Pests make life difficult for many gardeners because they can greatly weaken useful and ornamental plants. Take action against the little pests as early as spring with ecologically compatible agents, practice effective plant protection and protect beneficial insects at the same time. We have collected helpful methods for you in this article.
Ladybugs are effective beneficial insects in the fight against aphids
snails
Slugs are among the garden pests that cause the greatest damage. If you encourage beneficial creatures such as toads, hedgehogs and birds, this is a first step in the fight against reptiles. You can use runner ducks or the tiger slug, a nudibranch with tabby markings, in a targeted manner. A snail fence that the slimy crawlers can't climb makes sense too,
The slugs attack the plants in large numbers every year, so you should collect as many animals as possible in the spring and release them back into nature. If this is not enough, you can apply sparingly dosed slug pellets (7.49€) as early as April and decimate the first generation. Make absolutely sure that it is an ecologically compatible agent.
lice
Aphid colonies that suck on the shoots that have just sprouted can damage ornamental and crop plants so severely that they subsequently die. The animals can be fought quite easily with a sharp jet of water. Aim this precisely at the colonies so that the lice are washed off. Since the animals are unable to walk, they can no longer reach their food source. Cut off withered shoot tips afterwards.
nematodes
Roundworms occur in the garden as both a pest and a beneficial insect. Harmful nematodes prefer to nest in the root area of fruit and vegetable plants. The following methods help against them:
- Pay attention to preventive crop rotation.
- Dig up affected plants immediately and dispose of them in organic or household waste.
- Never put it on the compost, as the nematodes are not reliably destroyed here, even in the warmer middle.
- Green manure with nematode-resistant mustards or marigolds can reduce the number of roundworms in the soil.
Vine Weevil Beetle
The adult beetle eats small corners in the leaves of the plants. However, this does not pose any danger to the plants. The larvae of the pest that live in the root area are more unpleasant.
Control them in April with nematodes of the genus Heterohabditis. Alternatively, dig neempress cakes around the plants.
butterfly caterpillars
Winter moths and box tree moths cause considerable feeding damage to trees and shrubs. These can be so massive that the growth subsequently dies.
- Glue rings that you attach to the trunk help against the winter moth.
- Neem preparations that are gentle on beneficial insects are also suitable for combating this.
- There is currently no absolutely effective preparation against the newly introduced box tree moth.
- It can be helpful to spray the box trees with a high-pressure cleaner (€119.90).
- Alternatively, you can cover the buchs with a black bag for some time. This increases the temperature in the bush and the larvae die relatively reliably.
tips
Onion or garlic tea is a good antifungal remedy. Pour five liters of boiling water over about 50 grams of chopped onion or garlic and let the brew steep for about three hours. Spray the plants daily for a period of ten to fourteen days.