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during the day making collection easy. Sink shallow cups of beer or milk in borders, setting them slightly above soil level - you don't want ground beetles falling in as they are a natural predator of slugs. Keep your garden tidy, slugs love to hide under

. In severe cases, growth becomes distorted, leaves curl up, the plant weakens and can die.Natural predators, such as birds, earwigs, ladybirds, lacewings, hoverflies, ground beetles, spiders and parasitic wasps are a gardener's best allies. Some

, greenhouse plantsall year roundMore common garden pestsAphidsFlea beetleEuonymus scaleWhitefly

Jekka McVicar's 10 companion plantsJekka McVicar's organic herb garden achieved a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2009. We caught up with her at the show to discover her top 10 herbs for growing as companion plants.Companion planting

for the following year.More on growing asparagusAsparagus beetle blog, by Richard Jones.How to improve your soil.Weed by hand video project.

stems are perfect for the bee hotel. Easy to gather and cut, they are available in a range of diameters, including 3-5mm, as preferred by the bees.Attracting insects and wildlife to your gardenPlants for beesWildlife-friendly plantsMaking a stag beetle

to the seeds.AdamFlea beetle can be a problem in summer, nibbling holes in rocket leaves. The best defence is to cover the row with a length of horticultural fleece or a fleece-covered mini tunnel.Advice on growing salad cropsRead Pippa Greenwood's blog

as soon as roots have formed.More on growing herbsSow basil seed, video advice from Joe SwiftGrowing peppermint and thyme, with Monty DonDeterring rosemary leaf beetleAdvice on picking herbs

Even a small pond will make a big difference to your garden, attracting a wide range of creatures. Let wildlife find your pond naturally and it will soon become a thriving habitat for anything from mayflies to hedgehogs.Give your pond the best