Many homeowners in Altamonte Springs enjoy gardening to brighten up their outdoor spaces. Plants can look beautiful, but they might also invite pests to your home.
Pests constantly look for food, shelter, and water, which may be available in your garden. Certain plant choices and gardening habits can create the perfect place for bugs to have their own home. The presence of insects or rodents around your home can be partly due to your garden. To learn how to deal with garden pests, visit avatapest.com.
Avata Pest Control is the leading pest control service provider in Central Florida. Their decades of experience in pest control guarantee the quality of their service. Homeowners in Altamonte Springs depend on the company in terms of both pest treatment and prevention. Here’s how your garden can create the ideal environment for unwanted visitors to thrive:
Garden Plants
Not all plants can attract pests, but some may bring them around. Fruiting plants and flowering species can be especially attractive to pests looking for food or shelter.
- Fruit-bearing plants. Tomatoes, strawberries, or citrus trees have the sweet scent that pests cannot resist.
- Herbs. Basil, mint, and dill can bring in aphids and whiteflies.
- Bright flowers. Marigolds, sunflowers, and petunias might lure in beetles, caterpillars, and slugs.
- Dense shrubs or ground cover. This provides shelter for rodents and insects trying to stay out of the heat.
Overwatering
Overwatering is a common issue in humid areas like Altamonte Springs. Wet soil, puddles, and waterlogged flower beds are perfect spots for mosquitoes, fungus gnats, and cockroaches. Even termites can be attracted to damp ground, especially near wooden structures. Water that collects in plant trays or containers can also serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Keeping your garden well-drained and avoiding overwatering can prevent pest activity.
Mulch and Ground Cover Plants
Mulch keeps soil moist and healthy, but it can also be a hiding spot for pests. A thick layer of mulch right up against your house gives insects a dark and cool place to live. It’s also an easy bridge for ants, termites, and earwigs to get from your garden into your home. The same goes for ground cover plants like ivy or creeping jasmine. These plants can trap moisture and hide pest activity until it becomes a bigger issue. It’s best to keep mulch and low-growing plants at least a foot away from your foundation.
Garden Comforts
A garden with tall grass, untrimmed bushes, or fallen fruit can offer these rats and mice a comfortable home with plenty of food. These pests may dig small burrows, hide under decks, or infiltrate sheds. They often look for ways into the home once they settle in the yard. They can get inside through small cracks, open vents, and garage doors. Keeping the garden tidy and free of debris helps prevent rodents from moving in too close.
Compost and Pet Food
Many gardeners use compost piles to enrich their soil, but compost can also attract pests if not managed correctly. Leftover food scraps in the compost may smell tempting to raccoons, opossums, or rats. Flies and cockroaches are also attracted to the scent of decomposing materials. Leftover pet food can also lure animals and bugs into your yard. Always clean up pet food after meals. Also, keep compost piles in sealed bins or away from the main living areas.
Outdoor lighting
Outdoor lighting around your garden may help you enjoy your yard at night, but it also attracts nighttime pests. Moths, beetles, and spiders are drawn to the glow of porch or landscape lights. These bugs may hover near windows and doors, increasing the chance of them finding their way inside. Switch to yellow or warm LED lights if you notice a lot of bugs near light fixtures. These are less attractive to most insects and can help keep your pest levels down without sacrificing visibility.
