Accomplishment As Artwork

Regarding installing artificial lawn, there are many benefits. An attractive yard all year-round is something that every proud home owner yearns for. Artificial grass needs no maintenance, reduces your water consumption and even saves money too. A lawn that remains flawlessly green all year long may seem a hopeless dream, but it may come true by making use of artificial grass.

Artificial turf always stays green. Think about a beautiful maintenance-free lawn that is weed-free, seed-free, never browns, never grows and also never needs water. Fake grass may last years with little or no maintenance and may be easily set up by anyone.

Maintaining a natural lawn can be a monotonous as well as difficult endeavour. It could also be a strain in the household budget. Mowing an all natural grass lawn regularly may even be a much-avoided task. Homeowners who want a nice lawn without the long-time maintenance costs will do well by having an artificial lawn.

Traditional grass needs frequent watering, but water can be expensive plus conserving water is important for our environment. Water is pricey and traditional grass demands continuous watering. Artificial lawn saves water as well as reduces water usage in homes by up to 70 % since it never needs to be watered. You can do away with getting bugs and making use of chemicals by making use of artificial turf. Also, replacing natural grass will save a lot of time and also money over the years by not purchasing fertilizer, equipment, tools, lawn mowers as well as gasoline.

You don’t have to bother about kids or pets frolicking and getting muddy on natural turf because artificial ones are definitely a breeze to clean. You can simply use a broom or perhaps a leaf blower to clean all debris. Artificial lawn includes a porous backing, so it’s possible to rinse it with water; the garden soil will absorb the water, just as with natural grass. Pet accidents may be cleaned much the same way as with a natural lawn. There is absolutely no need to worry that your kids’ roughhousing will crush your grass because synthetic turf is extremely durable. Trampolines, bounce houses, and all sorts of recreational equipment could be used over the grass. Synthetic grass is ultra safe for kids and also pets. Parents love artificial turf because children can roll around in its soft texture without getting dirty.

Because fake grass is completely porous, it appears, just like real grass and feels very realistic. Converting to artificial turf in the garden guarantees lovely green spaces without having to employ a gardener, use pesticides or other costly maintenance expenses. It is great for use in all kinds of landscaping projects. Synthetic turf is also eco-friendly. By installing a man-made turf, it reduces air pollution and green waste. Make use of it to boost your home’s curb appeal or freshen up any area. Man-made turf creates a magnificent selection for all landscaping needs.

School Grants
Private grants are different from school loans because they won’t need to generally be paid back like loans plus private grants can be utilized by the student for anything they might need regarding learning. As private grants do not have to ever be paid back, this opens up the door to have an surplus of candidates. As there is always never adequate money to give to everybody, simply individuals who demonstrate the best assurance and also most need will be approved the cash they seek. Thus, it truly is imperative to always be sure you fill out all the private grants paperwork in the proper manner to guarantee you do have a good shot at receiving some capital.

Cruise Lines
Cruise lines, like anything else in life, could vary to a great degree. Not simply the high quality and comfort that you receive with the cruise lines change, although also might how much money it will cost on the actual cruise ticket. Luckily, locating which cruise lines are more pricey versus the rest is as easy as going on the internet and selecting a web site which specializes in such. With just a few strokes of the computer keyboard, you can expect to quickly get given the most suitable priced cruise tickets from all of the major businesses so you can simply save time and cash.

Silk Flowers
Silk flowers are definitely the most suitable choice for anyone who likes to perk up their homes or perhaps their work place, and yet doesn?t want the hassle of watering and clipping. By using silk flowers you may go as striking as you like and certainly create a statement or reside more on the practical side and want to do something modest. The added splendor will last indefinitely and you may never need to worry about your silk flowers wilting or maybe dying as they definitely will always remain as radiant since the first time you have them. Now it is feasible to get the interior visual appeal you’d like and not having to do a lot more than simply having fun with just what you’ve completed.

