Tag Archives: aphids

How To Get Rid Of Aphids On Roses (without chemicals)

There’s nothing better than a healthy rose in full bloom to brighten up the garden but aphids can sap your plants health. There are many chemical applications for sale that claim to clear aphids but what harm are they doing to the environment? How to get rid of aphids on roses without chemicals gives you the safer and also the prettier alternatives. If you’ve come to this page then you probably already have an issue with aphids so read on for the best organic cures for aphid infestations on roses. For the most effective Sprays To Get Rid Of Aphids… → Read More

4 Benefits Of Growing Elderberry Trees

If you think of the elderberry as just a weed tree, think again. Apart from it’s health effects on the human body, elderberry can be useful in the garden too. So here are 4 benefits of growing elderberry trees. What is a Elderberry Tree? Members of the Adoxaceae family of plants, there are several different varieties of the sambucus tree. The most common is sambucus nigra European or black elderberry. It can grow up to 30 feet ( 9 metres) in height with white flowers turning to clusters of black berries. Some grow more as shrubs than trees but they… → Read More

Companion Planting Cosmos

With their bright, open, daisy like flowers and fern like leaves, cosmos are a welcome sight in any garden. They also work well in the vegetable garden. By companion planting cosmos with your vegetables you will grow healthier food and have a pretty display. Unlike some flowers that have many beneficial effects on their neighbours, the main claim to fame for cosmos is they attract aphids. The knock on effect of this is they also attract hoverflies and more importantly hoverfly larvae. Hoverflies are great pollinators, and their larvae are voracious consumers of aphids. Companion Planting Cosmos Any plant that… → Read More

Nasturtium Companion Plants

Such useful plants, nasturtium leaves, flowers, and seeds can be used to give a peppery kick to salads and garnishes. But there is so much more to this colourful plant,using nasturtiums as companion plants bring many benefits. Read on for all you need to know about using nasturtium companion plants. Nasturtium Benefits Aside from their nutritious benefits, nasturtiums are of considerable benefit in the vegetable garden. They attract pollinating insects like bees, butterflies, and hoverflies to your garden. They also attract aphids and cabbage white butterflies which can cause serious damage to your crops. Grow nasturtiums as sacrificial plants to… → Read More

Get Rid of Blackfly on Broad Beans for Good!

The scourge of the broad bean grower, blackfly are not just unsightly. They weaken plants and leave them susceptible to diseases and infections. The best way to get rid of blackfly on broad beans for good is not as difficult as it sounds. What Are Blackflies? The blackfly that attacks your broad beans is a member of the aphid family. They survive by sucking the sap from your plants, this is the lifeblood of your broad bean plants (and any other plants). Because this sap is mainly sugar the blackfly have to consume much more than they can actually eat,… → Read More

How To Get Rid Of Ants Naturally

Ants are fascinating creatures, They can carry 20 times their own body weight, They farm other insects for food and they are excellent trackers. Unfortunately they can be considered to be pests to us humans. As an organic gardener, I try to keep away from chemicals so let’s get into how to get rid of ants naturally. One of the best reasons I can think of to keep ants away from your garden is that they actively introduce, and protect aphids onto your plants. Aphids produce as a waste product a sweet sticky substance called honey dew and ants feed… → Read More

How To Get Rid Of Aphids Naturally [9 Organic Methods]

Every gardener will have come into contact with aphids at one time or another, and we all have tips and tricks to deal with them. This post is how to get rid of aphids naturally and as the title suggests, that means organically, without chemicals. I will touch on chemical methods later on in the post, but let’s start with the natural ways first. Method #1: fingers At the first sign of aphid infestation, you need to take action and if the infestation is mild this method will work. Just gently rub your thumb and forefinger against the aphids and… → Read More

Companion Planting Mint

No garden is complete without a patch of mint, the colour, the smell, the taste. These are all very attractive reasons for growing mint. Another reason is discovered by companion planting mint. Companion Planting Mint Mint is a perennial plant that has many varieties and varied culinary uses and is commonly used to flavour drinks, food etc… Mint is also an excellent companion plant known to deter:- Ants Fleas Flea Beetles Cabbage White Butterflies Aphids Rodents Earwigs Mealy bugs Spider mites Grow mint close to Cabbages and Tomatoes to improve both health and flavour. As mint deters Cabbage White Butterflies… → Read More

Companion Planting Sunflowers

I can’t look at a sunflower without smiling.There’s just something about that large yellow flower that reminds me of a happy face, and they also are very good for companion planting. Companion planting sunflowers add height, colour and they give an air of the dramatic to any plot. There are 82 varieties of Sunflower and they come in many sizes from dwarf (2ft) to giant (27ft) and varying colours from red, through deep orange to bright yellow. So there’s no reason not to include some of them in your plot design. Companion Planting Sunflowers Sunflowers attract ants, they move aphids… → Read More

Why It’s Important To Encourage Predators Into Your Garden

Why It’s Important To Encourage Predators Into Your Garden Anyone who has spent any time watching nature will know just how brutal it is. From the jungles of South America, to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean all life depends on the demise of some other form of life. So the short answer to why it’s important to encourage predators into your garden, is to control pest numbers naturally. Pests And Predators I am based in Essex and there aren’t generally too many seriously invasive pests to worry about. That said without proper control, Aphids can get to biblical proportions…. → Read More