How to banish garden pests and weeds

Weeds and pests can invade your garden and leave you in despair. Follow these easy tips to get rid of them for good.

Banish weeds

A dreaded weed invasion will not only choke your garden, but also leave it looking unkept. These easy tips will help you slay those unwelcome visitors to your garden.Eradicate weeds while they are still new. If you remove them before they form seeds they can be left in garden beds to wilt in the sun.

Fertilise enough, but not too much. Too little fertiliser can lead to sparse lawn that loses the competition with weeds. Too much helps nurture certain weeds.
Water grass infrequently and deeply. Frequent, light watering causes shallow roots and helps some weed seeds germinate.
Avoid digging up your beds unnecessarily, as weed seeds brought to the surface are more likely to germinate due to exposure to light and water.
Use weed-free compost from a reputable source.
Mow higher. Mowing too low weakens grass by reducing the ability of a grass leaf to produce enough nutrients.

Practise companion planting

The best way to ensure you have a healthy garden is to practise companion planting. This is an easy and safe way to have an organic garden wall that keeps harmful pests at bay.

Plant herbs, flowers and small vegetables in your pods to create visual interest with different colours and textures, creating a lovely edible display.
Plant marigolds among your herbs and vegetables. They are known to deter bean beetles, squash bugs, tomato hornworms and white flies. The root of the marigold produces a chemical that kills nematodes as they enter the soil.
To give more colour, add pansies and violas. They’re edible and look great in spring salads.
Also in the pods we planted are spearmint, winter savoury, celery leaf, gooseberry and fennel.
To give your garden a nutrient boost, use slow-release fertiliser granules within the potting mix. Do not add fertilisers or chemicals directly to the watering system.