[Dopey113]

being new to growing things, I'm now worried that all my hard work is going to be eaten by creepy crawlies before i get to the veg, is it really that bad? can pests and diseases be stopped before they start, what's best to do to stop it in its tracks, I'm not an organic gardener, so chemical warfare is acceptable in my book, after all, all is fair in love and war

thanks, Tony

[Ice]

Take a look in the search facility, lots of info there.

[MichelleC]

Dopey113 I was exactly the same last year. In fact one other allotment holder's named me the hypochondriac of veg growing. I watched meticulously every plant that I grew and if something seemed strange I read up on it to see if friend or foe or even a cure. I'm slightly more relaxed about it this year. I didn't really have a problem with slugs/grubs etc but did get Red Spider Mite in my new greenhouse and am already on standby for this year. Also Powdery Mildew was a pain but you can only do so much and you just have to share with Mother Nature. My God - how very rational of me. Let's see how I really get on..

[Totty]

You can buy a product called Nemasys which you water onto your veg patch. It is basically a minute bug which actively seek out slugs and kill them. Each watering should keep the pests at bay for a few months. This is organic.
 Found a bottle of Bromophous in the shed today, something my old grandad gave me a few years ago, the bottle promises to stop all soil bourne pests including cabbage root fly and carrot root fly. I have never used this before and dont think you can buy it. Anyone else?

Totty
 

[JayG]

Found a bottle of Bromophous in the shed today, something my old grandad gave me a few years ago, the bottle promises to stop all soil bourne pests including cabbage root fly and carrot root fly. I have never used this before and dont think you can buy it. Anyone else?
Totty

Bromophos was banned in about 2003, so it will not only be out of date but illegal to use now (yes, it sometimes feels as if we are fighting pests with one arm tied behind our backs but on the whole it's probably not such a bad thing given the history of pesticides - the challenge (and reward  ) for home growers is to beat the pests without resorting to the arsenal of chemical treatments still available to commercial growers.)

[ray7]

I`m having a look at companion planting. If it works as well as veg I will get flowers for the house. After looking at the books on the subject on Amazon I settled on `The A-Z of Companion Planting.` Don`t know if its the best but I found it a good read.

Ray

[Ice]

Have a read of this.  As JayG says, companion planting might not always work  but netting always does.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=90887.0

[Dopey113]

thanks for the link.... blummy everything is under attack!!

[viettaclark]

I've successfully got rid of birds, carrot fly, cabbage white and leek moth by using debris netting, got the slug/snail population under control by night raids/organic pellets but still get mildew on peas and courgettes, grey mould/botrytis on strawberries and tomato blight every Summer/Autumn.
I move stuff to a new bed each year and as long as I'm vigilant and snip off affected growth I still get a crop.
So technically organic.....

[Salmo]

Relax, work with nature and not against it. Mostly pests are just getting on with life and minding their own business. Why should you blame them if you grow something yummy where they live.

When you encounter a possible problem search this site or ask a question, google, read books, listen to others . Gardening is all about learning. The more you know the more you will realize there is to know. That is what keeps us all interested.

[Potiron]

 I got my slug/snail problem under control by putting my Aylesbury ducks on the veg plot in winter, fenced off the part that still had a few things in it, worked a treat not a snail or slug in site.