4 Easy Ways to Keep Bugs and Pests Out of The Garden

A garden is a labor of love, even if it's just a couple of containers on a balcony. It takes time, attention and love. And normally it pays us back 3 fold with beauty, fruit and a sense of having created something lovely. So when snails, slugs or aphids start attacking, here are 5 natural repellents to keep your garden happy and healthy:

1. Marigolds: Certain plants actually deter insects and pests from the rest of your garden. As the blog LA in Bloom documented, a row of marigolds can help keep a vegetable garden safe.

2. Soapy Water: If you're having an aphid outbreak, cut off the leaves that are the most consumed and then spray the remaining leaves (of a rose for instance) with soapy water. Aphids don't like the soapiness and it won't hurt the plant.

3. Beer: If snails are your problem there's the dirty work of picking off the ones you see. But at night put out saucers of beer. The snails will be drawn to it but they won't make it past the saucer and onto the plant.

4. Ladybugs: Lots of nurseries sell packs of ladybugs that you can release into your garden. They'll eat up a bunch of the offenders and give you something to ooh and ahhh over.

(Images: Hollenback Community Garden, LA in Bloom, Cosmetic Market and Xylem Scientific.)

Comments (7)

Good ideas. I somehow manage to get aphids that attack anything and everthing, including marigolds.
You really have to catch the aphids right away or even the soapy water trick won't work.

posted by lbc on August 18th 2009 at 3:21pm
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lbc, try ladybugs on the aphids, we had an infestation in my condo complex across four patio gardens, and eradicated them with one purchase.

posted by casafroggy on August 18th 2009 at 4:15pm
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any idea for squirrels? i just had one steal my first red tomato...

posted by popkissed on August 18th 2009 at 4:55pm
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I've heard if you buy ladybugs, to release them around sunset - they lay eggs and reproduce at night. You'll have a better chance of them sticking around for good.

posted by nlzee on August 18th 2009 at 5:04pm
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Popkissed, if you don't have a dog, have a friend with a dog come over and let the dog mark your yard so critters no there is a predator in the area and they will usually stear clear.

posted by Seaside on August 18th 2009 at 10:43pm
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used coffee grounds worked great for slugs too.

posted by poweredbytofu on August 19th 2009 at 12:34am
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Thanks, I will try the ladybugs when I put out my marigolds for Dia de los Muestos.

posted by lbc on August 19th 2009 at 3:56pm
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