The most time-saving way to control pests is to let nature do the work for you. Many birds, frogs, toads and hedgehogs eat pests. Also, there are insect predators that are your friends when it comes to natural pest control. These include ladybugs, hoverflies, lacewing flies and ground beetles.
Encourage these creatures to live and flourish in your garden by providing a friendly habitat for them. Beetles and other ground-living insects like long grass, so it is worth having a meadow area, however small. Leave some stones and pieces of wood on the ground for a daytime hiding place.
Ladybugs hibernate in dry crevices or on leaves and stems of dead herbaceous perennials, so do not cut these down until early spring. If you have to burn garden trimmings and debris, shake the stems out first to dislodge any hiding ladybugs. You can even buy "lures" which are impregnated with a pheromone that attracts ladybugs and other aphid-eaters.
Hoverflies hone in on flowers full of nectar. They also love carrot flowers, so if you have any carrots past their best for eating, plant them instead. They produce heads of white flowers on tall stems.
So instead of resorting to potentially harmful chemicals to control pests, consider enlisting the help of animals and insects.
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Encourage hoverflies to visit your garden to help control unwanted pests.
