How To Deal With Garden Pests in Utah

Gardening in Utah can be a good experience until you start facing some common pests. These unwanted visitors can cause damage quickly. Utah’s climate is perfect for plants and pests. 

To manage these problems, it is always good to know about these pests and how to deal with them. Knowing the common pests in your area can help you tackle them effectively. 

If you are struggling with pests destroying your garden, then find a pest control company in Salt Lake City. Getting expert guidance and help can help you keep your garden safe and healthy.

In the meantime, read this article to understand and learn about some common garden pests found in Utah and how you can control them.

Different Pests You Might Find in Garden

Here are some of the common pests you might encounter in your garden. 

Aphids

Aphids are small insects that feed on the sap of plants, which causes stunted growth and leaf yellowing. Aphids can reproduce rapidly. This makes it important to look into this kind of infestation and act fast. Aphids can be killed by using predators such as ladybugs. Neem oil can also be used to keep their population in control.

Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers are famous for their never-ending appetite. They can eat and damage crops quickly. Due to all of these reasons, it is important to deal with them as soon as possible. Planting marigolds or garlic around the garden can help keep grasshoppers away. These plants have strong smells that repel grasshoppers and other pests.  

Spider Mites

These are very small but cause great damage to garden plants, especially in Utah’s hot and dry climate. These pests feed on plant saps, infect the underside of leaves, and cause yellowing and webbing. If you find any webbing or yellow leaves, they water the plant with a forceful stream to wash away the mites.

Cutworms

These are found in soil and mainly affect young plants and seedlings. These cutworms eat the stems of the plants and kill them. These are nocturnal and are mostly active in spring when new plants are growing. To deal with these pests, it’s best to use Bacillus thuringiensis, which is a natural bacteria. This targets cutworms and does not harm any insects that are useful for your garden.

 

How to keep your garden soil bug-free?

Keeping your garden soil bug-free is very important for your plant’s health. These pests lay eggs in the soil and dig your roots, which can damage the roots as well as the seedling.

1. Healthy Soil

According to grounds maintenance company Bromsgrove, the first and most important step is to keep your garden soil healthy and well-drained. Poor soil condition is an invitation for pests that feed on weak or unhealthy plants. 

To keep your soil healthy, you can consider composting. Composting is basically adding organic matter such as compost to improve soil health. Soil aeration can also be important since regular aeration in soil can reduce moisture. Excessive moisture can attract pests like fungus gnats. 

2. Rotate Crops

Pests usually like a certain type of crop. In such a situation, you can try rotating crops every season. This can prevent pest growth, which is preferred in specific plants. Pairing crops with some natural pest-repelling plants, such as marigolds or basil, can remove insects from the soil.

3. Using Natural Predators

You can introduce some beneficial insects and animals that can help control the pest population in your garden soil. These can include nematodes. Nematodes are small worms that live in the soil and attack pests without harming plants. Also, Ladybugs and ground beetles can help to keep away aphids and other pests. This also reduces the need for pesticides.

Protect Your Garden Today!

Do not let pests ruin your hard work. Take the necessary steps and keep these pests away from your garden. It is always good to get professional help when you can’t manage these pests on your own.