Slug Control

One of the things people are most interested in when they visit the pest and disease control garden here at Garden Organic’s, is the slug control display. I’m sure most gardeners have at some time gone to check on their lettuce or bean seedlings, only to find them devastated by a night of slug gluttony. A variety of slug control methods are on display in the garden, from barriers such as plastic collars and bran, and the classic beer traps to nematode biological control (microscopic worms containing bacteria that kill slugs). All these methods seem to be doing their job in the garden. Unfortunately, they can’t stop the voles that are burrowing under the soil and nibbling at the roots and stems of plants. I’ve lost a chilli and lettuce and beetroot seedlings to them so far. Although, I have to admit they are more tolerable than slugs since they’re a lot cuter!

There’s also been a lot of interest in the cage covering the brassica bed, made by one of our volunteers from plastic pipes, canes and enviromesh. It’s done a fantastic job in keeping cabbage root fly, caterpillars and pigeons at bay and we now have a beautiful crop of blemish-free cabbages. Another use of enviromesh in the garden is as a barrier around carrots to keep out carrot flies.

Encouraging wildlife into your garden that eats pests is also a good way to protect crops. A pond for toads and frogs, or a pile of logs and leaves for hedgehogs will help to control slugs and snails. We have loads of ladybirds and hoverflies in our gardens that can be relied upon to keep aphid numbers under control.

I’ll be continuing to keep my eyes and ears open for more tips on pest and disease control.