12 Plants That Attract Pests to Your Garden

When you're planting your garden, you're probably imagining a gorgeous array of blooms, a basket full of fresh veggies and fruits, or fresh herbs to add to your recipes. But common garden pests like squirrels, rabbits, and an array of insects could put a damper on your garden plans.

Before you plant your garden, consider these tips for protecting pest-prone plants in your garden—and the list of the most irresistable plants in your garden that may just need that protection.

Tips for Protecting Your Plants Against Pests

Even if your beloved roses draw Japanese beetles, you don't necessarily have to dig up the plant. There are things you can do to help protect your pest-magnet plants. "Integrated pest—or what I call integrated possibilities management—looks at what could become a problem and factors that in," Rooney says. If you know it's going to happen, you can create a cohesive plan for how to respond.

Try one (or ideally, more!) of these tactics to help protect even your pest-magnet plants from pests.

Put up barriers

Chicken wire or netting can help keep larger critters, like rabbits, squirrels, and deer, from nibbling on your favorite plants. You can also put bags around fruit that you don't want them disturbing, so your apples or tomatoes can grow unchewed.

Protect your plants from other stressors

A healthy plant can make it through a bout with a pest, so ensuring you're covering off on the proper access to water, fertilizer, and sunlight can do plenty to keep your plant thriving despite a few pests. "Most plants can handle this damage and come back healthy—just maybe not this season," Rooney says.  

Plant trap crops and deterrents

Trap crops are other plants that are even more enticing to a particular pest. For instance, you can plant nasturtium near your tomatoes, and flea beetles will like those even more. (So as long as you don't mind sacrificing your nasturtium, your plant will thrive!)

In some cases, surrounding a particular plant with deterrent plants can also work—such as planting a thick row of marigolds surrounding tulips to keep rabbits away.

Encourage predators

Bring beneficial insects like lady bugs, praying mantises, and the like into your yard to do the dirty work for you. "Plants like dill, fennel, and sweet alyssum bring in predators like soldier flies and lady bugs to help take care of pests," Rooney says.  

Watch out for water buildup

"Mosquitos love stagnant water and lush undergrowth—they hide in humid areas and standing water," Rooney says. So dump and clean birdbaths and potted plant saucers at least every three days, and consider cutting back undergrowth that may harbor mosquitoes,

Plant a variety of plants

An all-rose garden can be beautiful, but it makes your garden all too enticing to a rose's natural enemies. So be sure to mix it up in your garden. "A variety of plants makes your garden welcoming to everybody, so nobody gets out of control," Rooney says.