There are many insects which will cause harm to your garden. Pests like spider mites will cause yellow leaves and ruin your foliage. Aphids attack by eating and spreading viruses to your whole garden. It can feel like a hassle trying to get these under control. But it is important to note that not all insects are harmful. Your garden can benefit greatly from the introduction of certain insects designated as "beneficial insects" whose job is to drive out pests in a variety of ways. In the following article we will be breaking down the different types of beneficial insects and all the great things they do for our gardens.
Beneficial Predators
Spiders, flies and ladybugs are all predators of pesky bugs like aphids. When you see spiders crawling
around your garden, resist the urge to squish! These leggy friends are here to gobble up anybody that would try to hurt your garden. Ladybugs are the more friendly-face version of a beneficial predator, and available for purchase at Garden Spot Nursery. Kept refrigerated until purchase, your ladybugs remain dormant. Simply bring them home and release in your garden to reap the benefits. Water beforehand and release directly onto infected plants. Your kids will love watching them crawl around with their bright red wing shells, and you can appreciate the peace of mind.
Parasitic Insects
Parasitic insects are more devious with their intervention. These will lay their eggs inside of other insects or eggs. This causes the pests to mummify and die, driving down the population. Parasitic intervention is a favorite tactic of certain non-stinging wasps. Although they may seem scary, wasps can do a lot of good
for your garden between pollination and pest control. Beneficial nematodes are another helpful parasite, and we have these available for you as well. Small but fierce, these microscopic soil-dwellers will hunt hundreds of pests and eradicate any threat to your garden. Nematodes should be mixed with water for application. Spread in the morning when the sun is low for best results.
Pollinators
Of course we are going to talk about our bee friends. One of the best things for your garden is lots of helpful pollinators to fertilize your crops and help them bear fruit. Aside from the scientific benefits of pollinators, they also create intrigue and bring life to your garden. Imagine looking out your window and watching the butterflies dance through your flowers as they enrich the flora and keep pests at bay. A great way to bring the to your yard is by filling it with gorgeous flowers like zinnias, verbena, and edible borage. Help the pollinators and they will help you.
Non-Insect Beneficial Animals
Don't forget about birds and bats! These are great assets to keeping your garden pest-free, and way easier to spot! Building bird and bat houses can be a fun kid-friendly activity and great way to attract them to your yard. Bird feeders are great, but be careful about offering your birds too much of scraps like bread crusts, as it provides little nutritional value to them and can be harmful in the long run. Stick to things like nuts and seeds, remembering that there are many different types of feeder and food for many different types of birds!
We hope that you will make use of these great natural pest control methods. As always, if you have questions regarding what you've read here, feel free to leave a comment below, give us a call, or stop by. We are happy to help with any of your pest control problems.
Check out Garden Spot Nursery's new online class series, Garden Basics. Join us as we revive our regular Saturday classes in a virtual format. Each week one of our staff members will focus on a specialized topic in the world of gardening, house plants, container design and beyond! We hope you will provide your input via our comments and suggestion box.