A greener way to control bugs

Mark Cullen’s Greener Way to Control Garden Bugs

Dealing with lawn and garden bugs can be difficult, but more than 95 per cent of the insects in our yards, such as earthworms, ladybugs and praying mantis, are actually helpful to the home gardener.

“I believe we can garden successfully without the use of toxic chemicals, and that includes insect control,” says Mark Cullen, Home Hardware’s Gardening Expert and author of The Canadian Garden Primer. Here are some of the most common pest problems, with Mark’s natural and organic solutions.

Beetles usually attack plants by eating their leaves and laying eggs that hatch in late fall or early spring. Applying dormant spray early in the spring can help kill off eggs before they hatch. Green Earth Dormant Spray is a safe, organically based product.

Aphids are sucking insects common in many gardens. They cause damage such as wilting and growth deformity, but they can easily be controlled with Green Earth insecticidal soap, a natural organic spray with no harmful effects on humans or pets. One spray application should do the trick.

Mark’s Most-Requested Recipe for Ant Control

Mix one litre of water, one teaspoon of Borax and a cup of sugar. Soak cotton balls in the solution and place them in an old margarine container. Punch holes in the lid so ants can get in. Place the containers in locations where you’ve seen ants (out of reach of pets and children). The ants will gather the poison sugar, take it back to the nest and eventually kill the entire colony.

Tasha's Note:

We have lots of customers coming in asking for ant control. Our question is always WHY? People will answer, "Well, I have ants in my yard." Of course you do! That's where ants live! Pesticide commercials have trained us to think that ants are bad and we must get rid of them.

In our opinion, the only reason you should have to get rid of ants are if they are in your home, or if they have built a large nest in your lawn or garden. Otherwise, don't worry about them. A few ants living in your garden ecosystem won't hurt. :)