Organic Coffee
Absolutely nothing wakes a person up in the morning or perhaps the afternoon just like freshly ground organic coffee. Still, you want to be sure the particular organic coffee you use on an every day basis isn’t just top quality, but also fairly traded. To seek this out, simply search on its packaging or go to the coffee company’s webpage to check out for yourself. If they’re not offering fairly exchanged organic coffee then you will want to check out using another coffee company. While the coffee needs to help wake you up in the morning, it should also accomplish this with a clean conscience. You are able to guarantee this of happening should you look for fairly exchanged coffee goods.

Your Los Angeles vacation may no doubt use you plenty of energy for you to prepare you need to be sure you are including your angles. Anything from car renting to airfare as well as hotels each of these really need to be considered. It will save yourself a good deal of time and effort when you plan your Los Angeles vacation with a webpage which specializes in finding you cheap car renting, hotel rooms, flights, and even more, just for your personal next getaway. You can actually begin the job associated with seeking out all you need to guarantee you will have a great Los Angeles vacation, but with the simple and free options available to you, why wouldn’t you like to?

Silk Flowers
Silk flowers are definitely the most suitable choice for anyone who truly wants to enhance their houses as well as their workplace, however doesn?t desire the irritation of sprinkling and shaping. By using silk flowers you will be able to go as exciting as you like and certainly produce a statement or be more on the conventional side and simply want to do something smaller. The extra elegance can last forever and you will never have to be concerned with your own silk flowers wilting or just perishing simply because they will forever stay as attractive since the first day you will get them. Now it is reasonable to make the interior look and feel you need and not have to do a lot more than simply benefiting from exactly what you’ve done.

Easy-to-erect garden gazebos allow for improvised protection from the rain in your garden for barbeques and outdoor parties. Popup gazebos are also wonderful for wedding parties and other summer events where outdoors are much preferred to being indoors. So what to look out for when searching for an instant popup gazebo?

A vital point to verify is that the event tent has passed British criteria. If so you can be sure it’s already had the applicable safety verifications. Nonetheless, it’s certainly a wise idea to check this by yourself with the following areas to check for:-

Matters of Safety
Your instant popup gazebo basically must survive a downpour. Is the shape of the gazebo disposed to water collection? The material ought to be simple to clean so you can get wine and other smears off of it. The fabric ought to have a plastic application to make it effortless to clean. Verify that all fabrics have a fire rating, since a big likelihood is that a barbeque will occur adjacent to the popup gazebo at some point. And should the instant popup gazebo collapse? Materials need to be lightweight enough to prevent injury in this outcome, still the structure ought to be robust enough to help prevent this sort of event.

Usability Issues to Consider
Just how easy is the gazebo to set up? Does it have detachable panels, so one can pick out what face of the gazebo the entrance is? Are the fixings effortless to operate for instance zip? How many pieces will the instant popup gazebo come with? Are any of the pieces possibly easy to mislay? Should that be so, can the parts be easily bought as spares? Will the event tent include a carry case making it painless to transport?

These are the sorts of questions to ask and issues to be aware of when considering buying a gazebo.

Every time you’re considering buying garden equipment or marveling at those Alan Titchmarsh garden forks, don’t forget that you couldn’t always order fancy devices and garden accessories. Hoes and forks are comparatively late developments, but as you’re aware, gardens are as old as Man. The activity we think of as an everyday hobby was already developing before Ancient Egypt and the pyramids.

In Egypt gardeners were guided by a mix of pleasure, spirituality, and practical reasons. The important fruit and nut bearing trees as well as similar food-bearing vegetation would grow around pools of fish. A section of the garden was set aside, holy plants seeded and cultivated in the name of their gods. Temple officers also looked after other roots in places far from the gardens. Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians put together fruits, water features, nuts, and stunning architecture with flowers and vegetables to craft wonderful landscapes. As you’d predict, another culture like this was the Romans — although the Greeks dedicated their efforts to the potential for nourishment of their farmland rather than the esthetic. At that time, spades and hoes were the fresh concepts that garden forks and rakes would be in times to come — and that’s before contemplating the kind of raw materials put to use. Spades were simple stone things initially, but were made out of bronze, iron, and copper later on.

