Doesn't it "bug" you when pesky critters eat up your beautiful
flowers? But it does not always make sense to go with guns blazing
into your petunias. The solution? Repellants! Eliminate the pest problem
while keeping your flowers, vegetables, trees and other plants safe
from potentially dangerous products. Generally healthy plants do not
need help repelling normal populations of pests, but then they do
require help, there is no time to waste.
Insects:
Soft-bodied insects are quite frankly the easiest to repel. These
generally suck the life out of plants and cause chaos to the plants'
ability to survive. Typical symptoms include curled leaves, bugs,
edges of the leaf chewed away, very small flying moths and chlorosis
(yellowing of the leaves). Other critters of the insect family include
the adult Beetle, Scale and Mites.
Getting Started:
A good place to start the control of insects is by spraying your
plants with a stiff blast of water. Make sure you do not spray it
so hard so that you damage the plant. Insects will be dislodged
from the plants and will no longer be a problem.
Gauze Row Covers:
These are effective to cover young plants and will protect the tender
plants from insects and from early frost, while allowing the sunshine
and rain to come through.
Traps and Sticky Traps:
These release a pheromone that attracts insects, thus moving the
problem away from your plants. Follow label directions for these
carefully since some can actually attract insects to certain plants
rather than repel them.
Natural Barriers:
It is pretty easy to use paper cups, buckets, plastic bags, etc.
as natural barriers. Just put the barrier over the plant all the
way down into about 2" of the soil. Another great idea is to
grow your plants in raised beds.
Natural and Chemical Products:
Products such as Hot Pepper Wax or a fatty acid soap are effective
as long as you do not let them get diluted by time or weather. These
products are easy to apply and are relatively safe to use around
children and pets.
Animals:
Rabbits, deer, raccoons, gophers, moles, cats, dogs, skunks, birds
and squirrels are cute until they start destroying your ornamental
and edible plants.
Fence, Wiring or Netting:
These are easy to use, long lasting and very effective in controlling
pests. The only problem you may encounter is that of aesthetics.
Plants:
Plants that omit and odor or have a taste that pests do not like
can be effective to an extent. Ask us about a list of plants that
may deter pests.
Mechanical Controls:
These are gaining popularity again. These include electric eye sprinklers,
rotating owl heads, pie pans hanging from string, scarecrows, dogs
and other distracting devices. You will want to move these on a
regular basis since animals will learn where the devices are and
try other routes.
Cages, Wire, Fence & Chicken Wire:
These will all be effective against moles, gophers and certain animals
that live above ground, but burrow for food. Bury these deep enough
into the ground so the animals will not go under them, and so the
openings are small enough to keep the animals away.
