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How To Protect Your Garden From Pests During The Winter Months

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Humans are not the only ones who get to enjoy winter. Many garden pests and diseases also thrive during the winter months causing serious harm to our gardens. There are a variety of plants and flowers that can tolerate the cold weather but they often get infested by annoying insects. It is such a shame to allow these pests and diseases to destroy a garden that gives life to a home during dreary winter months. If you want to protect your garden during the winter and keep it healthy for the arrival of spring, then learning more about these pests and diseases and how to prevent them is your best solution.

Snails And Slugs

There are creatures that are able to survive the cold and snails and slugs are among them. They find shelter from the cold and remain dormant until the temperature rises a little. Though they may hide during the day, they come out at night in search for food when the weather is moist and cool. The best way to protect your garden from snails and slugs is by scattering crushed eggshells around your plants and flowers. You can also use copper tape around potted plants to keep these pests away as they avoid having their bellies come into contact with it. Another method is by applying salt or lime around the plants to effectively deter snails and slugs.

Root Rot

This is a common problem with plants during winter as it can make leaves turn yellow and plants wilt. If a plant is affected, it will be mushy and black, while the roots may fall off the plants. To get rid of root rot, simply take the plant and wash the roots, then trim the roots with a sharp scissor. Once clean and trimmed, you can replant it in a pot.

Aphids

Aphids are a common problem in gardens and they can infest plants throughout the year so you must always keep an eye out for them. They can survive the colder weather by overwintering on hedgerows and ornamental plants without being seen until ants begin to infest the plants as well. The best way to keep aphids off your garden is by picking them off by hand to prevent them from multiplying. Another pest that can infest your garden similar to aphids is the Cabbage White Butterfly that overwinters in gates and fences.

Cutworms, Carrot Fly, Onion Fly And Beet Leaf Miner

If you have vegetables growing during the winter then you must be cautious about a handful of pests thriving in your garden as they can overwinter in the soil. The beet leaf miner, carrot fly, cutworms and onion fly can seriously damage your vegetables and make your garden look poorly cared for. To get rid of these pests during the winter, you can dig up the soil and expose them to birds and the cold weather. To protect your garden from carrot fly larvae, you need to dig up all the roots and burn the roots that have been infested.

Caring for a garden during the cold weather can be a challenge, but it is essential if you are determined to have a healthy garden next season. Since pests are the primary concern in a garden, it is better that you consult with a professional to determine the best treatment for your garden.

Citations:
  • Photograph by: LittleJack.
Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/CO2iWc

Valerie Williams is a freelance writer specializing in gardening and natural forms of Preventive Pest Control in gardens. She also provides information about natural pest control methods during the winter months, how pests can affect plants and how beneficial plants and insects can help keep pests away.






Beauty And The Beasts: Care For Your Orchids By Getting Rid Of The Pests

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Orchids are beautiful and exotic blossoms that are very delicate to care for. There are about 20,000 pieces of orchid plants that are divided into over 700 genra and they are all a symbol of love and beauty. They are prized for their uniqueness, elegance and beauty, thus the reason for many gardening hobbyists to care for them. In fact, orchids are so exquisite that they are quite expensive too. Unfortunately, they are also victims of pest infestations which are a nuisance. The best way to deal with pests on your orchids is to prevent them from the very beginning.

 

Caring For Your Orchids

Orchids are just like any plants that can be infested by pests and diseases. To prevent this from happening you must first be very observant and make a habit of inspecting your plants regularly. When you are vigilant about it, you can avoid having to deal with pests or diseases in the long run. It is also a good idea to sterilize your gardening tools before you work on your orchids and invest in new one sided razor blades for cutting. Never use a blade on an infected plant and then on a healthy one. Knowing what type of pest can infest orchids is also necessary so you can apply the proper treatments.

Identify Pests That May Be Infesting Your Flowers

When you learn to identify the different types of pests that can infest orchids, you will find it easier to care for these beauties. Here are a few common pests that infest different varieties of orchids:

Aphids

This is a common pest found in a variety of plants and they can be easily distinguished by their black, orange, pink, red, yellow or beige colors. Aphids are normally seen on flower buds, new leaves and shoots feeding on the plant. Sadly, these pests can deform orchids and infect them with virus and bacteria, but hey can be washed off with water or you can spray them with orange oil or isopropyl alcohol.

Scale

Scale is a pest with a hard shell to protect the soft hidden body from danger, making it more difficult to eliminate it with alcohol or other natural remedies. If you look on the underside of leaves or on the edge or bracts of leaves, you will find this pest feeding. Getting rid of it can be tiresome, but with plenty of patience, you can simply pick them off your orchids. When you remove this pest from your plants, you can expect your orchids to become healthy.

