Avoiding pesticides enables natural predators to thrive and hold garden pests in check. The less you spray, the less you will need to spray. You can also control pests by including barriers and traps, and encouraging natural predators by growing plants that attract them into your garden. See Wildlife Gardening and Pest Control for more tips.

Weeds
Prevent weeds by covering the soil surface with ground cover plants or a thick mulch.
When clearing new areas, cover the ground to exclude light then dig out any remaining persistent weeds. Use old carpets or black polythene, anchored down with bricks, for about six months before planting.
See Controlling Weeds for more tips.

Crop rotation
This is essential in the vegetable garden and helps prevent soil diseases and pests building up.

Companion plants
By planting companion plants you can disguise the smell of other plants, and so confuse pests that locate plants by smell. Grow garlic, for example, between rows of carrots or among roses. Or planting marigolds close to tomatoes and cabbages discourages attacks by cabbage white butterflies and whiteflies. These plants also attract hoverflies that, in turn, consume aphids.

For more information, visit HDRA - Organic Gardening Society online.