I DO a fair few gardening talks and my favorite one is about the insects in my organic garden. As someone who doesn’t use any chemical props at all, the gardeners I speak to are often surprised to hear that the insecticide they’ve used to kill their aphids is also killing their ladybird adults, ladybird larvae, and lacewing and hoverfly larvae.
I point out two other things as well. Darwin’s theory, about natural selection, means that it’s the aphids with chemical resistance that survive. Given that they produce identical clones, their offspring also have resistance to that chemical. I also point out that fine chemical sprays enter our lungs and get pumped around our bodies. And those chemicals can stay with us.
Denne historien er fra November 20, 2021-utgaven av Amateur Gardening.
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Denne historien er fra November 20, 2021-utgaven av Amateur Gardening.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
To dig or not to dig?
Should we be carrying out a full dig on plots now? Bob considers the pros and cons of the 'autumn dig' debate
The box ball blues
As if his beleaguered box hadn't already taken a beating, Toby now has to deal with some hungry box caterpillars
Save your own seeds
Masterclass on: seed saving
Strange sightings
Three unusual insects turn up in Val's garden in one day
A bolt from the blue!
Cornflowers are perfect for garden and vase
Winter moth prevention
Ruth shows you how to avoid maggoty tree fruits
Create a winter container
There are as many options as in summer
Lightweight gardening tools
AS well as being good for our mental health, gardening is also great exercise.
Autumn price round-up
AG finds better bargains in lesser-known brands
Rudbeckias
Rudbeckias are ideal for sunny summer patios and borders, with some able to survive our coldest winters