Top Tips For Dealing With Garden Pests

Foxes
Just as you have completed your allotment ‘clean up’ once the last of your summer crops have died off, you might find your efforts are thwarted by these shy animals. Foxes will happily nibble away at your developing fruits, dig holes and trample plants. They may also chew through plastic gardening equipment left on your plot. Once foxes become established in an area it is very difficult to get rid of them, so dig in holes that have been created and protect your crops as much as possible with netting and fencing. You could also try eco-friendly deterrents.

Slugs
Removing slugs by hand is one of the oldest and most basic ways to protect your plants. As the slimy molluscs feed at night, you’ll spot more of them after dark. Slug pellets are available, but we would recommend buying organic and non-toxic varieties. You could also try building a beer trap close to at-risk plants. Nematodes are microscopic eelworms (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) that can be watered onto your plot. They naturally turn up in soils throughout the UK and seek out slugs before fatally infecting them. To add large numbers to your vegetable bed, just buy a pack of Nemaslug. Always read the instructions carefully – you’ll need to keep the area moist and wait for soil temperatures to reach at least 5°C.

Wasps
These insects can become particularly aggressive if they get a chance to gorge on the sugary goodness of your fruit crops. They have ferocious appetites and growers should be wary of their presence, especially if children and pets are around. However, they will not normally attack if left alone, and using horticultural netting will protect your edibles from these bugs. It’s also important to remember that wasps are pollinators and reduce numbers of pests such as caterpillars on the plot, and should not be removed from your growing space. If the problem becomes more severe there are traps available to buy.

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