Pest control products and tips

1. Worm castings

Worm castings are one easy way to keep common pests like aphids, whiteflies and spider mites away from your plants—and you can buy a large bag for under $20 on Amazon. “I mix worm casting into the soil before planting,” says Mitchell. “This soil enrichment provides an extra boost of essential nutrients to help my plants get an extra strong and pest-resistant start,” she adds, noting that it’s better to be proactive than reactive when dealing with those pesky plant pests. Renew Organics 100% Organic Worm Castings are chemical-free, eco-friendly and odorless worm castings option that you can add directly into the ground or in pots if you have a container garden.

Renew Organics 100% Organic Worm Casting

This chemical-free formula will not only help keep pests at bay, it’ll also improve your garden soil’s health with its nutrient-rich composition.

$20 at Amazon

2. Ladybugs

Ladybugs aren’t just lucky, they’re also considered predators and an excellent, natural way to target some common garden pests. “Ladybugs, which are beneficial garden insects, love to feast on aphids and can be your best defense against those small armies of insects,” says Mitchell. You can purchase live ladybugs for sale at a local hardware store or garden center. Additionally, Mitchell recommends companion planting your garden with ladybug-loving crops like flowering zinnias, sunflowers and marigolds or strong-scented herbs like chives, dill and fennel. If you don’t have the space, consider BioCare Ladybug Lures, which are small discs that attach to plant stems and are designed to attract the lucky ladies.

BioCare Ladybug Lures

Make your garden a haven for ladybugs with this nontoxic lures product that lasts up to four weeks.

$19 at Amazon

3. Diatomaceous Earth

Snails and slugs can also pose a problem in the garden. If that’s true for your own garden, Mitchell recommends buying a bag of diatomaceous earth and sprinkling it around the base of your plants to prevent them from being eaten by soft-bodied snails and slugs. “It is made from fossilized algae, and its abrasive texture harms pests with tiny wounds that eventually cause fatal dehydration,” she explains. A bag of Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth costs under $20 at Ace Hardware, and since you only need a sprinkle, it can last a long time.

Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth

Enhance the quality of your garden with this 100% freshwater food grade diatomaceous earth, now available for under $20 at Ace Hardware.

$19 at Ace Hardware

If aphids, beetles, caterpillars, fruit flies, mites and whiteflies are interfering with your garden, you can opt for a natural insecticide like Bonide Captain Jacks Neem Oil spray. This spray is safe to use on all sorts of plants, including houseplants, edible plants, bushes, flowers and trees, and it’s also safe for pets, so you don’t have to worry about your fur babies coming into contact with it. The spray bottle makes it easy to add neem oil to your garden, but you can also find it in a concentrate form and make your own spray mix.

Bonide Captain Jacks Neem Oil Organic Fungicide/Insecticide/Miticide

This pet-safe spray is a great tool to use when combatting pests like beetles, caterpillars or fruit flies.

$14 at Ace Hardware

4. Sticky traps

Sticky traps aren’t the most effective way to get rid of garden pests outdoors, but they come in handy when dealing with fruit flies, gnats and other bugs indoors. From houseplants to herb gardens, you can use a yellow sticky trap stake such as these Yellow Stick Traps from Amazon to attract and get rid of insects. In addition to these classic sticky traps, you can also try the Zevo Flying Insect Trap, which is a plug-in device that lights up to attract insects and has a sticky back to capture the pests. This is an excellent alternative if you have your herb garden in the kitchen and don’t want an exposed sticky track with a bunch of dead bugs.

Yellow Stick Traps Indoor-Outdoor

Not only do these yellow sticky traps help mitigate the presence of pests, but they also come in fun shapes that won’t stick out like an eyesore in your garden.

$5 at Amazon (Save $1)

5. Garden netting and chicken wire

Garden netting is another one of the best ways to keep garden pests away, especially if you have issues with birds, squirrels, rodents and deer. The Garden Mesh Netting Barrier from Amazon is a 50-foot roll of mesh netting that you can cut and customize for your garden, depending on your needs. Lay it over a garden bed to protect your lettuce, or wrap a fruit bush in it to keep pests from eating your crop. In addition to netting, you can also use steel chicken wire to keep larger animals (or your own pets) away from plants.

Garden Mesh Netting Barrier

Beyond keeping your garden safe from pests and bugs, this mesh netting will also ensure its protected from larger predators like birds or deer.

