plant additional items. Lavender, cilantro, and even lemongrass give off a pungent smell that deters some creepy-crawlies and many of these natural ward-aways are safe for human consumption!

Call In a Professional

If you’ve got a bug problem you can’t seem to get under control, a professional may be needed to apply pesticides to your garden. Many pest control providers offer all-natural and/or organic treatments if you’re worried about contamination and also cover things outside the insect world like rodents and even harmful snakes.

Keep Your Garden Neat

The more places bugs can find to hide, the more they’ll like your garden. Do bi-weekly sweeps for weeds, fallen leaves and overgrown foliage that can be used by pests to conceal their movements. The easier bugs are to see, the better you’ll know how to handle them.

Move the Water Source

Bugs need water just like any other living creature so if you’ve got a standing water source near your garden it may be drawing them in. Bird baths, leaky hoses and even fish ponds are inviting to bugs, so removing the easy water source can send them packing.

Call a pest pro in your area if you can’t seem to eliminate your bug problem. Don’t let all your hard work in the garden go to waste!