Pests including rodents, cockroaches, ants, stinging insects and termites will use the outdoor landscape of your facility to establish nests, find sources for food and water, and gain access to your facility. However, with appropriate landscape design and adherence to regular maintenance practices, facility managers can squash pest pressures.
Mulch looks decorative but it’s a refuge for pests around your facility. Replacing mulch with a 10 to 12-inch barrier of decorative stones will eliminate hiding places.
Regularly mow grass, prune bushes and trim trees; ants and rodents can use branches to gain access to roofs and ventilation openings. Thin out or replace densely overgrown shrubs and plants with less dense varieties. Break up dense plantings with pathways of stones (at least 6 inches deep and 36 inches wide is recommended).
Eliminating excess moisture and maintaining a positive airflow around landscapes located near your facility will also prevent moisture build up and discourage pests.
Landscape Design Tips to Reduce Pests
- Proper guttering and soil grading to move water away from buildings and parking lot.
- Switch to automatic watering systems to avoid excessive moisture.
- Use pea sized gravel (1 to 3 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches wide) around the perimeter of your building to create a pest “unfriendly” zone.
- Keep grass low and limit the use of plantings and mulch on the exterior.
- Plant shrubs and trees 3 to 6 feet away from the facility.
- Avoid Pachysandra and juniper plants that promote burrowing and digging by rodents.
- Avoid azaleas and other plants that promote aphids, scales, or other honeydew-producing homopteran insects.
- Prune all branches and vines away from the roof and exterior walls.
- Remove all leaf and limb debris as they drop and accumulate, especially from flat roofs.
Still not sure what plants to choose for your landscape? Ask your pest management technician during their service visit for recommendations.