Stop-look-and listen-and plan ahead for pests in the garden. Winter is a good time to think about this because you have time to do some research and plan your strategy. With some garden research you can avoid using harsh “bad for everything” pesticides.

Being unprepared with your pest contol plan can lead to the unhealthy use of speedy chemical fixes. Take some time now to think about how you want to handle your pest management this summer so you don’t have to worry about it when you should be relaxing in your garden.

No garden wants to have slugs in it. Slugs are icky and sticky and make ugly ragged holes in all your hostas and other plants. Yuck. Before you break out the most deadly of slug pellets which will also kill all the snakes, toads and little bird feedingcreatures you can try some other things. Turn some pots over in your garden, let the slugs crawl in during the day, pick them out and kill them before they crawl back into your garden at night. Throw bundles of newspaper in your garden and then pick them up during the day and throw them away. Slugs crawl in but don’t crawl out of soda cans filled with a slurry of beer, water and yeast. Supposedly you can put coffee grinds around the base of plants to help keep slugs at bay. Alternative slug control methods are better for your garden than toxic pellets you buy at the store.

Japanese beetle, black vine weevil, fleas and cucumber beetles are some more unwelcome guests in your plants. Japanese beetles love to feast on yellow flowers…when choosing colors for your garden, keep this in mind. Blame Black Vine Weevil Beetle for jagged leaf cuts on your rhodos, and Cucumber Beetles make polka dots on your daisies.

You may prefer to apply toxic pesticides to kill these beetles and slugs, or you may prefer earth smart choices such as beneficial nematodes. Nematodes are microscopic worms that you can mix with water and pour or spray on your landscape. Spray or pour nematodes around your garden in the evening or on a cloudy day as sunlight will cause them to parish. Beneficial nematodes will go after pesky grubs and eat them from the inside out. They pose no harm to your family but are an effective weapon against grubs.Apply the beneficial nematodes in fall and spring. They seem perhaps more expensive initially but pay themselves off in one or two years because you no longer need expensive chemicals. Use beneficial nematodes on your lawnscape for the control of grub problems. Nematodes are healthy medicine for your garden.

Aphids will suck the life right out of your roses. Blast them with a strong stream of water a couple of times. You can spray them with a spray bottle filled with soapy water and vegetable oil. Try predatory lady bugs and praying mantis but they are iffy workers and don’t always show up when you need them the most.

Mosquitos are an unwelcome guest in the garden! Citronella is a natural oil that repels mosquitos in the garden. Firepotsfilled withcitronella fuel gelare a key defense against these invasive and unwelcome garden pests!

If you plan ahead you can put these safe pest control applications to work for you in your garden and feel good knowing you are not poisoning the planet’s already overstressed ecosystems. While these measures may not kill every pest in your landscape you can rest with the knowledge that you are doing your best to create a balanced environment. You help the planet and all the good creatures on it when you choose alternative pest management. Stop and think before you apply pesticides to your garden.