Help, my leaves are being eaten! What can I do?
If the edges of the leaves of your plants are damaged, the culprit is probably the vine weevil. These beetles are mainly active at night. Sometimes, you can even see the larvae or eggs. The larvae of the vine weevil burrow to feed on the roots of a plant, eventually killing it. Note: the vine weevil affects yew trees as well as many other plants.
We can combat vine weevil larvae using biological agents such as nematodes. Twice a year, we spread the nematodes over the places where the larvae gather. Using nematodes to combat vine weevils is safe for people, plants, and animals.
Gerelateerde vragen
How can I prevent weeds growing in the joints in my paving?
What is the maximum height of the boundary fence?
I’d like to have lots of butterflies and bees in my garden. How do I make my garden attractive to them?
How can I increase biodiversity in my garden?
- Plant a hedge instead of erecting a fence.
- Think about putting a pond in your garden, or provide water bowls; insects and birds love water.
- Make sure you have a wide variety of flowers that bloom in different seasons. By selecting plants in this way, you’ll be able to enjoy your garden more throughout the year.
- If you have enough space in your garden, you can place some wattle walls. These provide shelter for small animals such as amphibians, hedgehogs, and birds. If your garden is smaller, you can also place mounds of branches and leaves for guests such as hedgehogs.
- Another good idea is to hang up a bee hotel where bees can nest and hibernate,
- Hang up some birdhouses to provide shelter for our feathered friends.
- Avoid using chemical pesticides and herbicides in your garden.
- You can also rewild an area of your garden, where nature can take its course.
Should I disconnect my roof drainpipes from the sewer and divert rainwater to rain barrels in the garden?
Can I get a subsidy for a green roof?
Can I turn an existing wall into a green wall?
When’s the best time to plant fruit trees and other trees?
What are the rules concerning trees, shrubs, and the property boundaries?
- Trees must be at least 2 metres from the property boundary
- Hedges and shrubs must be at least 50 cm from the property boundary
- A tree or hedge which is not higher than the fence
- After 20 years, your right to demand the relocation of a tree or hedge ends. This is called the ‘statute of limitations’ in legal jargon.
How often should I water my plants and my lawn?
How can I improve my plants’ resistance to pests?
My garden remains waterlogged for a long time. Can I do anything about it?
- Install a drainage system: If the soil above the groundwater level is waterlogged, you might have to install a drainage system so that the water can drain to a lower location. Such a system consists of ribbed tubes with thousands of holes in the walls, covered with coconut fibre. They do have to lead to some point where the water can go, and this must be lower than the drainage pipe.
- Aeration: Regularly aerating the lawn helps the lawn and underlying soil absorb water, reducing the likelihood of puddles forming on the grass.
- Improve the soil structure: Soils that retain a lot of moisture, such as clayey and loamy soil, are much more sensitive to heavy rain. If your garden contains this type of soil, it’s a good idea to spread a thin layer of sand each winter to improve the soil structure. This will help rainwater soak into the soil.
- Create a wadi: A garden wadi (a type of soakaway) is a lowered area in your garden where rain can collect, and then infiltrate the soil. This both prevents water accumulating where you don’t want it, and stimulates biodiversity; it will become a habitat for plants and animals that can withstand water and drought. In addition, a wadi can reduce the burden on the sewer system if rainwater drains are connected to it.
- Install an infiltration box: This is a large capacity box into which water can penetrate easily. The box acts as a buffer; it fills up with water in heavy rain, after which the water can gradually infiltrate the surrounding soil. One of the advantages is that it takes pressure of the sewers, as water can be directed to the box instead.
- Grate gutters (drainage gutters): Placing grate gutters or channel gutters around the edge of the lawn works really well. Excess water is collected by the gutters, and discharged to the sewer.
My neighbours’ trees are a nuisance, can I do anything about this?
Cats are causing a lot of nuisance in my garden. What can I do?
My garden is shady, with little direct sun. Which plants will give me enough colour in my garden?
- Lungworts (Pulmonaria)
- Wolf’s bane (Aconitum)
- Columbine (Aquilegia)
- Crane’s bill (Geranium)
- Bleeding heart (Dicentra)
- Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
- Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis)
- Plantain lilies (Hosta)
- Barrenwort (Epimedium)
- Great forget-me-not (Brunnera)