Garden foes

You can only effectively fight something if you identify precisely what you are up against. If the leaves of your tomato plants turn yellow, it might not be a disease; it could simply be nutrient deficiency. If rabbits eat your lettuce, a fence makes sense, but rabbits tunnel so you must bury some of the fence into the ground.
Also think about ways to prevent insects. Certain pests appear the same time every year. Keep track of these events in your garden calendar. Consult with other gardeners in your neighbourhood to see what they do.

Rabbits and other wildlife are always on the lookout for food, water and shelter, therefore sanitation in your garden is important. Raking up fallen leaves, cleaning up rotten fruit that has fallen on the ground and moving it to the compost will discourage unwanted visitors. After the season is over, remove all spent plants. From your small fruit bushes cut out dead or diseased branches and limbs.
Plants that die from disease must be removed immediately from your garden to an off-site location. Do not put diseased plants in your compost. Find an off-site solution for disposing of diseased plants.
If your tools have had contact with a plant where you suspect a disease, sterilise your pruner or other tool by washing them with 125ml bleach diluted in 1 litre water, let it air-dry in the sun, then add a few drops of oil to hinge and blade to prevent rust.

The healthier a plant, the less likely it will be affected by a disease. Providing sufficient water, light, sun, air, regular weeding and nutrients are essential to plant health. Maintain planting distances as specified on the seed packet. Planting too densely allows moisture to get trapped, and becomes a breeding ground for fungi and other diseases.

Crop rotation helps to prevent disease. Some plant diseases remain in the soil and can affect plants from the same crop family the next year, since they are susceptible to similar pathogens. As well, different crop families take different nutrients out of the soil. If you plant your garden in containers, use fresh soil every year. The old soil has been depleted of nutrients because of the intensive root system in a container.

Many insects are important for the health of your garden. Especially pollinators (e.g. bees) and insects that kill unwanted insects, such as ladybugs, are crucial to your garden. You can attract them by planting certain herbs and flowers, such as borage, parsley, coriander, dill, sunflowers, coneflowers and daisies.

There is no single, cure-all remedy against insects so you must first determine precisely which insect is affecting your plant. Check the label to see if it targets your enemy. If you think you absolutely must spray a pesticide, use organic pesticides and make sure it is suitable for crops, and at what stage of growth or harvest it may be used. Using chemicals against insects is not only hazardous to your health but can also kill beneficial insects.

Planting certain plants next to each other can help repel unwanted insects, or attract beneficial insects. Often strongly scented plants, such as herbs or flowers, confuse and distract some insects from the vegetables. For specific companion plants see articles on individual crops.