Nothing can be more devastating to a gardener who loves planting fresh vegetables to see that all the proceeds he had been panting have been eaten away or infested by pests. Such situations are likely to leave them upset. People usually opt for the easy way out in such cases and proceed to spray their gardens with pesticides. Though this may kill the pests, yet it causes a lot of harm to the environment besides being expensive. These days, the farmers are opting towards natural products as the green way out is getting more popular. The main reason behind its popularity is that it is a cheaper method and also much more effective.

Most people usually think that it is best to utilize all the natural methods of pest control in their garden. Also known as integrated pest management, the method relies on using a number of different strategies. The strategies are to make sure that the plants are getting adequate amount of food, sunlight and water, the use of physical barriers, attracting the animals that are known to consume pests and planting the vegetation that would be a source of attraction to the pest's natural predators. This strategy is extremely helpful as in the end your garden will not be relying on chemicals, but rather on an ecosystem that is more balanced. The plants and the animals around will be able to live in harmony with each other.

The key to success is focusing on balance. The easiest natural method of controlling pests in your garden may also be the most difficult when it comes to implementation. Such a method usually utilizes various physical objects. These could be the netting, fences, wiring and many more. It also employs torch for keeping the slugs away when it is dark. In other case, gravel or copper is placed near the plants which are susceptible to slugs. Also, some pests like centipedes prefer to hide under stones and rocks. Removing these objects means that they will no longer have any place to sleep.

Plants may also be used to attract the pests away from the plants you wish to protect.

You may also attract wildlife that preys on pests as a means of pest control. This is a very effective method.

Another important point to note is that you need to keep your plants well fed and healthy. This is because plants that are undernourished and unhealthy would be more vulnerable to diseases and infestations by pests.

These are some of the most important natural methods to control the pest menace in your garden. They are cheap and much more effective than the other methods.