Many new organic gardeners are confused about or frustrated with the control of bugs and pests in their gardens. All types of plants, from roses, bushes, or trees, to fruits or vegetables, annuals or perennials, attract bugs which like to eat parts of the plant. Some bugs eat the leaves and stems, while others eat the flowers, and some eat the entire plant. However, there are actually many different natural ways to control these pests.

Although you could simply pick the bugs off your plants as you find them, this can be a very time consuming process, especially in a large garden with many plants. It is not efficient to control pests in this way alone. However, there are many other natural ways you can control bugs in your garden.

The first step you’ll need to take is to effectively control the weeds in your garden. In order to do this, you need to leave enough space between your plants to allow room for pulling up any weeds that you see. Especially in vegetable gardens, you should leave a wide space between the rows, so you can use a hoe, which makes a quick job out of weeding. For best results, be proactive and pull weeds before they become large, because it is much easier to pull them when they are small. They will come out of the dirt easier, and will not have dropped seeds for more weeds, or drawn a lot of bugs into your garden.

Not only can you control pests by removing weeds, but also through planting certain species which help to control pests. Many people do not realize that certain herbs and flowers even repel many common bugs. For example, chives can help prevent scab in apple trees. Also, black spot on roses can be controlled by chives around your rose bushes.

Another plant which can be used to repel pests, Elderberry, is quite effective against garden moles. But is never effective to be one of the indoor houseplants because of its poisonous parts. If you stick branches and leaves of this plant into the mole holes, the moles will leave your garden. A tea or wash made from Elderberry leaves can also help control aphids, carrot root fly, cucumber beetles, or peach tree borers.

Garlic is another plant with many uses in your garden. However, a word of caution when taking care of vegetable gardens: the flavor of garlic can be absorbed by other houseplants, so be careful when using garlic as a repellant near your vegetable garden, as it should not be used near vegetables which would taste odd with a hint of garlic flavoring.

Yet another all natural garden solution is Lemon Balm. This can be used as a repellant for many bugs and pests. Just sprinkle lemon balm leaves in your garden. Not only this, but crushed lemon balm leaves can also be rubbed directly onto your skin, preventing mosquito bites.

Pests, deer, rabbits, mice, and insects all love your fresh, home grown vegetables. And they go a step further, munching on leaves and roots. These creatures not only eat the vegetable but also prevent the plant from producing.

Controlling pests in order to produce a healthy crop is an ongoing task. But it can be made easier by taking an integrated approach. Don’t rely on just one method, but employ a variety.

Good pest control starts even before the vegetables grow, by proper soil preparation, plant selection and watering practice. Maintaining a slightly acidic soil, around pH 6.5 can help. Keeping the soil well fertilized helps the plants grow well, which gives them the needed assistance to fight off pests.

Look for pest resistant seeds. Don’t be afraid of genetically modified seeds, and select only healthy plants if you transplant.

Be on the lookout for harmful insects and other pests. But don’t react to every insect with a chemical spray. There are many helpful organisms, some of which treat the soil, others consume harmful insects. Knowing which is which is the first step to biological control of gardening problems. That creates safe, tasty vegetables that grow large and healthy.

Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and aphids can be eaten by assassin bugs. Stink bugs eat potato beetles and certain caterpillars. Ladybugs consume aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites. These are just two examples among many.

Water your garden in the morning to minimize fungus and other problems. Growths can occur on vegetables, similar to grass, when excessive moisture is present on plant leaves during nighttime temperatures. Letting your plants soak up needed moisture with adequate time for drying before the temperature drops will prevent such growths. Often times a weakened plant cannot survive minor infestation, so keep your plants disease free to minimize insect damage. A healthy plant can fight infestation.

Prevent the spread of insects by planting different species. Pest populations may explode when numerous similar plants are spaced close together. These pests either gather together or reproduce more quickly. And eradicating a big population of pests is more difficult. They can ruin your plant before you are able to get rid of them entirely.

Just as with animals and humans, pests spread in part by contact. Removing any part or plant that has been infected is not always necessary, but may be your only means of saving other healthy plants if you cannot save the infected plant.

