The Butterfly: A Beneficial Insect. Image courtesy of Wayne Brown at Stock Exchange.
Calling all bugs! When you’re creating your planting plan in the spring, it’s important to think about both predators and pollinators. Attracting beneficial insects to your garden will mean a healthier and more vibrant garden ecosystem. You’ll have predator insects to eat the invertebrates that eat your garden. You’ll have pollinator insects to help your plants set fruit. But how can you invite these beneficial insects to the garden?
Create the Environment
Attracting beneficial insects to your garden is a matter of creating an inviting environment. Stay organic. Pesticides kill all insects, including those that benefit your garden. This means that you’ll end up depending on sprays rather than cultivating the balance of predator and prey insects in the garden. Fewer bugs does not mean a better garden. It can mean that you create a garden ecosystem that depends on pesticides for help.
Let Helpful Bugs Hide
You also want a messy garden. Providing hiding places where predators can thrive. Beetles and spiders need hidey holes where they can live. Place rock walls and layers of mulch and leaves in the garden to provide these quiet sanctuaries for predator insects in the garden.
Pick the Right Plants
Placing certain plant species in the garden will also bring attract beneficial insects to the garden. An herb garden that contains dill, fennel, coriander, and parsley will yield gorgeous herbs for cooking and will also attract the majority of beneficial insects that you want to invite to the garden. Plants such as garlic and chives also scare away undesirable insects. Nasturtiums repel aphids, while potato beetles dislike green beans.
Beneficial insects are an inexpensive labor force in your garden. By gardening organically and growing plenty of plants that attract them, you can attract both predators and pollinators to the garden.