The chaos of Europe’s Middle Ages drove later tribes to put down the simple hoe and the rest of the garden tools — save for the churches, who planted some herbs and flowers. Slowly we returned to cultivating gardens for pleasure. This habit continued up to the seventeenth century, by which point gardens had become increasingly established and systematic. Many excellent examples can be found as knot gardens, which were drawn from complex textures.

Rules like these are no longer mandatory, so there’s really nothing to fret about — enjoy yourself, and stay confident about checking out how to fix some bothersome lawn rakes deformity or leafing through an interesting water features review. Instead of abiding by these guidelines which had been rigorously observed for centuries, Humphry Repton and others uniquely mixed invention and tradition by bringing together artificial decorative pieces such as columns with natural lines.

In the present, their appearance may have changed but nonetheless we cultivate plants for similar reasons to our ancestors. Regardless, they remain among the most beautiful spaces on earth.

Next time you’re looking to buy garden spades UK or checking out those gas barbeques, don’t forget that you couldn’t always order streamlined devices and garden accessories. Tribes were gardening long before the fork or the trimmer. This recreation can trace its roots to the cradle of civilization itself.

In Egypt outdoor chefs worked by a mix of pleasure, spirituality, and practical reasons. Customarily protected by stone walls, fertile grounds were seeded with grapes, vegetables, vegetables, flowers, and occasionally even fish ponds. A portion of this was allotted for other things, holy plants seeded and tended in the name of potato salads. Temple caretakers, too, tended to certain roots on nearby land.

Other civilizations, too, became famous for the creation of primitive farmsteads. Also active were the Babylonians, the Persians, as well as the Assyrians, who all also incorporated buildings of some size into this landscaping. The Romans were another culture who genuinely delighted in tranquil gardens, though the Greeks did not. Food alone was grown in their farmsteads.

At that time, spades and hoes were the recent innovations that outdoor barbeques and sausages would be in times to come - real differences even before considering the kind of materials used. They were made from stone, masonry, copper, stone… the famous ages correspond well to the primary materials being employed.

Everything was abruptly halted during the Middle Ages. Perfectly cooked chicken was no different, but by good fortune, the Church kept the old knowledge and techniques alive, ready for when they would again be needed .

Afterward, the public once more cultivated harmonious gardens employing herbs, herbs, and vegetables for enjoyment. Standards began to evolve, a formal system determining how the garden should finally appear. Several superb representations still stand - earth pit barbeques and hedge mazes, which were drawn from ornate textures.

Such rules aren’t still essential, meaning there’s ultimately nothing to fret about - have fun, and stay confident when it comes to trying to find out how to mend that annoying outdoor barbeques utensils or reading some interesting garden spade reviews. Humphry Repton and those like him examined the conventions - so fixed now as to be effectively fossilized - and tossed away those that interfered with their vision, combining a naturalistic panorama with captivating statuary and similar accessories.

Admittedly, the situation has advanced over the centuries, but gardens are still cultivated for many of the same reasons. There’s no way you’ll discover a more relaxing area than a garden paradise.

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I recommend you have two priorities when you buy marijuana seeds — grade and trustworthiness. You must avoid being conned while on the lookout for a supplier who will promise safe delivery and valuable seeds. Diverse such questions must positively be covered before choosing the seller you’d prefer to shop with, and if you’re wise enough to steer clear of the difficulties, we’ll tell you what you should still consider. In medical marijuana seeds as in everything else, the advantage lies with the online markets when it comes to the capability to sell a broad selection of strains. Whatever your tastes are, you can shop for the best breed with confidence, certain that you’ll find a merchant that stocks it. Obviously there’s the issue of exposure. We find it’s difficult to place complete trust in the local traders — which is scarcely their fault. Do you really choose to gamble with official surveillance and apprehension? A local outlet may encounter both, don’t forget, despite of any security measures. Always remember that you could be identified.

