If you have a garden, then you’re sure to find some pill bugs there. It is quite common to find these creatures in your backyard, especially if it has moist soil or decaying leaves. These arthropods look like small woodlice, but they are actually isopods. In fact, they help in the decomposition process by eating decaying plants and partially decomposed matter. However, their presence can be detrimental to your plant life because they tend to eat the roots of your plants. If that isn’t enough, they also leave behind excrement which might choke out new seedlings as well as existing plants. Let’s read on to know more about how you can get rid of pill bugs in the garden before they cause too much damage!
How To Get Rid Of Pill Bugs In Garden
Change Your Culture
A great way to change your culture, so to speak, is to change your gardening habits. Pill bugs love to find their way indoors in the fall and winter months when people are tending to indoor gardens. If you want to keep these pests out of your indoor garden, start by making a few changes to your gardening habits. By giving your outdoor plants and herbs ample time to mature before the fall, you’ll be able to harvest more of them and bring them indoors to enjoy during the colder months. As wonderful as indoor gardening is, it requires us to bring the outdoors inside. And that’s where pests like the pill bug can find their way inside our homes. By keeping the gardening to the outside and harvesting your plants before the fall and winter months begin, you can avoid bringing the pill bug inside and having them set up shop in your indoor garden.
Use Natural Dried Herb Dung
Dried herb dung can be a great organic way to get rid of pill bugs in your garden. While dried herb dung is usually used for adding nutrients to the soil, it can also be used for getting rid of pests like the pill bug. Dried herb dung is made from natural ingredients like leaves, bark, and other elements from plants. You can usually find dried herb dung at most gardening shops or online. It is usually a mix of different dried herbs, but you can also buy herb dung made from specific plants, like mint or sage. When you add dried herb dung to your garden, it acts as an organic fertilizer and also helps to repel pests like pill bugs and other bugs. It also helps to keep your garden smelling fresh.
Install Outdoor Lighting
If you’re having an issue with pill bugs in your garden, one thing you can try is installing outdoor lighting. Dusk-to-dawn lighting can help to keep pill bugs away from your indoor garden by keeping them outdoors where they belong. Similar to indoor lighting, outdoor lighting can attract pests like pill bugs that live in your yard and garden. So if you have outdoor lighting in your garden, you could be inviting these pests indoors. If you have outdoor lighting in your garden, consider switching to outdoor dusk-to-dawn lights. These lights will turn on at dusk and stay on until the next morning. They are designed to keep pests out of your garden while keeping your yard safe and bright. Dusk-to-dawn lights can be a great way to keep pill bugs out of your garden and away from your indoor plants.
Get a Good Drainage System
Another excellent way to get rid of pill bugs in your garden is to get a good drainage system. Drainage systems are usually used in raised bed gardens, but they can help to get rid of pests like pill bugs in your garden as well. Drainage systems work by redirecting excess water from the bottom of your garden up to the top. This can help to prevent flooding, but it can also reduce the attraction of pests like pill bugs. By reducing the amount of water in your garden, you can also reduce the number of pests that want to call your garden home. Drainage systems also help to prevent roots from rotting and other problems that can occur in waterlogged soil. A good drainage system can be an excellent way to get rid of pill bugs in your garden.
Utilize Chemicals
If changing your culture, installing outdoor lighting, and getting a good drainage system isn’t enough to get rid of pill bugs in your garden, you can always resort to chemicals. No, we don’t mean bringing pesticides into your garden, but there are other chemicals that you can use to get rid of pill bugs. Dealing with pill bugs in your garden? Put a dent in their numbers with this easy trick. Water with a couple of drops of dish soap will kill pill bugs and a whole lot more. Dish soap works as a surfactant, meaning it will disrupt the cell structure in the bugs and kill them. Try it out and you might just kill a few pill bugs in the process.
How To Identify Pill Bugs?
- Pill bugs are arthropods that are commonly found in gardens and other moist areas. They are also known as sow bugs and roly-polies.
- Though these creatures resemble small woodlice, they are actually isopods.
- They have six legs and are generally less than an inch long.
- They are nocturnal and hide during the day under logs, bark, and other debris.
- The color of pill bugs varies from species to species. It might be black, tan, brown, or red in color.
- Different types of pill bugs also have varying markings.
- Pill bugs have bristly legs that help them climb and walk on plants.
Tips For Getting Rid Of Pill Bugs In The Garden
- Clean your garden – Pill bugs love damp and dark places, so make sure you keep your garden clean. Doing so will not only keep the pill bugs away but will also keep other unwanted pests away from your garden.
- Use a natural repellent – You could use peppermint oil to repel pill bugs. You could also use a solution of water and neem oil to repel pill bugs.
- Put a border of wood ash around your garden – Wood ash is a natural insecticide. It is highly effective against pill bugs and other pests.
- Use insecticides and pesticides – If you want to get rid of pill bugs in your garden immediately, then you could use a pesticide. There are pesticides in the market that are specially formulated to kill pill bugs.
How To Control Pill Bugs In The Garden?
If you’re looking for an immediate solution to your pill bug problem, then there are certain means that you could use. Here are some methods to control the growth of pill bugs in your garden:
- Pick them up – If there are just a few pill bugs in your garden, then you could pick them up with a spoon or a tissue and throw them away from your garden.
- Sprinkle wood ash – Wood ash is a natural insecticide. It is highly effective against pill bugs and other pests.
- Put down a layer of sandpaper – You could put down a layer of sandpaper in your garden to prevent the pill bugs from climbing.
Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Pill Bugs
If you want to get rid of pill bugs in your garden naturally, then you could use certain methods. Here are some ways to get rid of pill bugs in your garden naturally:
- Use a repellent – You could use peppermint oil to repel pill bugs. You could also use a solution of water and neem oil to repel pill bugs.
- Use insecticides and pesticides – If you want to get rid of pill bugs in your garden immediately, then you could use a pesticide. There are pesticides in the market that are specially formulated to kill pill bugs.
- Put down a border of wood ash around your garden – Wood ash is a natural insecticide. It is highly effective against pill bugs and other pests.
Conclusion
Pill bugs are arthropods that are commonly found in gardens and other moist areas. Although they are beneficial to gardens because they eat decaying plants and partially decomposed matter, they are not harmful to humans or plants. These pests are nocturnal and hide during the day under logs, bark, and other debris. The color of pill bugs varies from species to species, and it might be black, tan, brown, or red. They have six legs and are generally less than an inch long. There are several ways to get rid of pill bugs in your garden, and with these tips, you’ll have them gone in no time!