A garden expert online is sharing a tip on how to protect your plants from pests, and it is as effective as it is simple. Using only one household item, gardeners can quickly remove squash bug eggs and protect produce.
The scoop
The hack is simple, requiring only a piece of tape to remove squash bug egg clusters.
In the video from Sara on the farm (@Saraonthefarm) on Instagram, she demonstrates two of three steps. First, wrap tape around a set of your fingers, sticky side out. Next, simply apply the sticky side of the tape to the egg clusters and pull it away to remove the potential pests.
While Sara uses duct tape, you can easily find other non-plastic-based tapes, such as paper ones, to ensure you're choosing eco-friendly options.
Of course, part of the leaf is likely to come off with the eggs while using a strong adhesive. However, Sara on the farm reassures us, "It's just a little bit of damage, and way better than a bunch of squash bugs hatching."
She explains that, to ensure that the bugs don't hatch, the eggs can easily be squashed. For the squash-averse, putting the eggs in soapy water will also do the trick.
How it's helping
Tips like this make gardening easier and more effective, and they have a positive impact on the environment.
Caring for your own food-producing plants has been shown to lead to healthier outcomes, both in diet and mental well-being. It also avoids the pollution that comes with shipping produce and harmful, industrial-scale farming. It can even save money on produce at the grocery store.
In this case, squash bugs are capable of killing plants that provide food for those who are growing them. The ability to easily manage the squash bug population in a garden is a godsend for many folks in the gardening community.
For more tips like these, access The Cool Down's Guide on home gardening.
What everyone's saying
Users in the comments were excited about this new method, and some shared ideas of their own.
"Great tip, Sara, tape works like a charm!" wrote one user.
"This is so much easier," said another. "It works great!"
Yet another added: "I love this tape idea, brilliant!"
One commenter decided to shine light on another common practice: "I like this idea. I used to cut the whole leaf off."
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