At Whirlwind gardens we do not use Pesticides or Herbicides we choose to take a gentler stand against our munching insect friends. Pesticides and Herbicides are poisonous and when handling them one should take care to follow those instructions on the bottle very carefully, keep them far away from little hands and beloved pets. So many gardeners believe that the only good insect is a dead insect. So they spray merrily away , killing our garden guardians which are beneficial in keeping the garden balance and would eat the munching pests naturally unfortunately pesticides and herbicides cannot choose which one they are going to kill so the result is that we often wipe out our lady bugs , butterflies and other helpers in some cases our bird life. I had a client who had a pesticide and herbicide for everything, every week there was another ‘nasty’ bug or disease to spray, it was an ongoing battle with no end in sight, the garden had lost its balance, it was a heaven for pests and diseases there were no beneficial predators to eat them as they had all been wiped out and I never saw any birds in that garden as it was toxic to anything that set foot in it. It is amazing how harmful we can be. No matter how much you spray you will never eliminate all the pests, with the continuous use of pesticides the insects develop a resistance and so the battle is never won. There is no such thing as a ‘safe’ pesticide so why use them when there is a far more responsible way of caring for your garden.
We made the decision to keep our bird and other precious natural predators safe our approach is that you can work with nature to combat pests. Plant the right plant in the right place; feed the soil, as healthy soil equals healthy plants. Companion plant herbs and vegetables. Mulch and reduce the growth of weeds. If spraying is really necessary we have Margret Roberts’s fantastic range of products. Ludwig’s Insect spray that works wonders on the roses. Ferramol by Biogrow, which does a great job in controlling our slugs and snails. Biogrow has a whole range of products. Or make your own home – made sprays and other solutions. There are so many options so make the transition from using pesticides to going organic. Restore the natural balance in your garden.
If you are going use organic pesticide products that have canola oil and garlic in them keep in mind that if you have a pond nearby and there is a breeze it is not a good idea to spray as an accidental drift from the diluted spray mixture of many chemically and organically – formulated pesticides could kill or cause harm to fish, frogs and other aquatic life. The list of pests and diseases is huge if you want to go into more depth on the subject then I recommend you get a copy of The Garden Guardian’s guide to environmentally – responsible care by Johan Gerber.
‘The irresponsible use of pesticides is contributing to a steady reduction in the number of nature’s wonderful pest controllers and beneficial life forms, as well as the micro – organisms on which our survival depends. Every single organism in the garden, from the most destructive and irritating to the friendliest, has a specific purpose and function. The way we treat them today will, in some small way, help determine the future health of our gardens, ourselves, our environment and planet.’
From The Garden Guardian’s guide to environmentally-responsible garden care by Johan Gerber
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