Regular lawn care is essential in maintaining a healthy lawn. Even if you spend a long time caring for your lawn grass, it is susceptible to invasion from many pests without appropriate preventive measures. In the past, the only way of maintaining a pest-free garden was through the use of chemicals. But these leached into groundwater and contaminated it or got soaked into plants. They also increased the risk for certain illnesses, most notably cancer.
Experts offering lawn pest control services in Vero Beach, Florida now use several organic techniques of controlling lawn pests. Most people visualize a garden riddled with ‘beneficial’ worms and insects when they hear of organic pest control. This is however not the only method of natural pest control. Here are the other techniques that will keep your lawns pest-free without any chemicals.
Crop Rotation
If you plant the same types of vegetables and grass year in year out, you make it easy for pests to thrive on your lawn and vegetable garden. The best way to avert this is by rotating your crops. You can, for instance, alternate roots, then fruits and legumes in your vegetable garden and alternative grass and flower species for the lawn. Alternatively, you can leave some parts of your garden free over different planting seasons to give the soil time to breathe and to kill the pests present there.
Planting Companions
There are some types of plants which deter various kinds of pests. Radishes, for example, will drive away cucumber beetles while borage deters tomato hornworms. By planting these crops together, you will protect your plants from pest infestation and drive the pests away. You can also opt for plants which will occupy some pests and keep them away from your plants. Hyacinth beans, for instance, will keep leaf-footed bugs occupied while sunflowers will do the same for aphids.
Crop Varieties Which Deter Pests
There are several varieties of similar plants, and some will deter pests. If you are having trouble with vine borers, for example, a pest control expert might recommend picking a squash variety with a harder or thinner stem to deter them. Tightly-husked corn varieties like ‘victory garden’ and ‘country gentlemen’ will work for places infested with earthworms. These are in no way GMO seeds but crop varieties which make infestation harder for pests.
Use Neem Oil
Neem oil contains an active ingredient called azadirachtin. This inhibits the life cycle of insects by minimizing their food consumption and causing them to grow and molt slowly. It is generally used on lawns which have a minimal pest infestation. Since it retards growth, neem oil will work best on insects which grow fast like Colorado potato beetles, Mexican bean beetles, and squash bugs and young insects.
With these options, it is possible to have a healthy lawn without spraying dangerous pesticides and harming the environment. There are different aspects considered before an expert recommends the organic pest control method which works for your garden. Most lawn care companies will also offer fertilization and plant care services along with the pest control to ensure that your lawn will stay green and healthy.
