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Chemical Free Gardening: 3 Natural Pest Control Methods

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Healthier crops can easily be grown without them being exposed to toxic chemicals especially when dealing with pests. You simply must ensure that your garden full of crops stays eco-friendly when you eradicate pests that can destroy your hard work. When you do your research and utilize different methods such as rotating crops, natural pest control and sustainable garden techniques, your garden will successfully be healthy and free from pests. Here are a few simple and inexpensive gardening methods you can practice if you are determined to maintain healthy crops and an eco-friendly garden. Remember that patience, determination and regular care will help you along the way, so do not give up easily.

Proven Natural Pest Control Methods

Here are three eco-friendly gardening pest control methods used in many gardens throughout the years.

Crop Rotation

One simple method of controlling pests is by implementing crop rotation. As there are different plant families, you can opt to invest in one plant family for the year and then plant another family in the following year. Many professional gardeners have been using this method of gardening to prevent pests from attacking their gardens. Keep rotating your crop planting every year and keep in mind to add in plants that attract beneficial pests to help keep harmful pests away.

Sustainable Garden Techniques

Garden techniques such as plant spacing, mulching, plant inspection and eliminating infected plants have always been used through the years. They ensure that natural pest control methods are only used in gardens and they also assist in the healthy growth of plants. When pests are detected on the plants, these pests are hand-picked and killed. This will also help you identify which type of pest has been attacking your garden, thus allowing you to apply the correct method of pest control according to the pest you are dealing with. Even weeding and removing the debris whenever you practice sanitation schedules, will help you have a garden that is ready and healthy for the following year’s planting.

Natural Pest Control

Surely there are plenty of over the counter pest control products being sold in the market today, but a majority of them are actually harmful to a garden. If you are looking for pest control products that are effective, you can use products made from natural ingredients or make your own formulations at home. Such products are called natural because of the ingredients being used and chemicals are avoided. If you are planning on making your own pest control products you can look for pure essential oils and extracts being sold in specializing stores. Even fresh and dried herbs can be used to make such products.

Stick To Natural Methods

When the soil of your garden is healthy, your crops will be healthy as they will be able to resist pests and other plant diseases. There are many garden treatments that are rich in nutrients, but are not made from natural ingredients. These treatments must always be avoided. Instead of pesticides, the application of beneficial pests and natural pest control products can keep the annoying critters away without harming the crops. However, if you only notice a pest infestation too late and it has already inflicted massive damages to your garden, then you must consult with a pest control professional who can also help you keep your garden safe from toxic chemicals when eradicating pests.

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Valerie Banks is a freelance writer specializing in natural pest control methods. She regularly contributes pest control articles for Rove Pest Control websites where a well experienced professional can be consulted.







Top 8 Gardening Mistakes and How to Fix Them Easily

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Gardening mistakes are far more common than you may think, and many people who are new to this hobby will make several. Therefore, discovering the top 8 gardening mistakes and how to fix them easily will ensure that you are better informed.

Choosing the wrong plants

One of the biggest mistakes that new gardeners make is choosing the wrong plants. If you make the right decision in the beginning, it can guarantee that your plants thrive. You need to consider several elements, including the climate for where you live to ensure that the plants will survive.

Caring for your lawn

Many people think that you simply need to cut the grass and then the lawn will look amazing; however, this is one of the harder areas to get right in your garden. You need to ensure that you learn how to cut the grass correctly, to produce an even length, and top quality lawn. You need to ensure that you keep on top of cutting the grass, and care for your lawn like every other area.

Choosing the wrong location

There are both good and bad spots in your garden for the plants that you have carefully chosen, therefore, you need to ensure that you choose wisely. Taking the time to select the perfect place for every plant will guarantee that it thrives, and that you do not despair. Preparation is essential with all plants, and will help them to grow.

Removing plants instead of weeds

A common mistake to make when you are a novice gardener is not realizing the difference between weeds and plants. Many people pull up new plants thinking that they are weeds, which is a shame, and can ruin the look of your garden. Therefore, using tags or markers is essential, and will ensure that the plants stay in the ground.

Bad soil preparation

You cannot simply plant things in the soil in the garden and expect the plants to thrive. Some plants may do well, however, to give your garden the best chance of survival you need to prepare the soil. Testing the soil and discovering what style is in your garden is necessary, and can help you to prepare it in advance.

Watering issues

Both too little, and too much water can have a huge effect on the life span of your garden, and far too many novice gardeners get this wrong. As your plants mature, they will need consistent watering, and even deep soaking. If you are unsure a water irrigation system is ideal, and will allow you to water correctly.

Excessive fertilizer

Fertilizer is good for gardens, however, if an excessive amount is used, you may discover that your plants have bad problems. The nitrogen within the fertilizer can be an issue, and will destroy the stems of the plants, therefore, little amounts is advised.

Overplanting is common

All new gardeners get excited about the possibilities they can create in their gardens, however, this can lead to planting too many plants. If you plant too many seeds, they will go to waste, which will be heart breaking when they die. Being cautious with your garden is ideal, and will ensure that you learn the top 8 gardening mistakes and how to fix them correctly.

