House Grail is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your Garden: 6 Methods That Work

spider mites on tomato crop

If there is something we can agree on, it is that these eight-legged creatures can be creepy. They are mostly harmless and almost always mind their own business, but it does not take long before they start spinning their webs in every nook and cranny in your home. The last thing you want to witness is a spider invasion in any part of your home, especially in your garden.

So, since you are here, chances are high that you have spiders in your garden. In this article, we will show you possible reasons why there are spiders in your garden and give you proven methods that you can use to eliminate them and ensure that they do not return.

garden flower divider

Why Are There Spiders in Your Garden?

First, you should know that it is completely normal to find these eight-legged arachnids spinning their webs between the plants in your garden.

Here are some possible things that can attract spiders to your garden

1. Food

spider mite on dying leaf
Image By: Nature’s Charm, Shutterstock

A major reason why spiders are in your garden is to feed. Spiders feed on tiny insects, and you will most likely find plenty of these in your garden.


2. Cool, dark, and isolated corners

Spiders have a special way of adapting to cold weather. They produce an anti-freeze chemical that makes them able to survive in temperatures as low as 23 degrees Fahrenheit. There are lots of cool, hidden corners underneath plant roots, and so spiders are naturally drawn to gardens.


3. Plants stems are a stronghold for the web of spiders

propagating Christmas cactus plant
Image By: Bilalstock, Shutterstock

Spiders are smart. Whenever they are searching for potential habitats, they prefer to use strong holders that can keep their webs safe. The hard stems of plants in your garden offer this advantage and coupled with the natural food it provides and the dark and isolated corners, your garden is like the perfect home for an average spider.

garden flower divider

Is Having a Spider in Your Garden Detrimental?

Before eliminating the spiders, you might want to know whether they are beneficial or harmful to your garden. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of having garden spiders

Advantages of Garden Spiders

1. They feed on pests in your garden

air plant ready for propagation
Image By: AllMyRoots, Shutterstock

Spiders consume large quantities of food. This is a good thing because some of their favorite delicacies are wasps, caterpillars, leafhoppers, spider mites, aphids, and mosquitoes. These pests only need a few days to run down your entire harvest. With spiders in your garden, you do not have to worry so much about these other pests. Spiders will keep the population of these pests under control, hence, making your plants healthier and bringing you a more bountiful harvest.


2. Minimizes the need for pesticides in your garden

Due to the reduced activity of pests in your garden, introducing pesticides might be a waste of time. Pesticides can be effective, but they also have some negative effects on your plants. Therefore, by letting spiders rent your garden, you can reduce the number of pesticides you will need to use, and this is great for the health of your plants.


3. Minimizes the risk of pathogens

monitoring spider mites with hand lens
Image Credit: Catherine Eckert, Shutterstock

A serious invasion of bacteria and pathogens in your garden can clear the entire garden within a short time. The less susceptible the plants are to pests, the less likely it is for them to suffer from diseases. Since spiders keep the pests in check, they can avert serious losses in your garden.

Drawbacks of Having Spiders in Your Garden

4. They can eat pollinators

Pollination is a natural process that helps the reproduction of plants in your garden. However, spiders might also have a thing for some pollinators like ladybugs and butterflies and end up eating them. This will slow down the action of pollination in your garden.

trees & plants divider

Identifying Garden Spiders

There are over 45,000 species of spiders all over the world. However, the spiders you are most likely to see in your garden are known as garden spiders. A garden spider or Argiope Aurantia, has beautiful features. They are black, and they have yellow markings on them. The female spiders are more attractive than the male. They are also more hardworking and bigger sized.

While you are more likely to see garden spiders in your gardens, other species of spiders may also find their way into the garden.

A good number of species of spiders are not harmful. However, some harmful species can pose a threat. These are the type of spiders you do not want to leave hanging around your garden.

spider web on tree branch
Image Credit: freestocks, Unsplash

The 6 Ways to Get Rid of Spiders in Your Garden

1. Plant Natural Repellents

The easiest way to get rid of spiders is to prevent them from entering your garden at all. Eucalyptus sprigs have strong scents that repel spiders. By planting these around the borders of your garden, you can be almost certain that spiders will not enter it. Other plants like lavender, rosemary, mint, and basil are also strong scenting and will repel spiders.


2. Keep Your Garden Neat and Organized

Spiderwort
Image Credit: KIMDAEJEUNG, Pixabay

A neat garden with no weeds is unattractive to pests. When there are no pests in your garden, there will be no food for the spider, making it unable to live there.


3. Continuously Remove Their Webs

If you are consistent in the simple task of clearing the webs of spiders, they will have nothing to catch their pests with. In a short while, they will get the message that this is not a favorable land for them, and they will move elsewhere.


4. Use Citrus

citrus peel
Image Credit: MiraCosic, Pixabay

Spiders do not like citrus at all. One way to get rid of them is by using citrus all over your garden. You can plant citrus fruits or make a solution of lemon juice and water and spray it around your garden regularly. You can also keep fresh peels of citrus fruits in strategic areas around your garden. It would not be long before spiders get the message and go away.


5. Live Catching

If you would rather not kill the spiders or you want to see them alive, you can use a spider grabber. Use this instrument to grab live spiders in your garden, and then you can decide to transfer the spiders to another location or kill them.


6. Use Insect Lamps in Your Garden

spider web on tree branch
Image Credit: freestocks, Unsplash

These lamps emit light and heat and attract pests to them. When the pests arrive, they get trapped. With this lamp, you can reduce the number of pests in your garden, consequently reducing spiders.

garden flower divider

Bottom Line

Some people suffer from arachnophobia and will want nothing to do with spiders. In this case, you can get rid of them. However, before getting rid of garden spiders, you might want to consider the positive side of having them around. Weigh your pros and cons and make the right decision for you and your garden.


Featured Image Credit: Catherine Eckert, Shutterstock

Contents

Related posts

OUR categories

Project ideas

Hand & power tools

woodworking

Garden

Automotive