Building a good fence with narrow mesh at the base will help keep larger animals - rabbits and deer, for example - from getting to your vegetables.

Commercial insecticides can be useful when preventative efforts are not enough. These products are designed to eradicate insect populations and are still safe for human contact and consumption of the vegetables.

It is vital that, in any landscaping project, a pest control program is included. Unwanted insects and other problems will be attracted to the newly created environment because of the seemingly inexhaustible food supply, nicely damp soil and ideal breeding ground. Here are a few ways that you can maintain control over these pests.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes thrive in moist conditions and they will breed in any puddle. They can be eradicated using repellants, but a better alternative is the mosquito magnet. Repellants contain chemicals that can be harmful to people and the environment. Mosquito magnets kill mosquitoes without the use of these chemicals. The magnet releases a gas that resembles human breath to a mosquito and it is attracted to the machine, where is succumbs to dehydration.

Regardless whether you use a magnet or another way to get rid of mosquitoes, you should follow these rules to reduce the amount of mosquito breeding in your garden:

* Rid your garden of any pools of still, stagnant water.

* Clean any areas that collect water, such as a birdbath, daily to kill any mosquito larva.

* Keep any ponds or pools aerated and in the case of swimming pools, maintain the chlorine or salt level at all times.

* Any aquatic plants in ponds will attract mosquitoes, so check them regularly.

* Fish and other aquatic animals will eat mosquitoes, so fill your ponds with these.

* Drip irrigation will water your plants, but the soil surface will remain relatively dry.

Earwigs

These creatures are readily seen in gardens that have accumulated piles of lawn cuttings, leaves and foliage. Here are a few ways to rid your garden of these pests:

* Make it a regular occurrence to clear the garden of such debris.

* Some mulch can result in an infestation of earwig, so check your mulched areas regularly.

* Use the drip irrigation as in the case of mosquito control to maintain a dry soil surface.

* Include “bird friendly” features in your landscape. The birds will be a natural controller of the earwigs and other pests.

Controlling Animal Pests

Most gardens will seem attractive to animals. Some areas prevent the killing of these pests, so it is best to discourage them from entering your property.

Here are some tips to discourage animals such as groundhogs, moles and rabbits from coming into your yard:

* Maintain your fences and ensure they are pest proof.

* Rid your garden of areas where the animals may hide out, such as tall grass, weeds and leaf piles.

* Use objects such as pinwheels as “scarers” around your fence to discourage the more timid animals.

* Use traps that will capture the animal humanely, allowing you to free them into the wild.

Live Animal Traps

These are as they suggest, a trap that captures the animal alive, allowing for it to be released some distance from your home. There are a number of these traps available, but the best are the havahart traps. They are easy to use and come in a number of sizes. They are safe to use around children and pets. You can purchase these online from the website havahart.com.

Organic Pest Control Methods

Common organic products, most of which came from plants sources and are readily available and you may even have at home, can be mixed together to make anti-pest formulas that are powerful enough to kills pests but are not harmful to humans or to the environment. Such organic products include insecticidal soap, Neem oil, horticultural oil and seeds of various plants eg Pyrethrims. With some knowledge you can easily make your own at home.

At this very moment, your home might be threatened by a problem which can easily go undetected until it is too late and the damage has already been done. I am speaking of termites; the damage done by termites costs more to repair than that done by fire and floods combined. Happily, it is possible to identify the presence of a termite problem. These insects are true survivors and can change their habits to fit into the situation; which is why it is vital that you have an inspection done by a professional to find out if your home has termites.

A single colony of termites may invade your home or commercial building but you only recognize it after the biggest portion of structural damage has occurred. There are other potential problems from termites often overlooked. Termites can damage the plastic covering of wiring and cause potential fire damage. Thus, their activity not only creates huge expenses but also endangers the lives of the homeowner and their family.

They don’t stop at the wood. Termites are adaptive creatures. They often get into clothing and furniture. Imagine putting your foot into a shoe and finding it already occupied by a termite happily munching away. Alternatively, imagine reaching into your pocket and detecting something that moves.

