build a STRONG PLOT

You can manage plant pests and diseases without reaching for the spray gun

- GRAHAM ROSS

As the heady days of quick-growing summer vegies pass and you start helping winter’s slow coaches reach their potential, think about changing your gardening style. Instead of tackling pests and diseases as they appear, act so these perils don’t eventuate in the first place. Here are tips on how you can take control of your patch.

YOUR CARE PLAN

• Rotate your crops to ensure pathogens don’t build up in the soil.

• Plant small native shrubs to provide food and shelter for small birds, which will eat plenty of pests as soon as they arrive.