Pest Control & Soil Health

Create a natural insecticide by blending garlic cloves and chili peppers with water. Strain the mixture and spray it on plants to deter a wide range of pests.

Garlic and chili pepper spray

Create a natural insecticide by blending garlic cloves and chili peppers with water. Strain the mixture and spray it on plants to deter a wide range of pests.


Create a natural insecticide by blending garlic cloves and chili peppers with water. Strain the mixture and spray it on plants to deter a wide range of pests.

Companion planting

Interplanting certain plants can help repel pests. For example, planting marigolds near tomatoes can deter aphids and nematodes.


These microscopic worms can help control soil-dwelling pests like grubs and caterpillars. Apply them to the soil following the package instructions.

Beneficial nematodes

These microscopic worms can help control soil-dwelling pests like grubs and caterpillars. Apply them to the soil following the package instructions.


Sink containers, such as yogurt cups, into the soil and fill them with beer. Slugs are attracted to the beer and will crawl in, where they will eventually drown.

DIY slug traps

Sink containers, such as yogurt cups, into the soil and fill them with beer. Slugs are attracted to the beer and will crawl in, where they will eventually drown.


Mix vinegar with water and a few drops of dish soap. Spray this solution directly on weeds to kill them without harming nearby plants.

Vinegar solution for weeds

Mix vinegar with water and a few drops of dish soap. Spray this solution directly on weeds to kill them without harming nearby plants.


Mix vinegar with water and a few drops of dish soap. Spray this solution directly on weeds to kill them without harming nearby plants.

Insect-repelling herbs

Plant herbs like basil, mint, or rosemary around your garden to naturally repel a variety of insects.



Attract beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies by providing nectar-rich flowers and water sources. They will help control pests by feeding on them.

Encourage beneficial insects

Attract beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies by providing nectar-rich flowers and water sources. They will help control pests by feeding on them.


Kitchen Scraps for Compost Add kitchen scraps like vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and eggshells to your compost pile. They provide valuable nutrients and organic matter to enrich your soil.

Kitchen Scraps for Compost

Add kitchen scraps like vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and eggshells to your compost pile. They provide valuable nutrients and organic matter to enrich your soil.


Turn Your Compost Regularly turning your compost pile helps it decompose faster. It introduces oxygen into the mix, which is essential for the microbes that break down the organic material.

Turn Your Compost

Regularly turning your compost pile helps it decompose faster. It introduces oxygen into the mix, which is essential for the microbes that break down the organic material.


Leaf Mold Collect fallen leaves in autumn and store them in a bin or bag to decompose. The resulting leaf mold is a great soil conditioner, improving soil structure and moisture retention.

Leaf Mold

Collect fallen leaves in autumn and store them in a bin or bag to decompose. The resulting leaf mold is a great soil conditioner, improving soil structure and moisture retention.


Grass Clippings Use fresh grass clippings as a natural mulch around your plants. They break down quickly and add nitrogen back into the soil.

Grass Clippings

Use fresh grass clippings as a natural mulch around your plants. They break down quickly and add nitrogen back into the soil.


Compost Tea Make a nutrient-rich compost tea by soaking compost in water. The resulting liquid can be used as a foliar spray or soil drench to give plants a boost.

Compost Tea

Make a nutrient-rich compost tea by soaking compost in water. The resulting liquid can be used as a foliar spray or soil drench to give plants a boost.


Avoid Overwatering Overwatering can lead to waterlogged soil and root rot. Always check the soil moisture before watering to ensure your plants aren't getting too much of a good thing.

Avoid Overwatering

Overwatering can lead to waterlogged soil and root rot. Always check the soil moisture before watering to ensure your plants aren't getting too much of a good thing.


Vermiculture Consider starting a worm farm (vermiculture). The worms break down organic matter, producing nutrient-rich worm castings and worm tea that are excellent for improving soil health.

Vermiculture

Consider starting a worm farm (vermiculture). The worms break down organic matter, producing nutrient-rich worm castings and worm tea that are excellent for improving soil health.


Don't Forget Lime If your soil is too acidic, adding garden lime can help balance the pH, making it more favorable for plants and aiding nutrient absorption.

Don't Forget Lime

If your soil is too acidic, adding garden lime can help balance the pH, making it more favorable for plants and aiding nutrient absorption.


Avoid Soil Compaction Minimize walking on garden beds to prevent soil compaction, which can hinder plant root growth. Use stepping stones or create designated pathways to keep your soil loose and aerated.

Avoid Soil Compaction

Minimize walking on garden beds to prevent soil compaction, which can hinder plant root growth. Use stepping stones or create designated pathways to keep your soil loose and aerated.


Mulching Mulch your garden beds with organic materials like straw or wood chips. This helps retain soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and gradually improves soil quality as it decomposes.

Mulching

Mulch your garden beds with organic materials like straw or wood chips. This helps retain soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and gradually improves soil quality as it decomposes.


Mulching Mulch your garden beds with organic materials like straw or wood chips. This helps retain soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and gradually improves soil quality as it decomposes.

Crop Rotation

Practice crop rotation in your vegetable garden. Different plants have different nutrient needs and pest/disease profiles, so rotating can help maintain balanced soil health and prevent pest and disease buildup.


Wood Ash If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, save the ash. Wood ash can be added to compost or soil as a liming agent, helping to raise pH levels and add potassium and trace elements.

Wood Ash

If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, save the ash. Wood ash can be added to compost or soil as a liming agent, helping to raise pH levels and add potassium and trace elements.