Insects & Gardens

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When spring and summer come around, gardeners are excited to break out the tools and start digging in their gardens. After a long winter of snow and cold it's a relief to see the warm sun and the first buds and bulbs. However, when the warm weather starts, the insects come buzzing. It doesn't take long for mosquitoes, gnats and other pests to infest a garden and if you are planting flowers and vegetables you can be sure these bugs will be out in force.

While some insects are necessary for the growth of a garden, such as bees, others can be nothing more than a nuisance to you and a hazard to plants and vegetables. Here are a few tips for keeping insects out of your garden.

You can always find heavy duty sprays that will unleash harsh chemicals and neurotoxins, but these poisons can have consequences for plants, pets and people so be careful before you starts spraying. If possible, try organic methods first and see if that doesn't solve the problem.

One option is to take coffee grounds and spread it freely amid the soil. Slugs are known to despise the scent of coffee and gardeners who use coffee grounds report seeing a noticeable decrease in garden slugs. Another material that keeps slugs and snails from chewing on your plant leaves is copper. Placing decorative copper tape around the body of a plant container or using rolls of copper to make rings around plants is a great way to deter these pests from approaching your plants.

Many dangerous insects will approach your plants via the ground so experienced gardeners suggest making the approach a hazardous one. You can start by using crushed eggshells beneath plants that are prone to attack and other sharp objects that will form a formidable barrier.

You can also consider planting aromatic herbs that give off a smell most insects and pests dislike. Yarrow, citronella, mint, fennel and basil are just a few herbs that release a scent most pests cannot stand and will keep them from getting near your more prized plants.

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