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Beneficial Insects

• A healthy lawn will probably always have some weeds and insect pests, but it will also have beneficial insects and organisms, like earthworms, that keep pests under control. Improper use of insecticides can kill these beneficial organisms.

Soil Testing

• Test your soil every two to three years. When plants get the nutrients they need, you can avoid the expense, effort and possible contamination from unnecessary fertilizer applications. Use slow-release nitrogen fertilizers to ensure healthier plants while minimizing the chance of polluting our precious groundwater. Soil test kits are available from your County Extension Office. Call 817.884.1944 for inquiries within Tarrant County.

Plants/Gardening

• Place plants in locations where they will get the proper amounts of direct sun or shade and adequate air flow. Proper air movement over leaf surfaces will greatly aid in preventing foliar diseases. Don’t crowd plants. Leave ample room for plants when they reach their mature size. Plants placed in the proper location are healthier and require less maintenance and fewer pesticides. Contact Tarrant County Cooperative Extension Services (TCCES) for landscape design class information at 817.884.1944.
• Mow high, mow often and make sure the lawnmower blades are sharp. Keeping your grass a bit long will produce stronger, healthier grass with deeper roots and fewer pest problems. Grass adjusts better to frequent rather than infrequent mowing. The rule of thumb is to mow often enough that you never cut more than one-third of the height of the grass blades. When you mow this way, you can leave the clippings on the lawn, returning valuable nutrients to the soil. 
• Growing the same plant in the same spot every year allows diseases specific for that plant to build up in the soil. Rotating plants to different areas can prevent this from occurring.
• Stocky, well-acclimated transplants produce faster and are normally more disease resistant than seedlings. Transplants set out in the fall may yield higher production with fewer pest problems. Don’t try to make heat-hammered, mite-infested plants last from spring through fall.
• To minimize pesticide needs, choose plants that are native or adaptive to the soils and climate of this area. Look for those that are drought and heat tolerant. Contact your area certified nursery staff which plants are most pest and disease tolerant. Avoid those plants most susceptible to disease. Contact the TCCES for a list of plants suitable for North Central Texas at 817.884.1944.
• Raising your flowers beds at least six inches above the surrounding soil will result in better drained and aerated soils, which are much more conducive to proper root growth. Don’t put plants with high water needs next to those with low water needs. Improper watering can cause unhealthy plants. Healthy plants don’t need as many pesticides. 
• If you have a plant infested with soft-bodied insects such as aphids, thrips, whiteflies or mites, try using an insecticidal soap, which is non-toxic unless consumed in large quantities. Insecticidal soaps may be used indoors and are available in liquid concentrate or ready-to-use sprays. For more information on pesticide alternatives, click here.

Garden Beds

• Composting works! Adding large amounts of organic matter will greatly aid in overcoming any physical problems with the soil, such as too much sand or clay. It also improves the retention of nutrients and moisture and increases the populations of beneficial soil organisms.
• Use mulches whenever possible because they are a gardener’s "secret weapon." Mulches protect roots from extreme temperatures and increase gaseous exchange in the soil by reducing surface crusting following rainfall or irrigation. Mulches also reduce the spread of certain diseases, increase ease of harvesting and greatly reduce water usage. Organic mulches also gradually decompose to improve the soil. Healthy plants don’t need as many pesticides.
• Reduce pesticide use by pulling weeds instead of poisoning them whenever you can. The use of netting rather than chemicals can keep birds from reaching your vegetables or fruit, and proper fencing can keep out pets and wild animals.

Watering

• Water early enough during the day so leaf surfaces are dry going into the evening hours. Watering early in the morning also reduces wasteful evaporation. If you use sprinklers, choose those that put out large droplets rather than a fine mist. Drip irrigation results in healthier plants, fewer disease problems, greatly reduced water bills and easier harvests.