When you see pest problems, your first thought may be to spray a pesticide, but there are simpler, safer alternatives. Fence your garden or plants against rodents and deer, or set catch-and-release traps for small, furry troublemakers. Include impatiens and coleus, which rabbits don’t like, in your garden. Inspect your plants often and carefully. Early morning is the best inspection time, because insects will be sluggish and easy to catch. Knock aphids and other small insects off stems and leaves with a blast of water from a hose. Pick off and dispose of egg masses on leaf undersides. Sprinkle gritty diatomaceous earth, a commercial product made of ground crustaceans, on leaves and the ground to discourage a broad range of pests from slugs to ants.
If infestations are large enough to warrant spraying, identify the pest and buy the appropriate product. Read the label to find out if the plant and the pest are listed, to learn how to spray safely, and when in the creature’s life cycle the product will be most effective.
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Pesticides are not the only way to keep away garden pests, fences and traps can provide adequate protection.
