10 Tips to Identify & Combat Garden Pests

Do you ever find yourself at a loss when unwanted visitors start to infest your garden? Don’t panic! In this article, we unravel the secrets to a pest-free garden with 10 practical tips. From natural allies to clever garlic tricks, there are many easy ways to identify and combat garden pests. Read on to find out how you can take back control.

How do pests get into your garden?

Your garden is a haven for common garden pests, offering them an abundance of food and hiding spots. These pests, including those lurking in the soil, can invade your garden from neighbouring areas or be drawn to food sources like compost piles. Understanding their entry points is crucial for effective pest control.

Identifying garden pests

Identifying garden pests through signs like sticky secretions or visible critters on plants is the first step towards an effective control strategy. The sight of eaten leaves is a clear signal that it’s time to tackle these plant pests, utilizing garden pests identification pictures for accurate identification.

Familiarizing yourself with common garden bugs and insects, such as slugs, lice, caterpillars, and beetles, is vital. Knowing the specific pests infesting your garden allows you to take targeted actions against these examples of pests, safeguarding your plants from damage and combatting nibbled leaves.

Common harmful garden insects UK

• Oak Processionary Caterpillar / Moth
• Leaf Miners
• Aphids
• Chafer Grubs
• Slugs and Snails
• Vine Weevil
• Box Tree Caterpillar
• Ants

Tip 1: Natural insect control

Leveraging natural enemies, like ladybirds and birds, is an effective pest control strategy. Many garden pests have natural predators that help maintain ecological balance. Attracting these allies into your garden can significantly reduce the population of harmful pests.

Enhancing your garden with birdhouses, insect hotels, and ponds, alongside planting insect-attracting flowers like lavender and marigolds, invites natural predators. This approach controls pests and adds beauty to your flower gardens.

Tip 2: Diatomaceous earth as a natural control

Diatomaceous earth, a natural remedy made from the ground-up fossils of diatoms, is effective against soil pests. Its abrasive action on the exoskeleton of insects leads to dehydration and death, offering a non-toxic solution to managing pests in soil.

Applying diatomaceous earth around your plants or spraying it directly can protect them from insects. For safe and effective pest control, make sure you use food-grade diatomaceous earth as it is safe for humans and pets.

Tip 3: Use companion planting in your vegetable garden

Companion planting deters pests naturally, with certain plants acting as repellents due to their inherent defence mechanisms. For instance, marigolds against slugs and snails. These plants are showcasing the power of strategic planting in managing plant diseases and pests.

Tip 4: Garlic spray against pests in your garden

Garlic spray, a natural pesticide, proves effective against aphids and vine weevils. Creating a garlic-based spray by mixing it with water and a bit of liquid soap offers a homemade solution to combat these pests, including the troublesome aphids.

Let the mixture steep for a few days, then strain it. Spray the garlic spray on the infected plants to get rid of pests. The strong smell of garlic will deter pests and prevent them from attacking your plants. Like this, you can use garlic against aphids. Controlling vine weevils with garlic is also effective. 

Tip 5: Remove weeds regularly

Weeds can serve as a shelter and food source for pests and diseases. It is therefore important to remove weeds regularly to reduce the risk of an infestation in your garden. Be sure to remove the weeds, root and all, so they can’t grow again.

Regular weeding of your garden will not only help control the presence of pests, but it will also promote the health of your plants by giving them more space and nutrients.

Tip 6: Tackle pests with birdhouses

Birds are natural enemies of many pests, such as snails, caterpillars, and beetles. By placing birdhouses in your garden, you can attract birds that eat these pests in your garden.

Make sure the birdhouses are in a sheltered spot and provide them with food and water. By encouraging birds to visit your garden, you are doing natural insect control, and you can keep the pests in check.

Tip 7: Pheromone traps against specific pests

Pheromone traps are an effective way to control specific types of pests in your garden. Pheromones are chemicals secreted by insects to communicate with other individuals of the same species.

By utilising pheromone traps, it is possible to attract and capture male insects, thereby disrupting their reproduction and reducing the number of harmful pests. There are traps for different types of pests, like fruit flies and the boxwood moth.

Tip 8: Place mulch around your plants

Mulch is a layer of organic matter that you can put around your plants to suppress weed growth and maintain soil moisture. However, laying mulch can also help with garden grubs identification in the UK and managing bugs in garden soil. Mulching can also help get rid of pests. Some types of mulch, such as wood chips and straw, can serve as shelter for natural pest predators, such as ladybugs and spiders.

Tip 9: Get rid of pests with essential oils

You can also use essential oils to repel pests from your garden. Some essential oils have a strong odour that deters pests. For example, peppermint oil can help keep ants and spiders at bay, while citronella oil is effective against mosquitoes, making them a part of organic pest control strategies.

Mix a few drops of essential oil with water and apply the mixture to the affected areas of your garden. Be careful to dilute the oils before using them, as otherwise they can be harmful to your plants.

Tip 10: Make sure your plants are healthy

Healthy plants are less susceptible to pests and diseases. So make sure your plants get enough water, nutrients, and sunlight to keep them strong and healthy. Water your plants regularly, but avoid overwatering, as this can promote fungal growth and make them more prone to garden pests and diseases.

Opt for organic control methods to feed your plants and avoid using chemical pesticides that can be harmful to the environment. By growing healthy plants, you reduce the chances of pests in your garden, embracing a more sustainable approach to managing pests and diseases.

Garden pests FAQ

Don’t give pests free rein

Controlling pests in your garden is a process that requires constant attention and dedication. Apply the tips from this article consistently and take back control of your garden. Whether it’s the fight against snails, aphids, ants or boxwood moth, remember that persistence wins! So don’t let pests be a spoilsport so that you can continue to enjoy a beautiful, healthy garden.

Do you have any questions or need more advice? You are welcome to leave a comment or contact us.

Happy gardening!

Louis Hooft

Founder & Lawn expert

Introducing Louis Hooft, the founder of MOOWY and your reliable expert. With a profound love for stunning lawns and extensive experience in garden maintenance, Louis is here to assist garden enthusiasts in achieving a greener and livelier outdoors than ever before. Count on Louis for invaluable tips, clever tricks, and top-notch products to make your garden flourish!