Naturally Say Goodbye to Garden Pests

It's an unavoidable fact that if left untended, for every flower and plant that adorns our gardens, a greater number of pests will also take root. The good news is that removing these scoundrels from infesting your vegetation does not need to rely on chemicals, nor should it. For each individual species of pest that shows up in your garden abode, there is a natural solution that is cheaper and most importantly, safer to use than pesticides.

Shockingly, North Americans use upwards of 130 million pounds of pesticide each year, both in their gardens and in their homes. This dwarfs the amount used by farmers by almost three times, and accounts for a high percentage of wildlife pest poisonings and contamination of surface water from pesticide use.

Cutting back on this problem requires educating gardeners and homeowners everywhere. Taking the initiative by spreading the word yourself can only help, and the best way to do that is to lead by example, and keep your own home pesticide free.

The following tips will help you keep your garden healthy and pest free without resorting to harmful pesticide use.

The most common problem gardeners will face is insect damage to their plants. With proper cultivation and gardening methods, this problem can be drastically reduced before having to resort to other methods. This means having well-prepared soil, adjusting the pH balance as needed, good drainage and air circulation.

As your garden continues to grow and take shape, remove and dispose immediately of any struggling plants. Be sure to keep your compost area for storing your weeds, discarded plants and compost well away from your main gardening area, as the compost heap will be sure to attract pests.

Keep your garden beds well mulched and top-dressed with compost to ensure healthy plant development. Ensure you're using clean mulch, bought from a reputable dealer or cultivated yourself.

Be sure to keep your garden area clear of debris and things that will attract insects. If you have fruit trees near your garden, be sure to dispose of any fallen fruit immediately. Spoiled pears or apples will attract all many of pests.

Seaweed fertilizer sprays are useful for strengthening soil and promoting plant growth. They contain helpful minerals and trace elements like iron, calcium, sulphur and magnesium.

Mix up your garden beds with a variety of plant types interspersed throughout. This makes it difficult for plant specific pests to propagate and spread throughout your garden bed.

If you've used your gardening implements on infected plants, be sure to sterilize them before using them on healthy plants.


Finally, you can call on the power of nature itself to help you in your fight using a natural product like neem oil. By attracting or purchasing insects which feast upon the particular pests bothering your plants, you can remove them in one fell swoop of natural selection. Praying Mantises, Hover Flies, Ladybugs, Chalcids, Brachonids, and if they don't frighten you, Wasps, are all insects which will help you battle common varieties of garden pests.

Having a healthy and beautiful garden should not be your number one priority, the health and safety of family should be. Thankfully it is not a choice of one or the other. By using any or all of the above tips, you can keep your garden looking great, and have no fear of your children playing near your plants. It's truly the best of both worlds.

Butterflies: An Exciting and Beautiful Way to Learn

Butterflies: An Exciting and Beautiful Way to Learn and Enjoy Nature


By Shelly Latshaw


Imagine a classroom of excited students, gathered around a table to watch the amazing transformation of caterpillars emerging from their cocoons chrysalises into a beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies. When the butterflies emerge and begin to flap their wings, the students will be astounded by nature's biological life cycle. Learning through the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to an adult butterfly is a hands on real-life experience that students would probably never be able to witness or experience naturally in the wild.


With a Live Butterfly Rearing Kit from The Butterfly and Nature Gift store, your child or classroom can observe the caterpillar's transition into a beautiful Painted Lady butterfly while learning about biological life cycles or simply in enjoy the aesthetics of nature through the butterflies' magnificent colorings. With the largest selection live butterfly kits sold on the internet, the Butterfly and Nature store offers the kits in three sizes; medium, large and school size with the option to receive the caterpillars immediately or at a later date. The kits can be ordered anytime of the year including during winter months.


Each Live Butterfly Rearing Kit contains everything you need to witness the butterfly life cycle including live caterpillars, see-through net cage special food and easy instructions. Children not only watch the caterpillars change into chrysalises (cocoons) and then emerge as butterflies but they actively participate in the care and feeding of the butterflies. Most butterflies have an average lifespan of 30 days so they can be used in a classroom setting where long term care commitments are not practical.


Another exciting way to view live

Source: Free Articles