The number one investment you have is your home or business. To protect this investment, you should try to keep it free of the threat of termites. One thing to look for is the telltale sign that termites are digging channels in the wood of your walls. Look for any ridges in walls which come up from the ground as well as in your foundation. These are the channels created by termites as they literally eat away at your home.

You should also look for earth packing on foundation walls. Termites will often leave behind a build up of earth where your flooring meets the joists. Look for termite wings in spider webs. Termites also make some noise and even an odor which may be detectable in some cases.

The best way to deal with termites is to prevent them from causing a lot of damage in the first place. In as little as three months, termites can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home. You need to have your home inspected on a regular basis, especially if there has been an infestation nearby. Sydney residents need to be particularly vigilant - remember, termites travel and it may not be long before they show up as uninvited dinner guests; your home or business could be on the menu!

If you come across any signs that termites may be present, then you should call a termite specialist at once. Without professional help it can be nearly impossible to deal with the problem; they can just go into the soil and wait while they breed an even larger number of termites to invade your home.

Whether you suspect termites are already in your home, or just want peace of mind knowing you’re termite free, it pays to call a professional. Pink Pest Services have fully trained and certified termite specialists that can assess your problem or let you relax knowing your valuable asset is safe.

Pink Pest Services has state of the art equipment such as fibre optics and thermal imaging these experts can detect the presence of any termite infestation. If they find that you have a problem, they’ll formulate a plan of action to rid your building of the pests. If, however, Pink Pest Services find nothing, you can sleep well knowing there’s no termites in your woodwork.

Have your home inspected once a year or more if you’re in Sydney. Call Pinks Pest service before you buy a new home or commercial building. These steps can save you thousands of dollars. When it comes to termite damage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Property investment is something which is attracting more and more people to the world of investing every single day. A lot of money can be made in this way, as long as you invest carefully. The potential profits are large in property investment, but so are the potential losses.

This article will give you a little insight on the problems which are commonly made by property investors. If you are aware of these potential mistakes, you will be well prepared to avoid them and make good, profitable property investments.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

You have found your ideal investment. It seems absolutely perfect and you can already see the potential that the property has. You have the money, your offer is likely to be accepted, and you know exactly what you are going to do. What could possibly go wrong? Well unfortunately - quite a lot!

As an example, let’s say that you buy that perfect piece of investment property. You wrangle a deal on the property, getting it for $120,000 instead of its list price of $150,000. The location is perfect and you predict being able to sell for at least $180,000 after a few repairs have been done. The repairs seem small. You have checked the property out personally and found what appeared to be merely cosmetic problems. A month after buying the property, however, some problems begin to crop up. The walls have become damp - it turns out that there was a leaky pipe which the previous owner hadn’t had replaced. This leak ended up causing thousands of dollars in damage and took al long time to repair.

Now that’s just one possibility. There are plenty of other things which can go wrong with an investment property and many of them are even harder to foresee than bad plumbing; that is, until it’s too late. Some other common mistakes property investors make include:

The costs of the property repair are greater than what you can sell it for

There are hidden problems with the property

Ending up with a property which is different than expected

Becoming emotionally involved with the property

Failing to recognize the competition

The above are just a few of the most common potential property investment problems. There are many more that you should also become aware of if you want to ensure that you make the right choices. So just how can you avoid making these mistakes?

Hiring a Professional

The easiest way to steer clear of these common property investment pitfalls is to hire a professional.

A property manager can be immensely helpful. They can look the property over thoroughly and tell you about any issues with the property, to help you plan repairs and negotiate a better price. They can also fill you in on the energy efficiency and building code compliance of the property.

A lot of money goes into an investment property, so you should make sure to do things the proper way to maximize the returns you’ll receive from this significant investment. Hiring a professional can save you from the mistakes commonly made in property investment - and save you a lot of money in the bargain!

