When it comes to gardening, ensuring that your garden is free from pest activities and actions are of great priority. There are different ways in which pests can be controlled in the garden and understanding how to go about it is of great importance to every gardener.
Flowers, however, have been discovered to possess some special qualities and characteristics that make them a safe and secure way of controlling pests in the garden.
Of the various types of flowers, there is in the world, some flowers are believed to possess the ability to deter certain pests, insects, and other organisms that can have a negative effect on the health and general performance of the garden.
Flowers are also very beautiful plants to have around your garden; apart from using them as a natural deterrent for pests and other causal organisms, they help to add color and beauty to your garden and make the space more accommodating and attractive.
Flowers have been underutilized in every way and they have been used as natural pest control for getting rid of harmful insects and also attracting beneficial insects towards the plants.
The different flowers used for getting rid of pests in the garden associates with other plants under a mutually beneficial relationship, therefore, ensuring that when they are used as natural pest controls, they also tend to benefit from the plants that are available in the garden.
Using flowers around your garden for fighting against pest activities is biological and this practice will help put your garden in good shape and they will never have any harmful effect on your garden.
If you are just starting a new garden for a new season or your garden is susceptible to certain types of insects, knowing the right flowering plant to grow and use to deter their activities in your garden is of great essence.
In this article, we will take you through some of the various ways in which you can use flowers as natural pest control in the garden and ensure that your garden is kept safe and healthy.
What are the Flowers that can be used as natural pest control in the Garden?
There are so many flowers in this world, and among all of them, there are some flowers that have certain toxins, scents/fragrance, and characteristics that do not encourage the action of pests in their vicinity.
As beautiful as flowers are, there are things that are hidden behind them much more than what could be seen on the surface of their nature.
In this article, we will talk more about those plants that can be used as natural pesticides in an organic and biological way. The flowers that can be used as natural pest control are discussed below:
Borage:
This is an herbaceous plant that has been popularly used among the English people for culinary purposes. It is an annual plant that has been used in the production of teas, tinctures, and other recipes for human use.
This plant has a star-shaped flower which makes it quite attractive and lovely and they help to deter hornworms and cabbage worms.
If you are a lover of cabbage and lettuce, this flower will help you prevent those insects from your garden. They are also known to have the ability to increase the disease resistance mechanism of your plant.
Clover:
This is a cover plant that grows just like the common grasses and they provide a thin layer of green over the soil surface.
There are over three hundred varieties of this lovely plant but the most popular of them all is the green types.
This plant does appear beautifully and they are known for their ability to produce a cute pink-colored flower and they can help to get rid of pests completely when grown.
They are best used for controlling cabbageworm and aphids and it helps prevent them from taking hold in the soil.
Chrysanthemums:
This is a popular and beautiful flowering plant all over the world. It is commonly referred to as “mums” and is popularly used in flower arrangements because of their varying colors.
These lovely plants can be used for getting rid of insects because of the presence of a toxin known as pyrethrin which is toxic to insects.
This flower can also be used for making organic tea which can be used as a repellant for root nematodes and Japanese beetles in the garden.
Marigolds:
This flower is popular among gardeners and it comes in the orange color. This plant is very easy to obtain and they appear vibrantly and beautifully anywhere they can be found around the garden.
The French marigold variety is suitable for the control of whiteflies (from tomatoes) while other scented types of this plant can be used for getting rid of different pests.
They can also help keep nematodes away from the lower region of the plant and they are suitable for any plant belonging to the Brassica family such as cabbage and broccoli. Some varieties also prevent root-knot nematodes.
Lavender:
This beautiful plant is known for its intoxicating fragrance. They have purple florets attached to the plant’s stem and they are popular for their use in produce perfumes and in bathing waters.
This beautiful plant can be used for controlling pests such as fleas, moths, and mosquitos. They are cool plants that can be planted around your garden to deter any kind of pest.
Nasturtiums:
This flower comes in a number of colors and they are known to have the ability to trap pests. The orange types of the nasturtium flower are known to possess the ability to protect squash and cucumbers while the yellow types can trap aphids.
How to Use flowers as Natural pest control in the Garden
There are different flowers that can be used as natural pest controls and the kind of pests that they can control vary.
Therefore, when you decide to grow a particular plant, you must first know the pests that the plant is susceptible to so as to determine the type of flower that you should grow around your garden.
Below are some of the things to note when you decide to grow flowers as natural repellants in your garden.
Know your plants:
Before deciding to use flowers for any garden, you must know your plants very well and must be able to decide on what such plant needs. Not all flowers will work well for different plants so you must understand the plant being dealt with.
Determine the flower of choice:
After knowing your plant, the next line of action is to choose a flower that is suitable for controlling pests that they are susceptible to.
For example, some marigold variety can prevent root-knot nematode while flowers like nasturtiums or lavender cannot; so you should make the right choice. You must choose a flower that can get rid of the pest of your garden plants.
Plant the flower of choice around the planting space:
After making your choice, the next thing to do is to plant the flower that has been chosen around the planting area or space.
You can grow these flowers in the form of an array and provide enough flowers that can deter them from all directions.
You should make sure that the place where the plant is grown is fertile and suitable for their growth and development.
Maintain the flowers well:
Proper maintenance of the flower must be properly carried out from time to time. Keeping your plant maintained and well managed will ensure that your crop gets protected at all time and there will be no need to worry about the health of the plant.
Add beneficial plants:
Since your plants need to develop well and perform to the best level possible, adding other plants to your flower arrangement can go a long way in helping you achieve your aim.
For the best production possible, adding plants that are beneficial to your garden as a whole will go a long way in aiding the control of pests.
Some of the plants that can be added include Milkweed, lemon balm, amaranth, and bachelor’s buttons.
Conclusion
Getting rid of pests in your garden does not have to be devastating; the addition of a beautiful and suitable flower as pesticides will go a long way in making everything worth it. Put your garden in the best shape possible and ensure that you keep your garden as healthy as possible.
On behalf of the author, thank you so much for taking the time to read this article !
