Spring is here, and summer is on the horizon. That means flowering plants are blooming, and gardens are growing back. It also means pests. Pests are the gardeners worst nightmare, whether its deer destroying that sapling you just planted, groundhogs digging up your garden beds, or aphids ravaging your roses.
Whenever pests pop up, it’s best to take immediate action regarding pest control. Pests can destroy your plants, and spread throughout your property. However, there are many who don’t want to buy poison, like roundup, and dump it on their lawn or garden beds, so instead, you turn to organic and natural garden pest control options like natural pesticides.
Organic pest control is a great way to prevent or stop pests from eating up your garden. It is usually a more targeted process, and different approaches can be used depending on the plant and pest. Plus, organic pest control products won’t harm you, pollute your yard with toxic chemicals, or harm the natural biodiversity of organisms in your soil, and around your garden. In this article, we will discuss some organic and natural garden pest control methods.
What if I told you that simply adding some plants to your garden beds can deter pests? Some plants have strong scents that naturally ward off natural garden pests, and mask the more desirable scents of other plants in your garden. The following pest-repelling plants are most effective if they are planted nearby the plants you want to protect, or they can be potted and moved around when you need them.
Who doesn’t love fresh basil? Basil repels aphids, flies, and mosquitoes. Plant it near any of your plants that regularly get eaten up by these natural pests in the garden, and watch it work its magic.
Bay leaf is a common insect repellent. You can plant it in your garden to keep many kinds of pests at bay, or you can buy dried bay leaf at the store, and spread it throughout your garden.
Rosemary is an evergreen, aromatic plant that most garden bugs tend to avoid. It is an effective companion plant for keeping natural garden pests like snails, slugs, carrot fly, and mosquitoes away.
Thyme is a perennial, low-growing herb that is commonly used in cooking. It can be easily planted in the garden or in walkways to repel tomato hornworms, whiteflies, and earworm. It is particularly effective if planted in walkways where its leaves can be bruised, and it can give off more of its insect-repelling fragrance.
Catnip is known for cats love of the plant. Its leaves can be brewed into tea for human consumption, and it is an effective repellent for insect pests like mosquitoes. Catnip spreads easily, so plant it with room for it to spread, so that it does not encroach on other plants in your garden, or plant it in a pot.
Plants in the allium genus like chives, onions, and garlic aren’t just good to eat, they are also effective insect and rabbit repellents. If you’re looking to keep Japanese Beetles away in particular, plant them near your eggplants, beans, cucumbers, potatoes, roses, strawberries, or tomatoes.
Lavender is an aromatic herb with beautiful purple flowers, and a delightful scent. Luckily, many garden bugs don’t like the smell of lavender like we do. Lavender keeps mosquitoes, fleas, moths, and other insects away. You can also use a spray bottle to apply lavender oil.
Spearmint can be planted along the perimeter of your garden to keep natural garden pests, like soil-dwelling pests, such as spiders, aphids, and rodents away. Spearmint is an invasive plant, and spreads very quickly like catnip. So, you may want to plant it in pots around your garden to avoid it choking the other plants in your garden.
Marigolds are the organic gardeners dream, known for their ability to squash bugs. Not only do they have beautiful flowers, but they are common companion plants to squash and tomatoes. Planting marigolds between your tomatoes and other plants will repel nematodes with a scent they release in their roots. Also, their scent repels many insects along with deer and rabbits.
While most insects stay away from marigolds, they sometimes attract spiders and snails. So, if either of these animals are your biggest pest problem, it may be best to avoid using marigolds in your garden.
Who said you can’t fight fire with fire? But seriously, adding a natural predator like beneficial insects to the mix can seriously help your natural garden pest issue. Pest-repelling insects, also known as beneficial insects, are insects that prey on pests or their larvae, they can be lured to your garden beds, or purchased at a store. Also, if you’re worried about beneficial insects hurting your garden beds after the garden pests are gone, you won’t have a problem with these insects:
Not just fun to look at, the lady bug eats mites, aphids, whiteflies, and scale. To attract them, plant yarrow, tansy, and members of the daisy family, and watch your natural garden pests disappear. You can also buy lady bugs in online catalogues.
Not as widely known as the lady bug, but still recognizable, lacewings are bright green beneficial insects with large white, “laced” wings like a cobweb or doily. Lacewings love to eat aphids, and their larvae do too, along with other insects. They can be attracted by planting composite flowers like asters, golden rod, black-eyed susans, and yarrow, or purchased online.
Bay plants, with their aromatic leaves used in cooking and medicine, are susceptible to several insect pests Left uncontrolled, these pests can cause major damage Preventing infestations is key to keeping your bay plants healthy and productive. This guide covers the most common bay plant pests, ways to prevent them, and effective control methods when infestations occur.
The Most Common Bay Plant Pests
Several insects target bay plants, including
Spider Mites
Tiny spider mites suck sap from leaves, causing stippling, yellowing, and leaf drop. They thrive in hot, dry conditions. Look for webbing on leaf undersides.
Scale Insects
Scale insects attach to stems and leaves, sucking sap. They stunt growth and cause yellowing, leaf drop, and honeydew secretions that attract ants and sooty mold.
Mealybugs
These soft-bodied insects cluster on stems and leaves, feeding on sap. They cause yellowing, leaf drop, and honeydew secretions.
Whiteflies
Sap-sucking whiteflies cause sticky honeydew buildup, sooty mold, leaf curling, and yellowing. They fly up when disturbed.
