Pest Prevention

The idea of adding even more bugs to your growing space may seem odd, but many gardeners are beginning to discover the power of using biocontrols against pests that damage plants every year. Install a supply of these creatures and you’ll soon have an army of hungry helpers that will be happy to make a meal out of almost any kind of infestation.

The benefits
If you’re keen on the idea of organic gardening then biocontrols are the perfect answer. These insects are natural enemies of species such as aphids, vine weevil and whitefly and, unlike many pesticides, will not damage your crops. Another bonus to this method is that pests cannot develop a resistance to biocontrols – the bugs have naturally evolved to help wipe out infestations that threaten your plants.

Most forms of this control are affordable and can be delivered to your door from a specialised website. No residue or harmful substances will be left on your fruit and veg once you have used them, and it is perfectly safe to allow children and pets onto treated areas. Once the season comes to an end, your biological controls will usually die out along with any remaining pests.

These bugs are focused on combating specific types of harmful insects and so if you suffer from a number of infestations it might be worth looking into which varieties are best for your plot. One vital point to remember is to only introduce them once you have recognised a significant number of pests on your crops – if you release them too early they will not have enough food to build their numbers up, which can cause them to start eating each other.

How to use them
Different types of biological control will need to be introduced to your greenhouse or plot in specific ways. For example, parasitic wasps and ladybirds can be bought in their larvae stage and should be released as soon as an infestation of aphids has begun to take hold. They will soon develop into adults and will feed on this pest throughout the season.

Nematodes are microscopic worms which can be used to tackle a number of pests including ants, chafer grubs, slugs and leather jacket. They must be dissolved in a water solution before being sprinkled over affected crops – make sure you keep the soil constantly moist to help them to survive.

Predatory mites can be purchased as young adults and sprinkled directly onto the leaves of plants suffering with red spider mite – leaving the cap of the container open will allow more insects to travel onto your crops and start working at their own pace.

Introducing biocontrols into a greenhouse may be the best way to see the most visible results. The insects are less likely to fly away if their food is populated in a small space – just make sure that the temperature is kept to a suitable level in order for these bugs to fully thrive.

Of course, these aren’t the only types of pest control available to gardeners – many companies are now making a wide selection of fantastic organic products, as well as netting, fruit cages, cloches, sonar devices and more, which will all help to keep your precious crops safe from harm, without damaging the environment you are growing in. Some will even add an attractive feature to your plot!

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