Growing crops is never easy. You have to have the perfect combination of weather, hard work, and a little bit of good luck in order to have a great season. One of the biggest issues in farming is of course pests. Pests can be extremely stressful because once they descend on your crops they can take over really quickly and can mean the difference between an excellent year or a really horrible one. Luckily there are many ways to prevent pests from ruining your crops.
Here are five ways to protect your farm from all types of pests.
Attract Beneficial Insects
Certain types of insects are definitely your friends when it comes to growing crops. Planting special varieties of flowers will attract insects that will prey on your pests, doing a form of natural pest control for you. This is cost-effective and will not have any negative affects on your crops. Ah, the circle of life.
Plant Strongly-Scented Herbs
Herbs are another all natural pest repellent. Their strong scents are not attractive to pests and will make them steer clear from the rest of your crops if they are planted close enough. Chives and Thyme are two options that work very well for this.
Use Pesticides
If the natural and chemical free approach just isn’t working for you, you may need something stronger. Pesticides and herbicides are widely used by crop farmers, and that’s because they are extremely effective. Some water chemistry companies even add boosts to their pesticides that will help to repel pests even more. Pests won’t stand a chance against your crops this year if you go this route.
Rotate Your Crops
Rotating crops – AKA moving them around by physically pulling them out of the ground and planting them elsewhere – is a great way to confuse pests. Most aren’t very intelligent, so if you rotate the crops often they will eventually not be able to find the specific crop they’re looking for and will give up and move on. Though effective, this option can be time consuming and labor intensive, so it’s probably best used on a smaller farm.
Set Up Physical Barriers
Employing the use of physical barriers is another smart choice when it comes to protecting crops against pests. Depending on what type of pests you are dealing with, barriers such as walls or netting will either confuse them or physically stop them from entering your crop area.
Don’t stress too much if your crops are currently being overtaken by pests. By using the tips above and practicing a little patience, you will be well on your way to a pest-free farm or garden in no time.
