Many new organic gardeners are confused about or frustrated with the control of bugs and pests in their gardens. All types of plants, from roses, bushes, or trees, to fruits or vegetables, annuals or perennials, attract bugs which like to eat parts of the plant. Some bugs eat the leaves and stems, while others eat the flowers, and some eat the entire plant. However, there are actually many different natural ways to control these pests.

Although you could simply pick the bugs off your plants as you find them, this can be a very time consuming process, especially in a large garden with many plants. It is not efficient to control pests in this way alone. However, there are many other natural ways you can control bugs in your garden.

The first step you’ll need to take is to effectively control the weeds in your garden. In order to do this, you need to leave enough space between your plants to allow room for pulling up any weeds that you see. Especially in vegetable gardens, you should leave a wide space between the rows, so you can use a hoe, which makes a quick job out of weeding. For best results, be proactive and pull weeds before they become large, because it is much easier to pull them when they are small. They will come out of the dirt easier, and will not have dropped seeds for more weeds, or drawn a lot of bugs into your garden.

Not only can you control pests by removing weeds, but also through planting certain species which help to control pests. Many people do not realize that certain herbs and flowers even repel many common bugs. For example, chives can help prevent scab in apple trees. Also, black spot on roses can be controlled by chives around your rose bushes.

Another plant which can be used to repel pests, Elderberry, is quite effective against garden moles. But is never effective to be one of the indoor houseplants because of its poisonous parts. If you stick branches and leaves of this plant into the mole holes, the moles will leave your garden. A tea or wash made from Elderberry leaves can also help control aphids, carrot root fly, cucumber beetles, or peach tree borers.

Garlic is another plant with many uses in your garden. However, a word of caution when taking care of vegetable gardens: the flavor of garlic can be absorbed by other plants, so be careful when using garlic as a repellant near your vegetable garden, as it should not be used near vegetables which would taste odd with a hint of garlic flavoring.

Yet another all natural garden solution is Lemon Balm. This can be used as a repellant for many bugs and pests. Just sprinkle lemon balm leaves in your garden. Not only this, but crushed lemon balm leaves can also be rubbed directly onto your skin, preventing mosquito bites.

Unfortunately, you’re not the only one who loves your fresh, home grown vegetables. Insects, rabbits, mice, deer and other pests do too. And they eat more than just the vegetable itself, often munching on leaves and even roots. That takes away not only the food, but the ability of the plant to create more. Very greedy, these little creatures.

Controlling pests in order to produce a healthy crop is an ongoing task. But it can be made easier by taking an integrated approach. Don’t rely on just one method, but employ a variety.

Start your pest control before your vegetables begin to grow by: properly preparing the soil, selecting healthy plants, and watering appropriately. Keeping your soil pH near 6.5 can help, as well. By fertilizing the soil properly, your plants will grow well, and will have the required resistance to fend off pests.

Look for pest resistant seeds. Don’t be afraid of genetically modified seeds, and select only healthy plants if you transplant.

Be on the lookout for harmful insects and other pests. But don’t react to every insect with a chemical spray. There are many helpful organisms, some of which treat the soil, others consume harmful insects. Knowing which is which is the first step to biological control of gardening problems. That creates safe, tasty vegetables that grow large and healthy.

Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and aphids can be eaten by assassin bugs. Stink bugs eat potato beetles and certain caterpillars. Ladybugs consume aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites. These are just two examples among many.

Watering in the morning will help. It keeps fungus and other problems to a minimum. Just as with grass, vegetables can be prone to growths that are encouraged by nighttime temperatures and excess moisture on the leaves. Allowing the plant to soak up needed water early, then dry before the temperature drops, will help prevent such problems. Keeping them disease free minimizes insect damage, since a weakened plant will often not survive minor infestations. A healhty plant can fight them off.

Prevent the spread of insects by planting different species. Pest populations may explode when numerous similar plants are spaced close together. These pests either gather together or reproduce more quickly. And eradicating a big population of pests is more difficult. They can ruin your plant before you are able to get rid of them entirely.

Just as with animals and humans, pests spread in part by contact. Removing any part or plant that has been infected is not always necessary, but may be your only means of saving other healthy plants if you cannot save the infected plant.

