It is very important to maintain the ecological balance of your garden when you decide to go for outdoor pest control. There are many friendly pests that help keep the unwanted pests away. But there are various strategies that you can use in order to eliminate the unwanted pests while keeping the friendly pests population intact.

Slugs and snails - Slugs and snails attract other dangerous pests as well like garden snakes etc. So it is very important that you control the slug population before it leads to some serious problems. Place a clay pot on the shady side of the plant. Place a twig under one side of the pot so that one side of the pot is slightly raised from the ground. Slugs and snails will collect under the pot during the warmest part of the day. Collect them every day and drop them in a bucket of soapy water.

Make sure to repair your garden hose if it is leaking from anywhere, the moisture it creates on the ground will attract pests.

Mice - You can try placing fresh mashed potato powder in places visited by the mice. Also place a plate filled with water nearby. After eating the mashed potato powder the mice will need to drink water. And immediate water drinking will lead to bloating which will be fatal.

You can also use mouse traps to capture the mice.

Ants - Mix equal amounts of vinegar with water and wash your floor, countertops, cabinets, tables, etc to get rid of ants.

Plant Tansy, Spearmint and Southern-wood around your garden, it will help keep the ant population at bay.

Mosquitoes - You can try encouraging the natural predators of mosquitoes like Dragon flies and Mantis in order to keep the mosquito population in control.

Don't let any stagnant water to collect outside your home. It will only lead to more mosquitoes.

Moles - There is a very unique way of tackling moles and gophers. Collect some amount of hair from your local hair salon and put them inside the holes where these animals reside. Chances are they will leave very soon.

The cost of outdoor pest control can range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. But trying out these home remedies will help you control outdoor pests without wasting a lot of money. And you'll also be able to protect the friendly pests that help maintain the ecological balance in your garden.