Green Fingers

GreenFingers

The Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about the pests that parade our petunias… and more. We all want our outdoor spaces to be as beautiful and as thriving as possible, yet by employing a host of natural ways to put pests off, we can keep our courtyards canny, and our green spaces chemicalfree. The best way to do this is to think about natural barriers. These, if done well, can comfortably eradicate snails and slugs and all those little creatures who slide and slime over our prized plants. Any type of copper can be used to make a wall that electrically shocks their body, deterring them from moving further forward, while wood ashes or crushed eggshells also work to put those meddling molluscs off their lunch. While most people consider sprays and pesticides as the best way to keep unwanted intruders away, there are a range of natural squirts that do the same thing. For instance, garlic and chilli may be a culinary staple, but they hold a secret power for gardeners looking to dispose of invaders in a natural manner. Combine crushed garlic and chilli (powdered chilli will do if you don’t have fresh) with one tablespoon of vegetable oil and a small amount of dishwashing liquid or soap flakes. Leave to soak overnight in a jar, then strain and spray on plants. The spray is very effective towards aphids and caterpillars – but keep away from kids, avoid contact with your skin and eyes, and use within a fortnight! It’s also worth reminding ourselves that not all bugs and beasties are bad news, and done well, you can encourage some into your garden. Plant mint, fennel, dill, yarrow, sunflowers and dandelions will attract ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings, all of which will happily feast on your aphids. Birds and hedgehogs eat slugs and snails, beetles and insects… as do frogs and toads. Finally, try a trap. Earwigs can devastate seedlings, so if they do pose a problem in your garden, try filling a few plastic flowerpots with straw and balancing them upside down on sticks to attract the pests. The earwigs crawl up the poles and take shelter in the pots at night and you can humanely dispose by emptying them in the morning. Removing pests and critters the natural way takes effort, imagination and no small amount of patience, but opening your garden to nature’s bounty, whilst preserving as much life as possible, is surely the best and most satisfying way to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

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