Keep larger animals - rabbits and dear, for example - away from your vegetables by building a fence with a narrows mesh base.

But when those efforts are not enough, don’t be afraid to use an approved commercial insecticide. Chemistry has come a long way in the past 50 years and they’re designed to eradicate insect infestations while still being safe for humans to contact and eat the vegetables.

It is vital that, in any landscaping project, a pest control program is included. Unwanted insects and other problems will be attracted to the newly created environment because of the seemingly inexhaustible food supply, nicely damp soil and ideal breeding ground. Here are a few ways that you can maintain control over these pests.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes thrive in moist conditions and they will breed in any puddle. They can be eradicated using repellants, but a better alternative is the mosquito magnet. Repellants contain chemicals that can be harmful to people and the environment. Mosquito magnets kill mosquitoes without the use of these chemicals. The magnet releases a gas that resembles human breath to a mosquito and it is attracted to the machine, where is succumbs to dehydration.

Regardless whether you use a magnet or another way to get rid of mosquitoes, you should follow these rules to reduce the amount of mosquito breeding in your garden:

* Rid your garden of any pools of still, stagnant water.

* Clean any areas that collect water, such as a birdbath, daily to kill any mosquito larva.

* Keep any ponds or pools aerated and in the case of swimming pools, maintain the chlorine or salt level at all times.

* Any aquatic plants in ponds will attract mosquitoes, so check them regularly.

* Fish and other aquatic animals will eat mosquitoes, so fill your ponds with these.

* Drip irrigation will water your plants, but the soil surface will remain relatively dry.

Earwigs

These creatures are readily seen in gardens that have accumulated piles of lawn cuttings, leaves and foliage. Here are a few ways to rid your garden of these pests:

* Make it a regular occurrence to clear the garden of such debris.

* Some mulch can result in an infestation of earwig, so check your mulched areas regularly.

* Use the drip irrigation as in the case of mosquito control to maintain a dry soil surface.

* Include “bird friendly” features in your landscape. The birds will be a natural controller of the earwigs and other pests.

Controlling Animal Pests

Most gardens will seem attractive to animals. Some areas prevent the killing of these pests, so it is best to discourage them from entering your property.

Here are some tips to discourage animals such as groundhogs, moles and rabbits from coming into your yard:

* Maintain your fences and ensure they are pest proof.

* Rid your garden of areas where the animals may hide out, such as tall grass, weeds and leaf piles.

* Use objects such as pinwheels as “scarers” around your fence to discourage the more timid animals.

* Use traps that will capture the animal humanely, allowing you to free them into the wild.

Live Animal Traps

These are as they suggest, a trap that captures the animal alive, allowing for it to be released some distance from your home. There are a number of these traps available, but the best are the havahart traps. They are easy to use and come in a number of sizes. They are safe to use around children and pets. You can purchase these online from the website havahart.com.

Organic Pest Control Methods

Common organic products, most of which came from plants sources and are readily available and you may even have at home, can be mixed together to make anti-pest formulas that are powerful enough to kills pests but are not harmful to humans or to the environment. Such organic products include insecticidal soap, oil of Neem plant, horticultural oil and seeds of various plants eg Pyrethrims. With some knowledge you can easily make your own at home.

Archicentre Limited, The Royal Australian Institute of Architects service of building advisory, conducted a careful analysis of damage by termites within Melbourne and Sydney. During 2003, as well as 2004, in order to create a highly extensive building inspection processes and improve on using data in the areas of reporting and collection, research was conducted by the company.

The results prompted the creation of the Pest Inspection Service, offered by Archicentre. Melbourne started receiving the services in 2005, while Sydney was next in the year 2006. This service was created in efforts to gain knowledge about just how impacted Australia is by termites.

The company examined more than 80,000 reports of inspections and through this analysis came to the conclusion that there is indeed termite growth within Australia and their homes. The analysis provided many different results. For example, they were able to determine that colder regions of the continent are less likely to suffer from termite attacks than the warmer regions were. This led to the conclusion that termite protection was in dire need in these warmer areas.

