4 Strategies to Protect Your Vegetable Garden From Pests

We have plenty of tips on spring gardening, but we wanted to elaborate on one important tip—keeping pests out. Gardens take sweat and energy to come to life. There is nothing worse than putting in the hard work and someone else reaping the benefits, namely pests. Your vegetables are yours to give away, and not for thieving animals to take. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to reduce thieves from stealing your bounty. Here are four strategies you can take to protect your garden.

4 Ways to Protect Your Vegetable Garden

1. Vinegar Spray

Making a spray of 50% white vinegar and 50% water works to keep pests at bay. The animals don’t like the smell (to be clear, most humans don’t either). Reapply the mixture after a rainfall. You can even spray rags heavily to hang in the vegetable garden for a stronger scent.

2. Human Hair

Stop throwing away your hair when you clean out your brush. Placing human hair in and around your garden deters pests. The animals smell human and are warned to stay away. It may take some time to collect enough hair to make a difference, so keep a bag handy in the bathroom for when you clean out your hair brush and tell your family members and friends to do so too.

3. Fencing

Building a vinyl fence can be very effective in keeping vegetable-thieving animals away from your garden. For a once-and-done application, fences are fantastic for keeping pests away. As you shop for fencing materials, make sure that the fencing is tall enough and the holes are small enough for this project. You also don’t want fencing that blocks your sunlight. Fencing is also a super effective way to prevent thieves.

4. Fido

The family dog is sometimes an excellent way to keep pests out of your garden—as the scent and presence of a dog will often deter other animals from entering your yard. However, this will largely depend on your pet’s personality. In some cases, dogs actually become the pest by trampling the garden and digging up bulbs. Whereas, other dogs are less interested in the garden and spend more time chasing pests away. Proper training and an understanding of your dog’s personality is key to determining if they will be effective pest control.

Where you live and how close you are to wildlife makes a difference in which deterrent will be best for your vegetable garden. Having a combination of ways to repel these pests increases your chances of success. Building a fence to keep out vegetable-thieving animals is the best way to be 100% sure of your harvest. Happy Gardening!

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5 Medicinal Plants You Can Grow Right in Your Garden

For thousands of years, herbs and plants have featured prominently in traditional and folk medicine around the world. The healing properties of plants have garnered great attention in recent years, with many of these plants making their way into home gardens for personal use. Easy to grow and utilize, here are five medicinal plants you can add to your garden this year.

Comfrey

This perennial herb that produces clusters of small bell-shaped blooms is also called boneset or knitbone due to its reported use in the treatment of broken bones. It contains allantoin, a chemical compound that is an anti-irritant and aids in wound healing. It is also reportedly beneficial in the treatment of arthritis. The most common cultivar is Russian comfrey, Symphytum × uplandicum, as is recommended for topical use only.

Wild Bergamot

Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa, not only has medicinal uses, but also attracts bees, hummingbirds and butterflies to a garden. Native Americans utilized the plant to treat infections and digestive problems.  As it is said they possess both anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. The lavender flowers are also quite flavorful and can be added to fresh herb sauces and salads.

Echinacea (Purple Coneflower)

This herbaceous perennial, reported to possess immune-boosting properties, is easy to grow and drought-tolerant. It was used by Native American Plains tribes to treat cold symptoms, including sore throat, coughing, pain and fever. One analysis in 2016, did report that use of Echinacea reduced the risk of repeated respiratory infections.

Tribulus terrestris

Also called caltrop, bullhead, goathead, Mexican sandbur, Texas sandbur and puncture vine, Tribulus terrestris is a plant used in both Chinese traditional and Indian Ayurveda medicines. It enhances the libido, aids in the reduction of swelling and has been shown to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels in people with Type 2 Diabetes.

Peppermint

One of the oldest medicinal herbs used by man, peppermint has many beneficial qualities. Whether ingested, as a part of aromatherapy or as a topical solution both are beneficial. Peppermint tea can calm the stomach, while peppermint oil has been shown to the relieve the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The oil can also be used topically to treat headaches and muscle pain.

Whether they’re growing in containers on an urban patio, in pots on a rack inside the house, or in a larger garden, these five plants should get you started toward a healthier you, especially when paired with the fresh air and exercise that gardening provides.

References:

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-295/comfrey

https://www.westcoastseeds.com/how-to-grow-guides/grow-bergamot/

https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/10-impressive-echinacea-benefits-support-health/

https://www.vaxxenlabs.com/tribulus-terrestris-side-effects/

https://bonnieplants.com/product/peppermint/

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