Growing a Garden in Oklahoma? Don’t Make This Colossal Mistake!

You're walking down the aisle, checking off your list of things you have to have for your home-grown garden:

1. Container
2. Soil
3. Seeds

You get home and find the perfect spot for just the right amount of sunlight and shade; just when you get it all put together and watered, you think it's all perfect.

But, as you're growing it all, you might be tempted to try and get rid of some vital parts of your own little ecosystem. Don't make the mistake of getting rid of the most important insects that help your garden flourish.

1. Bees

Undoubtedly, bees are essential parts of a garden. Just like other pollinators like hummingbirds, bees are responsible for encouraging growth in flowering plants in your garden. According to the USDA, "Some scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of animal pollinators like bees."

@texasbeeworks Happy World Bee Day from me, the bees, and @Pela Case ♬ original sound - Erika Thompson

Most of the time, they are harmless as long as they don't feel threatened. Learn to live in harmony with them and practice breathing and relaxing when they approach instead of swatting and shooing at them. And watch as your garden thrives.

2. Praying Mantis

Instead of relying on chemicals to do your pest control, why not enjoy some free labor? Praying Mantis are known for being great hunters in the garden, targeting pests and harmful insects that make their way in.

@jessweymouth Let me know if you have any questions or want to see more videos #prayingmantis #mantids #learnontiktok #viral ♬ Hi Im Dory - Just Lowkey

They are also known for being able to be handled if you raise them and generally do not leave the garden once you place them in it.

3. Spiders

We've all seen the beautiful Zipper Spider, also known as the Garden Spider, hanging around anywhere Oklahoma's nature. Recent rumors about its relative orb weaver, the Joro spider, invading Oklahoma may have you wanting to splat every spider you see - but think again.

@yahoonews Are giant "flying" Joro spiders really invading the U.S.? Here's what you need to know about the invasive arachnids. #news #spiders #usnews #arachnid #yahoonews ♬ original sound - Yahoo News

Scientists are saying that the concern isn't as urgent as made out to be about the Joros, as Oklahoma is one of the places they've been found, but "there isn't a population" as of now. It is important to make sure you know the difference, as Joro's tend to dominate an area once they do invade. And our Garden Spiders are known for playing a crucial role to pest control by eating flies, bees and other flying insects, so watch out for too many Joro spiders.

4. Aphids

Technically speaking, aphids can be mildly harmful to plants; but, in most cases, they are not. Aphids are known for being "sap-sucking insects," according to rhs.org. They can produce honeydew - which in turn attracts ants and fungus to grow on plants. These things may not sound great for a garden, but any good ecosystem requires balance in the food chain, which is precisely what aphids do for the garden.

5. Parasatoid Wasps

Even I can't believe I'm telling you not to kill a wasp, but it's true. These specific types of wasps target insects that are responsible for damaging your greenery, like catterpillars. And they do it in the strangest way possible.

They lay their eggs into a host, like a catterpillar, without killing it. As the eggs grow and hatch, they gradually kill the host from the inside out and feed of it to sustain. Of course this is another form of pest control, just a bit more... creative, shall we say?

They are not easy to identify, as they come in various shapes and sizes (but mostly small sizes). So, just to be on the safe side, we should (according to research) let the wasps carry on.

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