In Australia, Queensland was found to have the biggest infestation. The reports and subsequent analysis showed that termite attacks had increased by 11%. South Australia, New South Wales, and ACT have the second biggest infestation by showing an increase of 9%, which is still very high. Victoria has experienced an increase of 8%, while Western Australia saw a termite increase of 5%.

When it comes to pest treatment, in the year 2006, the average costs to treat a home infected by termites stood at around $2,500. This is a huge savings over the average price of $4,500 to repair an infestation. Of course, this amount will be affected by the area in which the home is located.

Therefore, is it important to know how to spot a termite problem. The first thing you can look at is stumps around the home or even concrete barriers. If you notice mud on these elements, you could be facing termites. At the same time, how about your sub floors. If the sub floors show any signs of damage, termites may be present. When you walk around the home, both inside, as well as outside, do you see any termite damage about a foot up?

Of course, some conditions around your home may actually be inviting the termites. For example, if you have many trees surrounding the home or you have an older home that is say more than 30 years old, you might be just asking for termites. At the same time, if you use any type of untreated wood, decorate with old logs, or use mulch, you are actually creating havens for the termites.

Many people will store wood in a shed or somewhere around the home in order to keep it dry. This is another attraction for termites. Even if homes have a concrete slab or have been treated, termites seem to find any wood in the construction materials of the home.

The best defense you have is to make sure that you are having regular checks of your home for termites and other pests. Keeping control over them is the only way to prevent and eliminate them.

One last thing, before you purchase a new home, make sure that you have an inspection done first. Make double sure that this inspection includes termite inspections. If you purchase a home without having this inspection, you may be looking at big costs to treat and repair the infestation, in addition to the money you just paid for your new home.

Your home may be at risk right now from a menace which won’t make its presence apparent until the most serious damage has already been done. Termites are a problem which cost five times as much in terms of damage than all natural disasters and fires taken together. There are, however some ways to identify a termite infestation. These insects are hardy and will change their habits to meet the conditions they find themselves in - this is why it’s important to get a professional inspection to determine whether or not your home is at risk.

A colony of termites may invade your home or commercial property; but without regular inspections, it can be hard to detect them until the damage has been done. Other than structural damage, there are other problems which termites may cause. Termites can cause a fire hazard by damaging the protective covering on your wires. The activity of termites creates a lot of damage and can even endanger the lives of the inhabitants of a home.

Termites don’t limit themselves to wood - they will eat nearly anything! Termites will also eat clothing and even furniture! Just imagine putting o a shoe, only to find it full of termites!

The number one investment you have is your home or business. To protect this investment, you should try to keep it free of the threat of termites. One thing to look for is the telltale sign that termites are digging channels in the wood of your walls. Look for any ridges in walls which come up from the ground as well as in your foundation. These are the channels created by termites as they literally eat away at your home.

You should also look for earth packing on foundation walls. Termites will often leave behind a build up of earth where your flooring meets the joists. Look for termite wings in spider webs. Termites also make some noise and even an odor which may be detectable in some cases.

The best measure is prevention or early intervention before damage is high. Within three months time, thousands of dollars of damage can occur. Have your home inspected frequently, particularly if there’s been an infestation in the neighborhood. Those that live in Sydney need to be vigilant because of local infestations. Termites travel and it won’t be long until your home or business is their supper.

If you come across any signs that termites may be present, then you should call a termite specialist at once. Without professional help it can be nearly impossible to deal with the problem; they can just go into the soil and wait while they breed an even larger number of termites to invade your home.

If you think that your home might have termites or simply want the peace of mind which comes from knowing that your home is free of this threat, then you need to contact a professional. Pink Pest Services have certified termite experts on staff who can inspect your home to let you know whether or not your home is safe.

Pink Pest Services uses state of the art equipment like fibre optics and thermal imaging to detect termite infestation. If they find termites, they will devise a plan to rid your building of the threat. If Pink Pest Services find nothing, you’ll be able to rest easier knowing your woodwork is termite free.

