I am new to this gardening thing and need some help as to what to do!
I was wondering if there is any gardening solution to pest control without using pesticides, the kind of pests I am interested in controlling a whitefly, greenfly etc...

In message , tommyturner
writes

I am new to this gardening thing and need some help as to what to do!
I was wondering if there is any gardening solution to pest control
without using pesticides, the kind of pests I am interested in
controlling a whitefly, greenfly etc...


It is quite satisfying to run the fly infested stalks and leaves between
your thumb and finger. Sounds sadistic but it works. Other than that,
I find diluted washing up liquid reasonably useful.
--
June Hughes

"tommyturner" wrote in message
...

I am new to this gardening thing and need some help as to what to do!
I was wondering if there is any gardening solution to pest control
without using pesticides, the kind of pests I am interested in
controlling a whitefly, greenfly etc...
tommyturner
Different methods for specific pests/plants.
eg green/white fly. In a greenhouse hang yellow sticky cards or use
parasitic controls. For allotment/vegetable garden cover plants with
'enviromesh' or similar which is a barrier to flying insects reaching the
plants.
Check your plants regularly and pick or wash off pests/eggs.
Actively encourage wildlife which act as predators of the pests. There are
many ways to do this so visit your library and read some books on subject.
You will never have a pest free garden so learn to live with it, just try to
stop it getting out of control in the way that we weed our gardens but never
quite achieve perfection.
Jim

wrote in message
...

I am new to this gardening thing and need some help as to what to do!
I was wondering if there is any gardening solution to pest control
without using pesticides, the kind of pests I am interested in
controlling a whitefly, greenfly etc...
tommyturner
snip
I see you've posted this in the BBC forum as well.
Much the same answers though.
Jim

a friend swears by lacewigs and ladybirds for greenfly and each spring he buys some from www.wigglywigglers.co.uk. i not sure how well these insects stay in his garden throughout the summer but he seems to think it works and his plants always seem in good health when i visit. this year he's put loads of insect nests in his garden in the hope of getting them to overwinter there, but don't know how successful this has been

since i started using the nematodes for vine weevils i haven't suffered any plant loses, and i know the local area is crawling with them as i see the tell tale signs everywhere. night time visits to the garden snail hunting sometimes proves more effective at getting vw's usually on my cameillas/azaleas

In message , Dave the
exTrailer writes
On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 13:51:21 +0000, tommyturner
wrote:


I am new to this gardening thing and need some help as to what to do!
I was wondering if there is any gardening solution to pest control
without using pesticides, the kind of pests I am interested in
controlling a whitefly, greenfly etc...

We have a womderfull pest control.
Its called free range chickens. Black rock hens.
Yep they mess up the flower beds a little but are wonderfull at
controllong slugs, beetles and other little nasties.
Oh and they also leave very nice little eggs.
You forgot to mention the lovely compost, Dave Happy New Year.
--
June Hughes

In message , Dave the
exTrailer writes
On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 10:54:31 +0000, June Hughes
wrote:

In message , Dave the
exTrailer writes
On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 13:51:21 +0000, tommyturner
wrote:


I am new to this gardening thing and need some help as to what to do!
I was wondering if there is any gardening solution to pest control
without using pesticides, the kind of pests I am interested in
controlling a whitefly, greenfly etc...

We have a womderfull pest control.
Its called free range chickens. Black rock hens.
Yep they mess up the flower beds a little but are wonderfull at
controllong slugs, beetles and other little nasties.
Oh and they also leave very nice little eggs.
You forgot to mention the lovely compost, Dave Happy New Year.

Yep except its not so lovely when you tread in it !
Ive just wandered around the garden with the hose, washing all their
poop into the ground.
No it isn't. One year I collected it all together and by the next year
the compost was lovely and no smell.
--
June Hughes