(TacticalNews.com) – Nobody likes pests; that is, after all, why we call them pests. Imagine having a nice garden started and growing, or even some lovely flowerbeds. Next thing you know, your plants are withering and dying. More than likely, the culprit is on this list. Thankfully, there are natural ways to repel these pests and protect your plants.
Scale Bugs
These tiny bugs start off as even smaller rust- or orange-colored bumps on your plant, especially in dry climates. Some species of scale bugs secrete a sticky honeydew, which will make your plants more prone to disease and fungi. Scale bugs typically cause leaves to yellow and eventually fall off. Of course, left unbothered and unfettered, these insects can kill entire plants.
Thankfully, the remedy for scale bugs is pretty simple, at least if you catch the infestation early enough; simply snip off any infected parts of the plant and discard them. If the plant is seriously infested, try neem oil-based spray. Be sure to scrape away any leftover rust-colored spots and finish off by covering the plant with a hot pepper wax spray to keep the scale bugs from returning.
Tomato Hornworm
These pests are considerably sized at 3-4 inches. However, that doesn’t mean they’re easy to spot. Their light-green coloring serves as effective camouflage when they infest tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes. While sometimes hard to notice, the havoc they can wreak on your plants is not.
To rid yourself of these pests, simply pluck them off by hand and place them into a bucket with soapy water. It should be noted that if you spot white eggs on the worm, leave them be as these are wasp eggs and they will attack the host upon hatching, doing the dirty work for you.
Grasshopper
Grasshoppers are often larger than most other pests, which makes them more dangerous to not only your garden, but your yard as well. One great way to repel these pests is to blend two bulbs of garlic in 10 cups of water; heat until boiling and let it set overnight. Fill a spray bottle with the mixture using a ratio of 1 part solution to 3 parts water. Spray the solution onto the leaves and undersides of the leaves.
Another way to repel them is to plant cilantro, calendula and sweet clover in whatever area you want to protect; grasshoppers dislike the smell of these plants and will avoid the area.
Ants
Ants can become a problem overnight, with hundreds of them appearing wherever there’s food. These insects are a threat to both outdoor and indoor plants. Thankfully, you can find some natural remedies to ants in your kitchen in the form of:
- Powdered red chili pepper
- Cinnamon
- Dried peppermint
- Paprika
Another way you can rid your area of ants is to locate the anthill and pour boiling water down the entranceway; for best results, do this early in the morning.
Earwig
These insects are beyond ugly and feast on decomposing plants and wet leaves. Earwigs can sometimes infest your garden as well as your home, and let’s be fair: They’re super creepy. To get rid of them, place wet sheets of newspaper in and around the area with earwigs during the evening hours and leave overnight.
Earwigs are most active at night and will seek shelter within the newspaper. Next, you need to carefully remove the newspaper, ensuring it stays rolled up. Place the paper into a trash bag, tie it off and throw it into your garbage can outside.
Conclusion
Pests are a one-way ticket to your garden or flowers being ruined, but the key to saving your plants is simple: Prevent the infestation before it ever occurs. After all, prevention is the best way to avoid many of life’s problems. The above pests are annoying and often destructive, but you’ll want to avoid these bugs at all costs.
Do you know of any other unusual ways to get rid of these nasty pests? Reply to your email and let us know. We would love to hear from you!
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