Biological Pest Control: Nematodes As A Chemical-Free Option

Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that occur naturally in soil, and certain species have been developed for use against specific garden pests. Rather than acting as a broad chemical treatment, each nematode species is matched to a particular pest, seeking it out and interrupting its lifecycle with far less impact on the rest of the garden than a chemical spray.

Bees and other pollinating insects rely on gardens for a large share of their food, especially in built-up areas where wildflower meadows are scarce. A garden that offers flowers from early spring right through to autumn does far more for pollinators than one with a single showy burst of colour in June.

Building a planting scheme with wildlife garden products in mind alongside the usual food and shelter provisions rounds out the picture. A well-stocked feeding station, including a reliable source of bumblebee food, complements planting choices particularly well during gaps in flowering.

For gardens without much bare soil to spare, a ready-made shelter is a simple addition. Many gardeners start with bee hotels positioned in a sheltered, sunny spot close to nectar-rich planting.

Timing across the season is worth planning for deliberately, since gaps in flowering leave pollinators with nothing to forage on for weeks at a stretch. Leaving seed heads standing rather than cutting borders back in autumn also gives finches and other seed-eating birds a natural food source right through the colder months.

Garden birds face different pressures depending on the time of year, and supplementary feeding is most valuable during two periods in particular: the late winter to early spring hungry gap, when natural food is scarce, and the breeding season, when adults are feeding hungry chicks.