Aphids
Green black white, or red sap-sucking aphids cluster on stems and leaves. They transmit plant viruses. Honeydew secretions promote sooty mold.
Thrips
Tiny thrips rasp and feed on leaves, causing silver-gray scarring. They spread viruses.
Boring Insects
Beetle larvae tunnel and feed inside branches and twigs, disrupting water and nutrient flow. Leaves wilt and branches die.
Preventing Bay Plant Pest Infestations
Prevention is the best approach against bay plant pests. Recommended practices include:
- Inspect plants frequently for early detection of pests.
- Plant in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Improve drainage if needed.
- Water 1-2 times per week during dry periods to maintain vigorous growth.
- Prune regularly to open the canopy for air circulation.
- Remove and destroy fallen leaves and debris.
- Avoid excess fertilization, which encourages pests.
- Use row covers as a physical barrier against insects.
- Wash off pests with a strong spray of water.
- Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings.
Control Methods for Existing Bay Plant Pest Infestations
If prevention fails, act quickly when pests are found:
Biological Controls
- Release predatory beneficial insects that eat pests. Lacewings, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps are options.
Natural Pesticides
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Insecticidal soaps, neem oil, and horticultural oils smother soft-bodied insects. Avoid pollinators.
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Diatomaceous earth abrades the protective shells of insects. Avoid inhaling it.
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Garlic and hot pepper sprays deter feeding. Reapply after rain.
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Remove heavily infested leaves.
Chemical Pesticides
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Insecticides specifically for edible bay plants may be needed for heavy infestations.
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Systemic insecticides are taken up by plants and make leaves/stems toxic to insects. Use as a last resort.
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Follow all label directions carefully for effective and safe use.
Physical Removal
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Prune out borer-infested branches.
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Handpick and remove visible pests. Use a soft brush to dislodge them from leaves.
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Use strong sprays of water to wash off pests.
With diligent prevention practices and prompt control measures when pests strike, you can keep your bay plants healthy and productive. Consistent monitoring, cultural care, and integrated pest management are key.
Pest-Repelling Traps and Barriers
Pest control options extend beyond planting repellent plants, and using essential oils. There are other garden pest control methods like traps and barriers that protect your plants and vegetable garden, or lure pests in and kill them.
Yellow flypaper attracts and squash bugs like aphids and white flies. Yellow flypaper can be purchased in stores or online. You can also make it yourself by using yellow boards, or cutting strips of heavy yellow paper, and coating them with a sticky substance.
Cabbage moth larvae can kill the sprouts of cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower (Brassilica family). Barrier paper prevents the cabbage moth from laying eggs at the base of the young sprout. Simply save waxed cardboard from your milk carton, cut into 2 inch squares, slit one side to the center, and slide the square over the seedling. This will prevent moths from being able to lay any eggs if you do this early enough (before the cabbage moth gets there) to protect young seedlings.
Pheromones are mating scents that attract insect pests. Pheromone traps contain the scents of the insects you want to trap, and are covered with a sticky substance to trap the insects. They should be placed on the perimeter of your garden, so as not to attract pests into the garden itself. They can be found online, or at some garden centers.
A cloche is a small, transparent cover that can be placed directly over seedlings. They act as a barrier to keep pests out while the plants are still young, small, and vulnerable. Cloches must be removed to water, and on especially hot days. They allow younger plants to establish themselves, and stay healthy, giving them an advantage, and a natural resistance to pests once the cloche is removed.
Floating row covers are a semi-translucent fabric that is placed over a row of plants. It is commonly used in farming. Water and sunlight can penetrate the cover, but they prevent pests from getting in. Also, because they are so lightweight, as the plants grow, they are pushed upwards without harming the crop. They need to be weighed down on the sides of the row, in order to prevent wind from carrying the lightweight material away.
Floating row covers are very effective at protecting young seedlings. Also, they are commonly used for over vegetable gardens through the growing season to prevent pests from laying eggs onto the plants.
If you have apples, you may be aware of the apple maggot, a type of fly that injects its eggs into apples for its larvae to hatch, and feast on the apple. Apple maggot traps are red sphere-shaped traps, coated with tanglefoot. Females trying to lay eggs get caught in the trap, and die. One trap should be placed per about 100 apples on a tree.
Canola Oil and Liquid Soap
Mixing one tablespoon of canola oil with a few drops of liquid soap in a quart of water is an effective repellent against soft-bodied insects like aphids, mites, and mealy bugs. Shake up the mixture, pour it into a spray bottle, and spray the plant from above downward to get the topside of the plant leaves, and from underneath up to get the underside. This mixture will squash bugs by smothering the insect pests, and leaving your plants unharmed.
Neem oil is an extract from the neem tree, a tropical tree. Neem oil is nontoxic to humans and pets; however, it is an effective natural repellent to pests like the Japanese Beetle. So, if you have infested plants covered with Japanese Beetles, or other common garden insect pests, try spraying them with neem oil to stop them from spreading and mating, and producing more Japanese Beetle grubs and Japanese Beetle larvae.
While this one is a bit more expensive than other repellent options, it is an effective repellent against pests of the larger variety. Installing an electric fence around the perimeter of your garden will keep deer, raccoons, rabbits, bears, and other animals away from your garden.
There are different varieties of plants that you can choose based on their resistance to disease and pests.
7 Pests You Probably Have In Your Garden (And What To Do)
FAQ
What are the pests in the bay leaf plant?
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