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Control of weeds

Controlling weeds is a basic, and probably the most arduous, factor of cultivation and has been carried on from the time the earliest nomads settled down to an agricultural life. It has always been necessary to free the chosen crops of competition from other plants. For smaller weeds hoeing is practicable. The weeds are cut off by the action of the hoe and left to wither on the surface. Hand weeding, by pulling out individual weeds, is often necessary in gardens, particularly the rock garden, in seed boxes, and in the herbaceous border or among annuals. Chemical and biological control of weeds developed greatly after World War II and has made much mechanical cultivation unnecessary.

Control of pests and diseases

Damage to plants is most often caused by pests such as insects, mites, eelworms, and other small creatures but may also be caused by mammals such as deer, rabbits, and mice. Damage by disease is that caused by fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Prevention is generally better than cure, and constant vigilance is necessary to prevent a pest infestation or a disease outbreak. Control can be obtained by the use of chemical sprays, dusts, and fumigants, but some of these are so potent that they should be used only by the experienced operator. Considerable evidence is available regarding the possible harmful long-term effects on the biological chain of excessive use of some of these noxious chemicals, particularly the hydrocarbons. Some control can be obtained through good garden practices: clearing up all dead and diseased material and burning it; pruning and thinning so that a reasonable circulation of air is obtained through the plants; and crop rotation. Some control may also be obtained through natural biological predators. The breeding of plants immune to certain pests and diseases is also a valuable means of control.

Mechanical aids

Mechanical devices to aid the gardener include tillers, lawn mowers, hedge cutters, sprinklers, and a variety of more esoteric equipment that has made gardening an easier pursuit. Such machines are not a substitute for good judgment and technique in the garden, however, nor will they give anyone a completely labour-free garden. They do enable a considerably larger area to be cultivated and maintained than if all labour is performed by hand.

Geoffrey A.C. Herklots Patrick Millington Synge Roy Perrott