When you plant a garden, you probably imagine beautiful flowers, baskets full of fresh vegetables and fruits, or fresh herbs to add to your recipes. However, common garden pests like squirrels, rabbits and a variety of insects can put a damper on your garden plans.
Before you plant anything in your garden, consider these tips for protecting pest-prone garden plants and our list of the most attractive plants in your garden that may need protection.
Tips to protect your plants from pests
Even if your beloved roses attract beetles, you don't necessarily have to dig up the plant. There are things you can do to protect plants that attract pests. “Integrated pest management, or what I call integrated potential management, looks at what could be a problem and takes that into account,” says Looney. If you know a problem is coming, you can make a consistent plan for how to respond.
Try one (or ideally several) of these methods to keep pests away from plants that attract them.
Putting up barriers
Chicken wire or netting can help keep larger animals like rabbits, squirrels and deer from nibbling on your favourite plants, and placing bags over fruit you don't want disturbed will help your apples and tomatoes grow without being nibbled on.
Protecting plants from other stressors
Healthy plants can weather the pest battle, so with the right water, fertilizer, and sunlight, your plants can thrive even with a few pests. “Most plants will be able to withstand this damage and bounce back just fine, but maybe not this season,” says Looney.
Plant trap crops and repellents
A trap crop is another plant that is more attractive to a particular pest. For example, if you plant nasturtiums near tomatoes, flea beetles will love the nasturtiums even more (so your plants will thrive, as long as you don't mind sacrificing the nasturtiums!).
In some cases, it can be effective to surround certain plants with other repellent plants, for example, planting marigolds densely around tulips to keep rabbits away.
Encouraging predators
Attract beneficial insects, like ladybugs and praying mantises, to your garden to do the dirty work for you. “Plants like dill, fennel and sweet alyssum attract predators, like black soldier flies and ladybugs, to help control pests,” says Looney.
Looney says not to buy live ladybugs, praying mantises or other insects in an attempt to boost beneficial insect populations: “They are taken from wild areas, will deplete local populations and probably won't stay in your garden anyway,” she says.
Beware of water accumulation
“Mosquitoes love standing water and dense undergrowth, and they'll hide in damp areas or pools of water,” says Looney, so empty and clean water bowls and plant trays at least every three days, and consider trimming back any undergrowth that mosquitoes might be hiding in.
Plant a variety of plants
A rose-only garden may be beautiful, but it will be too attractive for rose predators, so mix up your garden with roses. “Planting a variety of plants makes the garden welcoming for everyone, and it keeps everyone from getting too sloppy,” says Looney.
Tulips
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Rabbits and deer love the tender new shoots of tulips and may eat them before the flowers bloom. Once the plants are fully grown, they may also be attacked by aphids, thrips and spider mites.
rose
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Roses are susceptible to a variety of pests, including common pests such as beetles, spider mites, aphids and thrips, as well as rose-specific pests such as rose slugs and rose leafhoppers. Rabbits also love roses.
tomato
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Tomatoes attract larger animals like rabbits, squirrels and deer, but they also attract a variety of insects, including wasps, whiteflies, aphids, stink bugs and wasps.
Grapevine
Young grape leaves.
igorartmd / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Grapes are a favorite food source for birds, bees, and other pollinators, but they are also attractive to a brand new plant pest: the red spider mite. The larvae and adults of this species feed on the sap of grapevines, not only damaging the vine (and yield), but also leaving a sticky residue that can cause sooty mold on the plants.
bamboo
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While bamboo itself is considered invasive, it does provide hiding places for mosquitoes, especially if the bamboo has hollow reeds within it that can trap moisture.
Berry Bushes
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Berry bushes are another common target for garden furry creatures, but they can also fall prey to common pests such as aphids, mealybugs, spider mites and thrips.
Water lilies and other aquatic plants
Water lilies (genus Nelumbo) – the main subsistence crop in the first settlement of Jiahu. © Ganymede Photography – All rights reserved. / Getty Images
It's perhaps not surprising that aquatic plants like water lilies provide safe hiding places and shallow water for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
sunflower
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Sunflower seeds are a favorite food of many common animals, including squirrels and birds, but there are also a variety of insects that are attracted to sunflowers, including moths and weevils.
Nasturtium
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Nasturtiums are a favorite food for flea beetles, spider mites, aphids and other common plant pests, which is why they are often recommended as a “trap crop.” But nasturtiums can also act as a deterrent for other pests, so consider what your most common pest problems are.
English Ivy
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English ivy tends to attract common plant pests, such as mealybugs and spider mites, as the moist, shady areas under the plant can provide a safe hiding place for mosquitoes.
broccoli
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Broccoli is a favorite food for aphids, which are garden pests that can migrate to other plants in the garden. Cutworms, flea beetles, and whiteflies are also pests of broccoli that can migrate and cause damage in other parts of the garden.
strawberry
Strawberries in the field. Lynda Dyche / EyeEm / Getty Images
Strawberry crops are often completely destroyed by invaders such as rabbits and squirrels, but strawberries can also be attacked by common pests such as thrips, whiteflies and aphids.
