Welcome back! Today we are going to be talking about some methods that you can use in your garden to deter and ward off any unwanted pests in your garden. Pest control is a normal part of any garden though the types of pests that we experience differ based on location and climate. Pests can damage not only the fruit of our plans but also attack the roots and structure of your plants, making it hard for them to recover and grow. When we think of pest control, we should start with some organic method that in the long run won’t hurt or harm your soil’s ecosystem but still bring you relief from the animals giving you trouble.

Here is a list of the most common types of gardens pests and the types of damage that they can cause in your garden:

Chewing Insects – These are the bugs and animals that leave edges and/or holes in leaves or stems their midst. e.g. caterpillars and Eastern lubber grasshoppers.

Sucking Insects – These are the bugs that cause yellowing and browning on plans by sucking specific parts of the plant until the nutrients in that area is depleted. e.g. aphids, scales, spider mites, and whiteflies

Defoliators – Insects that primarily eat the leaves of your plants cause partial or even potential entire leaf loss. e.g. caterpillars

Leaf Miners – These are usually the larvae of various insects that burrow into the leaves of plants and leave tunnels in the leaves.

The Solutions

Now we are going to talk about different Organic Pest Control Methods that you can use to rid your garden of the different insects and animals that can stunt or harm the growth of your plants.

Essential Oils

Oils can be used as natural pest control agents. They can be mixed together with water to create a natural and harmless barriers that repel insects and depending on the oils they can be tailored to repel certain insects.

Here are some to choose from:

1. Lavender – Help keep away ants
2. Peppermint – Kills and repels mosquitoes
3. Eucalyptus – Good for overall repelling but also can be used as an insecticide
4. Tea Tree – Deters cockroaches and dust mites
5. Rosemary – Effective against aphids and spider mites

Coffee Grounds

Used coffee grounds are a great addition to both the soil of your plants in your compost as well as repellent against ants and slugs that are attacking your plants.

Insect Repellant Plants

Different plants offer the double benefit of being pretty while also being natural pest control. Because of their smells they naturally repel unwanted insects. Many of them are very similar to the essential oils above as the oils are the more potent and extracted versions of these plants.

• Lavender 
• Marigolds 
• Citronella grass 
• Catmint 
• Rosemary 
• Basil 
• Mint 
• Sage 

For now, though, I hope you can now identify and treat some of the insects that may have found their way into your garden! Remember to try and treat and fix the problem early and head on so that it doesn’t become a headache later!

Until next time, as always, Plant with a Purpose! – BTR