If you reside in Sydney, you need to make sure that your home is regularly inspected. Before buying commercial property or a new home, then you should first have the property inspected by Pink Pest Services. Doing so can save you thousands; because when it comes to termites, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Real estate investment is an increasingly popular avenue of investing, attracting more and more people each year. The reason for this is that a lot of money can be made as long as you do things the right way. While there is a lot of money to be made through wise property investments, you can also lose a lot of money this way.

This article will give you a little insight on the problems which are commonly made by property investors. If you are aware of these potential mistakes, you will be well prepared to avoid them and make good, profitable property investments.

First Things First - What Can go Wrong?

Suppose that you find what looks to you to be the ideal property for investment. It looks perfect in every way and you can already visualize how you will fix up the property and of course, the profits you will make. You have the liquid assets, you are confident that your offer will be accepted and it seems all laid right out before you - so what can go wrong here? The answer is a lot!

Mr. Booth has just purchased his ideal investment property. Listed for $150,000, he managed to negotiate a closing deal of $120,000. Situated in an ideal location, the property is likely to bring in $180,000 at least once the required changes have been made. The changes themselves are minimal. Mr. Booth inspected the property himself and though he did find some problems, they seemed to only to be cosmetic - nothing that a few coats of paint and a few replacement lights wouldn’t fix. However, a month after the property had been purchased Mr. Booth noticed that the walls had become damp. After calling out an expert, he found out that the original owner had not repaired a leaky pipe. The pipe had started to leak more than ever and it had caused serious damage. It would cost thousands of dollars to repair as the pipes needed to be ripped out and replaced and a mould problem had developed which also needed eliminating.

That’s just one possible scenario of things which could go wrong. There are many problems which it is hard to foresee and many never think of them - until the damage is done. Other common ones include:

The cost of the property exceeds the selling costs

There are hidden problems with the property

Ending up with a property which is different than expected

Becoming emotionally involved with the property

Failing to recognize the competition

The above are just a few of the most common potential property investment problems. There are many more that you should also become aware of if you want to ensure that you make the right choices. So just how can you avoid making these mistakes?

Hiring a Professional

The simplest way to avoid these common property investment problems is by hiring a professional.

A property manager can be immensely helpful. They can look the property over thoroughly and tell you about any issues with the property, to help you plan repairs and negotiate a better price. They can also fill you in on the energy efficiency and building code compliance of the property.

A lot of money goes into an investment property, so you should make sure to do things the proper way to maximize the returns you’ll receive from this significant investment. Hiring a professional can save you from the mistakes commonly made in property investment - and save you a lot of money in the bargain!

Shhh!! Did you hear something? No, it is not a burglary going down but there is danger afoot in your home. Termites [aka white ants] are busy chipping away at your financial investment. It is time to turn the light on these freeloading bugs, and kick them to the curb. Do not wait until they move in permanently and eat you completely out of house.

Like every living creature on the planet, termites need food and water to survive. Wood is the preferred meal on a termite’s menu. If you were serving their favorite feast, why would they go anywhere else? Termites are attracted to wood because it contains cellulose. These destructive insects are in a sugar rush, having dinner on the house. Rain is their main water source. They also find water from leaky faucets and standing pools left outside homes.

About twenty percent of homes in Sydney are already infested with termites. You can keep these destructive insects out of your home by taking preventative measures to protect yourself. First, make sure that you have no faulty parts in your ventilation system which allow for the build-up of water, which will attract these pests. Giving termites a drinking fountain is like inviting them into your home. Also check your foundation for any cracks which will make it easy for termites to get in.

Termites build their colonies and live their lives mostly underground. They build a labyrinth of tunnels which may go as deep as three feet underground. These tunnels often lead right into your home! When termites invade, they can undermine your home with their tunnels. To prevent termite incursions, you must be vigilant. Remember, these creatures can destroy your biggest and most important investment - your home.

You may not encounter a swarm of termites outside your door, or see any outward signs they are lurking in the shadows. To be on the safe side, it is in your best interest to terminate their existence before they take a big bite out of yours. The price you pay for termite protection now is well worth the expense, compared to costly repairs in the future.

