Know How to Get Rid of Common Garden Pest

Garden pests come in all shapes and sizes. They can attack from above, below or anywhere in between. They could be fluffy, feathered or scaly. Let's take a look first at some common animal garden pests and how to deal with them. Then we can move on to some common insect garden pests and what you can do when they appear in your yard.

First, let's start with the wee whiskered crowd. If you have a compost pile that can definitely attract rodents and other critters to your yard. I currently use a rotating compost and I haven't had issues with critters. Another thing that can attract them to your yard is shelter. They love to hide out in piles of firewood, garbage cans etc. Keeping your yard as tidy as possible can help a bit but in reality, these guys are little and can make a home just about anywhere. 

Rats, mice and Voles are primarily natural so you may not see them scurrying around but you can definitely see the damage they can leave in their wake. Also, keep an eye out for signs of tunnels that tend to have openings of about 6-9cm. You may also notice their cylindrical dropping or telltale gnaw marks on wood or veggies. 

Keep your garden tidy and cut the grass. Move things around-rodents are creatures of habit and don't like it when things are changed. Keep bird feeders away from your veggie garden Keep them out from under decks and sheds. This is easier said than done but do your best to ensure they can't get under or in these structures. Keep them out of your compost. As I mentioned, a rotating compost bin is great for this. Remove produce as soon as it is ripe. Let the dogs out! Rodents aren't going to like having a dog running around which can help to dissuade them from taking up residence in your yard. Remove pooling water which is also important to reduce the mosquito population as well.

They tend to be more active in the fall as they prepare to stock up for winter. They will also lay a beating on any bird feeder in sight. These guys are honestly harder to keep out than many other four-legged pests. Somethings to try are cayenne or pepper flakes sprinkled around your plants. You can also install hoops over your raised beds, which are great for keeping a variety of intruders out. 

If you live anywhere in or around a city you probably have raccoons. They love to get into your garbage and your garden. Raccoons also love corn, so if you are growing it then one option is to sprinkle blood meal around the base of the plants. Wood ash also helps to keep them at bay or a mixture of garlic and chili powder. You can also make a hot pepper spray of sorts that you can spray on your veggies (just don't forget to wash them off before you eat them). 

Peter Rabbit may be great for bedtime stories but you don't want him decimating your vegetable garden! Before you can deal with this type of garden invasion you will need to determine if rabbits are in fact to blame. Generally, rabbits will nibble plants to the ground with a clean-cut edge as if they were almost cut with scissors. As with rodents and other animals, one thing that is important to do is making your garden less attractive to them. This means keeping the grass short, blocking access under and into structures and piles of wood or brush to a minimum. Barriers can be effective at keeping rabbits out also letting the dogs out can be a deterrent. 

Skunks 

Typically skunks are more likely to make a home under your deck or shed rather than pillaging your vegetable garden. That said they do enjoy munching on corn and especially grubs. It is relatively easy to keep them out of your vegetable garden by using some sturdy fencing that they can't go under or through. They can also be dissuaded by bright lights. 

Birds 

Birds can be a bit more challenging as they are most likely to target your garden from above. The modern version of the scarecrow is terror eye balloons or you could use a decoy owl. Keep in mind that birds also do help to control some other pests such as slugs, snails and some other insects so keeping them out can lead to other issues. 

If you live anywhere close to where they roam they can be quite a nuisance. The best way to deter deer is to use deer netting around your garden. 

Slugs and snails will head straight for your beans, lettuce, tomatoes and cabbage. One easy way to deal with them is beer.  All you need to do is get a container and bury it to the rim and then pour the beer into the container. The slugs and snails will be attracted to it and will fall in and drown. Another less morose option is to sprinkle crushed eggshells along the surface of the soil. The sharp edges are obviously less than appealing to slugs and snails and it can help to keep them away from your precious leafy veggies. 

If you have caterpillars then you will actually want to see birds in your yard. Caterpillars can very quickly become a huge problem in a vegetable garden! As I mentioned birds are the best line of defense as a natural predator of caterpillars. But there are some other options. You can make some DIY insecticidal soap with soap and water which can be sprayed on your plants. Prevention is always the best medicine. If you are using raised beds then hoops can help prevent caterpillars and a host of other wee beasties from making their way to your plants. 

If you wake up to an infestation then your best bets are to use a Japanese beetle trap, start applying neem oil or get yourself a bucket of soapy water, some gloves and start picking them off and popping them into the water. Prevention is best and you can achieve this by using beneficial nematodes in your garden. 

These little beetles can be quite a nuisance, they get the flea moniker due to their ability to jump about like fleas. Look for their eggs down by the base of the plant stem. The wee beasties start to feast on the roots once they hatch. Once matured they move up the plant to start feasting on leaves, leaving round holes. If you are using raised beds then row covers/hoops can help to keep them away from your plants. Sticky traps can help as well by catching the flea beetles when they jump. Another option is to use diatomaceous earth, just be careful when applying as you don't want to inhale any!

Leaf miner damage hurts your plants and has the added kick in the pants of making them unsightly too. As with any insect pests, you could opt to use commercial insecticides but they are not always the most effective and the harm they do often goes far beyond the specific target. If you are inclined to use more natural means then you can opt to look to the leaf miners natural enemy a wasp. Hoops over raised beds can also help to keep the adults away from your plants so that they do not have the ability to lay eggs. 

Have you heard of squash bugs before? They look very similar and they even stink if you happen to squish one. These common garden pests are often found on your winter squash, zucchinis and pumpkins. Prevention is key, you will want to keep an eye out for any adults as well as egg masses.

If we are going to have a conversation about common garden pests and you grow tomatoes then we need to talk about both the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) and the tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata). The tomato hornworm has white v-shaped markings with green edges and a dark blue horn on its bum. Whereas, the tobacco hornworm has parallel white stripes with black dots along the edges and a red horn on its bum. As with most pests, the best defense is a good offence. Tilling your soil at the beginning and end of each growing season can have a significant effect in ridding you of the overwintering larvae. If you already have them in your garden you can simply remove them from the plants and either drop them in soapy water or if you are lucky enough to have backyard chickens then they will appreciate the treat! 

These itty bitty pests are usually found in droves on your plants. They can cause your plants to be small, with yellow and/or curling leaves. Aphids can be green, brown, yellow, red or black and they are a pain! You may see the sticky residue they leave behind after their feasting is complete (known as honeydew). They reproduce very quickly so you will end up dealing with more than one generation in a growing season unless you can get them under control. You can deal with them in a few ways. One is to hose them off the infected plants, but you need to do this every day for about two weeks. As with most of these pest situations, prevention is the best medicine. The natural enemy of aphids is ladybugs so you will want to make sure to attract these to your garden.