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Category: Pests, Problems and Health

Pests, infections, disease, cultivation and growing problems

Garden Problems Caused by Heavy Rain

Garden Problems Caused by Heavy Rain

Wet summer gardens are something the UK gardeners are having to contend with for the first time in a long time. For St Swithin’s Day I thought I would review the summer so far and provide some tips and ideas in case the wet weather continues.

Extreme garden flood

Garden Problems Caused by Heavy Rain

  • One off heavy rain runs off before the soil gets a chance to soak through. That is not the problem when rain is as continuous as this year.
  • Heavy rain can damage young growth with the force of the rain. If rain is accompanied by wind the driving rain can do even more damage.
  • Rain washes out some of the goodness from the soil and deprives plants of good fertiliser.
  • Waterlogging of your soil can drown the roots of plants.
  • Needless to say wet gardens attract snails and slugs. (The prize for the largest exhibit at many garden shows may be a big fat slug this year!)
  • Lush growth has been put on by hedges and plants that would normally stay quite small.

Garden flood 2

Tips and Ideas for Wet Gardens

  • My runner beans have grown tall but have very little leaf. I have pinched out the tops to encourage growth and flowers lower down.
  • I am adding some granular fertiliser for beans and plants that I would normally have given a liquid feed.
  • Use the lush conditions by planting more leaf crops whilst there is still time.
  • Put gravel around the neck of plants, such as succulents,that may rot if the soil is too wet.
  • Check potted plants and containers to see they are not waterlogged or stood in water. Raise them on bricks if needs be.

Encourage Flowering

  • If you garden for colour and flowers you may suffer most in heavy rain.
  • Deadhead asap and do not let buds get soggy and start to rot.
  • Feed with a high potash fertiliser
  • Prune excessive leaf growth or top out plants that are growing tall and wide at the expense of flowers.
  • Give plants access to as much sun as possible.

Flooded Garden (2)


Photo Credits

Extreme garden flood by johnpaulgoguen CC BY-NC 2.0
Garden flood 2 by Chris & Angela Pye CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Flooded Garden (2) by Roger Lynn CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ‘Happy April Fool’s Day! another Photoshop creation using the incredibly fun “Flood” plugin by Flaming Pear

Wild Plants for Butterflies by Height

Wild Plants for Butterflies by Height

This is a selection of wild flowers that have for generation helped provide food for butterflies. They are rich in nectar and even garden cultivated varieties should feature in your butterfly friendly garden. Even nettles feed butterfly larvae.
weedy dandelion
Low Growing plants up to 12 Inches Tall
Primrose and Cowslip.
Orange Hawkweed
Daisy
Dandelion
Birds-foot -trefoil
Lesser Celandine
Sweet Violet and Pansy
Thrift
Wild Thyme
White Clover

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More Horsetail or Mare’s Tail Weeds to Eliminate

More Horsetail or Mare’s Tail Weeds to Eliminate

Mares tail

Mare’stail or Horsetail is a common garden weed that flourishes on damp soil. Even the RHS is prone to Horsetail as the picture taken at Harlow Carr Gardens demonstrates. I look forward to seeing how they cope!

Why it is a Problem

  • The plant reproduces by spores that are readily wind dispersed but most problems come from the rhizomes.
  • Rhizomes are extensive both horizontally and vertically and may reach over 5 feet deep depending on substrate.
  • Rhizomes break into small parts and reproduce quickly.
  • Tubers are then produced at the nodes of the rhizomes.
  • You can’t dig it out, although you may weaken the plants if you remove as much root as you can then hoe when you get above 1″ shoots.

Control and Eradication

Snail Problems in the Garden

Snail Problems in the Garden

Snails can be more damaging than slugs! They like the juicy leaves of lush plants and can consume many times there own weight in green matter from your favorite plants.
The only thing snails do not do slowly is eat at a snails pace!

Snails

Snail Problems

  • Snails can climb, so stems and stalks are at risk at least as a means of transport to the best feeding station.
  • Snails are keen on juicy, fleshy, water rich plants and less keen on ripe plant matter
  • Families of snails breed in damp and dark locations then seem to feed in groups.
  • My Lupins are always prone to attack despite my best preventative measures. Hostas are also hostage to snails fortune.
  • Snails do tidy up decaying plants and are part of a natural gardens ecology system so do not kill ruthlessly.
  • Beware homing snails, they have the ability to creep back to home territory quicker than you expect

Lost Gardens of Heligan snails

Treatments for Snails and Slugs

Garden snails 4 & 5

In Praise of Snails

  • Snails do not burrow under ground like the black slugs that do most garden damage.
  • Snails do tidy up decaying plants and are part of a natural gardens ecology system so do not kill ruthlessly.
  • Snails provide food for some birds.

Photo credit
Garden snails 4 & 5 by davidshort, CC BY 2.0

In Praise of Clover in your Garden

In Praise of Clover in your Garden

The wet weather in May and June has brought out a good crop of clover and meadow flowers for our local farmers. Praise be the hay making will produce some juicy animal feed and the fields have looked particularly good.

