Amateur Gardening – 29 June 2019

Summer pests and diseases

O

N the whole I like to think I’m
a pretty tranquil gardener
until, that is, I discover that
my watering-can spout is
blocked by a snail. There you are,
busily watering, when the flow drops
right away thanks to some pesky
mollusc wedged in the spout. They get
everywhere and summer is their time
for peak activity.
The summer garden is a
bonanza for all pests, but
there is no reason why they
should become a major
problem. Get it right and
your garden will come
through it relatively
unscathed. I appreciate
that organic gardening isn’t
everyone’s solution, but if you
want to use chemical sprays and
drenches, keep them as a last resort. If
you choose to travel the non-chemical
route you need to work from the ground
up. Healthy, enriched soil helps create
stronger and more pest-resistant plants.

Also, using fewer chemicals will bring

a more diverse range of insects and

animal life into the garden and many of

these will be the natural pest predators.

The larvae of ladybirds, lacewing flies

and hoverflies feed on aphids, while

ground beetles, amphibians and

hedgehogs are partial to slugs, snails

and other ground-living pests. Wild birds

also feast on pests.

Prevention is better than cure,

so squash small colonies of

greenfly between your

fingers before they become

full-on infestations and

carry out night-time patrols

for slugs, snails and vine

weevil adults.

Most years, lily beetles

decimate our lilies, but this year

I have been spraying plants with

Grazers No 4 deterrent since the first

shoots appeared and so far they are

growing healthily and flowering well.

■ See Lucy’s guide on page 20 for more

ways to check the health of your plot.

Ruth looks at the main problems and how to beat them

4 AMATEUR GARDENING 29 JUNE 2019

For a healthy garden, combine

good husbandry with sensible use

of chemicals and organic products

1

Glasshouse red spider mites

thrive in a hot, dry greenhouse.

Raise humidity by damping the floor

to keep them at bay.

2

Check bedding plants before

planting out – the compost may

be infested with snail eggs (any I

find go straight on the bird table).

3

Woolly aphids create a furry

protective coat. They have

plenty of predators, but can be

treated with an organic insecticide.

4

Black bean aphid is a

common problem. Pinch

out the tips of plants to reduce

infestations, squish them by hand

or use an organic spray.

Summertime

menaces

Four top pests to watch out for

Step

by step

everyone’s solution, but if you
want to use chemical sprays and

Prevention is better than cure,

so squash small colonies of

greenfly between your

fingers before they become

full-on infestations and

carry out night-time patrols

for slugs, snails and vine

weevil adults.

decimate our lilies, but this year

I have been spraying plants with

Wild birds are

pest predators

Summer pests and diseases

Lacewing

fl ies will

devour

aphids

Use the right product

for the right job