Landscaping adds value to our property and creates outdoor living spaces that enhance our lives by creating refugees.  If properly done, landscaping can reduce our energy costs by lowering our heating and cooling costs.  But landscaping can also add to our pest problems by creating harborages that encourage pests to move into areas that are in close proximity to our homes or outdoor living areas.  That doesn't mean we need to give up on our ideas for landscaping, but we do need to be aware of certain cause-and-effect situations. *Disclaimer* We do not treat lawns, provide landscaping services or install irrigation systems. This information is to help you avoid costly mistakes that we see on a regular basis.

 

Every living thing requires 3 basic things; food, water, and shelter.  Most of our landscaping efforts also lean towards those same three things but generally in regards to our investment in plants and their survival.  The key to successful landscaping is to understand certain basics and then plan accordingly. 

 

For example, understanding that certain types of mulch can actually encourage moisture-loving insects to reside there can help us to choose wisely initially thus saving money down the road by reducing our need for pesticides or pest control.

 

I hope to give you information that will help you avoid/reduce pest issues that can stem from certain landscaping mistakes.  Or at least help you to understand why you're having certain pest issues that can be linked to existing landscaping.  Either way, if your heart is set on landscaping a certain way, you'll be better prepared for certain pest issues that may pop up at a later date.

 

Explore the following sub-sections (a work in progress) for further information on different aspects of landscaping, their pros, and cons as related to pests, and learn how making a few subtle changes can actually save you money.