Tag Archive for: bugs

Keeping garden bugs at bay

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Keeping garden bugs at bay: Green fingered homeowners falling victim to destructive garden bugs are being given advice on how to keep them away.

The team of outdoor experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have provided some cheap and easy solutions on how to tackle these bugs.

Keeping garden bugs at bay

Keeping garden bugs at bay

As the sun starts to come out, Brits are making the most of their outdoor space and making them look as beautiful as possible.

Unfortunately, the likes of moths, slugs and snails also come out in the sun and can do a lot of damage to gardens.

A spokesperson for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “It is inevitable that garden bugs will cause a bit of disruption, whether you’re out relaxing, planting your own veg or growing your own garden.

“This guide is full of some of the most destructive garden bugs and the top tips to help keep these at bay, so the outdoors can be stress-free.”

Slugs and Snails

Slugs and snails are some of the most common yet destructive garden pests. Not only do they leave a sticky trail behind them, but they also love to munch through leaves and vegetables. This can be particularly problematic on vegetable patches if you are growing plants like lettuce and cabbage.

Salt has always been a fool proof way of killing slugs and snails, but if you want to stop them in their tracks, copper tape acts as a great deterrent, giving them electric shocks.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars love to nibble their way through fruits, vegetables, and plants. They are also detrimental to some flowers too, with the buds and seeds often all destroyed.

One of the most natural and inexpensive ways to rid your plants of these pesky bugs, is to spray them with hot soapy water. This can then be poured into a spray bottle and used as many times as necessary.

Moths

This type of garden bug can be especially damaging in the summer months. They love cotton and wool fibres so homeowners need to be aware that leaving outdoor cushions and furniture in the garden could be targeted by moths.

An easy solution for deterring them is to use herbal sprays in the areas you want to protect. Herbs like lavender and rosemary are not loved by these bugs, and they also smell nice too.

May Bugs

Usually seen around May-time (up until July), which is how it earned its name, May Bugs can cause considerable damage to gardens. In their early years they live under the soil and feed off the roots of plants and flowers.

As there are not a lot of homemade options available to keep these bugs away, the best option is to use an insect killer.

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The most destructive garden bugs

in , /by

The most destructive garden bugs: Green fingered homeowners falling victim to destructive garden bugs are being given advice on how to keep them away.

The team of outdoor experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have provided some cheap and easy solutions on how to tackle these bugs.

The most destructive garden bugs

The most destructive garden bugs

As the sun starts to come out, Brits are making the most of their outdoor space and making them look as beautiful as possible.

Unfortunately, the likes of moths, slugs and snails also come out in the sun and can do a lot of damage to gardens.

A spokesperson for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “It is inevitable that garden bugs will cause a bit of disruption, whether you’re out relaxing, planting your own veg or growing your own garden.

“This guide is full of some of the most destructive garden bugs and the top tips to help keep these at bay, so the outdoors can be stress-free.”

Slugs and Snails

Slugs and snails are some of the most common yet destructive garden pests. Not only do they leave a sticky trail behind them, but they also love to munch through leaves and vegetables. This can be particularly problematic on vegetable patches if you are growing plants like lettuce and cabbage.

Salt has always been a fool proof way of killing slugs and snails, but if you want to stop them in their tracks, copper tape acts as a great deterrent, giving them electric shocks.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars love to nibble their way through fruits, vegetables, and plants. They are also detrimental to some flowers too, with the buds and seeds often all destroyed.

One of the most natural and inexpensive ways to rid your plants of these pesky bugs, is to spray them with hot soapy water. This can then be poured into a spray bottle and used as many times as necessary.

Moths

This type of garden bug can be especially damaging in the summer months. They love cotton and wool fibres so homeowners need to be aware that leaving outdoor cushions and furniture in the garden could be targeted by moths.

An easy solution for deterring them is to use herbal sprays in the areas you want to protect. Herbs like lavender and rosemary are not loved by these bugs, and they also smell nice too.

May Bugs

Usually seen around May-time (up until July), which is how it earned its name, May Bugs can cause considerable damage to gardens. In their early years they live under the soil and feed off the roots of plants and flowers.

As there are not a lot of homemade options available to keep these bugs away, the best option is to use an insect killer.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Nip bugs in the bud

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Nip bugs in the bud: A host of bugs usually appear in April to prey on trees and shrubs but the recent cold snap early in the month may have proved a stay of execution for some species.

“The dip in temperatures most likely pushed things back a little,” says Dr Jon Banks, Research Lab Manager at Bartlett Tree Experts, “but plenty of undesirable things will be coming out very soon.”

Nip bugs in the bud

Nip bugs in the bud

Our treasured conker trees grow fearful this time of year of what may be about to hit them – the horse chestnut leaf miner.

These tiny moths emerge from leaf litter just as horse chestnuts burst into leaf, feeding off the fresh green foliage to leave unsightly trails and brown, crinkly remains.

The trees can even drop their foliage mid-season, giving up the ghost for the year in the hope of a better climate next time round.

Leaf miner, and another blight affecting the same species – horse chestnut bleeding canker – spread alarm across the UK when they first struck some 15 years ago but things are improving, Dr Banks notes.

While leaf miner is endemic now, arborists, landscapers and grounds managers are finding ways to combat the condition, he says.

“The moths typically emerge just after the tree’s leaves have expanded. Disposing of leaf litter can help reduce or prevent outbreaks and while no licence is currently available specifically for treating horse chestnut leaf miner, spraying with a broad-spectrum systemic insecticide, such as synthetic pyrethroid (trade names include Decis and Bandu) designed for amenity trees, is proven to be effective,” he explains.

“Tightly focusing the spray using a lance targets the treatment liquids where they are most needed,” he says. “Ideally, apply the liquid until just before run-off occurs as that ensures maximum adhesion to leaves.”

Turning his attention to larger specimens, Dr Banks adds that Bartlett Tree Experts have developed tailored management services, using spray equipment designed to safely deliver plant protection products efficiently and effectively to the canopy.

“Leaf miners have three generations during the summer so follow-up spraying is critical, he states. “Two treatments usually are applied. The first, in April or May, lasts three to four weeks, then it’s time for the second application. However, a third spray will provide better coverage for the full season.”

Lance spraying also delivers ecological benefits, Dr Banks believes. “We’re not just spraying for our own sakes. Losing leaves mid-season deprives wildlife of habitat and the less spray that falls where it is not needed or where it may cause harm, such as any nearby water, the better.”

Spring is a time when clients realise their trees are not in full health, or are dead and yell for advice, he says. “It’s a good time to look at trees as often we can see branch structure very well but also gain an idea of what’s coming into leaf, depending on the species.”

The good news about horse chestnut bleeding canker, which is caused by the pseudomonas bacteria, is that more trees may be tolerating the disease due to system induced resistance, he adds – because wholesale loss of our conker trees would deprive new generations of children of a favourite pastime.

https://www.bartlett.com/resources/horse-chestnut-lead-miner.pdf

www.berthoud.fr/en/

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Just the job

With 6 Bar pressure ceiling, the Berthoud Cosmos 18 Pro is tailor-made for treating trees using its giant telescopic lances, extendable to 2.4m or 3.6m and made in light, robust, rigid composite materials.

Highly chemically resistant and mechanically tough they come with hose, quick connect adaptor and profiled handle.

Check the website for calibration formulae and nozzle-to-target distances.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.