Start with a healthy lawn and garden to reduce pests and save time and money maintenance. Healthy soil with organic matter and proper drainage is a vital foundation to encourage plant growth and reduce damage from pests and weeds.

For a healthy lawn, follow these five tips:

• Mow on a high setting
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn
• Water wisely - only 1" (2.5 cm) per week
• Aerate and de-thatch as needed
• Top-dress with compost annually

For more information on these and more lawn care tips.

Be informed about the pest. Remove places where pests may lurk such as debris or piles of wood. Reduce weed growth which may attract pests by weeding and applying mulch between plants. Garden with pest-resistant native plants that have evolved alongside native insects and provide habitat for wildlife.

Remove insects by brushing them away, putting out traps (for slugs), creating prickly barrier using crushed eggshells or oyster shells, crushing by hand, or using a forceful spray of water.

Avoid overhead sprinkling in the evening, a major cause of mildew on sensitive plants.

Place certain plants side by side to protection them from weeds and pests. For example:

• Plant carrots, radishes and cucumbers near lettuce to protect it from bugs
• Plant marigolds throughout the garden to repel many insects
• Use aromatic plants such as chives, dill and mint to attract pollinators and ward off pests

Learn more about companion planting.

Many insects are not bad and actually help your garden including pollinate plants, decompose waste material and prey on undesired pests. Managing pests without pesticides, keeps beneficial insects and wildlife in your yard like spiders, honeybees, ladybugs, frogs, snakes and bats. For example:

• Attract ladybugs, a natural aphid predator.
• Garden with native plants which have evolved alongside native insects and wildlife that eat pests.
• Install bird nesting boxes and bat houses to attract local birds and bats.
• Plant sweet alyssum around the border of aphid ridden garden, such as roses, to attract aphid predators and parasites.

Try these natural alternatives to synthetic pesticides:

• Use soap to wash leaves and eliminate pests and diseases.
• Make a natural fungicide (one tablespoon each of baking soda and horticultural oil diluted in four litres of water and sprayed on the leaves) to eliminate fungal diseases on plants such as black spot (rose bushes), blight (tomato plants), mildew and rust.