Common Garden Bugs and How to Avoid Them

Garden pests: they’re every gardener’s worst enemy. It seems like once as we get our garden functioning at its best, destructive garden bugs come in and destroy it.

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a novice, garden bugs can find their way into your lush crops. The difference between skilled gardeners and beginners is knowing how to identify these pests, and more importantly, how to prevent them.

Beneficial Garden Bugs

Gardens are home to many living things, from pesky garden bugs to beneficial garden insects. There are certain insects we want to keep around to eat the harmful garden pests, while some act as pollinators and others control plant diseases.

Some beneficial garden bugs include:

• Butterflies
• Dragonflies
• Ladybugs
• Ground beetles
• Praying mantis
• Bees
• Spiders
• Lacewings
• Pirate bugs
• Hover flies

Gardeners can attract beneficial garden bugs with herbs such as dill, thyme and mint.

Destructive Garden Bugs

Now for the destructive garden bugs. These are the bugs we want to avoid, but also identify right away and get rid of if discovered.

Garden pest infestations can wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy and thriving garden. These destructive garden insects eat through crops, and although the damage can vary, it’s best to prevent them.

Below are common garden bugs we want to avoid:

• Aphids
• Cutworms
• Stink bugs
• Caterpillars
• Flea Beetles
• Red Spider Mites
• Leaf Miners
• Moths
• Earwigs
• Snails
• Slugs

How to Avoid Destructive Garden Bugs

It’s important to know the types of garden pests that exist, but it’s equally as important to set up your garden in a way that will not attract them.

To discourage garden pests from taking over your garden, create conditions that they won’t like or that will be able to withstand an outbreak.

Natural Remedies

Natural remedies found in your kitchen can discourage garden pests from making their way into your garden. Remedies like garlic, apple cider vinegar, beer and eggshells have been known to scare away aphids, slugs, snails and other destructive garden bugs.

Insect-Repelling Plants

What better way to repel insects than with herbs and flowers that will fend them off naturally? Plants like marigolds, chrysanthemums and petunias can ward off garden pests, while herbs like dill, basil and fennel can repel them as well.

Healthy Soil

By setting up a good foundation for your garden, it will be difficult for garden pests to penetrate it. Healthy soil will also make it easier for plants to withstand an attack because it has all the minerals and nutrients it needs to fight them off.

Inspect Leaf Damage

Unfortunately, having healthy soil isn’t fool proof in keeping garden bugs out. It’s beneficial to inspect the leaves of your plants regularly so that you can stay ahead of a pest attack. Anything from chewed up leaves, to deformed leaves and folded leaves means a garden insect has invaded.

Barriers

Putting barriers in place will keep garden bugs away from your precious crops. Floating row covers and nets are good examples of barriers that can deter insects from getting in.

Garden Bugs Conclusion

One of the keys to a healthy, prosperous garden is keeping garden bugs out. We hope this blog is helpful in setting up the perfect conditions for your garden so that destructive garden insects don’t erase all the hard work put into it.

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