You’ve spent countless hours tending to your herb garden, only to find that a week later it’s been decimated by pests. Or maybe you went away on vacation, leaving your so-called pest-free garden behind, and now the bugs are having a feast on the plants that remain.
It can be frustrating to see all of your hard work go to waste because of pests—but don’t despair! There are plenty of ways to keep bugs out of an herb garden in order for your herbs and other plants to thrive for as long as possible.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Common pests in herb gardens include aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and caterpillars. |
| Companion planting with garlic, chives, and marigolds can help prevent herb pests. |
| Signs of pest damage on herbs include chewed or discolored leaves or stems and visible insects. |
| Natural pest control methods for herb gardens include insecticidal soap or neem oil, introducing beneficial insects, and manual removal of pests. |
| Prevent herb pest problems by choosing the right plants for your climate, soil and plant health practices, and keeping your garden tidy and weed-free. |
Companion Planting
Companion planting is a method of planting different crops together to benefit each other. For instance, you can plant carrots with onions and garlic because these plants help repel pests like carrot flies and onion maggots.
Some companion plants such as dill attract the beneficial insects that feed on the pests that attack your garden, while others such as basil work as insect repellents.
Companion planting can be used to make your garden more productive or less attractive to harmful insects like slugs and snails.
You can also use companion planting for herbs to keep them away from pests which may damage their leaves or roots when they grow together in one area of your herb garden.
Creating a gardening journal is a great way to improve your gardening skills and keep track of your garden’s progress. Our gardening tips post on how to make a gardening journal provides step-by-step instructions for creating your own journal and some useful tips to get you started.
Grow These Plants
To help keep pests away from your herbs, consider planting some of these plants in your herb garden: basil, sage, mint, thyme and rosemary.
Oregano and chives also work well. And if you’re looking for a little bit of something spicy to round out the flavor profile of your herbs, cilantro is another good choice.
Plants to Help Keep Pests Away
| Plant | Description |
|---|---|
| Basil | Repels flies and mosquitoes, and improves the flavor of nearby plants. |
| Sage | Deters some insects, including cabbage moths and carrot flies. |
| Mint | Repels ants, fleas, and mice, and attracts beneficial insects. |
| Thyme | Deters cabbage worms and slugs, and attracts predatory insects. |
| Rosemary | Repels some insects, including mosquitoes, and can improve the growth of nearby plants. |
This table provides an overview of five plants that can be useful for preventing pests in your herb garden. It includes a brief description of each plant’s pest-deterring properties.
Garlic Spray
Garlic spray is a natural and effective way to keep most pests away from your herb garden. It’s simple to make, costs almost nothing, and can be ready for use in just five minutes.
To create garlic spray:
- Chop or slice two tablespoons of garlic into small pieces.
- Add it to one cup of water in a container with a lid, like a jar. Cover the container so air cannot get inside; you may want to use plastic wrap or aluminum foil over the lid as well if you’re concerned about light getting in and damaging the garlic’s effectiveness over time.
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Neem Oil
Neem oil is a natural insecticide derived from the neem tree, native to India. It’s been used in that country as a pesticide since ancient times and has shown efficacy against a wide range of pests.
Neem oil can be applied either as a spray or as a soil drench. It’s safe when it comes into contact with humans and pets (though you should still avoid applying it directly to your skin), so long as you apply according to manufacturer recommendations.
Healthy Soil
What does healthy soil have to do with keeping pests out of your herb garden? Well, the truth is that it’s the key to growing great plants. The soil where your herbs are planted is where most of their action happens.
The soil should be loose and well-drained, but not waterlogged. If your herb garden looks like it has been under construction for years, then you should probably start by improving your soil quality before planting anything in it!
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Hand-Picking
Hand-picking is the most effective way to get rid of pests. To do it, hold a hand-held vacuum over the pests and suck them up into the vacuum.
If this method doesn’t work for you, try using a stick to kill them or squish them with your fingers. Be careful not to squash them as they will release a foul smell if squashed or punctured by your pest remover tool (like your finger).
Hand-Picking Pest Control Method
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Hand-Picking | The most effective and environmentally-friendly way to control pests. Simply remove them by hand or use a hand-held vacuum to suck them up. |
| Water Spray | Can be used to dislodge and remove pests from plants, but may not be as effective as hand-picking. |
| Insecticidal Soap | A non-toxic pesticide made from natural materials that can be sprayed on plants to control insect pests. |
| Neem Oil | A natural pesticide that can be used to control a wide range of insect pests, including aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies. |
| Beneficial Insects | Introducing natural predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and praying mantises to your garden can help control pest populations. |
This table provides an overview of several pest control methods, including hand-picking, which is considered the most effective and eco-friendly way to control pests. It also includes other methods such as water spray, insecticidal soap, neem oil, and beneficial insects.
