Landscape Management can contribute to Effective Pest Control

Posted on Apr 25 2019 - 12:14pm by Johnny B

Generally, turning your rocky backyard into a stunning lush garden with flowing fountains and verdant trees can offer more than a beautiful street-side impression. When done in the right way, landscaping can contribute positively to pest control in Rochester and help you keep those nasty creepy intruders from taking over your home.

Pests, according to experts, can find a great breeding environment in some of your landscaping elements. This is because some of these elements offer moisture, food, and other elements that facilitate the reproduction and growth of pest infestations. There are plenty of different materials to use in your landscaping such as permeable pavers which will help keep your garden a pest-free zone.

Indeed, the longer that these pests go unnoticed and are entirely free to spread within your home, the greater the chances that you will end up battling with a huge pest infestation. One of the effective ways of making sure that things don’t come to this level is by reviewing your landscaping design and activities carefully. It is the cheapest method of making sure that these creepy little animals never find their way to your home in the first place. Here is how landscaping can help control and prevent pest infestation.

1. Choose mulch and vegetation carefully

An efficient way of fighting back against gnats, mosquitoes, flies, and slugs naturally is by planting carefully selected herbs, flowers, and shrubs in your garden. For instance, Cymbopogon nardus (citronella) is a perennial grass whose oil is used in candles, flavoring industries, soap, and the cosmetic industry. It has a strong scent associated with mosquito-repelling abilities, and a broad range of insects don’t find it pleasant.

Marigolds and geraniums can also deter insects from your outdoor areas. They can discourage cabbage worms, mosquitoes, Japanese beetles, and leafhoppers from feeding on the precious plants you have in your garden. Note that a perfect replacement for these insects repellents is in planters in pots around your porch, windowsills, vegetable gardens, and flower beds.

2. Manage your water features

Let’s face it: no landscaping project is complete without ornamental ponds, fountains, pools, birdbaths, and more. These features create a calming and soothing feeling, quench the thirst of birds and bees, and mask unwanted noise. But if not managed perfectly, these stunning water features can rapidly turn into optimal breeding sites for mosquitoes and other annoying insects.

So, how can you prevent this? First, avoid any overflow and ensure there is no stagnant water. This highlights the need for effective drainage solutions, as excess water can strain plants, leading to disease and stunted growth. With a well-designed drainage system, you can maintain ideal moisture levels, promoting a healthy and lively garden.

3. Create a buffer zone

Most pests such as earwigs, cockroaches, mice, rats, and ants gain access to properties by climbing up the branches and limbs of the vegetation touching the exterior of the property. Pruning is important to facilitate plant growth and deter infestation of pests and insects and other deadly animals such as snakes to build nests in your garden. To keep such bugs away, it is recommended to keep foliage two to three feet away from the facade. It is also wise to trim the existing tree limbs and branches regularly, particularly the bushes against your property. Sometimes, you may find that trimming the branches of trees around your property can be difficult. You could choose experts who specialize in tree pruning in Denver (in the case that you’re from the area) to give your trees and plants a much-needed trim for their health, and yours!
At other times, you may even want to get rid of a tree completely (maybe it’s causing a bit more trouble than it’s worth). In such cases, to avoid the bitter work that comes with handling wild vegetation, you have the option of hiring professionals who may be able to handle it for you. A simple search using phrases like ‘tree specialist near me‘ might give you a list of services that you can hire.

Besides that, you can install a two-foot-wide gravel strip around the perimeter of your commercial building to serve as a protective barrier. This will discourage cockroaches, rats, and other crawling bugs from accessing your property.