7 Simple Strategies to Prevent Garden Pests

, written by Benedict Vanheems gb flag

Purple pak choi

Pests are a common challenge but that doesn’t mean they need to gain the upper hand. In fact, in most cases there are ways to prevent your crops from getting infested in the first place.

Here, then, are seven simple, savvy strategies to help you prevent garden pests.

1. Grow Resistant Varieties

Our first strategy is to make life easier for yourself by selecting varieties that are known to have some resistance to common pests. Spend a little time researching seed catalogs for suitable varieties to reduce pest problems later on. Look out for carrot-fly-resistant carrots, for example, or seek out potatoes that shake off eelworm attacks.

2. Confuse Pests

Interplant crops with one another. This confuses passing pests because they will find it harder to home in on their preferred crop. You can interplant different vegetables, or mix up vegetables with herbs or flowers to create a more diverse – and confusing – planting scheme. Obfuscate some more by growing vegetables with colored leaves, like purple varieties of cabbage or kale, that insects won’t expect.

“Interplanting
Interplanting can help to disguise vulnerable vegetables from pests

3. Plant Outside of Peak Times

Another deceptively simple strategy is grow vegetables outside of the peak times for their pests. Take the example of flea beetles, which chew tiny holes in the leaves of brassicas. Their activity peaks in midsummer. So grow vegetables such as Asian greens and mustards in the fall, when fewer beetles are about. You can also plant before a pest arrives. This works well with fast-growing early peas, helping them to dodge the destructive attention of pea moths.

4. Grow Out of the Way

Physically move vegetables out of harm’s way. Grow carrots and cabbage family crops in pots at least 18in (45cm) above ground, well out of the way of low-flying carrot flies and cabbage root flies. Raised pots also reduce problems with slugs and other soil-dwelling pests.

Starting seedlings off under cover in pots is a reliable way to avoid early setbacks from the likes of pigeons and slugs. By the time they’re transplanted your plants will be bigger, sturdier and more capable of withstanding minor attacks.

“Growing
Growing crops in containers keeps them out of reach of some pests

5. Use Physical Barriers

Make good use of barriers to physically separate pests from plants. Insect mesh or floating row covers will stop just about any pest from getting near your hard-won crops. Allow covers to rest on the plants or support them on hoops. Secure them around the edges so pests can’t gain access by just walking in at soil level. Covers are a great solution for caterpillar-prone brassicas and for barring entry to the likes of carrot fly, aphids and squash bugs.

6. Attract Beneficial Bugs

Ladybugs, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, lacewings – just a few of the beneficial bugs that help control pests by either eating them or hatching their young inside them. Tempt more beneficial bugs into your garden by growing lots of the flowers they love, like cosmos, sweet alyssum, dill, yarrow and many more besides. Grow them among or immediately next to your vegetables for maximum impact.

“Beneficial
Enlist the help of beneficial bugs to control garden pests

7. Keep Plants Healthy

Finally, make sure plants are as healthy as they can be, because strong, healthy plants are less susceptible to pests. Stress-free plants have their own pest defenses which more often than not allow them to see off pests without help from us. So grow plants in the right conditions, keep them well fed and water well in dry weather. Don’t forget to feed the soil too – with plenty of well-rotted organic matter such as compost – to promote a thriving root system that supports healthy growth above ground.

Those pesky pests keep us on our toes don’t they! But arm yourself with the right strategies and you can keep them well away from your crops. Please share your own pest prevention techniques down below - how do you take care of common pests and how successful are you?

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Comments

 
"So helpful, thank you!"
Shirley Paul on Saturday 10 August 2019
"I'm afraid I have a pest there is no answer for...it's the Vole. They have taken over our farm. The only answer to their infestation is poison and I will not use that for fear of killing the resident hawks, foxes, kestrels, owls, etc. My local garden centers have directed me to use some sprinkles that are not poisonous but so far I have seen no progress when using it."
Barbara Gall on Saturday 22 February 2020
"Very informative thank you so much for sharing your expertise and experience in controlling pests. "
Ledovina O. Manalo on Tuesday 30 March 2021
"We have had lots ofr little grey moths, and also lots of butterflies, a lot more than usual this year.M My husband planted out some very healthy seedlings yesterday, and now they have almost all gone."
Maureen D. Last on Monday 5 April 2021
"I'm really sorry to hear that Maureen, that's such a shame. I hope they move on and you are able ot re-sow and re-plant."
Ben Vanheems on Tuesday 6 April 2021

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