Hold The Line on Chemical Free

When you have made the decision to start growing fruit and vegetables chemical free, it is inevitable that you will see some blemishes and the occasional loss in your garden. Although it may then be tempting to ‘declare war’ and bring out the pesticides there are a number of practices that you can adopt that will reduce the impact of pests and diseases in your garden.

We know that healthy plants will happily do their thing and protect themselves, provided they are in the right growing environment (sun or shade), planted in quality soil and watered to their needs.
 
If something is going wrong, check out the following as a first step:
 
1.The Micro-Climate: if your garden has too much shade, too much water or poor ventilation (often occurs when plants are too close together) the environment can be a breeding ground for fungal diseases

2.Health Assessment: you can often stay ahead of pest and disease problems by getting close to your plants on a regular basis. Check leaves for signs of damage or emerging pest issues at least monthly

3.Beneficial Insects – not all insects are pests so check out who is calling your garden home. Ladybirds and Green Lacewings both feed on aphids – so look out for the good insects and even consider buying and introducing some if you have a specific pest problem
​
4.Steer clear of synthetic fertilisers – they will do more harm than good in instances where plants are weakened.
 
If it looks like something is really out of control, feel free to send us through a photo or drop into the nursery and we will see what we can do for you.