The combination of hot and wet weather has seen our plants and weeds go into overdrive but also our wild garden residents have ramped up their presence too.
I hooked up with Grazers in March at the Garden Press Event and was impressed with their range of wildlife friendly deterrents.
So what is different about Grazers rather than other 'pest' control products on the market? Well actually, A LOT. Grazers use a calcium-based mix which, when applied to foliage, makes those leaves bitter and unappealing to the 'pests' in question. Rather than killing them it simply moves those creatures on so they still remain in the food chain but are not using your treasured plants as a restaurant.
Grazers is safe is use on crops and poses no threat to adults, children, pets or wildlife. It does not kill anything.
By not killing the pests in your garden you are also protecting the birds, hedgehogs and frogs as you are not taking away their food source. Nature has a great way of balancing itself out so if we have a huge infestation of one creature, it is likely that a predator will come along and relish the feast, solving the problem naturally, it just takes time.
For example I had an elder tree covered in aphids earlier this year and was interested to see how this situation played out. Other than being unsightly the infestation held no problem to me so I did not intervene, I simply observed. First the ants moved in to herd the aphids for their own gain to obtain the sweet honey dew the aphids were extracting and then came the ladybirds who gradually munched through the colony. What was the outcome? Nature took its course and the aphids became part of the food chain. So this is where Grazers comes in. Their products protect the plants you want to keep safe by making them unappealing to hungry critters in the first place. These creatures can then move to a different area, perhaps a part of the garden left wild and here they can carry on their life cycle naturally without damaging your border plants.
How does it work? Grazers comes in liquid form which the gardener sprays over the plant's leaves. This covers the plant in a fine mist of calcium which the plant absorbs. The calcium will stay on the leaves until it gets washed off with rainfall, new growth will have some resistance too but then reapplication is needed to continue protection.
I have been using their range for a few months now and have experience very good results. I protected my young beans and sweet peas and they remained 'unmunched.' You just need to remember to reapply the product.
Grazers recognise how important each and every mini beast is to our garden eco systems so instead of trying to blast everything with poisonous chemicals Grazers sprays make plants unattractive to these creatures by covering them in a calcium-based liquid which makes the pests move on... remaining part of our garden's food chain and protecting our precious plants!
So what does Grazer's range consist of? G1 rabbits, pigeons and deer pollinator-friendly spray encases your plant in a scent which is detested by the aforementioned hungry 'pests.'
There is nothing more disheartening than discovering your well-loved, nurtured seedlings have been munched to the ground over night but at the same time the sight of a snail ambling through your garden is a welcomed common sight, illustrating a well-balance garden and one that provides a food source for other much loved creatures such as birds and frogs.
Slugs and snails are repelled by the scent of Grazers G2 and quietly slip off to a different, less scented area of the garden and in the process saving your precious plants. Thank goodness!
Grazers G3 tackles cabbage white butterflies and caterpillars; hopefully making your delicious edibles a no go area for local wildlife.
And finally lily beetle, what can I say, except reach for a bottle of Grazers G4!
Give Grazers a go. I can highly recommend.
You can enjoy a garden that is bursting with blooms and edibles but equally be safe in the knowledge that you are supporting nature and all the mini beasts that keep our gardens healthy. Everything has its place in the food chain and helps maintain a balanced ecosystem, so we can do our bit to not upset the balance.
All photos © Debi Holland 2021
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