Since his childhood. Karen has been passionate about home decors. You can visit her site if you want to get more information on buying durable patio furniture covers as well as grill covers at Outdoor Cover Pros.

Planting Vegetable Gardens In Raised Beds

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Planting a vegetable garden can be done easily in raised beds, and can greatly reduce the risk of injuring your back while you’re tending the garden.  It is also a great way to utilize a small space and maximize the area available to you.  It’s wise to first determine if you want a permanent gardening bed or a temporary one, and then you can move on to selecting the materials to make the raised beds.  Rot resistant wood, stone, and brick are all suitable materials for building a gardening bed.  Growing a vegetable garden in raised beds is a beautiful and convenient way to reap all the benefits of home grown produce.

Permanent Beds

A permanent bed is a good choice for those of us who might want the garden design to remain the same forevermore.  It’s the best way to go for individuals who want to build it and then forget about it, with the single exception, of course, for planting.  Cedar is a rot resistant wood that would be suitable for a project like this.  If you’re leaning away from wood you might want to consider rocks, bricks, or cement blocks.  The goal is to create a bed from materials that would provide long lasting support for the garden year after year.

If aesthetics are important, decorative rocks or bricks might be more attractive to look at than plain cinderblocks, but remember that once the garden starts growing your eyes will probably be more focused on the plants than on the materials you used for the garden housing.

Temporary Beds

The benefit to building a temporary bed is that you can adjust the design and layout of your garden each year.  Having more than one way to set up a garden might add fun and exciting element to your horticulture endeavors.  It would be suitable for individuals who have families with ever changing needs.  Space in the backyard might be limited for gardening if you have small children or pets that use the area.  As the children grow and their play areas are used less and less, you could move the raised beds to different locations in the backyard.

The materials for a temporary bed may also include rot resistant wood, bricks, rocks, and cinderblocks.  The heavier the materials, however, the more cumbersome take down and setup will be.  Oftentimes you will have to joist wood like cedar together, so it might be challenging to move framed pieces to another location.

Dimensions of Raised Beds

When you’re thinking about making raised beds to grow a vegetable garden, it’s important to get the proper dimensions so the garden is successful, and so you can maximize the ease of gardening on an elevated surface.  Dimensions to keep in mind are adequate depth, width that is reachable, and length that is to your liking.  It might be a good idea to make your beds based on the following dimensions:

  • Create beds at are at least 12 inches deep.  To ensure roots penetrate deeply enough into the soil, it’s important to make the beds at least one foot deep.
  • Beds need to be reachable in width.  In order to make the garden accessible for you to work in, you may not want to build the beds more than 3 to 4 feet wide, unless you have long arms and an even longer reach.  Keep in mind that you can work on one side, and walk around to the opposite side and work along that side as well.  It’s not necessary to reach the entire width from one side of the bed.
  • The length can be determined by your desires.  Depth and width are the two dimensions that really need to be planned carefully.  Length can be based on what your area allows and your own personal taste.

What to Plant in Raised Beds

You can enjoy all the variety of produce in a raised garden that a traditional garden might offer.  You might want to put gourds in one bed, root vegetables in another, and tomatoes off on their own.  Herbs can also be planted in raised beds along with flowering plants, and berries.  Each variety of plant needs to be placed in the soil in the appropriate season.

Feed and Water Plants in Raised Beds Regularly

Raised beds have a tendency to dry out faster than regular garden beds, so be vigilant in watering.   The soil will not be able to feed the plants in your garden as easily as it could in a traditional garden, so regular fertilization is also a key ingredient in a successful raised garden.

Lawrence Reaves writes for The Growers Exchange, a gardening company offering flowering plants, potted herbs and vegtable plants delivered directly to your home.  Check out the products they offer here.

4 Common Compost Problems and How to Fix Them

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Despite the fact that compost problems are inevitable, the good thing is that most of them can be easily fixed. Below are 4 Common Compost Problems and How to Fix Them.

Wet, soggy or slimy compost


There is nothing that can be worst as cold, slimy compost. A slimy compost is caused by three factors; excessive moisture, poor aeration and insufficient nitrogen material in the pile. A compost which has been overburdened by materials that wads down when wet-spoiled hay, grass clippings and a heap of uncut tree leaves can become so dense in a manner that makes the pile center to lack air. When such a heap is left uncovered for a long period of rainy season, without it being turned to allow air penetrate to the center, you will end up with a soggy lump.

The microorganisms responsible for the cooking of compost are known as Aerobic bacteria. These microorganisms cannot live under such poor oxygen supplied environment. Instead, you welcome anaerobic bacteria since they do not require air to survive. Your microbe will eventually compost, but will take a period longer than aerobic bacteria.

Soggy compost is easy to fix. If wet weather is one part of the problem, then place a loose fitting lid over the pile. In addition, turn the pile over while fluffing it thoroughly. If you have some nitrogen rich ingredients and fibrous ingredients such as saw dust add them into the pile to help in getting things cook. Your pile will heat within few days after which you should keep it cooking by overturning it every 7-14 days.

