08/30/2000 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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In your backyard ood planning can put you a step ahead of unwanted insects, weeds, and diseases. Healthy, vigorous plants minimize pest damage. Regular monitoring of your lawn or garden is the best way to stay on top of potential plant health and pest problems. If you see minimal damage, it is often easiest to just tolerate it and continue monitoring. If pests begin to cause serious damage, there a number of treatment methods. 24 Preventing pests • Plant disease and pest - resistant species. • Select a variety of hardy plant species and space them propeily. • Select plants that bloom and bear fruit at different times of the year. • Plant flowers, herbs, and vegetables together and change the location of annuals every year to prevent buildup of certain pests. • Clean up plant litter and remove weeds before they go to seed. • Add bird and bat houses to the garden. • Provide habitat for beneficial insects that prey on pests. • Water and add nutrients properly to increase plant vigor. Physical pest control • Remove insects by hand. • Wash pests away using a spray nozzle. • Set traps. • Make physical barriers around plants, such as a wire mesh fence partially sunk into the ground for rabbits, aluminum foil wrapped around vegetable plants for cutworms, and solid barriers to prevent weeds from invading flower beds or vegetable gardens. Beneficial insects Having the right insects in your garden or backyard can keep pests and weeds in check. Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, assassin bugs, and praying mantises, prey on insects that can harm your plants. The following insects can help control pests in your backyard: • Ladybugs and lacewing larvae for controlling aphids and a wide variety of other insects. • Preying mantises for controlling many insects. • •