One of the first questions new gardeners ask is, “How do I keep bugs out of my garden?” The answer? You don’t! Bugs are a necessary (and sometimes helpful) part of every garden ecosystem. Learning to spot the “pests” among the “beneficials,” however, will help you keep your cool and cultivate your best garden ever.
In our Organic Pest Control Series, gardening expert Barbara Pleasant guides you through identifying the insects in your garden. The Common Garden Pests pages includes profiles for 15 bugs to bid farewell: aphids, cucumber beetles, grasshoppers, slugs and more. In the Beneficial Insects section, you’ll learn about 14 insect friends — from honeybees to garden spiders — that will actually make your garden stronger and healthier. Finally, you can check out the Using Organic Pesticides page for tips on how to get rid of those bad bugs for good. Beautifully illustrated by Keith Ward, the profiles included in this series are sure to get you pointed in the right direction.
Here are the three sections of our Organic Pest Control Series:
Guide to Garden Insects
Download your free Guide to Garden Pests here and see which pests are friend or foe and organic pest control methods.
Spotted a Bug in Your Garden?
Tell us about it and you’ll be helping the Big Bug Hunt citizen science project.