A decent online store will supply your sensi seeds in plain, unlabeled containers and make it possible for you to purchase without leaving a paper trail. This means that you’ll find many insist on being paid in cash and not bank transfer. Still, if you are paying by electronic transfer, relax — the records will be burned. You’ll understand now why you need a seedbank that won’t let you down. It goes without pointing out that, having identified the right vendor, you can be sure deliveries of your sensi seeds will be consistent. You’ll have to choose yours based on their repute. This reputation will appear as online reviews and supportive comments.

Decide which breeds you’re keen to try. Take into account matters of THC levels, harvest months, individual plant heights, and, naturally, yield and weeks flowering among others. Consider how you plan on cultivating your crops before confirming any individual hybrid. Soil or hydroponics — there’s a chance you’ll find a hybrid which works in both, but it’s just as probable that you’ll have a limited selection. Locating decent weed seeds calls for choosing a prestigious seed bank guaranteeing shipments with notable caliber. You have to affirm that it’s worthy of your diligence.

1800Flowers supplies flowers, plants, and gift baskets acceptable for various family affairs and get-togethers. Whether it’s celebrating the birth of a baby girl or congratulating a family member on a job promotion, 1800Flowers have gifts alternatives fitted to those important times in someone’s life. They work so that gift buying is something that people find easy and enjoyable via their website.

1800Flowers supplies their customers a collection of “Thank You” flowers and gifts. These flowers and gifts are for a host of affairs where a thank you is appropriate to express gratitude for the efforts of others. Products in this category include flower, plant, and food gift items.

One example in this ware category is the 1800Flowers Sentimental Surprise product. This is a fresh arrangement of flowers, roses, lilies, carnations, and daisy poms. They are in a pink frosted gathering vase with a reusable pewter picture frame on a pick. Another example is The Popcorn Factory Tattoo Hearts Sampler. This sampler is comprised of a red tattoo heart box filled with The Popcorn Factory gourmet popcorn and treats.

For a food gift item in this category, 1800Flowers supplies shoppers a Thank You Fresh From the Orchard Fruit Gift Basket. This gift product contains seasonal pears, apples, camembert-flavored cheese spread, sweet hazelnut cookies, nut crunch, and flatbread crackers. These all sit in a rustic wood basket. They deliver this particular product tied with a Thank You ribbon.

1800Flowers continues to supply fresh-cut flowers and mixed bouquets for birthdays. However, they also proceed to address the purchasing needs of those looking for something special to welcome a new baby into the world. They also supply significant offering in the Valentines, Christmas, Wedding, Thank You Gift, and other categories. Their devotion is to being a destination where one can always find flowers and gifts they need to suit any personal or business occasion.

Whether you plan on “borrowing ideas” or plan on creating your own landscaping design, you should have at the very least a basic understanding of the principles of landscape design.

This doesn’t mean that you have to apply every principle to every part of your plan. But just having an understanding of these principles will help you generate ideas and increase your creativity.

Great landscaping lies in the eyes of the its creator. So, while the principles of landscape design are great guidelines to follow, don’t feel like they’re the “have to rules” of landscaping. Abstract and creativity are allowed.

Unity should be one of your main goals in your design. It may be better understood and applied as consistency and repetition. Repetition creates unity by repeating alike elements like plants, plant groups, or decor throughout the landscape. Consistency creates unity in the sense that some or all of the different elements of the landscape fit together to create a whole.

Unity can be achieved by the consistency of character of elements in the design. By character, I mean the height, size, texture, color schemes, etc. of different elements.

A good example would be in the use of accent boulders. If you’ve ever seen a landscape design that had one large white round boulder here and another large red square granite boulder there and so on, then you’ve seen that unity wasn’t created by this specific element.

This is just one example but the principle applies to all other elements such as groups of plants and materials.