Slugs

These are also common orchid pests and they can do serious damage to your expensive plants from the roots all the way to the flowers. You can easily find them at night hiding under flower pots and in cool damp places. However, you can eliminate slugs by simply placing a few broken egg shells around your orchids as these shells can cut through slugs.

Mealy Bug

Resembling cotton masses, this pest can be found hiding on the growing tips, stems, bracts and buds.  Usually, they can be seen together with aphids. Unfortunately this pest is quite difficult to eliminate as repeated treatments are necessary.

Orchids are indeed one of a kind and extensive care is recommended for these exquisite plants. If you think that the pests you find infesting your garden and orchids seem to be great in number, you must consult with a pest control professional to get rid of the tiny beasts to save your beauties.

Citations:
  • Photograph by: greenfinger.
Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/S9b1DL

Valerie Williams is a freelance writer specializing in gardening and natural forms of pest control in gardens. She also provides information about natural pest control methods in homes and in the garden, how pests can affect plants such as orchids and how the services of Las Vegas Ant Control professionals from help treat severe infestations.

Homemade Pest Control Solutions for Garden Pests

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There are different kinds of insects and bugs that can destroy your precious garden. Some of these insects and bugs can even be hazardous to your family’s health. Whether you find mosquitoes and flies in your backyard, or leaf-eating caterpillar and aphids in your garden, pest infestation is always a nuisance. For this reason, a lot of homeowners are taking into consideration different pest control solutions to address the problem.

If you are bothered and alarmed by the presence of harmful insects and bugs in your home and garden, you probably have considered using chemical pesticides to immediately take care of the problem, but before you apply that chemical bug spray, you must first consider that chemical pesticide toxicity can endanger your and your family’s health. Long-term exposure to the toxicity of such pesticides can increase the risk of developing liver and nerve damage, reproductive disorders, and tumors. Fortunately, there are natural pest control solutions that you can take advantage of. Organic method of eliminating pest is an excellent alternative to poisonous pesticides because natural products are safe to use around people, pets, and plants.

Homemade Concoctions For Pests In The Garden

Natural pest control solutions are very beneficial for many homeowners since it is less expensive as compared to buying and applying chemical pesticides. It is also safer for your garden, family, pets, and the environment. To promote a greener environment at home that is free from harmful insects and bugs, you can consider making some of these homemade concoctions for the following insects:

Soft-bodied Insects: Mites, Aphids, Mealy bugs, and Earwigs

If you have these insects in your garden, you can drive them away by mixing one tablespoon of canola oil and a few drops of ivory soap into a quart of water. Mix them well and pour it into a spray bottle. Use the mixture on plants since the oil will smother the insects. Another natural pest control solution is to sprinkle diatomaceous earth over the plants and around the edges of your garden beds. The diatoms have particles that are very small and sharp, but it is only harmful to soft-bodied insects and small exoskeletons of insects. The insects won’t develop immunity to such natural pest control solution since it is not a chemical pesticide.

Slugs and Deer

To drive slugs and deer out of your garden using natural remedies, you can use coffee grounds. Coffee grounds add nitrogen to the soil; thus, it promotes the acidity for acid loving plants. You can make caffeine spray which consists of different natural herbs including: yarrow, thyme, lavender, tansy, pennyroyal, rue, catnip and Artemisia. Get a cup of the herbal mixture and mix it with two tablespoons of used coffee grounds and two cups of water. Marinate the mixture for at least a day before straining and pouring it into a spray bottle.

Grubs

For this type of insect, you can use the natural pest control known as milky spore. The granules of this pest control are spread on the soil which will then infect the grubs with a disease that will kill them. This natural pest control will only affect grubs; thus, it is safe for beneficial insects and pets.

Leaf-eating caterpillars

This type of insect can eat away your garden’s healthy leaves. You can easily remove caterpillars manually from your garden. You can pluck them straight off the vine and put them in another area of the yard- away from your garden. You can also eliminate them through insecticidal soap or caffeine spray. To make an insecticidal soap, you have to mix one tablespoon of biodegradable, plant-based liquid soap, and a quart of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray insects and bugs as needed. The soap can lead to the dehydration and extermination of soft-bodied insects.

Before using any of the solutions, you must be aware that some of the natural pest control solutions mentioned above may also kill beneficial insects. For this reason, you have to use these homemade concoctions selectively, and only spray on infected plants.

Kris Lim is a writer for home and garden websites where she offers tips and advice on how to improve gardens. She also occasionally writes Rove Pest Control reviews for the professional pest control company.

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