Thinking ahead...

Hi all,

This year I've embarked on a rather (hopefully not over) ambitious vegetable garden. I have various veg/salad planted around the garden and have noticed that something has started nibbling the lettuce. Its nothing drastic at the moment but I want to make sure that I'm armed to deal with pests as and when they happen.

What I'm hoping for is to get some products that can be used around dogs and other animals. Any suggestions?

 

It might be worth having a good read up on the art of 'companion planting'. I've only learned a bit, but the idea is to break from the tradition of great rows of the same thing, and mix stuff up so that a plant that is vulnerable to aphids (for example) stands close to a plant that repels aphids.

I've had some positive results with Rosemary growing next to stuff that aphids would normally attack. The strong scent of rosemary, which to us human sorts is a nice smell, is horrible to aphids. I also grow nasturtium every year and in a normal year don't get too much trouble from slugs and caterpillars, which prefer the nasturtium and so munch that, but unlike many plants, nasturtium is tough enough to look after its self and can take a bit of punishment. Some people put carrots and onions together, as one defends the other from its natural pests, and some say English Marigolds repel various types of pests.

I'm not an expert on this by any means, but its worth having a read up on to see if it might be an option that would fit in with your gardening style.

 

Best Vegetable book by far, IMHO, is the "Vegetable and Herb Expert" by D G Hessayon. In addition to "reference" details of planting times / distances / etc. it also has details of pests and diseases for each crop. It won't tell you hoe to dig, plant, or any other basis, its just a reference book.

 

Thanks for your post Clueless1. This is really helpful as I was going to start another post about what can/can't be grown next to one another and this way forward would seem really sensible. I do have some pots that probably only have room for one type of veg but the bigger planters I could definitely do this with. I actually have carrots and onions, so that's a great start!

Thank you

 

Now ordered.....thank you

 

You can come round and beat me up if you don't think it's brilliant

 

Hopefully you'll be safe this time. I have that same book and agree it is brilliant.

 

Have they updated The Vegetable Expert with regard to available varieties? My copy still thinks Shoulder pads and big hair are in fashion.

 

Not that I know of ... varieties is going to be an ongoing battle though - led by Marketing Departments in Seed companies, rather than "need" IMHO.

Agree that the Variety Info in Vegetable Expert needs to be read with consideration that there are newer (and in some cases "better") varieties. Mine does cover the Super Sweet varieties of Sweet Corn though ... so its not as old as my Linguaphone course which has translation of phrases such as "My postillion has been struck by lightening"