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Is Your Garden Under Seige By pests?

Throughout the year many people are plagued by outdoor pests. Gardeners in particular find outdoor pests frustrating and many try numerous garden pest control products to eliminate the problem.

Common Garden Pests

While there are hundreds of different outdoor pests, there are a few that are more popular than others. These include:
  • Ants
  • Rabbits
  • Raccoons
  • Ground Hogs
  • Slugs and Snails
Ants can be a real pest in the garden. Though they aren't always as destructive as some other pests, they can occasionally build mounds, thin the grass and make sunbathing impossible. They come in all shapes and sizes and can give a painful bite if they feel threatened.

Rabbits can be a frustrating pest in the garden and while they may look cute and cuddly, they love to eat your gardens plants. They love lettuce, tulips, clover and beans.

Raccoons can be a problem in some areas and they can be dangerous as they have sharp claws, teeth and they also carry rabies. They mainly come out at night to garden looking for food. If you leave anything such as dog food, they will eat it and no doubt come back the next day.

Ground Hogs are attracted to vegetable gardens and they can cause a fair amount of damage before they are caught. They hibernate in the winter so any problems with ground hogs usually happen in late spring or early summer.

Slugs and snails are common pests and they cause havoc by eating plants and flowers. They mainly appear overnight and there are a number of measures you can take to prevent them from damaging your garden.

How Can You Control Garden Pests?

Identifying garden pests is the first step to controlling them.
Ants
If you have an ant problem, there are a number of powders you can use to kill them. Pesticides are also commonly used though they can be harmful to you and your pets so it is always best to read the instructions first.

If you know where a nest is, you could kill the whole nest by pouring boiling water down into it. If the problem is too bad you can always call in a professional but that can be expensive.
Rabbits
If you have a rabbit problem the best thing you can do to deter them is to put up fences around the affected area. There is also the option of using traps and planting a clover garden away from your main plant area. Also keeping the grass trimmed will make sure that the rabbits don't have anywhere to hide. If you do not want to use traps then a more humane repeller could be a motion sensor where the rabbit would get blasted with cold water if it wanders too near the sensor.
Raccoons and Ground Hogs
Raccoons and Ground Hogs both come into the garden looking for food. To deter them always make sure that any trash is kept in a trash can and that the lid to the trash can is sealed properly. If they do not find any food they are less likely to come back.

Motion devices could also work on these animals as the cold water would frighten them away. They also do not like to be around humans so if you set up a waterproof radio outside and set it to a talking station, it should be enough to deter the pests.

As per law you cannot poison a Raccoon so if you do have a serious problem you should contact a professional who will come and remove the animal for you.
Slugs and Snails
While slugs and snails can be a pain, they are fairly easy to get rid of. Beer traps are the most effective way of eliminating the problem. To create a beer trap all you need is a plastic cup and tiny amount of beer. Fill the cup partly with beer and plant it in the soil near your plants. Slugs and snails are drawn to the beer and they fall into traps and drown.

You can also buy slug pellets but these can be harmful to other animals so they are not advised for anybody who has pets.

Are there any Harmful Effects of Garden Pesticides?

All pesticides, even organic garden pest control, can be harmful to humans. They mainly affect the environment. Small children and pets can be more susceptible to the effects than adults. If used incorrectly and sometimes even if they are used correctly, they can cause all kinds of problems to our health. Effects include:
  • Damage to the nervous system
  • Damage to our hormone system
  • Damage to our immune system
  • Links to cancer and Leukemia
Using pesticides in the garden can also kill good wildlife such as Honey Bees and butterflies. Another problem with pesticides is that they tend to drift the course when sprayed. This means that the spray goes up into the air and drifts away to other areas. This poses a big threat to the environment and if used in a built up area, it could pose a risk to neighbors' pets.

So while pesticides may be a common and somewhat effective form of garden pest control, they can also be extremely dangerous and can have severe effects on wildlife and pets. It is always better to use natural methods of pest control whenever possible, when dealing with common garden pests.

Related Articles
Is your flower garden infected with Earwigs?
Effective Natural Remedies for Aphid Control
Grasshoppers Control Before They Eat Your Entire Garden
Slugs and Snails! How do these affect my garden?

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