Encouraging biodiversity in the orchard

Encouraging beneficial insects into the orchard is vital for combatting pests without using chemicals. A wide range of plants and habitats will encourage the likes of butterflies, bats, birds, bees, parasitic wasps, lacewings, hoverflies, ladybirds and more. Many of these creatures will predate on pests such as aphids, sawflies and codling moth. A healthy biodiverse ecosystem encourages nature to do the pest control for us.

Nesting boxes placed around the orchard will encourage birds to live and feed on site. Birds such as Blue Tits love to dine out on a feast of aphids.

Hedgerows can be managed to encourage more birds by altering the cutting regime so that only one side of the hedge is cut each year. This allows for more fruiting in the hedge that the birds will forage on in the wintertime.

Encouraging bats will help keep the problem of Codling moth under control.