Info about Pest Control
Garden Pest Control Introducing Companion Planting Schemes
Garden Pest Control - Introducing Companion Planting Schemes
Companion plants are those that benefit the plants growing near or around them. For example, many crops and garden plants are legumes, naturally rich in nitrogen, which is produced by bacteria living in nodules on their roots. So an ideal companion scheme might be beans and corn, with the beans benefiting from growing up the corn and the corn profiting from the nitrogen-rich soil. Conversely, it is definitely not a good idea to grow beans near onions as they seem to sicken each other. Although there is still a great deal to be learnt about this method, it is worth noting that alliums, especially garlic and chives, have long been reputed to guard fruit trees and roses against fungal diseases, while Tagetes minuta (A) has been used effectively for years to decrease parasitic nematode eelworm populations. And have you noticed how a lawn with clover in it stays green and grows faster than one without clover?
Direct action
This involves removing and destroying the pest to prevent further damage, either by hand picking¡ªwhich works well for small numbers of slugs, snails, and caterpillars¡ªor, as a last resort, by spraying. Hand picking, especially by flashlight at night, solves a lot of mysteries and damage in one fell swoop! Whatever you do, resist throwing slugs, snails, and the like over the garden fence. They will probably return. Slugs, in particular, will come back to a kill, so if your transplants were half eaten last night, you had better go out and hand pick again tonight before they're gone entirely. Spraying poisons should be the last resort but if you have to spray, always follow the instructions and make sure the spray is suitable for the plant. In the first instance, try spraying the pests with a jet of water as knocking them flying across the lawn may reduce an attack enough to save any other effort. If a safe spray is what you want, then soft soaps, special modern sorts, which kill pests by choking them in a drying soap film, are fairly risk free. The organic gardener would next choose something like quassia, pyrethrum, and derris, and for fungal attacks copper and sulfur compounds such as Bordeaux. Most mildews, rusts, and molds are best prevented by growing healthy plants and practicing good plant hygiene, but if problems ate anticipated then the early and regular application of these compounds can prevent them starting and escalating. However they are ineffective once a severe attack has got away. The non-organic gardener will use whatever chemical alternatives are currently still available. Whatever you choose, please save the bees and spray last thing in the evening when they have gone to bed.