Sadly with a healthy garden, can come the pests and critters. These tips have been designed to give advice on how to keep pests at bay as well as prevent damage to your garden plants.
New plants
Frustratingly, slugs and snails love newly-planted specimens, so this is a good place to start with and saves you pest-proofing your whole garden.
Caffeine
Believe it or not, slugs hate caffeine as it causes them to produce excess slime, which immediately dries them out and prevents them moving onto, and then eating your plants. Old coffee grounds spread around the line of emerging seedlings or new plants will keep the slugs off. These old grounds can often be picked up from coffee shops free of charge, even better!
Ants
If you see ants in your pots, don’t worry! Ants may disturb the roots of your plants if they build nests in your pots, but they won’t kill them.
Larger pests
Mice and squirrels love bulbs, so ensure to cover pots or the area just planted with chicken wire or something similar, to prevent them from being dug up and eaten.
Use other plants
Plant herbs and flowers around your prized plants. Basil helps ward off whiteflies, which are harmful to tomatoes. Oregano can help protect tomato and cucumber plants, and carrots and sunflowers will help to deter pests too.
Bugs you want
Although there are a few bugs and critters you do not want in your garden, don’t forget to care for the ones you do want! Ladybugs, lacewings and hover-flies will happily eat aphids, mites and whiteflies, protecting your plants further.