A yearly inspection for termites is vital to protect the investment you have made in your home. If you are trying to sell your home, anyone interested in buying it will want proof that your home is free of termites. Any indication that termites have ever been in your home can cause a serious devaluation in your property. In areas which have a high risk of termite infestation, termite control experts recommend biannual inspections. This can stop termite damage before it even begins. In Sydney, termites are no laughing matter. There is no use in just hoping that these pests will simply go away.

To win the war against termites, you need to call in the professionals. A thorough termite inspection helps prevent, detect, and treat termite attacks. Reinforcements are needed to fight the invisible bugger who strikes without warning. Make a move toward a successful termite extermination plan.

Insects might be responsible for some of the problems you are experiencing with your roses. These insects can be your roses’ worst friends, and will cause major damage if you do nothing to keep them away. These are some of the top ten most wanted enemies of your roses, and some ways to identify them and get rid of them.

1. Aphids

Aphids are the most frequent insect problem you will find in your roses. These insects like to make themselves comfortable in the roses’ growing tissues like buds and shoots. Aphids usually are just a problem during the spring and early summer.

Although few - or even moderate - numbers of aphids won’t cause much damage to your roses, you need to watch them and make sure their numbers don’t spread. A large group of aphids can produce honeydew, a waste product that has the consistency of a sugary liquid. This honeydew can encourage mold; the mold eventually will blacken the roses’ leaves. Flowers may decrease and new buds may be killed if there are large numbers of aphids in your roses.

You may not need to use insecticides to control your aphids. They have some natural enemies, including syrphid flies and lady beetles. If these insects aren’t around to deter your aphids, you can try washing them off of the roses with water or special types of soaps.

2. Spider Mites

Spider mites may be to blame if you notice that your roses’ leaves are drying up and falling off, or if they look like they have numerous small dots (stippling). These pests are so small that you might need a magnifying glass to find them.

Spider mites usually infest your roses because of dry and dusty conditions. It’s possible to try to control them by reducing the amount of dust and by making sure that your roses and other plants have enough water.

3. Fuller Rose Beetles

Fuller rose beetles spell big trouble as adults, when they like to chew on your rose bushes. You can usually tell they are there by the ragged edges on the roses’ leaves and flowers.

The beetles usually feed at night, when they will chew away at the roses’ flowers and leaves. During the day, fuller rose beetles hide on the leaves’ undersides.

Pesticides typically are not effective in dealing with these persistent beetles. Your best method to get rid of them is picking them off by hand.

4. Thrips

Thrips have a particular fondness to white or light-colored roses. They damage the blooms by leaving brown streaks on the flowers and cause an immense amount of damage. Thrips are a very big problem when the rose bushes are planted close to each other; thrips move easily from one plant to another.

It can be hard to control thrips with pesticides because the pesticides are mainly effective when the insects are in their development phase and are very difficult to see. The best way to get rid of thrips is to clip and throw away the infected flowers.

5. Caterpillars

Some caterpillars love to make lunch and dinners out of rose leaves. Although the damage usually doesn’t threaten the plant, the leaves can look unsightly. Remove the damaged leaves and prune any buds that are damaged.

6. Rose Slug

These insects are actually the larva of sawflies, but look like caterpillars because the rose slugs have legs. You can wash rose slugs off the bushes using a spray of water. One of their natural enemies also may keep them at bay.

7. Leafcutter Bees

These bees make holes in the rose bush leaves and take the leafy material back to their nests.

Although the leaves may not look nice, you really must put up with the bees. There’s no effective way to keep leafcutter bees away from your roses. Bees also are good for the plants because they help with pollination.

8. Rose Curculios

These pests, which are about a quarter of an inch long, start dining as young as larvae on your rose buds as they develop. The rose curculios are particularly fond of yellow and white roses.

Rose curculios eat the buds by punching holes in the buds and blooming flowers. They kill the buds before the buds can even open. You can get ride of a rose curculio infestation by getting an insecticide from a local garden or home center.

9. Flat-headed borers

Flat-headed borers can make the canes of the rose die back, and can kill the canes and the entire plant.

To get rid of the insects, you’ll need to remove any material that has an infestation. You can keep your rose bushes healthy by making sure they have enough water and not overpruning them during the summer.

10. Scale Insects

These pests get their names from the armored scales that they have. Scale insects also like to cause havoc with the cans on your rose bushes.

