The backyard is the place in your home where you can relax, entertain guests, read a book, and watch your children play. However, when you are constantly being attacked by mosquitoes, rodents, fleas, ants, and other insects, your backyard becomes a place that you try to avoid as much as possible. But people who don’t spend time outdoors are more susceptible to getting sick. We should all spend a bit of time walking outside and just having the sun on our faces.
Regardless of the weather, pests will make a home in your backyard. They will build nests and stay there. Soil and plants combined are their natural habitats. It will be hard to eliminate them, but it is not impossible. If you want to enjoy your garden or backyard thoroughly, you must get rid of the pests that live on your property.
Exterminator
The easiest thing to do is to call an exterminator. They will be responsible for getting rid of the pests and insects. Most homes are treated at least every year or every two years. The poison that exterminators will inject into your property’s soil will keep insects and rodents at bay for at least a year. When you start seeing ants and mosquitoes again, that’s when you need to avail of their services once more.
Traps
You can also set up traps for rodents, insects, and other kinds on your property. For rodents, you can put a cotton ball with peppermint oil in the trap to attract them. Cheese works, too, but not nearly as good as the scent of peppermint. You can also look for mosquito attractants for sale because they use human skin scent, which is attractive for mosquitoes. Most of these attractants are highly specific to species of the Asian tiger mosquitoes and yellow fever mosquitoes that can cause severe health complications.
Cleanliness
A clean backyard is a pest-free backyard. If you use your backyard for anything such as parties and dinner, make sure that you clean up afterward. Sweep any crumbs and wipe away spilled liquids from the table. Even the smallest food particle will attract ants and rodents. Don’t miss out on any morsel that might have fallen on the deck’s or patio’s floor.
Also, make sure to keep the patio or deck organized. Don’t leave old furniture out there because dark and cramped places can nurture the growth of mosquitoes and other insects. As much as possible, keep your backyard free of clutter so it will be easy to identify areas where insects, rodents, and fleas can likely come from.
Homemade Insecticides
Although chemical pesticides are highly effective in keeping insects and rodents away, they are not guaranteed to be safe. The best type of insecticides are ones made with home products. These are safe for children and pets. Natural insecticides include bath soaps, dishwashing soaps, lemon, vinegar, and garlic. Soap sprays are effective against mites, aphids, whiteflies, beetles, and more, while the smell of garlic can push pests away.
If you have a neem tree, you can extract the oil and mix it with liquid soap. This is an effective combination against pests. Other kinds of oil that can use are tomato leaf and vegetable oil.
Plants
If you want to get rid of pests for good, then research plants that can eliminate the pests’ presence from your garden or backyard. For example, petunia’s bright colors deter beetles, bugs, and aphids, while basil can help repel mosquitoes and flies. Basil is easy to grow because you can plant it in a container and leave it on your patio or backyard to prevent the mosquitoes from trying to enter your home.
Citronella is another effective plant against mosquitoes. You can place a bunch near your doorways so that mosquitoes can’t get inside when someone enters and exits your home. Chive and lemongrass in the garden can also ward off other pests.
Essential Oils
While plants are great at keeping pests away from your backyard, the same thing can be done by essential oils such as citronella, lavender, peppermint, and lemongrass. Just make sure that you use pure essential oils and not those mixed with water. Aside from being a deterrent to insects, essential oils also have several positive effects on health. Some even claim that it can prevent respiratory illnesses and improve the quality of indoor air.
The beauty of the garden or backyard is often affected by the presence of pests and insects. Ensure that your backyard is a haven for your family and not pests. Use homemade and natural insecticides and pesticides to keep this place free of pests, insects, and rodents that can affect your ability to enjoy it.
