The Best Pest Control for Gardens and Outdoor Spaces

Pest Control for Gardens

If you are hoping to watch your garden grow and flourish with vibrant plants and healthy vegetables, you will want to avoid pests at all costs. There’s nothing more frustrating than caring tenderly for your garden and waking up to find a bunch of insects and rodents have eaten up your hard work! While they are munching their way through your plants, you have lost a lot of time and money you cannot get back. This is precisely why finding the right pest control for gardens and other outdoor spaces is necessary to keep your green space clear and full of life.

From insecticides to herbicides, there is an option for everyone. If you have multiple pests, certain pesticides will solve the issue, while others can be pest-specific. We’re here to help you figure out which solution is best for you.

Common Pests You’ll Find in Your Garden

Before we decide which pest control for gardens is right for you, we need to identify which pests you are likely to encounter in your garden and other outdoor spaces.

Aphids

Aphids are tiny, soft-bodied insects resembling a small, pear shape, often yellow or white, although they can be found in red or black shades. Aphids typically prefer fruit trees but can be found amongst various plant leaves, so it is important to keep an eye out for them.

Caterpillars

Often found in vibrant colors, caterpillars are the larval stage of butterflies. This makes it tricky to deal with as your garden needs butterflies for pollination. By regularly checking your plants, you could relocate them somewhere that will not affect your garden, allowing them to evolve in peace.

Slugs

Slugs are small, slimy insects that look similar to worms but have little antennae on their heads. Unfortunately, they can be killer to your plants and must be dealt with as soon as you have spotted them. Traditionally salt has worked, but there are other ways to remove them permanently.

Mealybugs

Small, cotton-like insects like mealybugs adore tree sap and spend most of their lives sap-sucking. They feed on plant juices and are major disease-spreaders across various plant species. Therefore, you need to eliminate mealybugs as soon as possible.

Flea Beetles

Flea beetles are very small, dark gray or black beetles with a red marking on their head that characteristically hop away like fleas when threatened. They adore eating vegetables and small plants, which is precisely why you will need strong pest control to get rid of them.

Rodents

Rodents such as rabbits, mice and rats can multiply very quickly and cause an infestation in your garden before your eyes. To get ahead of this, you can use preventative measures like a peppermint oil solution to spray all over your plants as a deterrent.

Different Types of Pest Control for Your Garden

While there and many forms of pest control you can use for your garden, they typically come in three variants. These are insecticides, pesticides and herbicides, all designed to eliminate pests and plant-based diseases. Despite their same intentions, they have different uses, so it is worth learning the differences between them to help you make the most informed decision for your garden’s protection.

Insecticides

Insecticides are a type of pest control for gardens designed to target and kill insect pests specifically. They are a type of pesticide and usually come in the form of instant-effect products, such as ant killer, wasp killer and snail bait. Insecticide sprays are made to target and eliminate a wide range of insects at once, and some of them can work as a pesticide, too. Insecticides are also very effective at destroying larvae before they grow into adult insects, therefore wiping out the issue before it begins.

Pesticides

While similar to insecticides, pesticides are typically used to control and repel insects, weeds, bacteria and plant diseases. These chemicals work by ingestion or touch, occurring over time or on occasion, with immediate effect. This is all down to the level of the pesticide’s concentration levels and water ratio. Pesticides are often used as a repelling measure and work best in conjunction with insecticides to eliminate all pest issues.

Herbicides

Herbicides kill undesirable plants such as weeds and fungus. Certain herbicides will wipe out any plant it touches, so you must choose one that targets the plants you want to eliminate. Also known as weed killers, herbicides are designed to keep your beloved plants protected from invasive and unwanted plant species that could steal their nutrients or, worse, destroy them entirely.

The Best Pest Control for Your Garden

Monterey LG6135 Garden Insect Spray

You can use Monterey LG6135 Garden Insect Spray on a wide variety of outdoor plants, vegetables and turf. It’s extremely effective at controlling and killing pests such as caterpillars, beetles, moths and fruit flies. In addition, it is great at eliminating fire ants often found in your garden or other outdoor areas. The active ingredient in Monterey is spinosad, which quickly degrades into the soil after use. The USDA National Organic Program classifies it as an organic pest control substance.

Garden Safe HG-93179 Neem Oil Extract Concentrate

Garden Safe HG-93179 Neem Oil Extract Concentrate utilizes Neem Oil. This naturally occurring pesticide effectively eliminates pests feeding on your flowers, plants and vegetables. It combines the three pest-eradicating products in its chemical makeup and keeps your garden safe and protected from insects, plants and other pests. Garden Safe works as an insecticide, miticide and fungicide. It also controls various pests such as aphids, caterpillars, mealybugs, mites and beetles.

Southern Ag Natural Pyrethrin Concentrate

Southern Ag Natural Pyrethrin Concentrate is brilliantly versatile for pest control. It can be used to control and exterminate a wide range of pests in your garden. If you’re looking for a fast-acting solution that is safe for humans and animals, this is the right insecticide for you. The active ingredient in Southern Ag is 96% Pyrethrin, which is deadly to plant-eating pests, including beetles, caterpillars and aphids. You can also use it as a surface spray to eliminate flies, ants, spiders and mosquitoes in your home if needed.

When to Hire Professional Pest Control for Your Garden

Signs of a pest infestation include dead insects, holes in your plant leaves, anthills, fecal droppings or wasp nests, amongst other telltale signs. If you think you have seen signs of a pest infestation around your garden or outdoor space, it’s time to hire a pest control professional.