The Piece Of Sports Equipment That'll Help Get Rid Of Pests In Your Garden

For most home gardeners, the act of planting and maintaining flowers, veggies, and ground cover in your yard is supposed to be a relaxing change of pace from the daily grind. Unfortunately, gardening has its drawbacks thanks to pesky bugs and other stressful invaders. While there are a number of ways to deal with aphids, ants, and other insects, many of the popular methods include applying harmful pesticides such as neem oil, which may have an adverse impact on your garden's overall health. Luckily, there is a chemical-free alternative for keeping pests away, one that many gardeners might actually enjoy. The only tools required for this unorthodox hack are a simple tennis or badminton racket and a 5-gallon bucket. And yes, you'll be combatting pests by practicing your serve.

For many gardeners, locating a racket may be as simple as checking in the back of your closet or borrowing one from your gym bag. The racket won't be destroyed or dismantled for this pest removal effort so don't feel compelled to buy a brand new one just for the hack. If you don't already have a racket on hand, you can likely find a cheap one at your local secondhand sports store or thrift outlet. As for the bucket, just about any large open-faced receptacle will do. It's generally recommended that you use a 5-gallon bucket from Home Depot since they're easy to slap a lid on, but you could just as easily utilize a trash can, retired paint can, or even a big bowl, as long as you can find a way to tightly cover it. Then, head into your garden, and prepare to start lightly whacking your plants.

You may be wondering exactly how the racket comes into play in terms of pest removal. In truth, it's not unlike smacking an incoming tennis ball or badminton birdie. To utilize this trick, simply fill a bucket with soapy water, and use your racket to smack bugs off of your plants and into the awaiting elixir. You'll want to hit your plants just gentle enough that you don't break their stems but with enough force that all of the creepy-crawly hangers-on are sent packing. It may take a bit of practice to get the amount of force just right, but once you've got it down, you might find that this is the most effective and cathartic way to kill off aphids or Japanese beetles. The reason why this trick works with a tennis racket specifically is due to the large surface area and lack of wind resistance the tool provides.

Obviously, you'll want to position your water bucket so that the bugs fall right into it. Some gardeners prefer to use different mixtures to kill their bugs, such as cheap beer, rubbing alcohol, or essential oils. You can feel free to experiment here, but a simple mixture of water and dish soap should get the job done just as well. Either way, be sure to tightly cover the bucket once you're finished, and let it sit for a day or two before disposing. If you continue to see pests, simply break out the bucket and racket again for another round. With enough passes, you should be able to rid your garden of invasive pests without needing to employ convoluted traps or harmful chemicals. Plus, you'll be keeping your garden safe for beneficial insects such as ladybugs and honey bees.