Four Tips Towards a Healthy,
Naturally Pest-Free Garden
FROM JOY TAVES, MASTER GARDENER
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA
Joy Taves is a Master Gardener from
Great Falls, MT and is especially
interested in perennial plants. Two
of her favorites, and two best suited
to be grown in Montana, are the
coneflower (Echinacea) and coral bells
(Heuchara). These plants are hardy to
zone 3 (or 4 for coral bells) and are deer resistant – part
of the reason Joy enjoys them so much. They naturally
attract songbirds and other birds into the garden. While
birds are pretty to look at, they also help naturally
manage pests in the garden.
“I look for perennials that will provide color for long
periods of time. The coral bell foliage provides beautiful
color from spring through the first fall frost. The
coneflower blooms most of the summer.”
Joy was kind enough to shed some insight on how to
properly manage pests in the garden. “You know,” she
tells me in her office with sheets of information on bugs
spread between us, “95% of bugs in a garden are healthy
bugs. When someone sees an ant, the first response
is sometimes a general chemical pesticide.” This is a
bad idea. “You kill 95% of bugs in your garden, and you
actually open your garden to real infestation. Kill lady
bugs and aphids are unchecked, and you disrupt the
whole chain. Then it is something you always have to
manage.” She provided some tips on how to keep your
garden naturally pest free.
PREVENTION IS THE EASIEST WAY TO PREVENT INSECT
DAMAGE. A HEALTHY GARDEN IS THE BEST DEFENSE.
• Be brutal. Pull weak plants and dispose away from
your garden.
• Build healthy organic soil. Natural composting
methods help build healthy soil.
Photos taken by Joy of her beautiful gardens.
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