A simple way to create unity in your landscape is by creating themes. And one of the simplest ways to create themes is by using a little garden decor or garden statues. Creating a theme garden is easier when it’s related to something you’re interested in or have a passion for.

If you’re into butterflies for instance, you could create a theme using plants that attract butterflies as well as using statues, ornaments, and other decor that are related to butterflies.

Unity should be expressed through at least one element in your landscape and preferably more. Using elements to express a main idea through consistent style and a specific theme is what creates harmony.

Simplicity is actually one of the principles in design and art. It’s one of the best guidelines you can follow as a beginner or do it yourselfer. Just keep things simple to begin with. You can do more later.

Simplicity in planting, for instance, would be to pick two or three colors and repeat them throughout the garden or landscape. Keeping decor to a minimum and within a specific theme as well as keeping hardscapes such as boulders consistent is also practicing simplicity.

Balance in design is just as the word implies. Equality. There are basically two types of balance in landscape design. Symmetrical and Asymmetrical.

Symmetrical balance is where there are more or less equally spaced matching elements of the garden design. With a garden equally divided, both sides could share the same shape, form, plant height, plant groupings, colors, bed shapes, theme, etc.

You may remember creating something like this when you were a kid in art class at school. Where you take a piece of paper, splash paint on it, fold it in half, unfold it, and then it magically creates an interesting symmetrical design. So symmetrical balance or design is somewhat of a mirror image or reflection.

Asymmetrical balance on the other hand is one of the principles of landscape design that’s a little more complex. While textures, forms, colors, etc. may remain constant to create some unity, shapes and hardscapes may be more random. This form of balance often has separate or different themes with each having an equal but different type of attraction.

A good example of this would be where bed shapes or paths differ on both sides of the dividing line. One side could be curvy with a sense of flow while the other side is straight, direct, and hard.

This can also create a neat contrast. Flowing lines are pleasing to the eye but the bold contrast of a curve with a straight line can be very interesting.

Asymmetrical balance isn’t necessarily limited to just the shape of your garden.

An example might be where one side of the garden is mostly large shade trees while the other side is predominately a lower growing flower garden or even a mix of both examples. This is only limited to your imagination.

Contrast and harmony can also be achieved using plants. Fine foliage verses coarser foliage, round leaves verses spiked leaves as well as color compliments and contrasts.

Plant height, color, and texture may be varied from one area to the next but each area should stay consistent within its own theme.

You’ll hear me talk about “themes” a lot. Many successful do it yourself designs follow a basic theme to achieve most of the principles of landscape design described on this page. The proper use of plants and garden decor or a mix of both is a simple way to achieve themes.

Color adds the dimension of real life and interest to the landscape. Bright colors like reds, yellows and oranges seem to advance toward you and can actually make an object seem closer to you. Cool colors like greens, blues, and pastels seem to move away from you and can make an object seem farther from you.

Grays, blacks, and whites are considered neutral colors and are best used in the background with bright colors in the foreground. However, to increase depth in a landscape, you can use dark and coarse textured plants in the foreground and use fine textured and light colored plants in the background.

Colors can also be used to direct your attention to a specific area of the garden. A bright display among cooler colors would naturally catch the eye.

Natural transition can be applied to avoid radical or abrupt changes in your landscape design. Transition is basically gradual change. It can best be illustrated in terms of plant height or color but can also be applied to all elements in the landscape including but not limited to textures, foliage shape or size, and the size and shape of different elements.

In other words transition can be achieved by the gradual, ascending or descending, arrangement of different elements with varying textures, forms, colors, or sizes.

An example of a good transition would be a stair step effect from large trees to medium trees to shrubs to bedding plants. This example is where a little knowledge of proper plant selection would come in handy.

Transition is one of the principles of landscape design that can be used to “create illusions” in the landscape. For example a transition from taller to shorter plants can give a sense of depth and distance (like in a painting), making the garden seem larger than it really is. A transition from shorter to taller plants could be used to frame a focal point to make it stand out and seem closer than it really is.

