Features
Gardening Tips - Predators
Some years are worse than others for pests. This year wasn't so bad. There was a fair amount of greenfly around at the beginning of the summer but greenfly is one of the easier pests to cope with.
In an ideal organic garden there would be a balance between the number of pests and the numbers of predators which would prevent any one pest gaining control. But even in the most balanced ecosystems, sudden explosions in the pest population can occur. The weather, which is one factor the gardener can't control, is often the culprit. Quick changes in temperature, which often occur in the Irish climate, can give the pest a boost at the expense of its predator.
Wildlife
Well-managed gardens are generally teeming with wildlife. Not the big animals we normally associate with the word but equally important micro-organisms, worms, insects and birds. All these creatures add to the fertility of your garden. One small bird can add as much as half a bucket of dung to your soil in a year.
The greater the variety of plants growing in your garden, the greater the variety of life forms that will be attracted there. In a truly diverse garden the danger of any one pest taking over is greatly reduced.
Micro-life
The amount of life in the soil is even more important than the amount of life above. A healthy living soil is essential to plant growth.
We can easily increase the level of micro-life in our soil. Adding compost, well-rotted manure stimulates life below and on the surface of the soil. If the soil is particularly poor then adding lime and calcified seaweed which contain a wealth of minerals will also help to increase the amount in and around the soil. This in turn will feed the worm population which will then attract more birds, bees and insects to our garden.
Birds
Birds can be a nuisance, especially with fruit bushes. But on balance they do more good than harm. Without them our gardens would be teeming with flies. For example, blue tits will feast on the larvae of greenfly over the winter months. And you can help the robin to survive the winter by turning over your onion or carrot patch for him to feed on the pupae of the onion fly and the larvae of the carrot fly. Then in summer he will be around when you need him to eat your caterpillars.
Leatherjackets can be a problem in the spring, especially in new gardens which have recently been in grass. They love to cut through the roots of young plants. But if you can attract starlings or thrushes to your soil they will quickly deal with them. It's very easy to attract birds with small bits of food during the hungry winter months. It might be worth building a simple bird table for this purpose. A bird table can be an effective anti-pest device.
Plants
Having a few plants to attract aphids and other pests will help to feed predators such as the beloved ladybird to survive. Especially in early spring when food supplies are scarce. Nettles will attract aphids but you might prefer to plant the more attractive lupin or honeysuckle for this purpose. With an abundant food supply in the spring, there should be sufficient numbers of ladybirds around in the summer when you might need them on your strawberries or tomatoes.
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are a great help in the garden. They have a huge appetite for slugs and other destructive creepy-crawlies. If you are lucky enough to spot one, then leaving a pile of sticks and bushes in a quiet corner of your garden might encourage him to take up residence. But if you are out in the country and see one on the road don't be tempted to bring it home as you may be taking a mother from it's young.
Frogs
The endangered frog is fond of many pests. Slugs, flies and woodlice are his favourites. Frogs, like slugs are attracted to the damp and shaded parts of the garden. Perhaps the best way of encouraging frogs and many other useful predators might be to consider putting in a small pond. An attractive feature in itself, it will do wonders for the wildlife. And you might be glad of a place to cool yourself down after hard day's work !
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