$25 at Amazon (Save $5)

6. Bird tape

Birds love a garden with fruit trees and—if you’re not careful—might get to some or all of your crop before you can pick it. If birds are your only concern, you can forgo the mesh netting and add strips of De-Bird Scare Tape to your trees and bushes instead. These reflective ribbons create a lot of light and movement that scare birds away from your plant and protect your produce as it ripens. You can also tie bird tape—which, contrary to the name, isn’t actually sticky—to a small stake and stick it in planters with plants that might also be susceptible to feathery friends, such as strawberries, blackberries and blueberries.

De-Bird Scare Tape

With thousands of ratings on Amazon’s site, this pest-control product offers a failsafe way to deter birds and keep your most precious crops safe.

$8 at Amazon (Save $1)

7. Ultrasonic mole repellant

Moles are carnivores, so they won’t eat their way through your garden. However, their tunneling habits can still damage and even kill your plants and crops. If you suspect a mole issue, you can mole-proof your garden by installing solar mole repellent devices throughout. The Nikand Sonic Mole Repellent stakes come in a pack of four and feature solar-powered sonic technology that annoys moles and other pests, including gophers and groundhogs. This is one of the most humane ways to evict unwanted rodent residents, and the sound can also keep future pests from calling your garden home as well.

Nikand Sonic Mole Repellent

For a more humane way to deter garden pests like moles and rodents, opt for this solar repellant bundle that comes in a pack of four.

$50 at Amazon

8. Slug and snail barrier tape

If you’re looking for a way to get rid of snails and slugs without killing them, you can also try a copper barrier tape. The Gonzo Copper Stopper Slug and Snail Barrier Tape is designed to prevent snails and slugs from entering the premises since copper and slime create a small electrical charge that these pests don’t like. This slug and snail repellent is a more humane way of dealing with these types of garden pests since it creates a barrier between the bug and the garden rather than killing it. The snail and slug repellent is also non-toxic and pet-safe.  

Gonzo Copper Stopper Slug and Snail Barrier Tape

As much as we love snails, we don’t always love spotting them in our garden. Keep slugs at bay with the help of this non-toxic tool.

$12 at Amazon (Save $4)

9. Peppermint oil spray

Rats, mice and other rodents can also get in the way of a thriving garden. Instead of trapping them, you can create a barrier between your garden and the rodents with some peppermint oil spray. Mighty Mint Gallon Rodent Natural Peppermint Oil Spray is a natural and non-toxic rat repellent that is safe yet effective at keeping these little garden critters away from your crops. This rodent repellent comes conveniently packaged in a large bottle with a carrying handle and spray hose so you can walk around the garden and spritz as needed. You can also use this spray around your garden shed, garage and other outdoor areas to prevent rodents from entering.

Mighty Mint Gallon Rodent Natural Peppermint Oil Spray

With just a couple lights spritzes, this peppermint-infused solution will deter everything from rats and mice to spiders. Plus, it smells heavenly.

$36 at Amazon

How to keep garden pests away:

Adopting certain habits early on in your gardening journey can help you keep the bugs at bay. Some are as simple as your watering schedule, while others require a little more curiosity and care. Ahead, find Mitchell’s expert-approved advice for how to keep garden pests away.

1. Have a watering schedule

Watering your plants in the early morning rather than the evening is a great way to prevent some pests. “This habit is better for your plants and prevents the creation of a damp nighttime environment where your nocturnal moisture-loving pests will want to settle in and snack on your vegetation,” says Mitchell.

2. Consider companion planting

Mitchell also recommends a method called companion planting to create a healthy garden biodiversity. “Planting compatible crops together creates a hardy ecosystem where plants enhance and protect each other,” she notes. You can also companion-plant your garden with flowers and herbs that attract predators such as ladybugs. “Companion plant your garden with flowering zinnias, sunflowers and marigolds, or strong-scented herbs like chives, dill and fennel,” she adds. 

3. Keep plants strong

Healthy plants can also impact your insect and pest situation. “Proper watering, good soil and amending with nutrients as needed can help you grow healthier, stronger plants,” Mitchell explains. “Thriving plants often have built-in immunity against many pests and disease,” she adds, noting that pests and diseases prey on weaker plants that are easier to overtake. 

4. Inspect plants regularly

Get in the habit of checking your plants regularly for any potential pest concerns. According to Mitchell, you can fix many pest problems quickly if you catch them early. This includes manually removing the pest or pruning the part of a plant that has been infiltrated by one. 

5. Don’t overwater

Mitchell also says to know your plant’s watering needs. “New plant parents commonly overwater, sometimes creating mold and fungus on the soil, which is an inviting environment for many garden pests.”

6. Grow at the right time

When gardening and planting annual crops—which generally begin and end in one season—Mitchell recommends growing at the right time of year for the specific plant. “Crops that remain in the ground way past their prime won’t thrive in their environment and, as they become weak, pests are more drawn to them.”

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