Gentle pest controls
by Lauren Bonar Swezey, Bud Stuckey
Common garden pests and safe, effective remedies
Warming spring weather means one thing: Pests and diseases are coming out in force, ready to attack tender new foliage and flowers. Before you get mad and reach for a chemical arsenal to do away with the nuisances, consider this: A cautious approach makes sense for the overall health of your garden, not to mention the children and pets who play there. Check the plants' growing conditions-healthy vigorous plants are better equipped to resist pests and diseases.
* Is the affected plant growing in the conditions it requires? Make sure it has plenty of room to grow, the correct amount of light (sun or shade), and sufficient air circulation around it.
* Is the soil healthy? Flowers and vegetables thrive in well-amended soil with plenty of compost. Trees and shrubs don't need soil amendments, but covering the soil around them with an organic mulch such as bark chips helps keep the roots cool and encourages beneficial organisms in the soil.
Does the plant receive the amount of water and nutrients it needs? Water-stressed plants are weak and susceptible to attack. Water early in the morning when the temperature is rising.
If good care isn't enough to keep insects or diseases at bay, identify the problem (the most common are shown and described on these pages), then choose the correct control method from the chart on page 108. Give the control a chance to work before trying something stronger.
APHIDS. Soft-bodied insects from 1/16 to 1/4 inch long, aphids can be found in a range of colors from black to pink to white and pale green. They usually cluster on the new growth of perennials, roses, and woody plants. Adults and nymphs damage plants by sucking out sap. In small numbers, aphids do little harm. But they can rapidly build up to destructive numbers.
MITES. These tiny, eight-legged pests of black, green, red, or yellow are nearly invisible. They destroy plants by sucking juices from the leaves, giving the leaves a stippled, bleached, or spotted appearance. Mites are most severe in hot, dry weather.
SCALES appear as clusters of crusty, waxy, or smooth bumps on leaves, branches, and the bark of trees and shrubs. There are numerous types varying in size, color, and shape. They spend most of their lives immobile, sucking nutrients out of their plant victims. Black sooty mold fungus may cover parts of the plant; heavily infested twigs and branches may die. Scales have protective coatings that help prevent sprays from affecting them; young crawlers are most susceptible to sprays.
WHITEFLIES. These tiny, winged insects appear in large numbers, typically on the undersides of leaves; vegetables and ornamental plants are favorites. Both the adults and wingless, transparent nymphs suck sap from plants. Affected leaves may be stippled yellow and covered by black sooty mold fungus. When the infested plants are disturbed (by humans, pets, or the elements), whiteflies scatter.
SLUGS AND SNAILS are mollusks, not insects. Snails have brown shells; slugs do not. Slugs come in many colors and sizes, but the 1-inch-long brown garden slugs are the most common pest of plants. Both snails and slugs rasp large, ragged holes in leaves and flowers.
Have you seen beneficial insects in your garden?
Ladybugs, green lacewings, and other "good" bugs can keep aphids, scales, and other "bad" bugs in check. Encourage them to stay in the garden by setting out plants to feed and shelter them.
Mix annuals and perennials that bloom over a long season. Favorites of beneficial insects include coreopsis, corn cockle, cosmos, sweet alyssum, and yarrow. Avoid indiscriminate spraying, which kills good bugs too.
One way to be certain that beneficial insects inhabit your garden is to introduce them yourself. You can order them by mail or on-line from the following sources.
Harmony Farm Supply, Box 460, Graton, CA 95444; (707) 823-9125 or www.harmonyfarm.com.
Natural Pest Controls, 8864 Little Creek Dr., Orangevale, CA 95662; (916) 726-0855 or www.natpestco.com.
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, Box 2209, Grass Valley CA 95945; (888) 784-1722 or www.groworganic.com.
ANTS. These small six-legged insects live in colonies in the soil, under rocks, or in crevices between paving stones. Newly hatched ants have wings; adults can be distinguished from termites by their narrow midsections. Ants encourage and protect sap-sucking insects such as aphids and scales.
POWDERY MILDEWS. These white or gray fungi attack the foliage and flowers of many kinds of plants, turning infected leaves yellowish green to brown, and stunting and distorting new growth. Mildews thrive when cool nights are followed by warm days--particularly in fall.
BLACKSPOT, fringed black spots on leaves, is a fungus disease that can defoliate a plant.
RUSTS are orange-yellow to rusty brown fungi that attack many plants. Powdery pustules appear on the undersides of leaves, but the first sign of infestation may be a yellow mottling on the upper leaf surfaces.