Dry and dusty compost

If you live in the West, chances are that you experience dry and dusty weather conditions from time to time. This is most common from the month of May to October when summer rains are practically nonexistent. Regardless of the material you pile up, stack does not get sufficient moisture for bacterial life support necessary for speeding the composting process. However, if you have dry and dusty compost, you just need to water It; that is a problem fully solved.

The rule of the thumb here is; your compost components should always feel as wet as a soggy sponge. You can place an oscillating sprinkler on top of the dry compost and run it for 30 minutes, so as to moisten the materials. Sometimes, you need to turn your pile and water layers before attending your daily chores.

Unwelcome visitors on the compost

If your compost is attracting unwanted visitors such as mice, rats, ants and flies, you probably might have added some food craps such as meat or fish bones. To prevent unwanted visitors from your compost ensure that the lid is secure and that there are no gaps left. Also ensure that you pout food scraps in the middle and cover them. Mixing the compost thoroughly will also discourage ants and mice from coming to your compost.

Smelly compost

Smelly compost is caused by too wet materials which do not allow oxygen to decompose properly. To prevent foul odor, add carbon rich brown material (such as dry leaves or hay) or add garden lime. Rotating the pile once per week will allow air to get into the middle and hence prevent the formation of a foul odor.

These are some of the common problems you will most likely face. Understanding how to solve each of the problems will help you have an easier time in preparing your compost.

This article has been written by Charles who loves to cover gardening tips. You can have a look at his site where he talks about Indoor Water Walls and Sunrise Springs wall fountain.

6 Natural Alternatives to Lawn and Garden Chemicals

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In the recent years, potential hazards associated with lawn and garden chemicals have been on a steady rise. With extensive scientific studies it has been proved that several pesticides and chemicals used in lawns and gardens are tracked into our home and can be found in carpets, on tables or other surfaces. Many municipalities have banned certain chemicals to bring an end to the dangers caused by their use.

Why Natural Alternatives?

Many lawn and garden chemicals not only pollute water and environment but are also hazardous for children and pets. Since the internal organs of the children are in the developmental stage, it is difficult for them to detoxify toxins. The pesticides used commonly in our homes consists of several carcinogens, some chemicals could even cause birth defects, damage to liver, kidney and disrupt the endocrine system.

Refuse Lawn and Garden Chemicals

This is the high time to prevent your family and environment free from harmful chemicals by adopting natural and safer alternatives to these chemicals. Here is the list of six natural alternatives to lawn and garden chemicals.

1. Lawn Care: The first and foremost step is to know about your garden. Have your soil tested and determine its pH and nutrient needs. Accordingly, choose the right grass; mow it to the right height and water wisely. This will keep your lawn free from weeds and healthy.

2. Companion Planting: It is a planting in which different crops are planted in proximity so that they could help each other in pollination, nutrient uptake and pest control. When a certain crop is planted in a garden for a long time it becomes a permanent target of a particular pest. This could be avoided by growing certain plants which repel a variety of pests. These plants include asters, marigold, garlic, petunias etc. This method hence cuts down the use several lawn chemicals.

3. Composting: This method effectively reduces the dependence on fertilizers. It provides free soil amendment as it increases the soil’s ability to hold water and nutrients. It also protects the plants by providing mulch (a protective covering of organic matter to prevent evaporation of moisture, growth of weeds etc.).

4. Biocontrol: It is a method to control weeds and pests in your garden. Select the plants which can attract the insects and animals that destroy the weeds and bugs in your garden. You can purchase beneficial insects such as ladybugs, ground beetles and praying mantis which eat the harmful insects. Loose them in your garden. Certain plants such as garlic, petunias, chives etc. also repel aphids.

5. Aerate and Dethatch your garden: It is very important to aerate the soil in order to reduce the dependence on fertilizers. Remove the plugs of soil by using aerating machine. Dethatching involves removing the woody parts of the grass on the surface of lawn. For this dethatching rake could be employed. These methods will keep your lawn healthy in a greener way.

6. Hot water: Hot water could be effectively used for weed control. Pour the boiling water directly on the weeds. This will stop the growth of the weeds. Pull out the weeds from the surface and then pour boiling water where the weeds were in order to destroy the roots completely. Hot water could also be employed for killing pests. Pour hot water on the ant nests to destroy them completely.

The Bottom Line
In addition to the above methods, there are certain chemicals which are non-toxic and can effectively be used as an alternative to lawn and garden chemicals. These include hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, epsom salt etc. Certain natural and organic chemicals are also available in the market if you don’t want to make your own garden chemicals; for example: bone meal and blood meal.

Going for natural alternatives is worth it as it will not only make your lawn and gardens healthy and free from toxic and hazardous chemicals but is also safe for your family and environment

Paul is a freelance writer that loves to share tips when it comes to gardening. You can have a look at his site where you will be able to buy wall fountains as well as large wall water fountains.

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