Garden Pest Control entails the regulation and control of pests, which is a type of species that are damaging to plants. Garden pests diminish the quality and look of plants, bring a bad appearance to the garden overall. The types of garden pests are extensive; bring forth a need for numerous ways to control them all. Thus, garden pest control, too, is a vast and immense topic.
The first method of garden pest control is prevention. Prevention of pests should be a precaution taken by any gardener in relation to successful garden pest control. Keeping pests out is the most effective and easy method of pest control. There are a number of ways of preventing insect damage in the garden. One such technique is the removal of weak plants; they tend to attract pests and thus are best disposed of. Establishment of natural and healthy soil supports the growth of strong plants, making them less vulnerable to pests. Removal and destruction of weeds, which induce the breeding of pests, is a traditional and effective means of pest prevention. Another traditional pest prevention technique is to mix plants; since insects are attracted to certain plants, the mixing of crops can reduce the probability of pests spreading throughout crops.
Sometimes, efforts in preventing the trouble of garden pests are unsuccessful. When this occurs, it is time to move into other methods of garden pest control. This involves the destruction, removal and elimination of garden pests and ways of saving plants. Biological pest control is a main technique in garden pest control. This entails the manipulation of natural parasites in order to control a certain species of pest. Pests can also be exterminated by the destruction of their breeding ground. Usually, this would involve burning the particular breeding area of the pest in order to kill it. Yet another commonly used pest control technique is poison spray. Spray that is fatal to the particular pest is sprayed on the crops in order to prevent the spread of the pest or to eliminate the pest. There are many types of sprays, specific to various pests. Traps are also used in garden pest control and there are many kinds of traps. Fly-paper, pheromones, floating row covers are a few such traps.
It is necessary to mention that methods of garden pest control sometimes may bring negative and undesirable results. For example, poison spray may unexpectedly make crops unhealthy or in the worst cases, kill them. Insecticides can increase the acidity of soil dangerously, making the soil unsuitable for plant growth. Crops grown in such circumstances may be harmful to people, if consumed. Hence, necessary precautions should be taken when dealing with garden pests in order to avoid dire consequences.
To control slugs terrorizing your garden is quite simple. You can take your pick from a number of methods taking into consideration the amount of time and money you are willing to invest and your level of squeamishness. The simplest method (in terms of equipment used) is to gout into the garden with a pail and a pair of tongs and collect them. Since slugs are nocturnal creatures and prefer moisture, you will be able to collect more at night, after a slight drizzle. If not, then you will find them in little garden pockets where it is still shady and moist like under logs and flower pots as well as in damp leaf litter. Once the situation is under control slugs can either be fed to ducks or doused in beer. You can also use soap water in the bucket; plain water has no effect on them and the eventually crawl out. They can also be used as fish food.
Slug infestations in the garden are like balloons under water - they keep popping back up no matter how hard you try to keep them down. This is because slugs are hermaphroditic and their eggs can lie undetected for years in moist soil before hatching. Since we are unable to be rid of them completely, to control slugs by reducing their numbers is the only possible option.
You could also use iron phosphate pellets available in super markets. Sprinkle these pellets throughout your garden and you will need to wait for at least six days for it to take effect. To control slugs this way is quite effective since you don't need to go looking for them, but you should make sure to keep them away from pets and children.
Most gardeners control slugs with commercially available pesticides, but If you're worried about its effects on your edible plants and the environment, then you can practice organic way to control slugs. One is by adjusting the times you tend to water the garden. Since slugs only tend to come out mostly at night, by watering your garden in the evening you create the perfect environment for these pests to crawl about in. Water your garden in the morning and any moisture would have evaporated by the time night falls.
Use the beer trap to control slugs enmasse by filling a shallow jug with beer, burying it neck deep in the soil and covering the opening with a lid slightly wedged open with a stick so that the slugs can enter. The beer in the jug acts like a magnet and pulls the garden slugs towards and into its toxic depths where they drown. The lid is kept on in order to stop the rain from falling in and diluting the beer.
To most gardeners the control of slugs is an ongoing battle that can be won with effective slug control measures that need to be viewed more as a constant cyclical application than spot treatment for long term slug free gardening.
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