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During winter, our plants enter a dormant state. This can mean that winter pests are much more likely to strike. But, what are the most common winter pests to keep your eyes out for? In this article, we will be providing our professional advice when it comes to protecting your garden from those unwelcome winter pests.
Identifying Common Winter Pests
In the UK, it’s not uncommon to see mice, rats and voles. These little creatures can all seek shelter in garden debris, mulch or compost piles. Most large gardens and estates are surrounded by fields. This can mean that mice fields, for example, will migrate over your garden and hunker down in your outdoor space, where they can scrounge frozen seeks and keep warm. Echoing this point, Home & Garden states that ‘as the temperatures fall, mice are attracted to warmer environments, such as your shed, garage, or home’. Whilst this sounds harmless, mice, rats and voles can also hinder your plants growth and even destroy them all together.
In the winter, some insects may also take advantage of your dormant garden. Pests such as scale insects, aphids and spider mites can use plant remains or debris to hibernate on or hide within small openings and gaps during the winter months. Aphids in particular, according to the Lady Mole Catcher, love vegetables and ‘no cabbage, broccoli or kale plant is safe.’
When talking about pests, you also can’t forget the potential of deer and other wildlife. As mentioned above, large estates and gardens are usually shouldered by big fields and greenery. Hungry deer, rabbits and other creatures may see your outdoor space as the perfect pace to forage. During the winter, wildlife can struggle to find food, water and other living necessities. Unfortunately, they may start to look towards your garden as a means for surviving the harsh UK winter.
How Can You Tell If Your Garden Is Being Affected By Pests?
Confirming not only the presence of pests in your outdoor space, but also, what critters are eating your plants is a must. But, how can you tell your garden is being affected?
We would recommend looking for chewed or damaged foliage as a first sign. If the leaves of your plants have irregular holes or jagged edges, it could be a sign they are being eaten. Small holes throughout your plant’s foliage can suggest caterpillars or beetles are feasting on them.
Speaking of leaves, you will also need to assess whether they are wilting or have begun to look discoloured. Sneaky pests, such as aphids and spider mites will feed on your plants juices and nutrients. This means that the leaves will start to wilt, curl up or even become yellow. Some pests may also inject toxins into plants, leading to discoloration and further wilting.
Taking an adequate amount of time to inspect your plants can be extremely beneficial, as some pests are visible. That's right- you can occasionally see the pests that are inhabiting your plants. Look closely for the presence of pests, including under your plants leaves, along the stems and in the soil. As well as active, alive pests flitting from plant to plant, you may also see larvae or insect eggs.
In addition to holes in the leaves, some pests will eat through the soil or containers to get to the roots of your plants. Worms, in particular, such as cutworms or wireworms will live in the soil and feed on what's below. We would recommend checking for any holes or potential tunnels which could indicate soil-dwelling pests.
This can be tricky to spot in the winter, but if you notice your plants are having a sudden rapid decline in health, despite taking all the precautions for the cold weather, this can be a sign of pests being present. Your gardening team will monitor your garden closing for any these unnatural changes during the colder season.
How To Implement Protective Measures
Winter Garden Maintenance
Your professional gardening team will take protective measures during the winter to prevent pests from making your outdoor space their home. First step would be to ensure your garden is clear. With autumn following up with winter, it can be easy for garden maintenance to go awry. To fend off those nasty pests, it’s crucial to remove fallen leaves, dead plants and any other debris. Pests can use these hiding spaces to seek shelter during the winter.
Protecting Your Plants With Mulch
Mulch is an excellent tool for keeping your plants warm during the colder months, but did you know that it can also protect your garden from pests? As professionals, we would suggest having your gardening team maintain a thin layer of mulch to discourage any pests from nesting in your garden. As well as providing a good level of insulation for the plant roots in winter, mulch can be doubly beneficial when it comes to protecting your plants.
Installing Physical Barriers
Keeping the insects off your plants can be just as tricky as keeping away bigger animals. Wildlife like mentioned above, deers, rabbits and mice can also feast on your plants during the colder, less fruitful months. Installing fencing, netting and row covers will deter any bigger creatures from being able to access your garden or your more vulnerable plants.
Monitor and Inspect Your Plants
Keeping a close eye on your plants can be simple when you have a professional gardening team. Preventative maintenance to prevent pest activity can be just as important as using protective measures. Professionals will be able to monitor your garden or large estate for any signs of chewed foliage, burrows, or insect egg masses.
Natural Pest Control Methods
Natural pest control methods also have a place in every garden. Many of these measures should be taken during the garden design phase, but also be added to fully-formed gardens at any stage. A great, natural way to prevent pests would be to encourage beneficial insects into our garden. For example, ladybugs and lacewings can help control aphids and other, unwanted visitors.
