A GREEN-FINGERED homeowner has revealed the techniques they swear by for a thriving garden ecosystem.
They said it’s impossible to get rid of all pests but there are clever hacks for keeping populations under control.
The advice was shared on Reddit’s Gardening forum by a user posting under the handle u/Jleejjk.
They wrote in response to a fellow Redditor who wanted beginner tips for a flourishing vegetable garden.
“The more diverse your crops are, the less likely they are going to be destroyed by a big wave of bugs,” they said.
“Also don’t try to fully eradicate any pests, it will never happen, you just have to know how to work around them and keep their population under control.
“Certain pests should be hand-picked off plants like squash bugs and caterpillars, while others like aphids and leafhoppers can be blasted off with the hose.
“Planting trap plants will help add biodiversity for insects and attract pollinators.
“Trap plants are plant species that basically act as a sacrifice to the pests.
“Nasturtium is a really good annual trap plant and they are also edible if the bugs don’t get to them first.
“Marigolds, amaranth, sunflowers, and okra are some of my other go-to trap plants for our area because our native pests will prefer them over our crops.”
According to Gardeners’ World, nasturtium thrives in free-draining soil and requires sunshine for at least half the day to grow.
Sunflowers are “easy” to grow from seed in a sunny, sheltered spot with good soil.
Meanwhile, okra requires a humid environment and fertile soil.
The Reddit user shared another organic pest control method which involved being mindful of where each item is planted.
“If you have all of your crops of one type planted in the same area they are more likely to get wiped out by a bug infestation,” they said.
“For example, if you have all of your squash/zucchini plants right next to each other in one big patch and one plant gets infested that means the whole patch is going to get infested.
“But if you only have one squash in that area and you spread the rest out into different areas rather than planting them all together you can more easily control pest infestations with each plant being isolated.
“Be aware of companion plants and enemies as well.
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“Certain species of plants don’t enjoy being planted next to each other due to plants performing chemical warfare and competition over the same nutrients.
“Companion plants can also help control pests by pairing pest-resistant plants with vulnerable plants.”
The advice reiterates an organic pest control tip gardening expert Mark Lane previously shared with The U.S. Sun.
“The most straightforward approach is to garden organically using companion plants and sacrificial plants and care for the soil, which will help plants to grow strong and resilient to pests and diseases,” he said.
“Companion plants, such as pot marigolds, attract pests by keeping them off your prized plants, and sacrificial plants, such as lettuces, are planted nearby in the hope that pests will go to them rather than the other plants.”
