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Well Graham Porter, our very own plant doctor, has met lots of customers in his recent advisory sessions at Armitage's and controlling garden pest remains a bugbear with many of you!
Unfortunately, every gardener has to deal with such problems in the garden at some time or another. But don’t ever let it put you off because, with a little advice, most pests can be prevented and the ones that do get past you can be dealt with quite easily.
In a recent survey, the number one pest was the slug and its close relative the snail. Slugs and snails can cause devastation amongst soft-leaved perennials and newly planted seedlings and bedding but can be kept away by applying a barrier such as gravel although Slugblocker granules give longer lasting protection.
Traps can be useful if you are not squeamish about disposing of the assembled occupants and simple prevention methods such as growing seedlings on in pots before planting out can minimise damage. If, despite all your efforts, damage is noticed, then treat the infestation quickly with a proprietary slug killer or pellets.
Still fairly high on the list of troublesome pests are aphids (greenfly etc) and vine weevils. Aphids are sap-sucking insects which cause the leaves and stems of many plant species to curl and pucker. They leave behind them a sticky substance called honeydew, which is harmless but encourages a black, sooty mould to grow.
All of this is far from desirable so keep a look out for dense groups of the insects on the new shoots of roses, perennials and fruit trees and, where possible, pick them off and destroy. A thorough spray of a systemic insecticide is often the only way to deal with these pests effectively so take some advice and follow the directions carefully.
Vine weevils are a real nuisance in planted containers. The adults are black beetles, which you may see on the plants at night. They nibble semi-circular holes in leaves but it is the grubs which cause most harm. If an otherwise healthy container grown plant suddenly wilts and dies, look amongst the roots for the white grubs. They can be picked out and destroyed or you could use an appropriate soil drench.
If in doubt, ask our experts in store for the best way to tackle those garden pests.
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