GardenAdvice.co.uk Gardening calendar 3rd week March 2025 ( Audio Available )
Calendula plants for companion planting
This week, the GardenAdvice Gardening Calendar focuses on proactive methods to control pests in your garden over the next few months. Most of these methods are organic and can be easily implemented to protect your plants all it takes is some forward planning
Click here to download the audio file ( .wav ) or Click Here to listen as a podcast
Companion Planting – Nature’s Pest Control
Companion plants like nasturtiums and calendula, alongside natural insecticides such as pyrethrum and garlic can help keep your plants pest free
- Nasturtium: Acts as a sacrificial plant, attracting pests away from crops and ornamentals.
- Calendula: Its bright flowers confuse insects, reducing infestations.
- Pyrethrum: A natural insecticide used since ancient Egyptian times.
- Garlic Interplanting: Helps deter aphids and other pest insects when planted in veg gardens and shrub borders.
Controlling Vine Weevil in Pots
Over the last few years Vine Weevils have started to become a real problem so when re potting keep an eye open for Vine Weevils which as small maggot type grubs with brown heads
- Vine weevil damage signs: Look for notched leaves on plants and grubs in the soil.
- Nematodes: Apply nematodes (microscopic worms) by watering them directly into pots. These will naturally kill vine weevil larvae before they can cause damage.
Managing Greenhouse Pests – Whitefly Control
A combination of companion planting and biological control in your Greenhouse will keep pests such as white fly under control
- Incarsia Cards: Small cards containing beneficial Incarsia eggs insects that hatch and attack whitefly populations.
- Regular Inspection: Keep an eye on greenhouse plants for whitefly and take action early.
Natural Control of Greenfly on Roses
- Soft Soap Spray: Dislodges and kills aphids by breaking down their protective coating. Classed as an organic spray
- Birds as Pest Controllers:
- Feed finches with niger seed to attract them to your garden.
- During the breeding season, these birds will also consume aphids from your plants.
Protecting Against Larger Pests – Deer, Foxes & Squirrels
- Motion-activated Irrigation Systems:
- Mini irrigation sprays that activate when pests trigger a motion sensor spray
- Particularly effective against deer, squirrels, and foxes, which dislike sudden sprays of cold water.
Pest Control for Fruit Trees
March is the best time to apply Pheromone Traps and Grease or sticky bands to your fruit trees to control such pests as Codling moth
- Pheromone Traps: Target specific pests like codling moths in apple and pear trees.
- Grease Bands: Placed around the base of fruit trees to prevent crawling insects like moth larvae from climbing up the trunk.
Sunday: Slug Control – Get Ahead Before They Take Over
As the temperature increase now is the time to apply Slug Nematodes to your veg and flower borders to control slugs before they can do any real damage
- Slug Nematodes:
- Watered into the soil to control slugs naturally.
- Best applied when soil is warm and moist, as nematodes move through soil water.
Learn more about the GardenAdvice.co.uk Young Gardeners Club – Fun and Educational Projects
This week, we’re also highlighting the GardenAdvice Young Gardeners Club, available to My Garden Team members’ children and young adults. Activities include:
- Sowing seeds to grow flowers and vegetables.
- Building beetle piles to encourage beneficial insects.
Growing seedling trees from acorns or garden seedlings to contribute to the GardenAdvice Tree Planting Scheme. Click Here