Similar to inviting in beneficial insects, you can also welcome predatory birds into your garden. This can be super simple if you live in a rural area, owls and hawks can be attracted into your outdoor space through plants with tasty berries or by installing nesting boxes or perches.
Many gardening experts will also encourage you to consider companion planting. By using pest-repellent herbs or flowers, you can naturally keep pests away from your delicate plants. Some of the top recommended plants would be marigolds, garlic, and chrysanthemums.
BZ Gardens - Professional gardeners Of Surrey
Don't let pesky winter pests disrupt the beauty of your garden this spring. Whether you're dealing with aphids, scale insects, spider mites, or any other unwelcome visitors, our team of professionals are here to provide expert advice and effective solutions. Please contact us on 01483 967160 to speak with one of our team members today.
Growing fruit in residential areas can be an interesting, fun and rewarding hobby. Many novices dream of plucking perfect fruit of trees or plants in their gardens. However, high quality harvests do not happen without knowledge and a great deal of work. Controlling pests (insects and diseases) is an integral part of the care necessary to achieve good results.
This blog provides guidelines for pest management in home fruit plantings, but good pest control is not possible if spraying is the only action taken. Success starts with selection of disease resistant cultivars and sites that are open and full sun. Cultural practices such as pruning and sanitation are also necessary for good pest control.
The Importance Of Plant Protection In Winter and Schedule of Spraying
Most fungicide (disease control product) and some insecticide (insect control product) applications are effective only if applied preventatively because it is not possible to control the pest satisfactorily after infection or infestation.
In very rainy seasons, sprays may need to be applied more frequently than the usual practice. Wet weather favours development of the disease-causing organisms; thus, more chemical protection is needed. Also, rains can wash off the pesticides (fungicides and insecticides). When rain occurs before a spray has dried or if rainfall totals more than 1 inch within 24 hours, the spray should be re-applied. However, do not delay fungicide application if rain is forecast because fungicides provide more benefit when applied before a rain than after. Protection from infection by disease-causing organisms is needed when plant surfaces are wet.
Thorough coverage of all aboveground plant parts is needed for good pest control. One of the biggest mistakes home fruit growers make is allowing plants and trees to grow too tall. If dwarf and semi-dwarf trees are selected and then maintained at a manageable height, it is easier to spray them properly as well as to harvest the fruit. Proper pruning practices also reduce the amount of spray needed and permits better coverage.
The type of sprayer used depends on the size of the fruit planting. For most plantings of small fruits or for a few small fruit trees, hand-pump sprayers are adequate. Trombone-type sprayers are helpful for taller trees. For the increased spray volumes required by larger home orchards, power sprayers are recommended.
Mixing a commercial spreader-sticker with the spray solution provides better coverage of slick surfaces, such as apple fruit or blackberry stems. See the pesticide label to find a suitable spreader-sticker.
The product labels give the rates, and those rates must be followed. The label rates are expressed as amount per gallon of water. The following table can be used to determine the amount of spray mixture needed.
Multipurpose Fruit Spray
Multipurpose fruit tree spray products are mixtures containing a fungicide and insecticides. Insecticides should not be applied during bloom because they will kill bees. It may be more convenient to purchase the fungicide separate from the insecticide. Multipurpose sprays are effective against some, but not all, pests.
Protect Pollinating Insects
Honey bees and other pollinating insects must be protected from insecticides, which will kill them. Do not spray fruit plants with insecticides while the plants are in bloom. The literature is mixed on the safety of copper products (copper sulphate + lime [Bordeaux Mixture], copper hydroxide) for bees, and some literature suggests other fungicides may negatively impact pollinator health. To reduce risk to bees, when applying fungicides during bloom (especially copper products), only apply products during late evening, night, or early morning when bees are not foraging.
To protect people and the environment, pesticides should be used safely. This is
everyone’s responsibility, especially the user. Read and follow label directions carefully before you buy, mix, apply, store or dispose of a pesticide. According to laws regulating pesticides, they must be used only as directed by the label.
Pesticide Safety
Most of the pesticides suggested for use in this publication are low-toxicity materials; however, some precautions are still needed.
- Keep pesticides in the original, labelled container.
- Keep pesticides in a locked storage cabinet, away from children or pets.
- Read the label each time before you use the product.
- Wear rubber gloves, goggles, a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and a hat when mixing and applying pesticides.
- Handle the pesticide carefully when mixing. Avoid breathing dust or vapours. Wash any chemicals on the skin immediately with plenty of water.
- Never apply insecticides or fungicides with a sprayer that has been used for weed killers.
- Do not spray if it is windy.
