Organic Pest Control Tips for Your Home, Lawn & Garden
More often than not, homeowners think their only option to deter or eliminate pests is with store-bought pesticides packed full of harmful chemicals. While these pest treatments can be effective, they won’t last. So before you go busting out your bug bombs and sprays once again, potentially threatening the health of you, your family and pets, read this blog! We have a few ways you can treat pests inside and outside of your home in a safe and organic way. We know the value of organic pest control, and want to demonstrate different techniques for controlling pests in your home, lawn and garden naturally, and in a way that benefits the environment. Sure, these methods may take a little more time, but you’re bound to see long-lasting results. The future of pest control is organic, and we’re happy to be a part of it. If you struggle with pests, join us below for a few environment-friendly indoor and outdoor pest control techniques.
Tip #1: Use Essential Oils To Keep Pests Out of Your Home
While essential oils are useful for fighting mold, they are quite beneficial for pest control, too! The high concentration of specific oils are known to deter common pests such as ants, fleas, flies, mosquitoes and spiders. Here are some oils, and oil mixes, to spray or diffuse in areas of your home that are affected by pests:
Peppermint, Spearmint and Patchouli Oil
These oils, or a combination of the three, are known to deter ants. We actually know first-hand how successful peppermint can be for deterring ants! A customer of ours had ants crawling into her home from underneath her baseboards. Thankfully, she had peppermint oil and used a few drops to cover the floor where the ants were invading. By the time she got home later that day, ants were nowhere to be found!
Peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender and Lemongrass Oil
Each of these oils are used for fighting fleas. What’s even more, they are safe to use on pets! If you notice your furry friends are itching and scratching, try massaging these oils into their fur to get rid of fleas. Maybe you didn’t notice your pet has fleas, and now they’re in your home. Try treating affected areas with these oils, and call a pest removal specialist to make sure your home isn’t infested!
Lavender, Rosemary, Peppermint, Sage and Patchouli Oil
If flies are an issue, these five oils should help! While you could spray these oils, we suggest diffusing them around your home to minimize the number of flies.
Juniper Berry, Lavender, Lemongrass and Patchouli Oil
Summer is on its way, and with it comes mosquitoes. Keep your home mosquito-free by diffusing these oils, or an oil blend, around your home. You can use a diffuser just about anywhere, so consider placing one on your porch or patio to enjoy summer nights without mosquito bites.
Peppermint and Spearmint Oil
Spiders outside are one thing. However, spiders inside? Forget about it! Use peppermint and spearmint oils to deter spiders from your home. Keep an eye on the corners of your rooms to see where these oils will be most effective. Essential oils can be useful for your home and health—plus, they’re safe to use around children and pets!
Tip #2: Attract Beneficial Bugs to Your Lawn and Garden
If you’ve been following our blogs, then you already know the difference beneficial insects like ladybugs can make! Insects like praying mantis, lacewings, soldier beetles and more are known to be predatory bugs that eat lawn-threatening pests like aphids, caterpillars and slugs. While you can purchase these “beneficials” in bulk, it may be easier (and potentially free) to attract them to your yard on your own! Be sure that these bugs have enough sugary-sweet pollen to eat and water to drink. If they’re happy in your yard, they’ll stick around and lay their eggs. More often than not, the larvae of these beneficials are actually doing all the hard, pest-eating work, so you want to keep them around! Plants like fennel, dill and coriander are known to attract beneficials, so consider planting these around your yard or garden. Also, educate yourself on what these beneficial insects (and their larvae) look like. You don’t want to be deterring or harming the good guys! Inviting these beneficial pest predators to your yard is called “permaculture”. You are essentially creating your own little ecosystem! This is a fun, safe and environment-friendly way to control pests in your lawn and garden.
Tip #3: Consider Companion Planting in Your Garden
Another fantastic way to deter pests from your lawn and garden is with companion planting. Companion planting is the process of using specific plants that either attract beneficials or deter pests, that also help your other plants grow! Here are a few companion plants you may want to add to your yard:
Calendula
These flowers are beautiful and last throughout the majority of the year. They are known to deter certain soil nematodes and asparagus beetles, and their pollen will help attract beneficials!
Borage flowers
Borage flowers are known to companion well with tomato and strawberry plants, since they deter tomato hornworms. They also attract pollinators, so consider planting these near your melons, cucumbers and squash too. Deer will also steer clear of borage flowers!
Chamomile
Not only can you use this herb to make a delicious cup of tea, but you can also use it to attract beneficials such as hoverflies and parasitic wasps. For more ways to maximize garden space and deter pests from your flowers, fruits and vegetables, take a look at this companion planting guide.
Tip #4: Place Pest-Deterring Plants Around Your Yard
Not surprisingly, herbs like lavender and peppermint that produce pest-fighting oils are known to deter pests. Their strong scents will deter harmful insects as well as wildlife like squirrels. More plants that are known to deter pests are:
- Basil
- Lemon balm
- Fennel
- Dill
- Thyme
- Petunias
- Marigolds
- Alliums
- Chrysanthemums
These plants and herbs will not only keep pests such as aphids, Japanese beetles, mosquitoes and more crawling, but they will also add unique elements to your yard or garden—and attract beneficials! When adding plants to your yard or garden, we suggest creating a planting strategy. Be aware of which pests certain plants may attract, and surround those plants with ones that will make pests steer clear. And as always, make sure the plants you choose will thrive in the area they are planted! Be cautious of plants that need more or less sun than others, and don’t overcrowd. Using pest-deterring plants won’t be nearly as effective if the plants don’t have room to grow!
Other Organic Techniques to Try
Here are a few more eco-friendly techniques to try in your lawn or garden!
Line Your Garden with Copper Wire
If snails and slugs are an issue, consider lining your garden with copper wiring. The wiring won’t kill the snails or slugs, but it will give them a bit of a shock and remind them to glide on somewhere else.
Hand-Pick Larger Pests
If shocking slugs isn’t your go-to, you can always hand-pick these pests off of your plants. Slugs and snails are known to munch on plants, especially if there are new, tender leaves within reach. They’re also known to eat fruits and vegetables, so regularly inspect your plants for slug damage. As gross and slimy as it may be, remove any slugs or snails you find to ensure the safety of your lawn and garden.
Cover Your Plants in Protective Netting
During peak pest seasons, use hooped netting to cover your plants. That way, your plants still receive the water and sunlight they need, but stand less of a chance of being infested by pests.
Take Advantage of Killingsworth’s Organic Pest Control
When it comes to organic pest control, trust the experts at Killingsworth! Not only have we implemented natural products into our pest control services, but for our home and lawn services as well. We know how concerning it can be to use harsh chemicals around your home to fight pests. We never want this to be a concern for you when using our environmental pest control services!
Schedule a free inspection with us today!