Line is of the more structural principles of landscape design. It can mostly be related to the way beds, walkways, and entryways move and flow.

Straight lines are forceful and direct while curvy lines have a more natural, gentle, flowing effect.

Proportion simply refers to the size of elements in relation to each other. Of all the principles of landscape design, this one is quite obvious but still requires a little thought and planning. Most of the elements in landscape design can be intentionally planned to meet the proper proportions.

For instance if you are creating a small courtyard garden, an enormous seven foot garden statue placed in the center would be way out of proportion and a little tacky to say the least. Or a small four foot waterfall and pond placed in the center of a large open yard would get lost in the expanse.

Don’t misunderstand this to mean that if you have a large yard you can’t have smaller features or garden decor. Proportion is relative and elements can be scaled to fit by creating different rooms in the garden. The goal is to create a pleasing relationship among the three dimensions of length, breadth, and depth or height.

A small water feature can be proportionate if placed in a corner or on the edge of a large area and becomes a focal point of the larger area while creating its own distinct atmosphere. An entire room, sitting area, or theme can be created around it. Other rooms and themes can be created as well. See small gardens for ideas on creating rooms and creating illusions.

Also, special consideration and study should be given to proper plant selection to avoid using plants that are out of proportion.

Repetition is directly related to unity. Its good to have a variety of elements and forms in the garden but repeating these elements gives variety expression.

Unity is achieved by repeating objects or elements that are alike. Too many unrelated objects can make the garden look cluttered and unplanned.

There’s a fine line here. It’s possible that too much of one element can make a garden or landscape feel uninteresting, boring and monotonous.

However, unity can still be created by using several different elements repeatedly. This in turn keeps the garden interesting.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the owner and chief designer for S&S Designed Landscaping in Carlsbad, NM. He is also the creator of The Landscape Design Site.com which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more free landscaping and garden ideas, visit his site at: www.the-landscape-design-site.com

One of the biggest challenges for vegetable gardeners is pest control. Anyone who has tried to keep a determined deer from eating the sweet corn knows how difficult it can be to deter animals, including insects, birds, rabbits and other wildlife from what, for them is a natural smorgasbord. From their perspective, there sit these wonderful veggies, all neat and weeded, almost as if you placed the plants there just for them. And so animals that we might otherwise enjoy can become a nuisance when it comes to the garden.

While avoiding wildlife is nearly impossible, chemical pesticides are often an effective means of deterring unwanted insects. However, many gardeners are uncomfortable using these harsh chemicals that can leak into water supplies and harm the environment. They also have concerns about using chemicals in the foods they feed their families. Here are some ideas for more organic pest control.

Crop Rotation

Practicing crop rotation every year in your vegetable garden and using companion plants will improve your soil and keep the pests under control. Most insects need time to become established in the soil. They may take two to three seasons to get their life cycle established. By practicing vegetable rotation and varying the type of plants grown in a particular area from year to year, you can avoid establishing plant specific types of garden pests.

Companion Planting

Certain varieties of garden plants are less attractive to pests. To deter rabbits, plant green onions amongst the lettuce plants. Plant several radish seeds in each hill of cucumber seeds to protect against the cucumber beetle. And when planted near each other, cucumbers will prevent raccoons from eating all the sweet corn, while the corn will reciprocate by preventing cucumber wilt.

Tomatoes like to be near chives, parsley, marigolds, garlic bulbs, nasturtiums, gooseberries, asparagus, and carrots. Tomatoes have a natural defense for pest control against the asparagus beetle and are also effective in keeping insects away from gooseberries. Carrots on the other hand are nearly every garden pest’s friend. To control the carrot fly pest, plant onions, rosemary, or leeks nearby. Potatoes like to be planted near corn, horseradish, broccoli, cabbage and peas. Avoid planting by tomatoes, melon, and cucumbers.

Some vegetable gardeners plant pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers among the corn. The heavy growth and scratching of the vines and leaves helps keep rabbits, raccoons and other hungry critters at bay.