What was that sound? Did you hear it too? Is it a burglar? No, it’s not a burglary in progress - it’s an entirely different danger to your home that’s happening. Termites (also known as white ants) are hard at work destroying your home! It’s time to find these ravenous bugs and get them out of there before it’s too late. Don’t wait for them to damage your home beyond repair.

Just like you, termites need food and water to live. The favoured food source of the termite happens to be wood. Now since your home is constructed of their favourite food, it makes sense that they would choose your home as their meal. Termites are attracted to the cellulose in wood, from which they derive sugar. For water, termites rely on rain, leaky faucets and standing water outdoors.

Termites are targeting one out of five homes in Sydney. There are safety measures you can take to keep termites at bay. Check for and repair poor ventilation in your home or business. A poorly ventilated structure allows moisture to build up. This environment attracts termites in search of water, putting up a welcome sign for destruction. Look for hidden cracks in the foundation that grant the colony easier access inside.

Termites build their colonies and live their lives mostly underground. They build a labyrinth of tunnels which may go as deep as three feet underground. These tunnels often lead right into your home! When termites invade, they can undermine your home with their tunnels. To prevent termite incursions, you must be vigilant. Remember, these creatures can destroy your biggest and most important investment - your home.

One of the biggest problems with termites is that you may not even see them. They won’t knock on your door politely asking to come in. There may be no signs of their presence at all, but the damage is being done. To be safe from this danger, you need to get rid of them before they seriously damage your home. An investment in termite protection now is far better than paying for the destruction which they can cause.

Annual termite inspections protect your home and its value. When selling your property prospective buyers will expect proof of the house being termite free. If there are any indications of a previous termite infiltration, even if termites no longer exist, it can cost you losing valuable equity, just the fact that termites were once present. In high-risk areas, experts recommend timely termite inspections at least twice a year. This damage control stops termites dead in their tracks before you have to say”there goes the neighborhood.” Termite infestation is a serious threat in Sydney. We cannot just sit back and hope the problem will disappear.

To win the war against termites, you need to call in the professionals. A thorough termite inspection helps prevent, detect, and treat termite attacks. Reinforcements are needed to fight the invisible bugger who strikes without warning. Make a move toward a successful termite extermination plan.

Insects might be responsible for some of the problems you are experiencing with your roses. These insects can be your roses’ worst friends, and will cause major damage if you do nothing to keep them away. These are some of the top ten most wanted enemies of your roses, and some ways to identify them and get rid of them.

1. Aphids

Aphids are the most frequent insect problem you will find in your roses. These insects like to make themselves comfortable in the roses’ growing tissues like buds and shoots. Aphids usually are just a problem during the spring and early summer.

Although few - or even moderate - numbers of aphids won’t cause much damage to your roses, you need to watch them and make sure their numbers don’t spread. A large group of aphids can produce honeydew, a waste product that has the consistency of a sugary liquid. This honeydew can encourage mold; the mold eventually will blacken the roses’ leaves. Flowers may decrease and new buds may be killed if there are large numbers of aphids in your roses.

You may not need to use insecticides to control your aphids. They have some natural enemies, including syrphid flies and lady beetles. If these insects aren’t around to deter your aphids, you can try washing them off of the roses with water or special types of soaps.

2. Spider Mites

Spider mites may be to blame if you notice that your roses’ leaves are drying up and falling off, or if they look like they have numerous small dots (stippling). These pests are so small that you might need a magnifying glass to find them.

Spider mites usually infest your roses because of dry and dusty conditions. It’s possible to try to control them by reducing the amount of dust and by making sure that your roses and other plants have enough water.

3. Fuller Rose Beetles

Fuller rose beetles spell big trouble as adults, when they like to chew on your rose bushes. You can usually tell they are there by the ragged edges on the roses’ leaves and flowers.

The beetles usually feed at night, when they will chew away at the roses’ flowers and leaves. During the day, fuller rose beetles hide on the leaves’ undersides.

Pesticides typically are not effective in dealing with these persistent beetles. Your best method to get rid of them is picking them off by hand.

