Gardening expert warns 'don't get too comfortable' in August amid pest threat
While Augusts usually calls for a slower pace, a gardening expert has warned Brits to remain vigilant when it comes to pests.
The hot weather and blue skies have meant more of us are spending time in our gardens this summer. Plus, it's usually when our plants and flowers are in full bloom, providing glorious displays and filling our garden borders with much-needed colour. Unfortunately, it's also a time when many insects are at their peak, which can cause havoc on your plants.
Helena Jones, gardening expert and head of commercial at Hedges Direct, warns gardeners: "Don't get too comfortable," as they need to keep on the lookout for vine weevils.
These tiny black insects are capable of causing massive damage. Gardeners may have noticed tell-tale notches appearing on the leaves earlier in the year, particularly on container-grown plants, which are caused by adult vine weevils.
Helena says that this may become more of a problem in August. She warns: 'While unsightly, this is unlikely to have had any major impact on plant health but around now larvae begin to hatch from the eggs laid in the compost by those adults, which is unfortunately the most damaging stage.
She explains that, at this stage, the small white grubs have a 'voracious appetite' for underground growth. This means they can wreck entire root systems.
To get rid of them, Helena suggests: "The most sustainable approach is to encourage natural predators into the vicinity, such as frogs, shrews, toads, birds, hedgehogs, and ground beetles. Check the compost regularly and remove as many grubs as you can."
As another potential solution, she adds: 'I recommend applying a nematode – a naturally pathogenic microscopic insect." However, pests aren't the only problem your plants may face this summer. Helena says gardeners should watch out for diseases like black spot.
Helena says: "If your roses have fallen victim to the dreaded black spot (a fungal disease of the leaves with an appearance exactly as the name suggests), the affected foliage might already be turning yellow and dropping off."
She continues: "For now, the best course of action is to collect and dispose of the fallen leaves. Later, towards the end of winter, you can prune any affected branches and apply a thick layer of mulch around the plant to prevent rain from splashing soil-borne spores onto the new leaves."
Although, she warns that while these steps may help slow the spread of the disease, they won't fully prevent it. Another major threat Helena recommends gardeners to look out for is powdery mildew, which is a fungal disease that creates white, powdery patches on leaves, flowers and fruit.
Helena says: "It often appears when plants don't get enough sunlight or airflow, or when they're under drought stress." She recommends that the best way to get rid of it to "remove any affected parts of the plant, ensure it's watered regularly, mulch with well-rotted organic matter, and improve airflow wherever you can."
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