Environmentally Safe Pest Control Transitioning to more environmentally friendly methods takes thought and effort, but reaps benefits in the long run. By designing and planting a landscape with [certain] principles in mind, you can create a garden where the use of pesticides will almost never be called for. To Control Pests Naturally Here are some basic tactics and strategies you can use to create landscape that can resist pests on its own, thereby reducing your need for pesticides. Try to use INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) to control pests. “With IPM, the focus is on preventing pest problems through healthy gardening practices and avoiding the use of chemicals when they are not really needed” Many pesticides are very toxic to our water supplies. Less-toxic chemicals include boric acid, diatomaceous earth (DE), soaps, and botanical oils. Utilize local plant life Seek out plants that adapt well to your conditions. If you have clay soil in a hot area, you need to plant a tree that is adapted to clay soil in a hot area. Insects do recognize imbalance. They know the plant is suffering or is otherwise off balance, and they attack. Encourage biodiversity Cultivating only one type of plant species, not only makes gardens more vulnerable to diseases, but also makes them more susceptible to attacks from insects. As a consequence, “We feel like there are a lot of pests out there because we’re planting things in a way that encourages pests. To prevent your landscape from succumbing to a multitude of pests, layer your gardens with trees, shrubs, vines, perennials and annuals. Utilize plants with diverse leaf textures, different heights. You should also strive to have pollen and nectar available throughout the season by planting flowers that peak at different times. Another way to strengthen your lawn is by being proactive about choosing the right grass for your growing conditions. Plant clover, which is a naturally-occurring nitrogen fixer that is also drought resistant. Reduce Lawn Space Here’s a disconcerting fact: Three times as much pesticide is used on lawn per acre than on agricultural crops. The greater the lawn, the more pesticides you will need to use. Steer your clients away from large lawns by positioning smaller ones as more environmentally—and economically—friendly. For example, many of your customers may not know that watering lawns utilizes between 30 percent and 60 percent of urban water resources. Introduce Beneficial Bugs Creating a bio-diverse habitat is the first step to an environmentally friendly landscape, but you should also consider buying ‘useful’ insects and introducing them to a garden as a way to jump-start the pest fighting process. Lacewings, for example, can stay in one place, breeding for generations and gobbling aphids, mites and other pests. Ladybugs on the other hand have wanderlust in their genetic code and may fly away before too long. However, ladybugs can help battle an immediate problem, such as an aphid infestation. Pesticide Free Lawns Creating a garden that has little to no reliance on pesticides for pest control isn’t going to be easy—and in some cases may not be possible. If you are committed to creating an environmentally friendly landscape, understand that it can take up to two years to wean a garden from heavy chemical use, but the eventual benefits usually outweigh the cost. After you’ve done this for a while you just get this wonderful garden where you’re not doing the work of controlling pests anymore. You have all these little garden allies doing it for you. And when you need to utilize a professional pest control service, call Lady Bug – Eco Friendly Pest Control. Our products are National Organic Program Compliant made with Thyme oil, guava fruit, clove oil, chrysanthemums and other natural and botanical substances.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 00:48:21 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015