Go easy on the chemicals

By John Warrington

I briefly talked about using chemicals towards the end of last week’s column. Let me continue for a while this week. If you have to use chemicals, don’t use them as a routine to control a pest or a disease which you have, or which you may get in the future. The very best way is by cutting out infected branches or picking off infected leaves. Use a chemical only when you really have no other option, otherwise you may end up with a very serious problem. The reason for this is that pests and diseases become resistant to every chemical you use when you don’t really need to use them, and you end up employing ever stronger chemicals which are ever more dangerous.

Pests and diseases behave in much the same way as the weakest animal or plant. So cut out branches and shoots which continue to attract certain pests and diseases, or just do not grow them at all. However, if there is a plant that is the only one of its kind in a collection, most of us will try to save it. I certainly would. Just try and make it stronger.