Outwit those annoying pests

If you’re plagued by pests such as aphids and slugs, don’t reach for the chemicals. These pesticides will also kill beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies. Instead, think how nature keeps a balance.

Did you know a family of blue tits can eat 100,000 aphids a year? To encourage wildlife into your garden, grow a healthy mix of flowers, vegetables and shrubs. These provide food and shelter all year round for birds, bats and beneficial insects like ladybirds and hoverflies.

Slugs are a gardener’s number one enemy. I’m often asked how the organic gardener copes without slug pellets, which contain poison that can affect your pets and even the soil. There are a few tricks. Simple plastic traps, set in the soil, made from yoghurt pots filled with beer, are my favourite!

But any dry material, such as gravel, oats or coffee grounds, will create a barrier that deters the slither of snails and slugs. Just remember to keep it dry – especially after rain and damp weather.