Yellow Fly Tape
Yellow fly tape can be a great way to keep pests out of your herb garden. It doesn’t take up much space, and it’s easy to hang from plants or around them.
The yellow color attracts the flies and mosquitoes, so they stay away from the plants instead of hovering around them.
If you’re looking for something that will keep pests out for longer than just one season, I would suggest planting herbs in containers rather than directly in your garden soil. This will allow you to move the containers where they are needed and also give you more control over what kind of insects are able to get into them
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Floating Row Cover
Floating row covers are made of lightweight material and can be used to protect plants from insects, birds and other pests.
They come in different sizes and can be used to create microclimates by covering the entire garden or just a portion of it.
Floating row covers provide an excellent barrier against many common garden pests, including Japanese beetles, flea beetles, squash bugs and cucumber beetles.
They also help prevent frost damage in cold climates where temperatures drop below freezing overnight during late spring through early fall seasons.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a natural pesticide that kills pests by absorbing the oils in their bodies. Diatomaceous earth is made from the shells of tiny sea creatures called diatoms. It’s harmless to humans and animals, but when applied to the soil of plants it can kill many different types of insects when they walk over it.
Diatomaceous earth doesn’t harm beneficial insects either, so you don’t have to worry about harming bees or butterflies while using it!
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Dormant Spray – Horticultural Oils And Soaps
Dormant spray is a mixture of horticultural oils and soaps that are applied in the winter when plants are dormant, to kill overwintering pests.
It can be used on fruit trees, shrubs and vines during their dormant period by applying it to the bark at the base of stems.
Use Predators For Pest Control In Garden
Ladybugs: Ladybugs are the best insect when it comes to controlling aphids, mites, and other soft-bodied pests. They eat their way through many garden pests and are very harmless to humans and pets (they don’t even sting).
You can buy them at your local nursery or you can attract them by planting certain flowers like daisies in your herb garden.
Praying Mantis: If you have praying mantises in your yard already, they will help keep pest populations down without any work on your part!
Just make sure that these predators aren’t eating too many of the good bugs (like ladybugs) in order for all three types of good bugs we mentioned above to remain balanced and healthy together.
Lacewings: Lacewings look like tiny dragonflies but are actually closely related to butterflies so they won’t harm any beneficial insects like bees or butterflies that might be present nearby either – just pray that no birds get a hold of them before they can lay eggs!
The larvae feed on aphids so if you find some lacewing eggs near where those little things live then consider yourself lucky because there’s one less thing worrying about keeping up with while growing herbs indoors or outdoors during summertime months when pests tend towards being more active due to heat stress causing spores inside infected plants/flower stalks/etcetera…
Attract Beneficial Bugs To Your Garden
Pest control is an important part of gardening, but sometimes it pays to play the long game. You may have heard that beneficial bugs are good for your garden because they eat pests and lay their eggs on them.
While this sounds like a good investment (you get rid of the pests, and then you get more beneficial bugs), it’s not so simple. Beneficial bugs are also important for pollination and other helpful effects in your garden, so you want as many of them around as possible!
Start by planting flowers that will attract beneficial insects. Ladybugs love dill and fennel; lacewings love dill, mints and parsley; hoverflies love daisies; mantises and assassin bugs love nasturtiums.
Conclusion
These are just some of the ways to keep pests out of your garden. The most important thing is to keep it clean and healthy, so you will get fewer bugs in the first place!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources on preventing pests in your herb garden that may be of interest:
7 Simple Strategies to Prevent Garden Pests: This article provides a comprehensive guide to pest prevention in your garden, with tips for avoiding pests altogether and dealing with them if they do show up.
How to Keep Insects Out of Herb Planters & Gardens: This guide provides a list of common herb pests and their control methods, as well as tips for keeping your garden healthy and pest-free.
How to Keep Your Herb Garden Pest-Free: This article offers some practical advice for keeping pests out of your herb garden, including using companion planting and natural pest control methods.
FAQs
What are some common pest problems in herb gardens?
Some common pest problems in herb gardens include aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and caterpillars.
What are some companion planting strategies for preventing herb pests?
Companion planting involves planting herbs alongside other plants that can help deter pests. Some good companion plants for preventing herb pests include garlic, chives, and marigolds.
How can I tell if my herbs have a pest problem?
Look for signs of damage on the leaves or stems of your herbs, such as chewed or discolored areas. You may also see insects on or around the plants.
What are some natural pest control methods for herb gardens?
Natural pest control methods for herb gardens include using insecticidal soap or neem oil, introducing beneficial insects like ladybugs and praying mantises, and manually removing pests from your plants.
How can I prevent pest problems in my herb garden in the first place?
Some effective strategies for preventing pest problems in your herb garden include choosing the right plants for your climate, using good soil and plant health practices, and keeping your garden tidy and weed-free.
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