Organic Pest Control

The clocks have gone back and spring has truly sprung. It’s going to be a busy month for the avid gardener and also that growing list of unwanted garden pests, so a little planning now will go a long way.

But, before you call in an air strike from a canister loaded with noxious chemicals, why not think about organic methods of pest control? Because, let’s face it, plants managed to survive before pesticides.

Consider the natural balance of nature, so a healthy plant will have its own defences against attack. Therefore, taking care of your plants will make them stronger. Move things around as a number of pests hibernate at the base of existing plants of winter. And, bring in reinforcements by encouraging other predators such as toads, birds, beetles and even hedgehogs to take care of the pest problem.

Usual Suspects

Slugs and Snails
Well we all know what they look like and most of us will have them in the garden at some point. The little grey ones do the worst damage as the really big ones prefer dead organic matter. You can pick them off, sprinkle them with salt or use a selection of traps filled with beer or fermenting fruit juice.

White Fly
Although this is mainly a greenhouse pest, it's certainly worth a mention because it’s hard to get rid of. An attack reduces plant vitality, causes premature leaf drop, and may result in the loss of your favourite plant. Provided you don't have a major invasion, you could allow a tiny parasitic wasp, called Encarsia Formosa, to come to the rescue. But, if you've got a major outbreak you'll need to take more drastic action and give your conservatory or greenhouse a really good clean.

Aphids
Similar in many ways to the white fly except they attack a much wider range of plants and come in a variety of colours. There are many things you can do to fight aphids. Including, washing them off with a hose, spraying with a soap solution or attract other insects such as ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings.

And finally don’t forget about companion planting. It isn't just about pest control. By combining plants carefully, plants can help each other in terms of providing nutrients in the soil, offering protection from wind or sun and also, by attracting beneficial pests or acting as a decoy for harmful ones.

Reasons for being Evergreen

In warm tropical regions, most rainforest plants are evergreen, replacing their leaves gradually throughout the year as the leaves age and fall, whereas species growing in seasonally arid climates may be either evergreen or deciduous. Most warm temperate climate plants are also evergreen. In cool temperate climates, fewer plants are evergreen, with a predominance of conifers, as few evergreen broadleaf plants can tolerate severe cold below about -25°C.

In areas where there is a reason for being deciduous (i.e. a cold season or dry season), being evergreen is usually an adaptation to low nutrient levels. Deciduous trees lose nutrients whenever they lose their leaves, and they must replenish these nutrients from the soil to build new leaves. When few nutrients are available, evergreen plants have an advantage, even though their leaves and needles must be able to withstand cold and/or drought, and are thus less efficient at photosynthesis. In warmer areas, species such as some pines and cypresses grow on poor soils and disturbed ground. In Rhododendron, a genus with many broadleaf evergreens, several species grow in mature forests but are usually found on highly acidic soil where the nutrients are less available to plants. In taiga or boreal forests, it is too cold for the organic matter in the soil to decay rapidly, so the nutrients in the soil are less easily available to plants, thus favouring evergreens.

In temperate climates, evergreens can reinforce their own survival; evergreen leaf and needle litter has a higher carbon-nitrogen ratio than deciduous leaf litter, contributing to a higher soil acidity and lower soil nitrogen content. These conditions favour the growth of more evergreens and make it more difficult for deciduous plants to persist. In addition, the shelter provided by existing evergreen plants can make it easier for other evergreen plants to survive cold and/or drought.

From the potting shed - gardening tips for April

As the days grow longer and hopefully hotter, gardening conditions are improving so it’s time for getting out and about in the garden and tackling those ever persistent weeds that just love this rapid growing period.

But, it’s not all back breaking repetition for this month. Spring has sprung, the lambs are gambolling and we should be ablaze with a sea of daffodils and narcissus.

Top jobs for this month

PERENNIALS, ANNUALS and BULBS

• Now is an ideal time for planting summer flowering blubs. There is a vast range available online, from mail order catalogues and down the local garden centre. Just remember to give your bulbs a boost with some good bulb fertilizer when you plant them out. But, remember you get what you pay for when buying bulbs – so don’t sting!

• Deadhead your spring flowering bulbs but leave the green foliage as this will continue to grow for a few weeks and provide food for next year. I have also read that once the green foliage has gone over, it’s good to give the bulbs some soluble plant food which will help to boost flowering next season.

• If you’re a keen rose lover then April is the month to plant new varieties before new growth starts and buds swell.

FRUITS and VEGGIES

• Why not experiment with some fruit trees or berry plants this year? This is month to select them and don’t forget they will do best when planted in full sun.

• If you have been nurturing “sow your own seeds” over the last few months either in the greenhouse or in the warm under the stairs, then check them for potting-up and pricking out to encourage growth and to avoid overcrowding.

• Remember to protect any fruit blossom from late frosts.

THE LAWN

• If you didn’t apply a fertilizer last month an application now should help to perk it up and improve its overall appearance and colour.

• Aerating the lawn at this time of year will allow the water to penetrate deeper, help with compaction and reduce the need to water during the dryer months ahead. You can use a garden fork or even invest in a set of lawn aerator shoes

• Before you start mowing just check your lawn mower to ensure that blades are sharp. Blades on most modern lawn mowers are easy to remove and replace if needed. Keep the cut relatively high at this time of the year to avoid scalping.


And finally, the gardener’s companion says…….. Anyone who considers gnomes tacky and cheap should take note. In 1997, a garden gnome, know as Lampy and believed to be one of the oldest in the world, was insured for one million pounds.