In this Martha Stewart article, Adam Baker, technical advisor with the Davey Institute shares how bugs can help your landscape tips to attract those beneficial bugs.
Beneficial insects act as natural pest control, improve the health of your plants, and more.
While bugs are commonly perceived as a negative thing in the garden, many insects are actually very beneficial and will act as natural pest control. Rather than finding ways to keep bad bugs away from your plants, consider how to support and increase the many good bugs in your landscape. Enticing beneficial insects to your garden will reduce dependence on chemical pesticides, increase pollination, improve soil quality, and produce healthier plants. Ahead, we spoke to experts about the insects that do good and how to attract them to your garden.
Benefits of Good Bugs
There are many reasons to welcome beneficial bugs to your yard and garden.
Provide Natural Pest Control
Insects play a crucial role in the ecosystem and in the garden. Good bugs eat less desirable insects that can harm your plants, acting as a natural pest control. "Attracting beneficial insects to your garden such as predators and parasitoids—natural enemies—will provide biocontrol services on your desirable plants," says Adam Baker, technical advisor for the Davey Institute.
To read more of Adam's tips, click here.
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