Your yard should be a place where you can relax and feel comfortable no matter what time of year it is. However, if you’re dealing with a pest issue, it can be difficult to enjoy your yard and feel like it’s your own.
Some of the most common backyard pests in Hollywood, FL, include:
- Ants
- Mosquitoes
- Cockroaches
- Spiders
Fortunately, there are ways that you can mitigate some of these pests and take your backyard back. By using some of these methods, you can keep your yard safe and comfortable on your own.
Reduce Standing Water
One of the best ways to keep pests out of your yard is to reduce the amount of standing water. If you have a sprinkler system or if there have been recent rains, you might have places in your yard where water can accumulate and get stagnant. When this happens, you can end up with pools where pests like mosquitoes and gnats can lay their eggs and keep coming back over and over again.
If you have any planters or buckets in your yard, be sure to turn them over before or directly after it rains. If you can’t do this, drill holes in the bottom, so rain or irrigation water has a place to drain out. The same goes for backyard features like tire swings, which can be perfect breeding grounds for unwanted pests.
Clean Your Gutters
Your gutters are a perfect place for pests to find food and shelter. If you don’t clean your gutters regularly, leaves and other vegetation can build up and cause serious problems. Pests like rats and mice can burrow there and make their shelter, and other insects can use the rotting vegetation for food.
Cleaning your gutters can also reduce instances of standing water. When it rains, your gutters should flow freely and remove any water from your roof. When they’re clogged, that water will just stay put to become a perfect environment for mosquito breeding.
Spread Coffee Grounds
Coffee is not only a delicious beverage; it can also help you reduce the number of pests you have in your yard. Many pests do not like the smell of coffee, and if you have extra grounds lying around, you can use them as a pest deterrent.
Spread the coffee grounds around the perimeter of your yard for them to be the most effective. Spreading them along the bottom of your fence is highly recommended as this will keep pests from coming underneath the fence and into your yard.
Trim Plants
Keeping up on your pruning is a great way to keep pests out of your backyard. Florida is an incredibly lush state with a lot of opportunities for plant growth. Unfortunately, this also gives pests a perfect place to nest and make their homes.
Trim back your plants and shrubs to ensure that pests don’t have a place to hide in your yard. Palm trees, which are incredibly common in Florida, are a perfect place for rats, and if they are not trimmed back, you could end up with a serious rodent infestation on your hands.
Hire a Professional Pest Control Company
If you’re faced with a pest problem, your best bet will be to hire a professional. Many pest control companies in Hollywood, FL, can help you find the best solution to your issue. Many of them can treat the perimeter of your yard and can make sure their services are safe and effective.