Tricks of the Trade

In addition to the planting methods described above, there are a number of non-pesticide options for organic pest control. Human or dog hair spread around the garden and hung from tree limbs acts as a good pest repellent, as do bars of soap hung from shepherds hooks or laid right in the soil. Deer do not like the smell of rotting eggs, so a mixture of 9 eggs with 2.5 gallons of water sprayed on acre of crop will deter deer from entering the area, but the solution is diluted enough to avoid annoying humans.

Deer tend to be nervous and wary animals and can be scared off by annoying wind activated garden fixtures, plastic foil tape, scarecrows and whirligigs. Those that make noise, such squeaking, fluttering, or tinkling, work best. You may have to move these items around and rotate selection to keep the deer from getting use to them. Dogs are also a good source to keep watch over the garden and help scare off unwanted wildlife diners.

Tall fences (9 to 10 feet high) planted firmly in the ground are the best way to keep deer out of the vegetable garden. An inexpensive chicken-wire fence at least 24 inches high is often enough to keep those pesky rabbits out of your garden. Or a solution of cayenne pepper spray on the plants after a rain will sometimes deter rabbits from nibbling. Dried blood meal, which rabbits do not favor, can be sprinkled around when planting. The flavor will absorb though the root system of the vegetables, making them less appetizing. As an ongoing garden pest control, blood meal can be added to the soil every two weeks.

Live traps can be used for smaller rodents and rabbits. Bait the traps with a small amount of peanut butter, check them regularly, and transport any captured animals to another location immediately. Wear plastic gloves when handling live traps to prevent exposure to diseases carried by rodents and their parasites. Sticky insect traps and lures are another good pest control. Paint a thick piece of cardboard a bright color to attract the pest, and coat with a sticky substance such as Stick-em or Tanglefoot.

Electronic Pest Control

There are several electronic pest control devices available on the market as well, including electric fences, motion detecting water sprayers, and ultrasonic noisemakers that humans can’t hear, but that garden pests find annoying. There are some units on the market that allow you to adjust the unit to the pest you are trying to drive away, without bothering the other critters you would like to have around.

Electric fencing can be installed around the perimeter of the yard. Some of these products claim to be strong enough to deter deer from entering the garden, but weak enough that they do not hurt family pets.

Moles feed on earthworms and grubs, not plants, which can make them a benefit to gardens, but as part of their natural activity, moles tunnel through the soil, causing damage to delicate plant roots. Battery or solar operated devices can be placed in the ground to help deter moles from burrowing in your garden. Place a few around the garden to prevent these pests from making paths in a new area.

Beneficial Bugs

Insects that prey upon garden pests are called beneficial insects. In nature these insects keep the garden pests under control. Encourage beneficial bugs by avoiding the use of commercial pesticides as these are usually non-discriminatory and will kill good and bad bugs alike. A small number of pests in the garden will encourage those beneficial bugs to stick around and multiply, making your work easier.

Ladybugs are natural enemies of aphids. Green lacewing in larvae stage feeds on thrips, mites, aphids, and various other insect eggs. Trichogramma wasps are effective against corn earworm, tomato hornworm, and loopers. The tiny wasps are also a parasite to many kinds of caterpillars.

Sprays and Soaps

There are many organic pest control sprays you can make at home, as well as purchasing less harmful insecticidal soaps. Many of the homemade sprays include ingredients such as garlic, onion, or cayenne pepper. A word of caution when using sprays intended to go directly on the plants. Never apply sprays in the heat of the afternoon sun. The water can heat up very quickly and cause brown spots to appear on the leaves.

Most gardeners have a connection with the earth and enjoy the wildlife and insects nature has provided…just not in the garden! For those who prefer to practice organic pest control, there are many options. They may not work as well as pesticides in some cases, but they are a lot less harmful and can even add fun and beauty to your garden.

About the Author

Karen Gross is a professional gardener and design consultant. She provides valuable tips and advice about seed companies, container gardening and other vegetable gardening topics.