The practice of pest control and gardening has been around for longer than you might think: at least as long as common agriculture. It’s an industry that’s growing rapidly. In the last 5 years, the pest control industry has seen an increase of about 50%. It is now considered to be a $7 billion industry nationwide.
Homes are increasingly being built in places that are off the beaten path . Many people have a strong desire to reside in the woods or desert. When you’re building in these areas where insects and animals live, it’s their home. Since they get into your home and are unwanted they become pests.
What is Gardening and Pest Control?
Getting rid of unwanted pests is the ultimate goal. Where Structural pest controls is the control of household pests, including wood destroying pests such as termites, or simply unsanitary insects such as cockroaches, pest control tends to be the control of pests affecting your plants, garden, lawn and/or soil. That can sometimes spill over into the house as well, but by and large, it’s the garden we’re talking about here.
Protecting the plants in your garden must be done in order to have healthy produce results. The problem is often overlooked until pests get out of control and the damage is severe. There are actually some things you can do to get rid of the problem.
What can we do to contain the unwanted pests in our garden?
Both gardening and pest control are considered easy and hence majority sees them as do it yourself jobs. Well that’s fair enough - up to a point. Gardening pest control is like visiting the doctor: to prescribe effective treatment your physician must correctly diagnose the problem and determine the extent of the injury as well as the potential for further injury. Polls indicated that too many people feel they know what they’re doing when they don’t, and that they don’t need to read or follow the instructions on the can.
As a result, insecticide will be applied in too high a concentration, which may be dangerous for you or your houseguests. Naturally, we are talking about chemicals, since chemical pest control remains the primary method used in modern pest control. However, since chemicals can have long range effects, interest was redirected toward traditional and biological pest control toward the end of the 20th century.
If DIY is not your area of expertise concerning that of home pest control, consider the option of monthly visits from the local pest control company to keep garden troubles under control. One advantage to monthly pest control is that someone should be looking at your house and garden for pest problems regularly. Monthly pest control has one disadvantage and that is the home owners are keen that PCOs apply a chemical treatment every month irrespective of the fact whether there is a pest problem or not.
The facts of pesticide use in the home and garden are very surprising:
1. Pesticides of 67 million pounds are used on lawns each year.
2. Agricultural acreage consumes far less pesticide than suburban lawns do.
Before you spray any pesticides, think carefully about what you are about to do. In fact, you may be getting rid of the bugs that are beneficial to keeping your pest problem under control. This means you will have to spray more in the future. Also, insects benefit your garden by pollinating your plants, helping them grow and propagate. Persistent, broad-spectrum, contact insecticides such as diazinon, malathion or carbaryl, should never be used. Avoid these as you are more than likely to end up doing more harm than good with them. When their enemies are gone, pest populations may soar and become more of a problem than before they were sprayed.
Most consumers also don’t realize how potentially harmful they can be:
1. Homes have at least 23 kinds of pesticide tracings in the dust that have been tracked in from outside.Do you, the consumer, know just how dangerous they are to you?
2. On a regular basis, the US Geological Survey locates garden chemicals that pose a threat to the environment. Weed Killers, for example are the most prevelant around urban centers streams and rivers.
The question of going without such forms of pest control is a thought-provoking one.
Gardening and Natural Home Pest Control
We are convinced that the safe and successful way to control pests in your yard is through a natural balance of organisms in your lawn and gardens. Natural pest control protects you, your garden, local wildlife and the environment and, as an added bonus, it costs less than pesticides.
Let’s look at some hints and tips to help your gardening and pest control:
1. Traps,covers barriers or repellants may work well in the physical aspect.
2. There are a variety of plants that provide both pollen and nectar constantly. Planting these will attract ‘good’ bugs to your garden.
3. By preventing pests from reaching your plants, you can avoid the damage they cause. And in cases where you only see a few pests, physically removing them can often keep the problem under control.
In conclusion, many people face this same problem. Home pest control is needed by thousands of people and hopefully this helps.
Alternative Health