10 home remedies for pests in the garden

Aphid, snail, ants? No problem - with these ten home remedies, the annoying pests no longer have a chance.

Eaten leaves, withered plants, broken fruits: small pests like these are often the nightmare of every gardener aphid, responsible. If you want to drive away the little beasts, you use pesticides, even though they are expensive and not exactly environmentally friendly. But with these ten home remedies you can drive the pests out of your garden - guaranteed without chemicals.

Tip 1: build walls

Better safe than sorry. Who wants to prevent that from the start Snails Delight in his plants should create barriers in advance. Scattered pine needles around the plants as a ring deter the nuisance. However, these have to be renewed again and again, at the latest after the first rain. If you are looking for a long-term solution, you should turn to the piebald fence. The downwardly curved edges are an insurmountable obstacle for the small animals and protect the plants from damage caused by eating. Not only modern and back-friendly, but also a snail scare, are still

Raised beds. Creeping animals can hardly reach the tall plants and the bed is safe from them.

Tip 2: Get online

Flying pests can also be deterred from plants using simple methods. Instead of acting when the damage has already happened, you can put up barriers to stop the pests from the start. Close-meshed nets over the plants not only protect against Cabbage white butterfly and vegetable fly. Birds or rodents that like to help themselves to fresh berries are also reliably locked out. However, the net should be checked regularly: wind, weather and rodents can punch large holes in the fine nets so that they no longer offer protection. In addition, inexperienced young birds can get tangled in the nets, which then have to be freed by human hands.

Tip 3: the right neighborhood

Not every pest likes every plant. On the contrary: some garden dwellers literally drive away the annoying animals. Plants with strong essential oils like lavender or Onions expel aphids from their environment. Slugs, on the other hand, can with a "protective circle" of cloves or lily of the valley (Other plants with furry leaves are also suitable). Colorado potato beetle don't like horseradish, Voles can garlic do not suffer and Ants loathe Mediterranean plants. So if you invest a little time in planning the right bed neighbors, you don't have to worry about the nuisances later.

Tip 4: beneficial insects

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. This or something like that is probably the principle of biological pest control. Because if you want your garden free from annoying pests, you should Beneficial insects not expel. The ladybird, for example, not only looks beautiful, it destroys entire colonies of aphids. Even Parasitic wasps are real pest killers and eat caterpillars, fly larvae, wasps and beetles. In the meantime, the beneficial insects are even bred commercially and can be bought in some garden centers or on the Internet. The little helpers come as eggs on small cards, which are now hung on the plants. Over the next few days the animals will hatch and then get to work while you can put your feet up.

Tip 5: a heart for hedgehogs and ducks

Hedgehogs, frogs and birds seem very different at first, but they all have one thing in common: insects. So that the animals also feel comfortable in the garden, it helps to create retreats for them. Hedges, piles of stones and ponds give the animals a hiding place and a place to hibernate. Ways to Support for hedgehogs in autumn see this article.
The animals also like densely planted areas in the garden and thank you by plastering all sorts of pests. Ducks are also ideal for Slug control. With a garden pond and a little care, the animals not only feel right at home, but also destroy your nudibranch population.

Tip 6: nettle and rhubarb manure

Nettle manure drives away slugs and aphids without using any chemicals. For the production of this natural pesticide all you need is nettles and water. The nettle leaves are soaked in water and placed in a sunny place. Now you have to stir every day until the liquid begins to ferment. If after two to three weeks no more bubbles form, the nettle manure, diluted in a ratio of 1:10 with water, can be sprayed onto the affected plants. Since the production is very odorous, it is advisable to place the liquid manure in a secluded place in the garden. To soften the smell a little, you can sprinkle a handful of rock flour into the liquid. Rhubarb manure is also suitable for protection against pests. The contained sennosides and oxalic acids drive lice and bed bugs out of every bed.

Tip 7: milk against powdery mildew

Powdery mildew can be a real nuisance. The fungus spreads as a coating on the upper side of ornamental plant leaves and not only looks unsightly, but also inhibits the growth of the plants. A simple home remedy to combat and prevent the disease is cow's milk. Untreated cow's milk (preferably fresh raw milk from the farmer) mixed with water in a ratio of 1: 8 should be sprayed onto the affected plants twice a week. The microorganisms contained fight the fungus and ensure that the disease disappears quickly. The sodium phosphate contained in milk additionally strengthens the plant and protects it from renewed infection.

Tip 8: cook broth

To prevent plant pests, various brews made from plants have proven effective. 10 g of fresh or dried herbs are used for the preparation, mixed with one liter of water and then left to stand for a day. Field horsetail should be simmered for an additional 30 minutes. Diluted in a ratio of 1:10, the broth is then applied to infected plants. Field horsetail helps against fungi and Spider mites, Ferns against snails. A brew made from elderflower is not only a preventive measure against the cabbage white butterfly, but also drives away vole and mole if you put it in their tunnels.

Tip 9: joyride

Sometimes it can also be very simple: If the aphid or thrispene infestation is not yet so pronounced, it is sometimes enough to reach for the water hose. The animals can simply be washed off the leaves with a strong jet. If the plant cannot tolerate water, some tape can also help. Simply wrap it around your hand (sticky side out) and dab the plants with it. The crawling animals stick to the tape and can be easily collected and then disposed of.

Tip 10: Gone on the glue

Fruit trees also want to be protected. Otherwise, caterpillars and tensioners can not only spoil the harvest, but also cause serious damage to the trees. Rings of glue prevent the pests from getting to the tree in the first place. In spring, the green cuffs can be attached to the trunks of the trees. If the tree has deep notches in the bark, these should be stuffed with paper. This prevents the crawling animals from getting up under the glue ring. If an insect tries to crawl up the tree, it gets stuck on the sticky substance. The glue rings should be replaced every spring, as they lose their adhesive strength over the winter.

It is well known that beneficial insects are ideal for combating pests in the garden. But did you know that there are also some useful species among the nematodes? Here you will find useful information on the topic Nematodes as beneficial insects.