Making your yard insect-free requires proactivity and caution when using chemicals.
Having an insect-free yard not only makes spending time there more comfortable, but also prevents pest infestations that can destroy your foliage. To accomplish this feat use a combination of chemical and manual methods to rid existing plants of bugs and carefully examine new plants before you add them. In addition, growing plants such as parsley and Queen Anne's lace actually draws beneficial insects, including bees and butterflies, which feed on unwanted insects in your yard. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Apply an insecticide to plants in your yard. Make sure the product label lists the type of plants you plan to treat and choose a product that specifically kills both the insect you are targeting and the stage of that insect. Some insecticides, for example, target adult pests while others work on larvae. Explore less-toxic pesticide options, such as botanical, mineral-based and microbial pesticides, as well as synthetic organic products such as soaps or oils, which are better for the environment. Follow the label directions of any insecticide you use to prevent damage to plants.
2. Inspect your plants regularly and spray down infested ones using a garden hose, or simply pick off visible insects by hand. Cut off parts of plants that have been destroyed by insects to help remaining foliage survive and grow.
3. Check that nursery starter plants are free of pests before planting them in your yard. Ask your local nursery workers which garden plant varieties are resistant to pests in your particular area.
4. Change the location of your annuals each year to disturb the life cycles of pests in your yard. Get rid of the residue of plants you previously removed so that pests do not overwinter in it.
5. Take a sample of your soil to a local count extension office for testing. Follow the recommendations of your soil test results when adding amendments and managing the pH level. Healthy soil leads to healthy plants, which are better able to resist insects.
6. Monitor the amount of water you give plants. Too much or too little can make plants susceptible to insects. Also, remove rocks and debris from your yard, as these provide hiding and breeding places for insects.
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