- Mix only as much as you need. Do not store diluted spray mixtures from one application to the next. They will lose effectiveness and are unsafe.
- Observe the waiting period in days between the final spray and harvest (pre-harvest intervals) and re-entry requirements given in the following table and on the product label.
How Do Winter Sprays Work?
Just like the trees are sleeping and recovering during the winter, so are a lot of insects and diseases in their own way. They're going through a dormant period of their own and many of these insects and diseases will do their winter rest on the tree itself. Some examples might be mites, scales, or woolly apple aphids.
Some diseases, particularly bacterial diseases like fire blight, will be residing on the tree itself. And so we want to be aware of that. And in order to reduce the pest pressure or the disease inoculum when the season starts, there are some treatments that we can apply that we need to think about that will help to reduce the population say of overwintering mite eggs or overwintering scale. And by getting a jump on the season, it reduces the potential for those pests and diseases to be bigger problems in season than they would be if we didn't do anything.
One of the most classic applications is horticultural oil. And the horticultural oil would be applied in a dilute spray. And by dilute, I mean maybe 1% to 2% oil in water, and that would be applied to the entire surface of the tree. What the oil does is it essentially smothers the mite eggs or the scale or the woolly apple aphids.
Some other sprays can be applied, copper being one of them, lime sulphur would be another, and also neem oil and Karanja oil which are seed oils from trees in India have also become very popular. They act differently than horticultural petroleum oils and they actually have some added benefits for the health of the tree, but in the dormant season, those are the basic options that we're dealing with to help with these overwintering insects and disease pressures.
When it comes to oils or copper and lime sulphur, if those products are applied when there's foliage on the tree, you can get what's called phytotoxicity. So these products can damage or burn off the leaves. And if it's even later than that, they could potentially burn the flowers or lead to roughened fruit.
And so, if it is known there is a mite problem or a scale problem, these products need to be applied earlier in the dormant season. Maybe in late January, mid to late March or so. At that time, you can apply them at a higher rate and have a greater impact on those pest species populations.
The sooner we get to that bud swell, bud break, and what we call green tip, which is when you start to see the very, very first hints of green tissue emerge, we need to reduce the rates so that we don't cause any phytotoxicity problems in the tree itself.
And so, by reducing the rates once the buds start to break, we're obviously going to have less efficacy against some of those insects and disease pests. But as well, those pests are starting to wake up and they become more susceptible. So, there's a little bit of a sweet spot.
We don't like to recommend applying anything too early in the dormant season. We also don't want to apply it too late because then we have to reduce the rates too much. So somewhere right around what we call delayed dormant. So just as the buds start to swell, but before there's that green tissue, that's really the sweet spot of when you want to apply these for the most efficacy.
Spraying Different Plants
Proper identification of insect pests and diseases is an important step before attempting to control the pest. Not all plant problems are caused by pests; some are caused by cultural, nutritional or environmental conditions.
If you are unsure, feel free to contact our experts who provide a host of garden maintenance services.
BZ Gardens - Garden Maintenance Services
Winter wash spraying your plants and shrubbery is a great way to improve their longevity and health going into spring and summer. Our experts at BZ Gardens offer a range of important garden maintenance services to improve your garden's appearance and health, whether you need a general tidy-up or some trimming we’d be happy to offer our assistance. For more information take a look at our services here, alternatively get in touch with us here.
Pruning is an essential task that needs to be undertaken throughout the year to improve the health and longevity of plants, shrubbery and trees. Winter pruning is the practice that involves shaping, clipping and preserving branches on a tree or shrub. Pruning in the winter is a great way to remove unneeded branches, allowing the organism to focus its growth elsewhere. As a leading greenwaste company we delve into the importance of pruning during winter.
When Is The Best Time Within Winter To Prune
Pruning apple and pear trees during winter is best done between November and March as the trees will be dormant. We recommend pruning in December and January when the cold weather settles sets in.
How To Winter Prune
Before you start clipping, it's important to make sure you have sharp secateurs or clippers. Keeping these clean is a great way to minimise the chance of infection when pruning. It is recommended to shorten the main branches by about one-third to encourage the development of new and existing branches. Make sure to leave side shoots un-pruned so that they can develop into fruit buds faster in the warmer months. Pruning in these colder months is a great way to see the structure of your trees, use the tree's skeleton to shape and evaluate what branches need shortening or removal.
Managing An Orchard - How We Can Help
Pruning one or a few trees can be difficult, let alone an entire orchard. Failing to prune could reduce the fruit yield they produce, it may also lead to weaker branches breaking or spoiling the fruit on the ground. If you have to prune a multitude of trees you can just stick to the essentials within pruning that include; keeping the centre of the tree clear of growth, removing branches that compete or rub against one another for space and the removal of protruding branches.
