Alan solves garden problems the natural way
In a new two-part series, Alan helps you solve common garden problems using his expert organic techniques
We might as well start getting used to being better gardeners without chemicals, by growing plants in conditions that suit them and result in naturally healthy growth
There was a time, not so long ago, when gardeners were encouraged to have something called a ‘spray programme’ – a personal timetable that indicated which chemicals should be used at certain times of year to combat all manner of pests and diseases. Roses and fruit trees were particular recipients of this sort of treatment, and all manner of noxious fluids and dusts would be committed to the atmosphere with the aim of having the perfect garden, unsullied by pest and disease attack.
Thankfully, most gardeners worthy of the name have realised that such wanton bandying about of assorted chemicals does more long-term harm to the environment – wildlife in particular – than the short-term gain of ‘cleaner’ plants. Working with nature rather than against her is the way forward, and as someone who has not sprayed or dusted with chemicals for more than 30 years I can vouch for the fact that my garden is not overrun by pests and diseases, and that all manner of organisms – when allowed to do so – will achieve a natural balance that rarely gives rise to problems.
I don’t mean to sound smug or selfsatisfied. Far from it. Yes, I will find a few holes in leaves, a few greenfly on a rosebud; my plants are not immune from attack, it is just that by gardening organically – using natural or mechanical means to combat the things that threaten my cultivated plants – the natural world and I appear to be able to reach some kind of truce.
Fewer and fewer chemicals are available to the gardener each year and pretty soon their use will be confined to commercial growers. So we might as well start getting used to being better gardeners without them, by growing plants in conditions that suit them and result in naturally healthy and vigorous growth that is far more capable of shrugging off attack. Plants that are already struggling – often due to a shortage of water, food or light – even before the arrival of a noxious beast or blight, are already at a disadvantage, and no chemical treatment is ever likely to pull them round.
Long-term view
Granted, chemical treatments can sometimes offer a quick fix, but who wants that when the long-term side effect is a disruption of the natural cycle of things? In concentrating on the ‘baddies’ – the damaging insects, fungi and bacteria – we overlook the ‘goodies’. Much, if not all, plant life is interdependent on a complex array of organisms – in the soil and in the air – that contributes to their wellbeing. One careless spray can wipe out a portion of this magic circle of life, resulting in its collapse and the ultimate disruption of the natural history of the garden upon which plant health
Plant life is interdependent on a complex array of organisms that contribute to their wellbeing
depends. That said, not all pest and disease problems can be cured by harnessing nature. We have all become aware in recent years of the increasing number of imported pests and diseases for which there really is no cure except for digging up and burning. Sudden oak death, ash die-back and the ever-present threat of the deadly disease xylella call for immediate action and the destruction of host plants. But in most gardens these disastrous outbreaks are far outnumbered by problems that can be avoided by other means.
Start by buying healthy plants from reputable nurseries and garden centres. Be wary of cheap foreign imports, which are the source of many pests and diseases. Above all, grow your plants well. Pay attention to the soil – enrich it with garden compost and well-rotted manure so that its organic content is high and moisture retention is good.
You’d be surprised at how many garden plants fall prey to pests and diseases simply because they are hungry and thirsty. In the same way that we are more susceptible to disease when we are weak and undernourished, so are our garden plants. Grown well, in good earth, they are less likely to succumb to attack and when a pest does strike they are more capable of surviving. Make sure you know what your plants look like when they are healthy. This may seem like a pointless thing to say, but if you can tell when they look out of sorts it will ensure that you act speedily to counteract potential problems.
Know your plants
How do you counteract them if you do not use chemicals? Check that the plant has enough light – vital if it is a sun-lover, which will not enjoy shade. If it is a shade-lover, is it being scorched by sunlight? Is there enough moisture at the roots? If the answer is clearly that the plant is growing in a spot it does not like, then move it – even at this time of year. Plant it in earth enriched with organic matter and make sure it does not dry out, and it will be all the better for the move, rather than waiting until autumn when such remedial measures may well come too late. Remember, above all else, that plants want to grow; it is up to us not to get in their way.
In extreme circumstances you may feel the need to introduce a biological control – an organism that will feed on or actively discourage the multiplication of another organism. Such predators are available for many pests, from whitefly and red spider mite to slugs and vine weevils. These controls have their limitations – they are usually only active and therefore effective above a certain temperature, which governs the time of year at which they can be used. These criteria are easier to meet in a greenhouse or conservatory than they are outdoors, and it is likely that you will have to reintroduce them each year. I have always been cautious about their use – especially outdoors – since I try to grow my plants well and let nature take its course without too much interference from me. It’s a personal decision, but one I am comfortable with.
There may come a time when you realise that the battle is not worth fighting. If a plant is constantly subject to attack from a particular pest and disease, know when to throw in the trowel and grow something else. Garden with your conditions rather than against them; there will be plenty of plants that like what you have to offer and they will be much more rewarding to grow. There is a difference between being tenacious and being bloody minded. The former can pay off, the latter seldom leads to contentment.
Garden with your conditions rather than against them; there will be plenty of plants that like what you have