Clover

Good Clover for Gardeners

  • Clover can be used as a green manure if you have a large patch in your garden. Grow it then dig it or rotovate it back into your soil.
  • Green manure acts as a good soil conditioner increasing the humus content.
  • Clover adds or fixes nitrogen into the soil via its roots.
  • Clover is a beneficial weed because it attracts good insects particularly species of wasp, which do not sting but do eat aphids. Bumble bees will also be attracted in to your garden.
  • Red or white clover can create a green, low-maintenance lawn or groundcover as it did before herbicides were used in great quantities to manicure lawns.

Wild Flowers

There are circa 250 species in the genus Trifolium or Clover aka Trefoil of which Trifolium repens is the common white variety.
Trifolium rubens is a hardy perennial clover sold as seed by Thompson & Morgan who say it is a ‘soft to the touch flower spikes of dusky pink which bees love and can been used as cut flowers. The mid green leaves are unusual and almost resemble peanut foliage.’ seeds at Thompson & Morgan

Prevention and Cure for Caterpillar Damage

Prevention and Cure for Caterpillar Damage

If you want to see butterflys and moths be prepared for caterpillars.

Butterflies are nice in the garden but caterpillars can cause havoc. Brassicas like Cabbages, Brussel Sprouts, and Broccoli are particularly prone to attack from Cabbage White caterpillars as you can see from my veg plot above.

Prevention and Cure for Caterpillar Damage

  • Encourage the caterpillar’s natural enemies, such as wasps and birds for an environmentally sound and least cost method of dealing with caterpillar problems.
  • Picking off caterpillars one by one together with any eggs is satisfying but a bit tedious if you have a lot of plants.
  • Spray with soft soapy water and drop any caterpillars you have picked into soap water.
  • I could have used a systemic insecticide if the EU allows and I wanted food with a residue of chemicals but that was not for me.
  • A contact insecticide relies on hitting the creatures before they have done the damage and is still chemically based.
  • Netting the brassicas would be a sensible prevention measure. I do that to prevent pigeons eating the young plants.
  • Buy a biological control like Trichogramma wasps.They will act as parasites on the caterpillars.
  • Accept that you will get some damage for the joy you get from buttterflies.

Caterpillar 1 enlarged

Reasons to Look After Caterpillars

  • Caterpillars are an important part of the ecological mix. When they mature they help pollination provide food for wild l;ife and play an important part in the natural life cycle.
  • Caterpillars turn into wild butterflies and moths.
  • Carterpillars provide loads and loads of food for small birds and other creatures further up the food chain.
  • Ask any small child who has been captivated by caterpillars.

caterpillar

Credits
Caterpillar 1 enlarged by Loco Steve CC BY 2.0
caterpillar by squeakychu CC BY-NC 2.0

Some Common Garden Weeds

Some Common Garden Weeds

Bindweed
Bindweed – Deceptively Attractive

Continuing on our theme of garden weeds – these are some of the most common garden weed types, which you will invariably have faced at some time.

Couch Grass.

A very common weed which spreads through a system of fine underground stems. On a dry day try digging with a fork and on regrowth try spraying with Glyphosate. Covering with a mulch or solid layer is a good way of weakening or killing the plant.

Horsetail

See Dealing with horsetail. Has been around for 60 million years, if you have some in your garden you will see why. One of the most difficult weeds to eradicate.

Nettles.

Quite easy to deal with. If you are not in a rush, make repeated cuts at the base of the plant and put stems on compost. Nettles make excellent compost and are an excellent mix of stems and leaves. Young leaves can even be eaten and are quite nutritious. Nettles are also good for wildlife.

To kill off the plant use fork or spade to lift up the clumb of yellowish roots. These are not too deep. Also responds well to weedkiller.
Dandelion

Dandelions

In spring these will suddenly grow very vigorously. Before you know it they will have set seed and will be a problem for years to come. Therefore, the best time to act is before they set seed in late April.

They have a simple long tap root. It is hard to lift up the whole tap root without breaking off the lower part which will send up new shoots. However, it can be satisfying to try and dig up the long single tap root. Will respond to repeated weed killer sprays.

Dock Leaves.

As the saying goes where there are nettles, there will also be docks. Similar to dandelions. long tap root and can easily regrow from the smallest part.

Bindweed.

Grows through deep connection of underground white roots. Also flowers (actually very attractive) and sets seed. The roots can be a pain to dig up. But, for deep infestations, it is best to try and dig up most of the roots.
One helpful tip is to put a cane in the ground. The bindweed will grow up the cane, making it easier to apply weedkiller and avoid surrounding plants. See Bindweed Control

Ground Elder.

– Another tough nut you don’t want to see in your garden. Can spread rapidly if left unchecked. Requires hard work to get rid of it.
Japanese Knotweed.

