Overfeeding your plants can attract aphids to your garden

In June, fertiliser can give our flowering and fruiting plants the boost they need to produce even more blooms and harvests – but according to experts, overfeeding your plants could invite one troublesome pest into your garden.

The pest in question? The infamous aphid – and while there are plenty of ways to get rid of aphids, prevention is usually better than cure. They’re common antagonists of peas, roses and a range of other plants, and they can wreak havoc on an otherwise productive garden.

Here’s why overfeeding your plants can attract aphids – and what to do if you’ve already given them too much fertiliser.