Eco-friendly approach best way to tackle garden bugs

Taking an eco-friendly approach to the problem of certain types of
garden pests can often be more effective than relying on pesticide, one
expert has advised.

With lily beetles getting ready to settle down and hibernate in the top
two inches of soil in gardens across the country, gardeners have been
warned that, left unchecked, they can wreak havoc on bulbs and next
spring's shoots.

And while pesticide can be used to tackle the problem, the Telegraph's
gardening expert Helen Yemm has revealed that a hands-on approach is not
only better for the environment, it is usually more effective in the
long-run.

She adds, however: "Defeating them without spraying has to involve a
daily hunt and cannot, unlike many routine gardening jobs, be
accomplished with scissors, secateurs, a cup of coffee or something
stronger in hand since it requires three of your four useful
extremities: one hand to tap them off the plant, one hand to catch them,
and one foot to stamp triumphantly."

Scarlet lily beetles usually emerge out of hibernation earlier than most
garden pests, feeding on the leaves, stems, buds and flowers of lilies.

Related Stories

Gardening is 'good for health and mental wellbeing', expert says

One in five children remains connected with nature

Gardeners facing 40-year wait for allotments

Tyneside kids help with church garden revamp

Credit-crunching gardening tips