Gardening is a real challenge because of the amount of work involved. Majority of the work, though, involves protecting the plants than growing them. Just like having kids, plants need to be taken care of and treated for diseases and fed and so on. They do not simply grow. Similar to kids they, too, need their regular checkups and medication so they do not get sick. Like children's viruses, plants are regularly attacked by pests, who feed on the plants, destroying them day by day.
One such pest is the aphid. Aphids are small insects that feed of plant sap, causing them to dehydrate and then eventually die. However, dehydration is not the only way it kills plants. When aphids suck the sap out of plants, they secrete a substance called honeydew. This causes fungus to grow on the plant which acts as a parasite, sharing the plants resources, killing it faster.
As a result, for most gardeners and planters, aphids can be a real problem. There are several pesticides to get maintain aphid control and get rid of the pests. However, excessive use of these chemicals are not healthy to the plants. Additionally, in the case of vegetable plants, the vegetables become almost unusable when pesticides are used. Fortunately there are other remedies that can be used for aphid control.
Using Neem oil is a good solution as it gets rid of aphids yet does not affect the growth of the plants in any way. Simply washing vegetables and fruits will wash away the oil, making them good for consumption. While maximising aphid control, the oil does not fend off insects such as bees which are useful to the growth of plants. Another method of aphid control is to trick aphids using a yellow colored glass filled with water. The yellow color will attract the aphids into the glass, drowning them instantly. Soap on the surface of the water will help reduce the surface tension of the water, so that the light insects do not float on the surface.
Using a high pressured hose can also be used for aphid control. The pressure of the water will throw the aphids of the plants. Once thrown off, the aphids are most likely not to return to the plant. This method of aphid control is safe as it does not involve any chemicals. However, it is not as efficient as other treatments. It merely delays the aphids destroying the plants.
A home remedy for aphid control is to use liquid soap such as hand-wash soap and spray the plants with the solution. This dissolves the protective coating of the aphids causing them to dry up and die. Here again, in the case of fruit or vegetable plants, they will have to be washed thoroughly before use.
It is always annoying when you want to get a bite of your favorite food, only to find that ants have got to your food before you. Ants might eat anything from meat to sweets so these little insects are rarely welcome in any kitchen. Many people resort to ant pest control in order to make sure that ants are kept out of their homes.
Most types of ants are extremely small in size. This allows them to get in to your homes through the smallest of cracks or openings. Ant pest control is not quite easy due to this reason. You must make sure that you keep your food in containers that can be properly closed. You must also remove the small pieces of food lying around the house. Ant pest control is all about making sure that ants have nothing to eat inside your house. This will keep the ants out.
There are hundreds of ant pest control methods and products. These products and methods could change slightly, depending of type of ant in question. You might already know that there are various types of ants. Fire ants, argentine ants, thief ants, carpenter ants and pharaoh ants are some of the well known ones. Professional ant pest control should start with identification of the type of ants in question. Some methods would work with most types of ants.
Natural ant pest control is the most environmentally friendly method. If it's possible, get rid of these bothersome ants using products that are non-toxic. Boric acid, chalk and pepper can be used to make sure that ants don't get to your food. Try to make sure that you concentrate on ant pest control and not on eliminating ants altogether. Ants are very important to the environment around you. They attack and help to keep the numbers of other insects under control and help in the natural recycling process.
Ant pest control through toxic products such as sprays is not a very good idea. These products don't just affect the environment. They would affect you and if you have small children you should try to minimize using these sprays within your home. Ant pest control should be done in an organized and well thought out manner.
Find out the small openings used by ants to enter your house. Close all these openings and you should also take care to wipe out the trails. Ants use 'scent trails' so whenever you see a trail, mop the area using Lysol or soap water. Keeping your house clean is also an important factor in ant pest control. Place sticky substances around the table legs of your dining table.
Usually, you can take care of ant pest control on your own. However, in some cases, especially in cases where ants like carpenter ants are involved, you should think about getting professional help. These ants attack wooden structures so they could be very harmful.
This website uses cookies that are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy. By accepting this OR scrolling this page OR continuing to browse, you agree to our Privacy Policy