Sometimes we suffer with insect and weed control problems simply because we use the wrong landscape plants. Luckily, there are plants that can be used for landscaping that look great, and still repel insects and weeds.

Native landscape plants

From the outset, let me say that the best place to start is with landscape plants that are native to your area. This will solve the majority of your landscaping pest problems, and many other problems as well.

Just replacing chemical, commercial insecticides or herbicides with “non commercial” substitutes is not enough to solve a bug or weed problem, in fact it goes back to the root of why they are needed in the first place. Often we use plants for landscaping without regard for the problems they will introduce, and then attempt to deal with them with less than practical methods.

Anything used with the intention of killing an unwanted pest is starting in the wrong place. We may have to use them, and in some cases they may be the most sound environmental solution to our pest problem at this time, but it is still starting in the wrong place.

What should we be doing instead? Well, prevention is the place to start.

Weeds should be removed, by whatever mean is necessary. In order to keep them from coming back if the area is a lawn, it should be mowed more often. This is the best practice for weed prevention.

Alternative plants for pest prevention

If the situation warrants, some sort of replacement plant may be added. Most weeds do not like competition. If you plant something that will compete in the conditions that the weed is growing in, you can often defeat it. If soil conditions are the problem, then these conditions should be changed to meet the new need.

In the case of sand-burrs, this is the best means of control. Sand burrs will not stand competition of any kind. If anything else can grow there, sand-burrs will not compete, but will fade away. Soil conditions such as waterlogged clay soils are the favorite home of sedges, changing the condition, and getting rid of the nut-lets, will usually relieve the problem.

Alternative plants like sweet potatoes are another avenue. The vines are attractive, most types are pest resistant, the foliage is thick and will shade out many weeds, and they have natural properties that help to discourage many other plants and insects.

Plants such as lantana do well in our area, and have many of the same properties. Lantana loves heat, can thrive with little water and discourages many pests.

The best cure for plants that attract insects, is to get rid of them and plant types that discourage pests. Your landscape is a magnet for pests, and it will either attract them or repel them. The plants you choose have a lot to do with this.

Green Living | Landscaping Landscape Pest Control

If you are already practicing green living, or just now going green, there is one singularly important aspect to creating and maintaining a green landscape, and practicing green landscape pest control. That is, the use of native plants in your landscape. Many people or moving away from the traditionally exotic laden landscaping practices of the recent past, and toward a more economical and earth friendly landscape using native plants in native habitats.

Environment and Economy

Why is it more economical and earth friendly? Well, it takes less water, fewer herbicides and insecticides, and less fertilizer, to keep native landscapes healthy, and that is better for everyone. It also requires less work!

Green native economics

There are a lot of other reasons that this is a great idea. On a practical level, your native habitat, or backyard habitat, as they are often called, if properly planted and maintained, will probably make your lawn space smaller, and lawns eat the lions share of your outdoor maintenance budget. Lawns consume more water, fertilizers, and require more pesticides than natural, native habitats. It saves you money.

Green native environment

With less fertilizer and pesticide needed, you will cut down the size of your carbon footprint, cause less environmental contamination, and preserve water, 3 things that are great for the health and safety of your family, and the health and safety of the environment.

Extra landscape pest control

By using plants native to your area in your landscape, you will also get an extra boost in pest control. You see, native wildlife, particularly native birds, love the plants of your area, and will want to spend more time in your new green living habitat, and the will want to eat a lot of unwanted insects while they are there.

These are just a few of the many reason that native plant landscaping is one of the best ways of going green in your outdoor environment. There are other green living tips on this site as well. Most of these tips deal with pest prevention which we consider to be the most environmentally correct way of dealing with pests. Our Main Directory is a great place to get started, we even have a complete, step by step Pest prevention Program for you, at no cost!