As we learn more about synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides, we are becoming more and more aware of how harmful they are to the environment and the people and animals that live there. Pesticides sometimes make things worse instead of making them better.
Chemicals used in garden sprays to get rid of weeds and bugs not only put your health in danger, but they’re frequently ineffective as well. They will initially eliminate many pests, but in time, these bugs may acquire a resistance to the pesticide and reappear even more resilient. Another issue is the unexpected targets that many synthetic pesticides might affect as side effects.
The ideal strategy is to start with healthy, rich soil, match your plants to the soil type, provide enough sunshine and watering conditions, and employ suitable organic fertilizer and pruning, as needed, to prevent the need for pest management in the first place. But if that fails, there are a variety of non-chemical insecticides that can reduce pests while maintaining a healthy environment.
Take Care of Wooden Materials
For both the interior and exterior of a house, wood is a highly popular material among families. Infestation by termites is more likely to occur in wooden items that have not undergone the proper pest and insect treatment. Termites may inflict tremendous harm in a short period of time and are incredibly destructive. However, if the need arises, a premium residential pest control plan might be of assistance. Of course, prevention is preferable to treatment. To protect the security of wooden furniture and fixtures, pest control techniques are necessary. Here are a few natural termite therapies as well as chemical treatments:
- Sunlight exposure
Sunlight exposure is the solution for termite prevention using natural methods. Termites flourish in situations with moisture and darkness. Give your wooden furniture two to three days of constant exposure to the sun. Termites swiftly perish because they can’t endure the heat.
- Boric acid
This technique is for you if you need a non-toxic way to get rid of termites. Spray a mixture of water and borax powder over the affected regions. After a few treatments, you’ll see that you can eliminate the termite problem.
- Oil Treatment
Orange and neem oils are both effective. D-limonene, a substance found in the former, instantly kills termites when they come into contact with it. However, neem oil starts to operate as soon as termites ingest it. Pour or spritz these oils over the affected areas many times for the best results.
Repellents and Barriers
Insect repellents and barriers can help keep pests out of the garden. They may operate as a barrier, keeping crawling pests away from your house or your produce. Cutworms cannot access carrots planted in toilet paper rolls, for instance. Additionally, plants can act as a living barrier for insects. Growing plants like spearmint, peppermint, and pennyroyal will keep aphids, ants, and other pests away from your garden.
Cutworms, maize earworms, and other pests can be repelled by simmering cedar twigs in water and then applying the (cooled) water to plants. Lime, a naturally occurring inorganic substance that is frequently used as a dietary supplement, prevents snails from crossing a line.
Good Insects
A few examples of helpful insects that feed on the pests in your garden that you don’t want are lady beetles, green lacewings, and praying mantis. These “good” bugs can be purchased and placed in the garden, but you’ll still need a healthy environment for them to live in. You may entice them into the garden with an alluring habitat, such as water, food, and shelter.
Introducing beneficial insects to your yard has many advantages. Long-term, they are safer and more efficient than poisons, but you’ll need to do some study to identify the precise nature of your pest issue and which beneficial insects to engage for assistance.
Traps
The typical mouse trap, the one with the large chunk of cheese that appears in cartoons, is known to everybody. However, traps may be employed to capture both insects and animals.
Traps attract pests and catch them without harming other insects, animals, or the environment by using visual lures, pheromones, or food.
Traps can be employed to observe or manage a population. Insect traps may be used to monitor a population and assist in establishing when an insect emerges, how many there are, and other details crucial for choosing what to do about a particular problem.
Traps can sometimes solve your pest problem on their own, but other times it’s preferable to use them in conjunction with another pest control method.
So there you have it: a few tried-and-true methods for fending off those pesky garden trespassers. Your garden will develop healthily and, more importantly, be safe for you and the ecosystem as a whole if you employ natural pesticide alternatives instead of toxic ones.