Could well lay claim to being the worst ever weed. If you have it in your garden Good luck – either that or consider moving. More on Knotweed

Willow Herb

More Common Garden Weeds

  • Broad Leaved Willowherb. Can set thousands of seeds. Not too difficult to deal with in small quantities.
  • Budleia – In one sense makes an attractive plant – loved by butterflies, but, has immense powers of reproduction, growing in most unlikely of situations.
  • Thistle. A good hoeing should be enough.
  • Cleavers. – Stick to your clothing. hoeing should be fine to get ride off.
  • Ramsons (Wild Garlic) tough weeds
  • Bittercress
  • Shepherd’s Purse
  • Broad Leaved Plaintain. – Not too bad.
  • Creeping Buttercup – a vigorous spreader. Can grow in middle of crass and through the border. Needs its roots tackling.
  • White clover – a common grass weed.
  • Ivy Leaved Toadflax
  • Ivy Leaved Speedwell

See also list of Uncommon Weeds

Weedkillers for Weeds

Book Cover

Other Resources

Common Lawn Weeds
Uncommon Weeds
Weed control of Avens
Horsetail and Mares-tail
Why war with weeds
Alligator weed

Alligator weed by Brisbane City Council CC BY 2.0 a snap of a weed I have never come across and have no wish so to do!

Warning – Problems of Japanese Knotweed

Warning – Problems of Japanese Knotweed

Knotweed problems have not gone away but panic isn’t the solution.
Not Knotweed

Warning About Knotweed

  • It is an offence to plant or otherwise cause the Japanese Knotweed to grow in the wild.
  • Japanese Knotweed is classed as ‘controlled waste’ and as such must be disposed of safely at a licensed landfill site and buried to a depth of at least 5 m.
  • This law also applies to the surrounding soil.
  • Infringement can result in an unlimited fine and you can also be held liable for costs incurred from the spread of Knotweed into adjacent properties.

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Go to War on Weeds

Go to War on Weeds

‘A weed is any plant growing in the wrong place’ – but some weeds are more wrong than others.
Unfortunately weeds are not weedy but more thuggee.

Book Cover
Weeds: The Story of Outlaw Plants: A Cultural History

Problems Caused by Weeds
At their worst weeds can take over and suppress all other growth.
Weeds take water and nutrition from the soil and rob your plants.
Other cultivated plants can’t fight weeds and give of their best at the same time.
Weeds can throttle and kill weaker species and cast a shadow over others.
Book Cover
Pest & Weed Expert:

Declare War
Before we get onto chemical warfare you can fight weeds at there own game.
Cover the weeds with a membrane to exclude light. Cardboard or layered newspaper may work and you can plant through this covering. Add at least 2″ of mulch and soil on top.
Hand weeding is the Rolls Royce method. You have to keep up to this job on a regular basis.
When digging over a patch take care to remove all perennial weeds and bits of their roots. (Don’t compost the roots).
Annual weeds can be hoed so the roots can’t access water and thus die.

Book Cover
The Book of Weeds

Chemical Warfare
Weed killers are available from most garden centres.
Glyphosphate is a systemic chemical that enters through leaves to kill roots. It is ineffective and dissipated as soon as it hits the soil. Spray in autumn and spring on growing weeds but avoid your cultivated plants.
Selective chemicals are available for lawns.

Book Cover
Weeds and What They Tell Us

Gardeners Special Tips
Do not let weeds seed. Cut off weed flowers even if you can’t remove them.
Do not compost seeding weeds as they may not be killed by the heat of the compost.
Kill weeds when they are young.
Early recognition and control of weeds leads to savings in the cost of herbicides and aggravation

Book Cover
Weed Seedlings Colour Atlas

Other Resources

Most Common Weeds
Common Lawn Weeds
Uncommon Weeds
Weed control of Avens
Horsetail and Mares-tail

Book Cover
The Weeders Digest (of edible weeds?)

Quick Pest and Rabbit Tips

Quick Pest and Rabbit Tips

Book Cover

Insects, grubs and slugs are all garden pests at one time or other but the gardeners ideal is to have a natural balance and enough predators to save your specimen plants. Below are some quick tips of environmentally friendly measures you can take. If everything else has failed you could always play them this record ‘Insecticide’ to create your own Nirvana.

Preventing Pests better than Cure

  • Camomile deters small flies. – Make your own pesticide by infusing flowers in hot water for 10 minutes. French Marigolds, Rue and Tansy also have repellent properties.
  • I dot onion plants around the garden to deter pests and larvae – they don’t take up much space or look out of place. Greenfly do not like garlic so try odd plants grown from garlic cloves.
  • Protect some plants and prevent larvae hatching by surrounding plants with a cardboard collar.

Pest Treatments

  • Birds are amongst the best insect catchers so encourage Robins, Finches and Blackbirds.
  • A pond will encourage frogs or toads who will then eat slugs and snails.
  • Good house keeping, clearing dead foliage, will help control the number of pests by removing their food
  • Sulphur dust or powder can cure mildew on your prize roses but keep it away from ponds as it kills fish.

How Do You Stop Rabbits in the Garden ?

  • Rabbits are harder to repel but scattering dried holly leaves or other spiny leaves is said to keep them off your tender vegetables.
  • Plagues of Rabbits need to be fenced out with wire mesh starting 10″ underground and standing 2 feet high with a top 6″  bent away to stop them climbing (a bit like Colditz).

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