Many people in the UK enjoy growing vegetables either in their gardens or at nearby allotments. Gardening is a hobby correlated with good mental health. This is largely linked to its association with nature and being outdoors, allowing people to escape their screens and engage in some light physical activity.
Despite the endless benefits of gardening, growing crops can be a high-maintenance task that requires lots of attention. Otherwise, you risk compromising your success when it comes to harvesting.
A big part of growing crops successfully is protecting them, whether from wildlife or the weather. Fortunately, there are some methods you can adopt to help with this.
Install physical barriers
Physical barriers play an important role in protecting crops while they grow. Some examples include fencing around your vegetable patch and using chicken wire or mesh with small holes to keep larger pests out.
Lightweight cloches can also protect your garden patch by shielding crops from the weather and pests. Plus, they can help to extend growing seasons in some cases. They’re made from fabric or mesh to achieve this effect, allowing sunlight, air and water to reach the crops and help them flourish.
Another approach is to use bird netting to prevent wildlife from picking at your produce. It’s important to secure these properly so birds don’t become tangled. While safeguarding crops is important, you should also limit the risks you pose to local ecosystems in doing so. Doing your research and looking into eco-friendly gardening methods is a good place to start.
Use natural repellents and traps
There are natural techniques you can adopt too. Natural repellents include strong-scented herbs like basil and rosemary. Although we may enjoy the smell of them, certain animals and insects may be deterred. You can even create your own sprays using garlic, chilli pepper and more.
Meanwhile, companion planting can be done to repel pests naturally. An example is mint being planted alongside brassicas to deter flea beetles. This reduces the risk of eggs being laid on your crops.
Promote healthy soil and plants
Keeping soil healthy is just as important as keeping plants healthy. Strategies such as mulching involve organic materials (e.g. straw and leaves) to retain moisture and limit the growth of weeds. This, in turn, can help to prevent soil-borne diseases.
It’s also important to regularly weed and prune your garden to keep the soil in the best condition possible. This simultaneously removes pests that could be congregating on these weeds. If there are any diseased leaves, removing them also helps to prevent anything from spreading throughout your crops. Many gardeners also do crop rotation. This reduces the risk of pest infestations where a specific plant variety is targeted, while also preventing soil depletion.
