Beat Pests the Eco Way

We all understand that garden pests are an important part of a healthy, biodiverse gardening space – but that doesn’t mean we want them eating all of our crops! Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to protect your plants while still making your space inviting to a whole array of wonderful wildlife and not causing harm to the world around us. A lot of it is easier than you might think, too! You may want to try a few different things until you find the right methods for you, but it feels great to enjoy bumper harvests of your favourite crops and to know you haven’t been putting any harmful chemicals into your space.

Go wild
Firstly, a natural and biodiverse garden will go some way to keeping a balance in your space. Yes, pests will be present, but as a part of a thriving eco-system, meaning that helpful plot visitors such as hedgehogs, ladybirds, frogs, birds and much more will help with managing pest infestations. Also, keeping a varied garden means that pests will have plenty to keep them busy, rather than just honing in on crops sitting in neat lines in otherwise bare ground.

If you want to attract more beneficial predators to your garden, there are many simple things you can do – from putting out bird feeders to creating a washing up bowl pond, making a small log pile, to installing a hedgehog house – there are plenty of options, with something for every size of garden. This natural balance is really beneficial to the garden, the wildlife – and the gardener!

Companion planting
As well as the beauty of adding extra plants to your space, it can also benefit you by distracting pests, too! Certain combinations of companion planting are well-known – such as marigolds around tomatoes, beans near nasturtiums, carrots alongside mint, and many more. So have a look into what works well with what you want to grow. However, it is also well worth just giving it a try and growing combinations you fancy – confusing the pests and providing sacrificial crops for them to munch on instead of your precious produce is always worth doing and can even supply you with some sneaky extra harvests in the mix!

It isn’t just the pest control properties that companion planting helps with, either – you can also see improved pollination and, in some cases, improved growth in general – so there are many reasons to add some beneficial blooms, herbs and more to your space.

Organic options
If you are suffering with infestations of particular pests and feel that you need to take decisive action, fear not – there are thankfully now many organic and eco friendly pest control options that don’t pose a risk to other garden wildlife, or pets and children. For example, you can now get slug ‘pellets’ made from sheep’s wool which create a sort of mulch on the surface of the ground which slugs find uncomfortable to crawl over. These do occasionally need refreshing, but the good news is that as well as forming a barrier against slugs, they also break down and add goodness to your soil, afterwards.

Also, most of us are probably familiar with the idea of nematodes – microscopic creatures that act as parasites against garden pests. As this is a biological rather than chemical control, the nematodes are specific to the type of pest you are trying to target – so do make sure you select the right type for your needs. These are easy to apply – most can be added to watering cans and watered onto your soil. As they are living things, they do need to be used fairly soon after ordering for the best results. Re-application will often be necessary, but the frequency of this will depend on your specific type.

Traditional scarers are another option for birds feasting on your leaves – tie CDs, fake birds or anything that moves and glints around the plot.

Overall, keeping on top of pests can feel frustrating, but it is also really satisfying to work with nature and find fantastic solutions that offer many additional benefits, too.

Share this article