Landscaping choices and placement during new home construction can either invite pests or help keep them away.

Start by planning the perimeter with materials and plant choices that interrupt pest pathways. Maintain a gap of at least one foot between organic mulch or dense plantings and the foundation and use a compacted gravel or hardscape border to create a dry, nonviable zone for insects and rodents. Position larger shrubs and trees so their trunks are at least six feet from exterior walls and make sure major branches do not touch the roof or soffit to prevent pest bridges. Grade the yard to move surface water away from the house and specify subgrade drains or French drains where water tends to collect so you avoid creating moist breeding zones. Choose plants with pest-repellent properties such as garlic, marigolds, lavender, and certain native aromatic herbs and place them near entries, utility penetrations, and vegetable beds to serve as local deterrents. For mulch use fragmented rock, crushed stone, or a thin layer of coarse wood chips kept well away from vents, and refresh these materials on an annual schedule while inspecting for voids where rodents could nest.

Three common mistakes are placing mulch and dense beds right up against the foundation, planting trees and large shrubs too close to the house, and poor water management that leaves soils persistently wet. If mulch or beds touch the foundation you will attract ants, termites, and rodents, so move them back, install a nonorganic border, and keep the first foot directly adjacent to the wall free of vegetation. Trees or shrubs planted close to walls or roofs create conduits for pests and can damage siding, so relocate them, choose smaller species, or maintain a disciplined pruning program to keep branches several feet from the structure. Poor grading and blocked gutters cause standing water and high soil moisture that lure mosquitoes and ground beetles, so regrade to a minimum slope of one inch per foot away from the foundation, extend downspouts, and consider a gravel strip or swale to promote rapid drainage.

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