Organic Pest Control Products Edinburgh

St John's Wort

The way you plant your garden can have a big impact on the way it will interact with the critters that surround it. All insects that live in your garden are vital elements in its delicate ecosystem, and any organic pest control program should begin with a calm demeanor and a forgiving hand. When creating a plan, two major principles to keep in mind are diversity and abundance. With an extensive assortment of plants, pests that typically feed on one type will be relegated to one section of the garden instead of spreading across the whole plot. A diverse selection will also attract a welcome variety of good insects to combat the destructive ones.

Organic pest control tips:

Well-chosen plants

Stick to plants that are suited to your site; those that occur naturally in your hardiness zone and in your surrounding environment will have a better chance of growing vigorously. There will likely be varying degrees of damage to your organically grown plants, and slightly injured leaves will be able to bounce back to full health if the plant is relatively robust. This does not necessarily mean that every plant in your garden must be robust-in fact, a few weaker specimens can act as sacrifices to the insects, keeping the majority of your plants out of harm's way. Basically, stressed-out plants will be vulnerable; keeping a medium moisture level and a good mix of sun and shade will help to bolster plant health and provide a tolerable environment for helpful allies.

Plant relationships

Before you plant, carefully consider the nature of the relationship between different plant species. Companion gardening is the technique of growing specific flowers and plants beside one another to encourage appealing activity; the right neighbors can yield astonishing results for your plants-most notably, strong and pristine growth, and fewer signs of insect damage. Indeed, certain herbs and flowers that produce nectar or pollen will not only look beautiful, but will work in conjunction with the bugs to ensure swift growth.

Bees are perhaps the most familiar pollinators, but hoverflies are also wonderful additions to a flowering garden that's battling pests-while these small black and yellow insects pollinate fruit plants, their larvae feed on aphids that hide in small corners. One step lower on the predatory scale are the minute pirate bugs, ambush bugs and assassin bu...