It’s officially shorts-weather here in the southeast. After leaving your yard to grow rowdy and unruly during the winter, you may decide to head out to perform seasonal maintenance to your front/back yards and gardens now that the weather is a more bearable 75 °F … Can you tell we live in Florida?
With all of the pool days, backyard picnics, and family gatherings you might have outside of your home this year, we’re sure you want your garden looking beyond presentable, beautiful even! After putting in all that love and care in renovating your yard and gardens, we’d hate to see it be ruined by rodents and pests before you even have company over. As your favorite exterminator and pest control company in Jacksonville, FL, we’ve spent a lot of time in your yards, and therefore have gathered quite a bit of info in the botany department too.
Here’s our advice on plants and flowers to add to your garden that will help protect your garden from pests, and also make your yard more family-friendly.
Chrysanthemums
Also called mums for short, chrysanthemums are some of the most powerful, natural pest repellants around. They actually contain a compound that is often included in store-bought insect repellants, called pyrethrum. Mums help deter a variety of pests such as ticks, fleas, cockroaches, bed bugs, and ants.
Mint and Peppermint
Peppermint is usually used in sweet dishes, and spearmint (what is normally referred to as just ‘mint’ at the grocery store or in gardens) is typically used in more savory dishes. Aside from the benefit of being able to snip a few leaves off to add to your meals whenever you please, both of these plants help keep away mosquitos, mice, ants, and spiders. Plus, you get to enjoy their pleasant smell!
Bay Leaves
If you aren’t familiar with bay leaves, it’s time to add them to both your garden and your recipes. Whenever you are making a large pot of stew or soup, after steeping your bay leaves in the broth, or even if you picked a few too many leaves, you can use them as an insect repellant in two ways. Besides growing them in a pot, it’s also extremely beneficial to crush them up and sprinkle them into the rest of your garden soil and pots.
Marigolds
Marigolds range in stunning colors ranging from whites and creams to wonderful yellows and oranges, turning your garden into a constant sunset-like scene. It’s best to plant or move your marigolds to the outer edges of your garden because they serve as a great barrier to pests overall and place a few pots sporadically among your other plants too. Marigolds act as repellants in the way of exuding a semi-toxic chemical that inhibits nematode eggs from hatching. Nematodes are tiny parasitic worms that feed on plants and steal their nutrients. The earlier you plant marigolds, the better, as they can take a little while to make an impact. Lastly, the more fragrant the marigold variety, the more efficient it will be, as it helps attract beneficial insects, like ladybugs and hoverflies, that help control bad bugs.
These plants will definitely help control rodents and pests in your yard, but sometimes those tiny critters can still sneak through the cracks. For help with those sneaky insects or the ones that might not be deterred by these plants, contact us at Russell Pest Solutions for your insect control and pest solution needs. By providing the highest quality, eco-friendly pest solutions in North-East Florida, we will help your yard be spring-ready and bug-free for the whole family to enjoy.
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