Find out how push-pull pest control in gardens protects your plants naturally and attracts helpful insects to your yard.
Many species of bees are now endangered, and monarch butterfly numbers are shrinking. Because of this, more people are becoming aware of how harmful chemical pesticides can be. These chemicals don’t just kill pests—they also hurt helpful insects and poison birds, reptiles, amphibians, and other animals that eat those insects. On top of that, pesticide residue can stay on food, making people sick and seeping into the water supply. To avoid these problems, farmers and gardeners worldwide are using safer pest control methods. One popular approach is called push-pull technology. Keep reading to learn how Push-Pull Pest Control in Gardens works.
What is Push-Pull Pest Control Technology?
Avoiding harmful chemical pesticides can be tough because they not only hurt the environment by poisoning pollinators but can also harm us. However, push-pull methods offer a safer solution. This chemical-free pest control technique is becoming popular in places like Australia and Africa for protecting food crops. Push-pull works by using companion plants to push pests away from crops and decoy plants to pull pests toward other areas, where they can be trapped or eaten by helpful insects.
A good example of push-pull pest control is planting corn alongside a plant called Desmodium and surrounding the cornfield with sudangrass. Desmodium gives off oils that push stem borers away from the corn. The sudangrass then pulls the borers toward it while also attracting helpful insects that eat the borers. This creates a win-win situation for protecting the corn.
How to Use Push-Pull Strategy for Pest Control in a Garden
Push Plants
Fennel – repels aphids, slugs and snails
Chives – repels carrot flies, Japanese beetles and aphids
Basil – deters tomato hornworms
Dill – repels squash bugs, cabbage loopers, aphids, spider mites
Pull Plants
- Nasturtiums – attract aphids
- Zinnia – attracts Japanese beetles
- Sunflowers – attract stinkbugs
- Dill – attracts tomato hornworms
- Sorghum – attracts corn earworms
- Mustard – attracts harlequin bugs