Common garden pests and safe, effective remedies
Warming spring weather means one thing: Pests and diseases are coming out in force, ready to attack tender new foliage and flowers. Before you get mad and reach for a chemical arsenal to do away with the nuisances, consider this: A cautious approach makes sense for the overall health of your garden, not to mention the children and pets who play there. Check the plants' growing conditions-healthy vigorous plants are better equipped to resist pests and diseases.
* Is the affected plant growing in the conditions it requires? Make sure it has plenty of room to grow, the correct amount of light (sun or shade), and sufficient air circulation around it.
* Is the soil healthy? Flowers and vegetables thrive in well-amended soil with plenty of compost. Trees and shrubs don't need soil amendments, but covering the soil around them with an organic mulch such as bark chips helps keep the roots cool and encourages beneficial organisms in the soil.
Does the plant receive the amount of water and nutrients it needs? Water-stressed plants are weak and susceptible to attack. Water early in the morning when the temperature is rising.
If good care isn't enough to keep insects or diseases at bay, identify the problem (the most common are shown and described on these pages), then choose the correct control method from the chart on page 108. Give the control a chance to work before trying something stronger.
APHIDS. Soft-bodied insects from 1/16 to 1/4 inch long, aphids can be found in a range of colors from black to pink to white and pale green. They usually cluster on the new growth of perennials, roses, and woody plants. Adults and nymphs damage plants by sucking out sap. In small numbers, aphids do little harm. But they can rapidly build up to destructive numbers.
MITES. These tiny, eight-legged pests of black, green, red, or yellow are nearly invisible. They destroy plants by sucking juices from the leaves, giving the leaves a stippled, bleached, or spotted appearance. Mites are most severe in hot, dry weather.
SCALES appear as clusters of crusty, waxy, or smooth bumps on leaves, branches, and the bark of trees and shrubs. There are numerous types varying in size, color, and shape. They spend most of their lives immobile, sucking nutrients out of their plant victims. Black sooty mold fungus may cover parts of the plant; heavily infested twigs and branches may die. Scales have protective coatings that help prevent sprays from affecting them; young crawlers are most susceptible to sprays.
WHITEFLIES. These tiny, winged insects appear in large numbers, typically on the undersides of leaves; vegetables and ornamental plants are favorites. Both the adults and wingless, transparent nymphs suck sap from plants. Affected leaves may be stippled yellow and covered by black sooty mold fungus. When the infested plants are disturbed (by humans, pets, or the elements), whiteflies scatter.
SLUGS AND SNAILS are mollusks, not insects. Snails have brown shells; slugs do not. Slugs come in many colors and sizes, but the 1-inch-long brown garden slugs are the most common pest of plants. Both snails and slugs rasp large, ragged holes in leaves and flowers.
Have you seen beneficial insects in your garden?
Ladybugs, green lacewings, and other "good" bugs can keep aphids, scales, and other "bad" bugs in check. Encourage them to stay in the garden by setting out plants to feed and shelter them.
Mix annuals and perennials that bloom over a long season. Favorites of beneficial insects include coreopsis, corn cockle, cosmos, sweet alyssum, and yarrow. Avoid indiscriminate spraying, which kills good bugs too.
One way to be certain that beneficial insects inhabit your garden is to introduce them yourself. You can order them by mail or on-line from the following sources.
Harmony Farm Supply, Box 460, Graton, CA 95444; (707) 823-9125 or www.harmonyfarm.com.
Natural Pest Controls, 8864 Little Creek Dr., Orangevale, CA 95662; (916) 726-0855 or www.natpestco.com.
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, Box 2209, Grass Valley CA 95945; (888) 784-1722 or www.groworganic.com.
ANTS. These small six-legged insects live in colonies in the soil, under rocks, or in crevices between paving stones. Newly hatched ants have wings; adults can be distinguished from termites by their narrow midsections. Ants encourage and protect sap-sucking insects such as aphids and scales.
POWDERY MILDEWS. These white or gray fungi attack the foliage and flowers of many kinds of plants, turning infected leaves yellowish green to brown, and stunting and distorting new growth. Mildews thrive when cool nights are followed by warm days--particularly in fall.
BLACKSPOT, fringed black spots on leaves, is a fungus disease that can defoliate a plant.
RUSTS are orange-yellow to rusty brown fungi that attack many plants. Powdery pustules appear on the undersides of leaves, but the first sign of infestation may be a yellow mottling on the upper leaf surfaces.
posted by Ed at 2:16 PM
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