4. Thrips

Thrips have a particular fondness to white or light-colored roses. They damage the blooms by leaving brown streaks on the flowers and cause an immense amount of damage. Thrips are a very big problem when the rose bushes are planted close to each other; thrips move easily from one plant to another.

It can be hard to control thrips with pesticides because the pesticides are mainly effective when the insects are in their development phase and are very difficult to see. The best way to get rid of thrips is to clip and throw away the infected flowers.

5. Caterpillars

Some caterpillars love to make lunch and dinners out of rose leaves. Although the damage usually doesn’t threaten the plant, the leaves can look unsightly. Remove the damaged leaves and prune any buds that are damaged.

6. Rose Slug

These insects are actually the larva of sawflies, but look like caterpillars because the rose slugs have legs. You can wash rose slugs off the bushes using a spray of water. One of their natural enemies also may keep them at bay.

7. Leafcutter Bees

These bees make holes in the rose bush leaves and take the leafy material back to their nests.

Although the leaves may not look nice, you really must put up with the bees. There’s no effective way to keep leafcutter bees away from your roses. Bees also are good for the plants because they help with pollination.

8. Rose Curculios

These pests, which are about a quarter of an inch long, start dining as young as larvae on your rose buds as they develop. The rose curculios are particularly fond of yellow and white roses.

Rose curculios eat the buds by punching holes in the buds and blooming flowers. They kill the buds before the buds can even open. You can get ride of a rose curculio infestation by getting an insecticide from a local garden or home center.

9. Flat-headed borers

Flat-headed borers can make the canes of the rose die back, and can kill the canes and the entire plant.

To get rid of the insects, you’ll need to remove any material that has an infestation. You can keep your rose bushes healthy by making sure they have enough water and not overpruning them during the summer.

10. Scale Insects

These pests get their names from the armored scales that they have. Scale insects also like to cause havoc with the cans on your rose bushes.

They may look like small gray ovals, and don’t really move around. Because scale insects have no legs, they are there to stay. The best way to try to control them is to prune infected canes and put pesticide oil on any canes that you don’t prune.

Trying to control pests and bugs in an organic garden can be challenging, just ask an organic gardener. No matter the flora, all have their variety of insects that they attract. No plant leaf, stem and/or flower are immune.

The most time consuming yet most natural way is to inspect each leaf and flower for bugs and removing them by hand. This is not ideal if you have a large garden and obviously not a favorite method among gardeners. Thank goodness, there are other methods one can use.

Persistent control of weed growth is a step in the right direction. From the beginning of planting, especially in vegetable gardens, a large enough space for a hoe to work easily should be left between rows and seedlings. If done early on, weeds are easily taken out and are not given time to drop their seeds and attract unwanted vermin to your patch.

Certain plants used as by-standers in the garden are also deterrents. These herbs and flowers act as natural repellents and aid in controlling annoyances. Some to consider are chives, elderberry, garlic and lemon balm.

Each plant is used differently to repel. When chives are planted around rose bushes they prevent black spot and they also prevent scab, when around apple tress. Elderberry branches and leaves can be used to displace moles just by simply putting them into a mole’s hole.

The tea you make from the leaves of this same plant can also be used to fend off aphids, carrot root fly, peach tree borers, and cucumber beetles. The smell from garlic is another repellent but be careful not to plant them near other vegetables that might absorb its flavor. Scattering lemon balm leaves throughout can also repel in your backyard landscaping. Did you also know, by rubbing the crushed leaves of lemon balm you can ward off mosquitoes? These methods are all repellents that can be used in your organic garden to keep pests away.

A disease known as “damping off” is a common affliction suffered by plant seedlings in their transition to a new home. A good method to cut down on this is through the use of a sterilized starting mixture, which limits the appearance of this disease. If you notice any of your seedlings have been affected by this, you must remove and discard them to ensure it doesn’t spread to other seedlings.

Another common bane of the average house plant is leaf mold, most commonly found on rubber plants and screw pines. This fungus will also spread if not contained, so affected leaves should be immediately removed and burned. If the disease has already spread too far there may be nothing left to throw out the plant, as it could very well lead to the disease affecting other nearby plants as well.

