Top 7 Eco-Friendly Pest Control Products for Safe Gardening

Going green has become among the most common trends for homeowners these days. Everybody is attempting to search for more environmentally-friendly options.

If you are looking to safeguard your property from vermin without inflicting damage on the ecosystem, you’ll be happy to hear that there are eco-friendly pest control techniques you can employ.

#1 Leaf Inspections

The best natural insecticide you can apply to your garden is conducting frequent leaf assessments. If the leaves look unhealthy or are discolored, chances are that they will lure pests to your property. It is integral that you take appropriate action to take away all unhealthy or diseased plants or leaves from the garden right away. Healthy, disease-free plants are not likely to lure harmful critters and other vermin. Also, ensure that you control weeds since they provide a suitable habitat where pests can thrive.

#2 Natural Seasoning

Certain types of seasoning may have other applications than those in the kitchen space; they can be utilized against insects and bugs. Some of them include the following:

1. Cayenne pepper

2. Turmeric

3. Salt

4. Black pepper

5. Cinnamon

6. Paprika

These and other types of seasoning fit the shoe as environmentally friendly pest control techniques. You can place these seasonings on the window sill to function as a wall against pests.

You can alternatively fill tiny bags with cinnamon, bay leaves, or cloves. Put these in cupboards, closets, bookshelves, and other places around your home where pests are likely to fester.

#3 Insecticidal Oils

Insecticidal oils are made to smother pests and have been utilized for thousands of years now. It cuts the supply of oxygen to the vermin. Insecticidal oils work to kill pests and their not fully matured eggs, but it also kills beneficial insects. You can use this oil to control spider mites, mealy bugs, aphids, or psylla.

But before you apply the product, ensure that you read through the guidelines on the packaging. If you’re not keen on this, they can cause damage to your plants and trees, specifically being the primary cause of leaf damage.

#4 Insecticidal Soaps

Insecticidal soaps use the salts and fatty acids found in them to kill pests with soft bodies, such as aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, earwigs, thrips, and the early phases of scale. It infiltrates the soft exterior shell of pests, corroding cell membranes. Then they begin breaking down, resulting in dehydration and starvation. It can prove to be phytotoxic to certain plants, so ensure that you begin with a small patch before you use it on a large-scale basis.  

One pitfall of using this organic pest control technique is that they are non-selective and can be harmful to beneficial pests. Apply them sparingly like other pesticides. The upside is they aren’t dangerous to people and other mammals.

#5 Herbs

Mint, basil, rosemary, lavender, or other types of herbs function well with environmentally friendly pest control techniques. Planting these herbs in your garden will keep vermin away and can also be used indoors to control pests. Most homeowners plant herbs throughout the entire lawn area and in their veggie gardens. It can lure beneficial insects and keep away damaging pests. If you are looking to include companion plants and deter pests from invading your lawn at the same time, you should consider planting the following:

1. Lemongrass
2. Chrysanthemums
3. Eucalyptus
4. Clove
5. Petunias
6. Marigolds
7. Lavender

#6 Neem Oil

Neem oil is an environmentally friendly pest control technique that functions as a repellent, deterrent, and poison. It kills some vermin and slows down or prevents the growth cycle of other pests. Neem oil comes from the Neem tree, which is located in India. You can also utilize it as a foliar spray and a soil drench that kills a range of vermin, including loopers, whiteflies, mealybugs, aphids and thrips.

One special thing about using organic solutions is that they function thoroughly. Plants absorb the Neem extracts using plant foliage and roots, where it is existent in plant tissue. As a result, Neem has proven effective when it comes to combating leaf miners who are not impacted by non-methodical foliar sprays.

#7 Spinosad

You can apply spinosad on your fruit crops and vegetable. These are soil bacteria that kill garden vermin, such as tent caterpillars, loopers, beetles, spider mites, bagworms, and borers. When spinosad dries, it will move to kill pests that eat it, minimizing the likelihood of harming bees and other beneficial insects when applied in the evening when they are immobile. You can acquire it in both liquid and dust forms under a range of names. You can simply search for spinosad and other environmentally friendly pesticides.  

Hiring an Expert

To ascertain that you are utilizing the correct pesticides or pest control techniques in the garden, you should consult with a local pest management company. Not all solutions will work for everybody. A professional will inspect your property and come up with appropriate techniques that aren’t harmful to your plants and health.