Are you in the EU? If you've been gardening for some time then you probably are aware of which garden pests you have to face annually. I have but a few garden enemies in mine; the slugs, the snails, the aphids - all sorts of them, pink, green, yellow green and that abominable black ones which is of course supplied by the sneaky ants.
It is still cold, isn't it? However, the temperature seems to be heading for Spring and the bulbs are already in bloom and those blooms are already smiling to the sun. That means, there shall be more warm days ahead, fingers crossed and the first thing I have to combat would be the black aphids cause they always pester my cherry trees.
If you think they come in an army you're wrong! It's a plague! The young leaves of the cherry trees go curly and they all tend to grow unhealthy and give me a few tiny blooms.
This year, I've already prepared for their attack - am growing the plants they hate, indoors. In case you don't know what they look like, let me bombard you with pics from seeds, to young plant to flowers.
I've already set a few Nasturtiums in the pot so they'd be ready or I'm hoping so . The black aphids love them and hopefully, they'd serve as a distraction instead of my cherry trees getting sucked up dry.
They seem to like my Coreopsis, too so I collected more seeds of them and have already, set a few in the ground. I still am planning to grow them in pots though just because they also happen to combat snails and slugs.
I've also raked the sides of the cherry trees and burrowed some of the Calendula seeds. I've planted a few in the pots to put near my yellow roses in the facade because it's not just black aphids that get attached to them but also green ones.
My ultra organic pest control better than chemical sprays are my Marigolds . They don't just combat aphids but also snails and slugs. They protected my pakchois and other vegetables last year so I collected plenty of their seeds this year.
I could just leave them to dry and sow themselves in the ground, too but it's too wet here, they were starting to get mildew so I didn't. I've raked the ground around the cherries, apples and plum trees and burrowed a few in there. They don't need to be buried deep btw, just rake, spread and cover, it'll do.
We're still expecting frost but I could also just cover them with plastic in case they forecast frost and if not, I've got enough quietly germinating in pots.
Hopefully, those seeds manage to germinate before a legion of them pests start showing up specially those annoying black aphids. If not, I'm zealous enough to collect and poke each with a toothpick, too. I prefer leaving it to those plants though, not much of the dirt and effort on my side when they do their job.
How about you?
How are you getting ready for your garden pests?
Do you happen to know any other plants that could combat snails, slugs and aphids? If you do, do shout it out on the reply section, I love taking tips!
This content's 100% mine. All pics were taken with my Samsung galaxy A3 2016 edition. I took all those pics last year but they're mint because I haven't used nor posted them anywhere else except for the nasturtiums which I provided the post link from here, too.
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Wow! You took really great pictures!
thank you !
Thank you for posting about these contrary pests @englishtchrivy.
Lovely lovely photographs and reporting.
Yes.....anything that assists gardeners in their quest for better health of the plants is always welcome information.
Marigolds have proven to be quite the deterrent here.
All the best to your gardening endeavours mon ami.
Thinking of you. ^__^
Cheers.
thank you mon ami
I bet you already know this ^___^!
I love Marigolds sometimes I want to make a tea out of the leaves hahahha
but that ain't safe imho
Thanks for the best wishes!
Same here... I miss chatting with you!
Hoping you're having a great time and everything turns out as you wish them to be!
Nature is wise dear friend @englishtchrivy knows how to fight against pests herself, you have several plants that help prevent pests in the gardens, in your case the Marigolds, here in my province we plant at each end of the garden plant garlic, this repels many types of insects.
Thank you very much for sharing these beautiful images and your experience in gardening
I wish you a beautiful week
thanks you
It's true garlic does help
in fact I mix it in water when the attack goes rampant but it burns the leaves so I left it to the plants
I can't plant garlic anywhere near those cause we're too damp here
they tend to get rust and before we know it they get the other plants infected so I plant them away from my other plants
It is true that garlic does not get along well with wet places, it is typical of dry climates like my province
against the aphids by distracting it a brilliant idea. I've personally done it in a natural way like taking some cigarette butts in a mix with some forest leaves that have been blendered. then I mix it with water. then I sprayed it directly. maybe you can do it too.
garlic, soursop leaf, some leaves of thorny tree may be able to remove the pests of fleas on your plants. all the ingredients in the blender and taken away. then mixed with water. it might help you. thanks for sharing.
Awesome photos @englishtchrivy!
In my country it just started to be a little more warm outside..I mean just last week we had a strong snow storm and now...the bees and ants and snails too are still sleeping.
So for the moment we don't have a problem with pests.
thank you
am glad to see you back!
we don't have any problem yet
I put it up there that I took those photos last year
I'm seeing a few yellow green aphids but not much
Easy to rid for now
not much you can still count them in your fingers :)
I think your cherry trees will be well protected with all these protective plants!
Me, every year, I put carnation of india around my kitchen garden.
Cut wormwood stems, repousse insects including aphids and also snails.
The Borage so beautiful with its blue flowers away slugs.
I have to replant in the spring because with the strong winds that we had this winter,
they did not survive.
here's to the tips then
thank you!
I plant borage only for the salads and to enhance the cucumber's taste
I do have carnations and my they eat much of their leaves indeed :)
Interressant ah for cucumber !! Thank you
@englishtchrivy very awesome photography you did .
I have no experience in gardening .
But the why you explain he whole situation wow amazing .
Looking that you are best in writing .good sign .
Keep it up dear
the pests always ruins the fun in gardening
good job