Here’s the thing: most garden insects are the opposite of harmful; they’re great for your garden! But there are one or two bugs and other pests that can spell trouble for your unsuspecting plants, and if they end up in your garden, you’ll likely stop at nothing to get rid of them.
Left to their own devices, the worst garden pests NZ has to offer can wreak some serious havoc in your garden. To that end, it’s worth putting in the time to spray, capture, relocate, or exterminate the pests that might be hiding in your garden.
If you’ve noticed your plant life taking a hit recently, you might be dealing with one of these critters. To help you figure out what to do next, we’re unpacking the fundamentals of how to deal with the most common garden pests in NZ.
Note: There are plenty more pests than the ones we’re mentioning here today, but we’re making an effort to focus the spotlight on some of the most common pests you’ll encounter in your garden.
Aphids
Aphids are tiny, almost invisible sap-sucking insects that multiply at a pretty alarming rate. They love to cluster on the undersides of leaves, where they feast on the juices of the plants you’re trying so hard to grow. Left untreated, they can bring an entire garden to its knees.
How to deal with aphids:
- Spray them off with a strong stream of water.
- Encourage ladybugs (aphids’ natural predators and pollinators).
- Use plant companion herbs like basil or dill to deter them naturally.
Mites
Mites are just as tiny as aphids, if not even smaller. These microscopic bugs are among the top garden pests NZ gardeners have to deal with, because the warm conditions of Aotearoa’s summer months encourage them to breed and multiply. Mites attack the foliage of your plants, causing plenty of yellowing and damage.
How to deal with mites:
- Mist your plants regularly to increase their humidity (mites love dryness).
- Apply a mite repellent, which not only targets certain breeds of mite, but can kill other garden pests in NZ as well.
Ants
Ants themselves aren’t generally harmful to plants, but they do farm aphids and other pests for their honeydew, making infestations worse. Not to mention, a bad ant infestation will have no trouble making its way into your home as well, because that’s where all the delicious food is! Addressing the infestation of this common garden pest in NZ in your residential garden can make it much easier to wipe out the unwelcome ants inside.
How to deal with ants:
- Use bait stations to control ant colonies indoors.
- Disrupt their trails with vinegar or citrus peels.
- Seal entry points inside to prevent them from accessing your food indoors.
- Sprinkle your garden beds with coffee grounds to naturally repel ants without killing them.
Rodents
Mice and rats can be any gardener’s worst nightmare, chewing through roots, bulbs, vegetables; you name it, they go after it. They’re often attracted by rotten plant matter or garbage, so in the case of rodents, one of the best methods of dealing with rats is to prevent them from finding your garden in the first place.
Make sure to diligently seal up all garbage and food refuse, and try to stay on top of harvesting as much as is reasonable if you’re growing fruit or vegetables.
How to deal with rodents:
- If you do find mice or rats in your garden, set humane traps to relocate them.
- You can use pet-safe deterrents like peppermint oil or chili powder.
- Get a cat to be a natural ratter, which is especially useful if you live on a lifestyle block.
Slugs and Snails
Finally, we have the bane of any gardener’s existence and one of the most common garden pests NZ homeowners have to deal with: slugs and snails. These slimy little creatures love to munch on new, tender leaves and can quickly destroy delicate seedlings. Luckily, there are plenty of remedies to deal with these garden pests in NZ because they are so prevalent.
How to deal with slugs and snails:
- Use crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth as a barrier against the slugs.
- Manually remove them from your plants whenever you see them.
- Use a seaweed mulch around the base of your plants to keep the pests back.
There you have it! Our rundown of how to deal with some of the most common, pervasive, and frankly annoying garden pests NZ has to offer. These methods are humane and rely on a little bit of patience, so make sure to keep at it for as long as it takes to control your particular infestation.
When in doubt, it pays to get in touch with a professional gardening team to not only deal with the infestation itself, but also to help put preventative measures in place to make sure it doesn’t come back!
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