Late Winter Pest Prevention Tips

Pests are always a problem wherever humans live.  Rather than reacting to pests, it is best to be proactive and be engaged in pest prevention.  Bugs need food, water and the opportunity to nest (or lay eggs) so by proactively removing these things you will minimize bugs.  Thus is the art of outdoor pest protection.

Here are some tasks to perform in late winter for pest protection throughout the rest of the year:

Clear away mulch/fallen leaves/debris that has gotten too deep around the foundation of your home.  A little bit of mulch is excellent!  But too much is an invitation for bugs to nest and lay eggs around your home.  Once you get more than 2 or 3 inches of compacted mulch, it becomes the perfect environment for roaches, ants, and many other creepy crawlies you do not want.  Thin it out if you have heavy leaf drop each Fall.

Inspect your outdoor space to identify anything that holds water and make sure it is removed or stops holding water!  Standing water on your property just about guarantees you will have bugs.  Get ahead of the problem by removing all opportunities for standing water.  Examples are toys like buckets in the sandbox, the base of a basketball goal, the inside of Little Tykes cars, etc.; downspout gutters that don't completely drain; flowerpots with basins underneath; any tarps or covers on boats, grills, outdoor furniture, etc. that gather rain; and the list goes on and on.  All mosquitoes need is about a half of a tablespoon of water to lay eggs so be diligent!

Remove old piles of debris like unused bricks, leftover firewood, the pile of limbs that fell out of the water oak last year, the excess tiles from the home remodeling project.  These debris piles are the perfect homes for pests because they are relatively dry and offer lots of nesting opportunities.

Annually inspect all doors and windows to make sure they are sealed.  Even the tiniest crack is an invitation to bugs to get into your warm, dry home.  If you see gaps, seal them with weather stripping or caulk to eliminate the entry point.

Take an analysis of the plant material in the landscape and make sure it is not too crowded. You can either do some heavy pruning or pulling some plants out in order to have air circulation within the landscape.  Plants that are too tightly grown together create nooks and crannies for bugs and over time, the lack of air can cause the plants to be susceptible to pests and disease.

Install a Greenbug System if you don't already have one.  A Greenbug System offers Elevated Pest Control that is eco-friendly, automatic and effective, distributing all-natural pest control via your irrigation system.  A Greenbug System is like an I.V. drip of Greenbug into the main irrigation waterline for 2 minutes a zone per day.  This flows to the sprinkler heads and now everywhere water is directed will be Pest-Free.

You are now mastering the art of outdoor pest protection.  Happy pest-free enjoyment of your yard!