They may look like small gray ovals, and don’t really move around but you can find them in the front yard or back yard landscape. Because scale insects have no legs, they are there to stay. The best way to try to control them is to prune infected canes and put pesticide oil on any canes that you don’t prune.

Trying to control pests and bugs in an organic garden can be challenging, just ask an organic gardener. No matter the flora, all have their variety of insects that they attract. No plant leaf, stem and/or flower are immune.

The most time consuming yet most natural way is to inspect each leaf and flower for bugs and removing them by hand. This is not ideal if you have a large garden and obviously not a favorite method among gardeners. Thank goodness, there are other methods one can use.

Persistent control of weed growth is a step in the right direction. From the beginning of planting, especially in vegetable gardens, a large enough space for a hoe to work easily should be left between rows and seedlings. If done early on, weeds are easily taken out and are not given time to drop their seeds and attract unwanted vermin to your patch.

Certain plants used as by-standers in the garden are also deterrents. These herbs and flowers act as natural repellents and aid in controlling annoyances. Some to consider are chives, elderberry, garlic and lemon balm.

Each plant is used differently to repel. When chives are planted around rose bushes they prevent black spot and they also prevent scab, when around apple tress. Elderberry branches and leaves can be used to displace moles just by simply putting them into a mole’s hole.

The tea you make from the leaves of this same plant can also be used to fend off aphids, carrot root fly, peach tree borers, and cucumber beetles. The smell from garlic is another repellent but be careful not to plant them near other vegetables that might absorb its flavor. Scattering lemon balm leaves throughout can also repel in your backyard landscape. Did you also know, by rubbing the crushed leaves of lemon balm you can ward off mosquitoes? These methods are all repellents that can be used in your organic garden to keep pests away.

A disease known as “damping off” is a common affliction suffered by plant seedlings in their transition to a new home. A good method to cut down on this is through the use of a sterilized starting mixture, which limits the appearance of this disease. If you notice any of your seedlings have been affected by this, you must remove and discard them to ensure it doesn’t spread to other seedlings.

Another common bane of the average house plant is leaf mold, most commonly found on rubber plants and screw pines. This fungus will also spread if not contained, so affected leaves should be immediately removed and burned. If the disease has already spread too far there may be nothing left to throw out the plant, as it could very well lead to the disease affecting other nearby plants as well.

This rule applies in many instances. Pest infestation especially will often require you to throw away the entire plant. The effort to try and rid the plant of the pests and restore it to good health, coupled with the ever present risk of other plants becoming infected really makes this choice an easy one.

Of course this may certainly be a difficult decision, especially when the plant in question is one you’ve had for a long time, and has become as much a part of your decor as any other piece of furniture or decoration. The good news is that if the pests or disease have not spread overly much, you can still endeavor to save it. The plant should be moved to a new location, away from other plants while you try to bring it back to health. At least in this way you can be certain that no other plants will be infected should the threat continue to grow worse.

Pests, in the form of insects, are one of the most common forms of plant suffering. One of these is the aphid, an insect which usually inhabits the underside of leaves. They come in a variety of colors, which may be difficult to pick up when colored similarly to the leaves themselves. A good spray with water may be enough to remove them, and should be the first step taken in trying to do so. When that fails you can resort to a commercial insecticide instead.

Multiple sprayings will likely be necessary, after which point the remaining few may need to be taken off by hand. This can be accomplished by winding a wisp of cotton around the end of a toothpick and lightly dipping it in alcohol. This creation should easily remove the remaining few who proved resistant to the water or insecticide.

Another form of insects are scale insects, which con in a number of different shapes, sizes and colors. Plants most susceptible to these pests are ferns, ficus tree plant, citrus fruits, ivy and palms.

These hardy pests have a level of immunity to insecticides that makes other methods of removing them more viable. The toothpick method mentioned above is one of the better ways to get rid of these guys, as you’ll be all but forced to remove them by hand one way or the other.

These are just a few of the many pests you may encounter when dealing with house plants. The most important thing is to always keep a watchful eye over your plants to make sure they’re in good health, and take action immediately when anything seems to be awry.