We recently published our How to maintain and care for our garden table sets article, and in that, we looked at how to safely remove bird droppings and tree sap.
Whilst those two are common problems, we want to expand on that theme and take a wider look at how to keep pests such as flies away from your garden furniture.
A friend of Lazy Susan recently moved into a new house and they had a problem with wild rabbits.
They love seeing the rabbits in their garden, and they even don’t mind them having a nibble on the plants or grass, but all the rabbit poop around their garden table was a bit of a problem, so they installed some raised decking and low wall plant boxes.
When we talk about pests, we must stress that we are not condoning any form of animal cruelty though. At Lazy Susan, we actively promote encouraging wildlife into our gardens, so there are no traps, fly swatters or bug zappers on our list.
When you’re sitting on your patio with food on your garden table, you don't want to be bothered by them or their mess though. Fortunately, we have a few safe and simple tips and tricks that can help keep pests such as insects away in the summer.
15 safe ways to keep pests away from your garden furniture
If you’re having a problem with pests (be them insects or visiting furry friends) at your garden furniture, then we have a whole host of safe tips, tricks and hacks you can try to keep your outdoor space free so you can enjoy some food or just kick back and relax in peace.
You won’t need to do all on our list, a few should suffice to keep most pests away, so just pick the ones that work best for you, your garden and any unwanted guests you want to keep away.
1. Keep your garden furniture clean
First off, you want to try and keep your garden furniture as clean as possible, bird and spider droppings, etc are a little unsightly. Nobody wants to sit on a garden chair or eat a BBQ on a dirty garden table, so don't let them build up.
A regular wash down with warm water, car shampoo and a soft sponge is always a good starting point. Apply a light coat of car wax with a lint-free cloth and it'll help to keep them off the surface a little longer and make them easier to wipe off.
2. Install fencing, screens or a garden structure
Another good way to keep pests away is to put up some good fencing around your garden or patio dining area to physically keep them out as our friend above did.
Alternatively, you could install screening or a garden structure such as a pergola that will not only look great, and help to “room” off the dining area but can provide protection from a number of different pests.
3. Create barriers to shield your garden table
You can also use other physical barriers like our Garden Parasols to help keep insects and birds away from your garden table set when you’re using it.
4. Remove potential homes
Clear away any debris or clutter in your garden that can provide shelter or a home for pests.
Regularly sweep up fallen leaves, and keep the immediate area around your patio free from anything like empty pots and planters or piles of wood where you might encourage them to settle.
5. Practice good garden maintenance
Following on from above, regularly removing plant debris and dead plants is another great way to make your garden less desirable to pests.
6. Encourage beneficial insects
Alternatively, you could look to attract beneficial insects such as Ladybugs to get rid of the bugs you don’t want in your garden.
They will prey on many common garden pests such as Aphids and will help to keep their numbers in check.
7. Use organic pesticides in your garden
If pests are becoming a significant problem in and around your patio, then consider switching over to organic pesticides.
They are not only less harmful to the environment but they can also help to control pests without harming beneficial insects.
8. Be proactive
Stay vigilant and prevent them from taking hold and becoming a bigger issue.
Regularly check all the plants on your patio and in your garden for signs of infestation.
If you spot any holes or eaten leaves, then establish what you’re dealing with and take appropriate action.
9. Burn citronella candles
If you do want to eat outside at your garden table set, then bring citronella oil or candles is one of the best natural insect repellents.
It won’t necessarily keep them out of your garden but it will help to keep them away while you eat
10. Plant bug-repellent plants
By planting insect-repelling plants around your garden dining area, such as lavender, lemongrass, or mint, you can also naturally repel them.
11. Use essential oils
Another great repellant is to diffuse essential oils such as eucalyptus, citronella, peppermint or lavender around your garden furniture.
Just add a few drops of the oil into a spray bottle with cold water and spritz the area around your garden table before you sit down to eat.
12. Use a fan
By setting up a fan next to your garden furniture, you can not only keep cool, but the breeze is also a great way to keep many insects away.
13. Keep food covered
Insects are attracted to food, so ensure that you cover until you’re ready to eat.
14. Move the bins away from your patio
Clean up any food and drinks when finished and dispose of all rubbish to minimise insect attraction.
15. Keep the lights down low
Light attracts insects, especially mozzies in summer, so keep them low-intensity, LED or use candles when the sun sets.
If you have any photos of our Garden Furniture in your garden, then we’d love to see a few snaps for our Do Some Good charity campaign.
You can tag us @LazySusanFurniture on Instagram or Facebook or email them to us at [email protected].