This rule applies in many instances. Pest infestation especially will often require you to throw away the entire plant. The effort to try and rid the plant of the pests and restore it to good health, coupled with the ever present risk of other plants becoming infected really makes this choice an easy one.

Of course this may certainly be a difficult decision, especially when the plant in question is one you’ve had for a long time, and has become as much a part of your decor as any other piece of furniture or decoration. The good news is that if the pests or disease have not spread overly much, you can still endeavor to save it. The plant should be moved to a new location, away from other plants while you try to bring it back to health. At least in this way you can be certain that no other plants will be infected should the threat continue to grow worse.

Pests, in the form of insects, are one of the most common forms of plant suffering. One of these is the aphid, an insect which usually inhabits the underside of leaves. They come in a variety of colors, which may be difficult to pick up when colored similarly to the leaves themselves. A good spray with water may be enough to remove them, and should be the first step taken in trying to do so. When that fails you can resort to a commercial insecticide instead.

Multiple sprayings will likely be necessary, after which point the remaining few may need to be taken off by hand. This can be accomplished by winding a wisp of cotton around the end of a toothpick and lightly dipping it in alcohol. This creation should easily remove the remaining few who proved resistant to the water or insecticide.

Another form of insects are scale insects, which con in a number of different shapes, sizes and colors. Plants most susceptible to these pests are ferns, ficus tree plant, citrus fruits, ivy and palms.

These hardy pests have a level of immunity to insecticides that makes other methods of removing them more viable. The toothpick method mentioned above is one of the better ways to get rid of these guys, as you’ll be all but forced to remove them by hand one way or the other.

These are just a few of the many pests you may encounter when dealing with house plants. The most important thing is to always keep a watchful eye over your plants to make sure they’re in good health, and take action immediately when anything seems to be awry.

Australia has a problem with termites, especially the Sydney area. You may be unaware of the fact that there are residential areas in Sydney that are termite-prone and if you have a house in such an area, then you need to be having inspections done on a regular basis. Another thing, if you are purchasing a new home in Sydney, then you need to make sure the previous owners were combating any problems with termites or you may be faced with an even larger problem.

The fact of the matter is if you live in the Sydney area, you must be aware of the potential problems associated with termites, no matter whether you rent or own your home. Some people think they can save money by avoiding inspections. Well here are 10 facts that may just let you know what you are up against.

1. Australia is seeing an increase in the termite menace and the financial damages are astronomical. Millions of dollars are lost by Australians every year due to damage by termites.

2. An average 20% of homes in Australia received damage due to termites. There are an estimated 130,000 new termite attacks on an annual basis.

3. The losses reported from termites are five times more that the losses seen from a combination of flood, fire and storms.

4. The termites that are the most well known in the Sydney area are the Kalotermes, which are dry wood termites and the Coptotermes Acinaciformis, which are subterranean termites. These termites are very hearty and have been known to damage wood-framed homes as well as brick and steel with the same energy.

5. Termites are known to adapt and they tend to develop a taste for materials that are commonly used in the construction of homes.

6. Termites have appetites that are phenomenal and a single average sized colony can destroy the floor of a room in just about 3 months.

7. Termites do not stop once they have entered your home. Instead they begin to eat things like shoes, clothing, electrical wiring and furniture.

8. If you find termites in your home and attempt to destroy them or their colony, they will come back with more brute force. This is because they live in the soil and can easily dig their way to safer places inside the earth and come back again because they know their source of food is in your home. It is best you leave the job to experts.

9. You may already know that you can determine if you have termites by tapping on wood with the handle of a screwdriver. However, even the smallest of taps could actually break through the termite-chewed wood. This can disturb the termites and make it harder to treat them.

10. Only experienced and specialised termite inspectors, and no one else, are qualified to treat termite related issues.

So if you are a home owner or are planning on purchasing a home then you need to consult a pest control agency that is experienced in termites to treat your home. If you try to ignore or avoid these problems then you will only be compromising your wealth and health.