What is the purpose of using barriers in pest control?

Using barriers in pest control serves the essential purpose of physically blocking pests from reaching plants or turf. This method is a proactive approach to prevent pest damage, ensuring that beneficial plants remain healthy and productive. Barriers can take various forms, such as row covers, nets, or fences, which create a physical impediment that pests cannot easily pass through. By effectively limiting pest access, barriers reduce the need for chemical interventions and can lead to healthier plants and overall garden ecosystems.

The other options do not align with the primary function of barriers. Increasing the growth rate of plants relates to nutrient availability and proper care rather than pest control. Enhancing aesthetic appeal is more about design and landscape architecture than pest management. Providing nutrients to plants pertains to fertilization practices and does not address the physical control of pests.