Making sure every tree receives the treatment mentioned above, will ensure that your fruit will flourish during its development in spring. Instead of trying to manage and deal with the trimming and maintenance yourself, our arboricultural experts can step in and help. Effective tree management does not only improve its health and appearance, it also helps the environment. Our groundsmen are able to advise and execute any work that your trees may need, from simple pruning and trimming to extensive tree surgery. We tailor every job based on your needs, find out more about our tree maintenance services here.
BZ Gardens - The Specialist Greenwaste Company
It can be hard to stay on top of pruning if you have an orchard of large space of land with trees and shrubbery that can quickly become overgrown. Attempting the task yourself can quickly become overwhelming and time-consuming, our greenwaste company experts could take the work of your hands whilst ensuring that each and every tree is at optimal health. For more information get in touch on 01483 299 797 or fill out a contact form here.
One issue that many keen gardeners will come up against from time to time is the issue of pests. As specialists in landscape design services, we know just how irritating it can be when all your beautiful garden plants are being eaten away. For this reason, we have written this guide to provide insight on some of the most common pests and how to deal with them.
Slugs and Snails
One of the most common pests you will encounter in UK gardens are slugs and snails. Both widespread and persistent, these can cause considerable damage to your garden. Often they will eat holes in leaves as well as flowers, bulbs and stems. Most at risk are new spring herbaceous plants and seedlings. Yet, both slugs and snails can be problematic in the garden annually.
However, there are a few natural deterrents you can use to limit the damage. For slugs, consider lining your borders with upturned eggshells or creating a rough area of sand around your plants. Both will work to deter these pesky creatures.
Ants
Prevalent in many gardens, ants although not official pests, can be irritating for many gardeners. Ant nests can cause damage to flower pots and lawns as little heaps of soil appear above the surface. Often, these pests are best left alone, but you can brush away the aforementioned soil heaps on dry days.
Glasshouse Thrips
Small insects such as this can be problematic for a range of greenhouse plants. Thrips will suck sap from plants causing pale mottling and brown marks to appear on the surface of leaves.
They are active all year round within greenhouses and cause a lot of damage between April and September. In order to remove these, hand sticky blue sheets among plants that can trap insects.
Summary
Don’t let the damage caused by these garden pests deter you from maintaining your garden spaces. With a few of these handy tips pests such as slugs, snails, glasshouse thrips and ants can be controlled. A few additional pests you may want to be aware of include; Box tree moths, Tortrix moths, Rosemary beetle larvae and Viburnum beetles.
Contact Us - Landscape Design Services
As specialists in providing landscape design services, we have a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge in our industry. BZ Gardens has fast become a well-established and well-regarded business. We create and care for unique gardens and open spaces for residential, commercial and public clients across London, Greater London and more. Should you have any questions regarding our landscape design services or anything else, feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
One of our garden maintenance services that we provide is our groundwork services. But what do groundwork contractors do? What are the benefits of getting a groundwork contractor to work on your site? This article will cover these questions and much more.
What Do Groundwork Contractors Do? - Service Overview
Groundwork helps to prepare ground surfaces and below for any building work. To get this process carried out in an efficient and effective manner, our groundwork contractors will be on hand. They will help clear the site, lay down foundations and establish drainage and pipes. Groundwork contractors may also help with the construction of roads and car parks.
What is Included in our Groundwork Services?
Our groundwork services help cover a wide range of factors in garden upkeep. These include:
- Excavations
- Site Clearance
- Foundations and footings
- Mini Piling
- Utility Trenchwork
- Drainage
Operated Machinery Hire
In addition to the services listed above that are provided by our groundwork contractors, this service also provides various manned operated machinery for hire. This is ideal for excavations, laying aggregates, top soil and earth moving. These machineries help to speed up groundwork processes. These machineries also come with fully trained operators who are on hand for any of your requirements.
Why Choose BZ Gardens For Your Groundwork Services?
For groundwork services, there are plenty of contractors available to you to choose from. That being said, when choosing BZ Gardens, you will receive a level of service and commitment that is unrivalled. Thus, if you need residential or commercial groundwork, BZ Gardens is a service you can trust.
Summary
From site clearance to excavations, drainage and much more, there are many benefits to our groundwork services. Our groundwork contractors provide a wealth of knowledge and experience in caring for a range of different kinds of commercial and domestic gardens and know exactly what to do to ensure your space looks great all year round.
Contact Us - Garden Maintenance Services
With a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge in our industry, BZ gardens has quickly grown to become a well-established and well-regarded business. We create and care for unique gardens and open spaces for residential, commercial and public clients across London, Greater London and more. Should you have any questions regarding our groundwork services or anything else, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help with your enquiries.