The best part of having a yard is being able to get outside and enjoy it when the weather is nice. Unfortunately bugs and other pests like great weather, too, and they will not hesitate to invade your space. Here are 10 tips and tricks you can try to keep bugs and other pesky critters away from your yard.
Keep your lawn mowed.
Pests prefer to live in places that are messy and overgrown. They like to be able to hide in weeds and tall grass. This means that the cleaner and neater you keep your yard, the less attractive it is to them. Keep your grass short, and the bugs, bees, rodents, and other small creatures will be more interested in someone else’s lawn.
Eliminate standing water.
When pests look for a place to hang out, they are often interested in areas where there is standing water. Some insects, like mosquitoes, use it to breed. You can keep this from happening by being sure to dump out any buckets or containers that get filled with rainwater. You will also want to regularly unclog your gutters. Change the water in kiddie pools and birdbaths at least every couple of days.
Keep birdseed tightly contained.
Pests like mice and rats want to move into a yard where food is readily available. Birdseed is a great option for them because it’s easy to eat and usually easy to grab. If you want to feed only the birds, start by keeping your birdseed in a metal container that closes tightly.
Add plants that repel bugs.
There are several different plants with scents that discourage bugs and pests from coming close. Deter pests and bugs by planting lavender, marigolds, mint, garlic, citronella, lavender, and rosemary.
Hang bug zappers.
Those little machines that attract and zap insects do work. Hang a few on your porch or patio to cut down on the bug population.
Put a lid on your garbage and recycling containers.
While pests might be deterred by certain scents in the garden, they are definitely attracted to the smell of trash. Insects will use garbage bins to breed, and rodents will go inside to eat your discarded food. The best way to keep pests out of your garbage is to make sure your council bins are always closed properly (even when full), and any other bins you have are covered correctly.
Use LED lights instead of incandescent bulbs.
Insects are attracted to the spectrum of light that comes from incandescent bulbs. While LED lights will still attract some insects, you will generally find fewer bugs circling these lights.
Light citronella candles.
Citronella is commonly used as an insect repellant because bugs do not like its scent. Lighting some citronella candles will encourage bugs to go somewhere else, and the candles will look pretty at night.
Add birdfeeders.
One great way to get rid of bugs and other pests is to attract the animals that eat them. Bring in birds by hanging bird feeders in your yard, since they will eat insects for you.
Use a spray to pretreat your yard.
Sprays that deter bugs don’t last a long time, but they can be a good idea if you are having a gathering or special event. Most of these products are easy to use, and some can be attached to your garden hose. Simply spray your yard in the area where your guests will be.
Insects and other pests are an unavoidable part of being outside in warm weather, but there are steps you can take to cut down on their numbers. Try these ten tips, and you will find that there are far fewer pests in your yard.
