Gardeners are being urged to put vegetable oil on plants and weeds (Image: Getty)
Gardeners are being urged to put vegetable oil on plants around their .
While December may be a quieter month in the , there are still more winter tasks that need carrying out than you might think.
One of the key tasks to focus on this month is keeping plants healthy during the and that includes controlling pests and diseases in your garden.
If you’re keen to avoid chemicals to keep pests and diseases at bay then the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recommends dousing your plants in vegetable oil.
The natural oil acts by smothering rather than poisoning pests, but it should only be used in small doses and in diluted form.
It’s recommended that gardeners don’t apply vegetable oil directly to plants as this can suffocate its leaves and block its ability to absorb sunlight and water. But, when used in small amounts, or diluted with water, it becomes an effective pest control method.
The oil creates a barrier on the leaves that suffocates and kills certain soft-bodied pests, like scale insects, and their eggs.
It’s particularly useful if you have any plants that are riddled with aphids, whitefly larvae, scales, thrips or mites in winter.
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Additionally, vegetable oil can also be used as a tool to combat weeds in your garden as it can coat the leaves and stems, thereby blocking sunlight and air from reaching the plant and suffocating it.
Using vegetable oil is a more environmentally friendly way to kill troublesome weeds invading your garden, so it’s a good alternative to chemical weedkillers.
It should be poured or sprayed directly onto the leaves and stems of weeds, and depending on the weed type you may need to dilute it with water to achieve the desired effect.
Gardeners should also be mindful not to use vegetable oil in excess as too much can cause disruption to soil ecosystems.