Garden Pests Come in Many Vile Forms Articles | Garden Information Center

If us gardeners didn't have to worry about those pesky pests, we would be charmed indeed. As little and insignificant as they may seem to the casual observer, the avid gardener knows better than to take their threat lightly.

Just as keeping a watchful eye over our own cleanliness and health will keep us in good condition, so too will our plants remain healthy through garden cleanliness and a watchful eye.

The good news is that we're not alone in our fight. Numerous animals and creatures abound whose mission it is to feed upon these garden devouring beasts, and attracting these creatures, or at least doing nothing to make them want to avoid your garden can help thin the ranks of the pest soldiers in opposition to your garden. Birds are a common foe of pests, and these include sparrows, robins, orioles and meadow larks among others. Ladybugs and toads are also known to wipe out a few pests throughout their daily routine.

A good way to attract birds is of course through the use of a birdhouse. Any device that retains water may also be used to attract them, whether it be an actual water-place or not. Toads prefer shady and damp places, so you can go out of your way to prepare a small corner for them if you like, by placing a few rocks and some damp leaves around to make them feel right at home.

Insects typically harm plants by one of two ways, either through gnawing on the plant and actually taking chunks of it into its system, or by sucking juices off the leaves of the plant. The first group is composed of insects like grasshoppers and caterpillars, while the second is composed of things like mosquitoes and plant lice.

The first group can be taken out by spraying your plants with poison, which they then take into their systems when they carelessly eat your poisoned plants. What are they thinking? Well, no one said insects were the brightest creatures in the world.

For that second group, a more direct attack is called for. Insecticides can be used which will attack and kill the insect through direct contact.

Another common garden pest is slugs. Slugs will go after both flower and vegetable patches without prejudice. They like to lay their eggs in old piles of rubbish, which brings the cleanliness of our gardens into play. Slugs can be difficult to root out, as they hide under the surface during the day. If you think you may have a slug infestation, you can try pouring some lime water throughout your garden patch during the day. If you have slugs they will likely be hiding out right in your garden patch or very near to it, so this will bring them up to the surface if this is the case.

In addition to these common varieties of pests, specific plants may also have specific pests. Rose bushes, potatoes, cabbages and much more all come with little hidden horrors who like to terrorize them, so you may want to look up possible enemies of your particular plants and how you can deal with them. FYI the umbrella plant Schefflera has few insect problems.

Keeping your garden clean and healthy and inviting other friendly creatures to your leafy abode will surely help you in your fight against pests in the future.