Weekender Alicante South Issue 108

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23
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FRIDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER 2019 17
Home&Garden
Home&Garden
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GARDENERS looking to
protect their fruit and veg
are being warned to remain
vigilant against destructive
garden pests.
From aphids and caterpillars
to snails, the smallest
creatures can still pack a
punch when it comes to destroying
your much-loved
flowers and veg.
Often, it’s best to try and
prevent pest problems before
they occur, but if you are too
late there are still some options
to explore that don’t involve
chemical pesticides.
It can be really frustrating
and disheartening when you
find some of your prized crops
destroyed by common pests.
So here some common pests
to keep an eye out for as you’re
preening and pruning your
plants.
Aphids
These tiny critters have long
antennae and two little tubes
projecting rearward from
their abdomen. They like to
hang out on fruits, vegetables,
flowers and shaded trees and
suck plant sap, causing foliage
to distort and leaves to drop.
To control these bugs, wash
your plants with a strong
spray of water and if possible,
cover them with floating row
covers. You can also try applying
hot-pepper or garlic repellent
sprays and for severe
problems, apply horticultural
oil, insecticidal soap, or neem
oil.
Caterpillars
Caterpillars are soft, segmented
larvae with six legs in the
front and fleshy ‘false’ legs on
rear segments. You’ll often
find them munching through
a variety of fruits, vegetables
and plants. To deter them
apply floating row covers or
alternatively, hand-pick them
from the plants.
Slugs
Slugs are single-shelled, softbodied
animals that are persistent
and widespread pests.
They can cause damage on a
wide range of plants, munching
holes in leaves, stems,
flowers, tubers and bulbs.
Attract slugs and snails by
leaving out decaying organic
matter – inspect these after
dark.
You could also try using
copper rings around the base
of susceptible plants, and
sprinkle ashes, soot, sharp
sand, crushed nut of eggshells
around your precious plants to
provide a physical barrier that
slugs and snails don’t like to
cross.
Carrot root fly
It’s the larvae of the carrot fly
that are the major cause of
plant damage – as they move
through the soil feeding on
different roots, they can cause
widespread damage to crops.
Signs to check for are leaf discolouration,
and holes or tunnels
in the carrot.
You should check for damage
or infestation regularly
and choose growing sites that
are fairly open and exposed.
It’s also a good idea to companion
plant with a strongsmelling
vegetable to mask
the carrot smell, such as onions
or garlic.
Thin your seedlings in the
evening when adult flies are
less active and then destroy
all thinned plants. Remember
to firm the soil around the
plants after thinning as this
deters the flies from laying
eggs.
Birds
Birds such as pigeons can
cause major problems on edible
crops, removing leaves
and buds. This can happen
quickly with no visible culprit
as pigeons often feed in flocks
and target gardens early in
the morning when they’re less
likely to be disturbed.
The most effective way to
deal with pigeons is to prevent
them from reaching the crops
in the first place. As such, covering
your plants with netting
or fleece is a good idea but
make sure you stake or weight
down the edges. You could also
make items to scare the birds
– hang old CDs along wires to
flash sunlight and scare the
birds, or use aluminium cans
and similar items.