#4 - Feb 2017 - Garden Stuff - © Sandy Lang - slang@xtra.co.nz PESTS & DISEASESFebruary/March: Late-summer/early autumn. The harvest season. It’s also time to plan your autumn/winter crops. What to plant, where and when…? Sprays: Pests and diseases wreck veggie gardens but there are better ways to manage these than chemical sprays. These better ways involve good decisions on what you plant and where you plant it. Sure, sprays can help control pests and diseases when things go wrong. Also these days, most garden sprays are OK for the environment and also safe for you. But, there’s downsides. Downsides: The main one is an insecticide for aphids will also kill bees and all other insects. Most garden insects are not pests (only really aphids, scale insects, mites) and some are actually beneficial (bees). Why kill them all…? Trouble: If you really are in trouble with aphids, a good option is a frequent zap with 2% dishwashing liquid in water (use an old household spray bottle, well washed out). This will kill most insects that get zapped (it spoils their waterproof body coating, so they dry out). The great thing is the residue on the plant does not hurt insects coming along a bit later - only those you zapped. Avoid pests and diseases: Avoiding problems always beats dealing with problems. Fence: Look over the fence and see what species work for your neighbours. Same soils, same climate, so the same plants will work for you. Happy: A happy plant is naturally pest and disease resistant (Google phytoalexins). A stressed plant is naturally vulnerable. Make sure your plants are not stressed. The right environment for that species - sun/shade, wind-shelter. Also, consistently, the right amount of water - not waterlogged, not dry. Soil: A soil with plenty of organic matter (compost) and some fertiliser. You can’t keep taking minerals out of the soil (in the crop) without putting something back. Rotation: Species-specific pests and diseases build up in the soil, so don’t put your lettuces in the same place each year. Crop rotation was started in 6,000 BC. Redesign your veggie garden each year. Genotype: Sow good seeds and plant healthy seedlings. Don’t save your own seeds. Bought seeds are of known performance and parentage. Your own seeds are not. Who was the dad? Some will disagree with this but they’re wrong…! Companion: Mix up plants of different species (Google companion planting). A mix of plants will host a mix of insects and these will tend to control each other. Modern farmers must grow monocultures to allow mechanical harvesting. You don’t have to…___________________________________