Ways To Keep Pests Out Of Your Garden

There is nothing worse than laboring all summer cultivating the perfect garden, only to have noxious pests destroy your crop. Luckily, there are ways to keep pests out of your garden this summer, from those obnoxious mosquitoes to larger critters, like gophers, moles, woodchucks, squirrels, rabbits, and voles.

If you are trying to prevent a pest invasion this summer, keep the following in mind.

1. Make your garden less attractive to wildlife. To keep large pests out of your garden, eliminate areas that they might find attractive for nesting, such as brush piles and tall grasses. Also beware of areas underneath patios and decks, where animals might find a dark and quiet place to nest.
2. Scent repellents. Scent repellents, including garlic clips, castor oil, and predator urine, can be quite effective in repelling larger pests and are much more humane than eradication. Castor oil is particularly effective in keeping rats and mice out of gardens, while hot pepper is a highly effective rabbit repellent. Keep in mind that repellents always need to be monitored and reapplied. Also, if you have children or pets, make sure you avoid potentially toxic repellents, such as mothballs.
3. Visual and auditory scare devices. Visual and auditory scare devices can be quite effective in keeping pests out of your garden. Options include motion-activated water sprayers, ultrasonic repellers, noisemakers, and visual scare devices. These can be safer and more convenient than scent repellents, especially if children and pets frequently roam throughout your yard.
4. Traps. If you are dealing with one specific type of pest, such as rabbits, traps can be a highly effective way to get rid of the problem. There is a variety of traps out there, some of which even allow you to release the pest afterwards, an ideal option for animal lovers.
5. Fences. Fencing in a garden is the easiest way to keep pests out. Electric fences tend to be the most effective. However, these are expensive and not an ideal solution for those with pets and children. Furthermore, this won’t do much if you are battling an insect problem.

If you need pest control or lawn services in Chesterfield, Kansas City, Tulsa, Springfield, or St. Louis, give us a call!