Most people see their lawn as more than just a patch of grass- it's a place of joy, relaxation, and a little slice of nature right at home. However, sometimes the green haven attracts some unwelcome guests: pests. While it's important to keep your lawn healthy and vibrant, it’s equally important to do so in a way that respects all living creatures. It doesn’t really matter what the creatures are, whether they be gophers, field mice, birds, hedgehogs, rabbits, and the list could go on and on.
While you should be able to enjoy your garden, obviously, you shouldn’t have to deal with pests either. But you don’t have to outright start hiring exterminators or set out traps. There are some cruelty-free methods to manage this, so they can still prosper, but just not on your lawn. So, here’s what you need to know!
Do You Understand Your Lawn’s Ecosystem?
First things first, it’s essential to understand that your lawn is part of a broader ecosystem. Pests are often symptoms of a larger imbalance, for example, if you have a rotting pile of leaves you’re going to get a lot of bugs swarming this pile, right? So, just by promoting a healthy lawn, you can naturally reduce the number of pests without resorting to harmful chemicals or cruel methods.
Check Your Soil
It’s so important to keep in mind that healthy soil is the foundation of a robust lawn. So, this means that you’re going to want to just go ahead and start by testing your soil to understand its composition and pH level. Depending on where you live, sometimes local universities will check the PH for you for free.
But why go through this trouble? Well, this will help you know exactly what your lawn needs. But you can also enrich your soil with organic compost to boost its health. But overall, healthy soil fosters strong grass that can naturally outcompete weeds and resist pests.
You Have to Keep Your Lawn Clean
So this pretty much goes back to what was being said earlier: that pile of leaves, that dead tree, that dying bush, those decomposing vegetables in the garden are attracting pests. Even if you have puddles, those are going to attract pests, too, like mosquitos. In general, you just have to understand that regular maintenance is key to preventing pest problems.
If you want to do good lawn pest control, you’ll need to use chemicals and physical barriers, but you’ll also need proper care and maintenance—that’s the number one way to prevent any issues (bugs, rodents, you name it). So, go ahead and rake up fallen leaves, remove dead grass, and keep your lawn free of debris where pests can hide.
But on top of that, aerating your lawn once a year can also help improve soil health and reduce pest-friendly environments. Now, needless to say, all of this is a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it in the end; plus, if you’re doing maintenance, it's less likely you need to spend any money, either.
You Still Need to Be Mindful of Pest Control
If you do encounter a pest problem, approach it mindfully. But what does that even mean? Well, rather than reaching for harmful chemicals or calling up an exterminator, you need to first consider the ecosystem you’re fostering. Sometimes, simply tolerating a small number of pests is part of maintaining a healthy balance. For example, having some birds fly on your lawn to eat worms is natural, having bees get flowers is to be expected, and having some ants or even field mice in your bushes, too.
So, you just need to remember that not all insects are bad, and a diverse lawn is a healthy lawn. But of course, if an insect invades your home, spreads diseases, harms your pets and children, and eats the plants and vegetation you purchased, then that’s something else. You should be mindful and understand that some pests are inevitable, but of course, you shouldn’t have to deal with an invasion.
Consider Natural Pest Deterrents
How about you fight fire with fire? Now, you have to keep in mind that mother nature needs to take its course, and sometimes, the best way is to get natural deterrents. For example, you can encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and predatory beetles to take up residence in your lawn.
These natural predators help keep pest populations in check. You can attract them by planting flowers like marigolds, daisies, and yarrows around the edges of your lawn. You can even go on Amazon or local plant nurseries to buy thousands of these if you want to. Speaking of marigolds, you could look into companion planting too, especially if you’re trying to grow veggies; marigolds usually keep pests away from vegetation, and the same goes for chives too.