A Plant Powered Approach to Controlling Aphids
Of all of the insects that commonly visit your garden, aphids seem to be the most unwelcome guest. We’ve received numerous phone calls this season from customers looking for lady bugs to release in their garden. Unfortunately, the lady beetle population was dramatically impacted by last years fires, so we haven’t be able to bring them into the nursery. The good news, there are other holistic approaches to try, before reaching for a chemical control. Simply try controlling your aphid population with plants!
Plants that Naturally Repel Aphids
Aphids aren’t big fans of aromatic herbs. Planting garlic, chives, leeks, catnip, fennel, dill and cilantro will help repel aphids. Marigolds are also known to drive away a number of unwanted pests. Research good companion plants for these garden additions and place them wisely.
Plants that Attract Aphids
While some plants naturally repel, others are known to attract aphids. These trap plants will allow the population to be concentrated in one location, making it easy to spray or remove the little guys from your garden. These plants include Nasturtiums, Nicotiana and Sunflowers. Just make sure not to plant them too close to your key plants, as aphids might travel.
Let us know how this plant powered approach to aphid control works for you! Share your comments below or on Instagram.
Planting up a Strawberry Pot
Strawberry Pots are a great choice for space saving planting! Perfect for herbs, succulents, annuals, edible flowers and strawberries; these pots are super easy to plant and look fantastic on your patio. We made a quick video tutorial of how to plant up a Strawberry Pot!
Items Used:
- Strawberry Pot
- Potting Mix
- Herbs
Water Wisely
July flew by in a beautiful buzz, and August is coming in hot (quite literally). With warmer temperatures and longer sun exposure, your plants are thirsty! Now is the time to introduce water wise techniques in your urban slice of earth.
Water is a precious resource and absolutely vital for keeping your vegetable garden happy. Wise watering techniques conserve water, save money, produce bigger yields and promote healthy plant growth. Here are five general guidelines to keep your garden thriving during these warmer months:
Healthy Soil: Establish retentive soil that slowly releases water to the plants. A top layer of mulch will also reduce the amount of water and weeding needed.
Timing: Water before 10AM. This will lead to less evaporation and more water absorbed by the plants. Leafy greens love an evening watering to cool down their soil and prevent plants from bolting.
Water Slowly: Water slowly, deeply, and less frequently. This allows plants to develop large root systems. Focus your watering into the soil, not onto the plant.
Be Consistent: Group plants by their watering needs. This is a great way to make watering easier from the get-go. Each vegetable or annual flower plant should receive about 1-2 gallons of water per week, spreading it out so you water the same amount every couple of days.
Equipment: A leaky hose is the quickest way to waste water. Be sure your hoses and faucet are in good working order. Simple dial timers and drip irrigation are great for very direct and accurate watering. Rain barrels are also a great way to water the natural way.
Next, we’ll talk about Xeriscaping! This is the use of drought tolerant, often native plants in your landscape. (Don’t picture a desert, we promise there are colors and flowers involved!)
Links:
The Seattle Conservation Corps Rain Barrels and Supplies for Sale
Tilth Garden Alliance
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash