VIBE’S garden guru George Long, of Well Grounded Gardens, shares his tips for gardening with a conscience.

Ethical gardening can divide the horticultural community – on a small scale it can be effective and easy, but on a larger scale it can be impractical and take a lot of man power.

Wherever possible it is good to try and be environmentally friendly, for example; sourcing local products. Kentish Ragstone is quarried locally so you could use that as opposed to Cotswold Stone or Welsh Pennant.

Managing your garden organically can also be achieved. I have been asked many times recently how to tackle weeds and insects organically, so here are a few useful tips:

Insecticides

You can buy insecticidal soap like Savona but you can also make it yourself. Take three tablespoons of washing up liquid, one tablespoon of vinegar and four litres of water and mix in a spray bottle. You can also use old bathroom soap and dissolve it in hot water but spray it on cold.

Companion Planting

Use companion plants which repel or distract pest next to ones you want to protect.
Tanacetum vulgare, Borage, Chives, Cabbage and French Marigolds repel certain pests and Yarrow attracts Hoverflies, Ladybirds and parasitic wasps which eat aphids.
If you have a snails or slugs, planting something like Hosta in a shaded corner will attract them and hopefully save other plants.

Nematodes

Nematodes are microscopic worms which feed on pests.

They are usually applied by adding to water and sprayed over damp soil. Nematodes will generally keep eating until they have exhausted their food source.

Various different nematodes are available that kill pests including: Slugs, Ants, Caterpillars and Vine Weevil.

Weeds

Weeds can be smothered with old News Shoppers, weed block or carpet.

Vinegar is a cheap and effective spray, It will not kill roots but some weeds will not regenerate after the leaves are dead.

As with all weed killers, be careful: vinegar is not selective and may kill other plants it comes into contact with. Japanese Knotweed or Ground Elder as these are weeds that rapidly grow out of control and need more serious intervention.

Seasonal tips for June/July

  • Last chance to plant before summer heats up.
  • Water young plants well.
  • Dead head flowers to prolong display.
  • Feed lawns and mow regularly.
  • Cut down faded foliage of bulbs.
  • Leave water out for birds.