Pests & Diseases

Garden pests can include a pretty huge variety and number of animal and insect species, from dogs and cats to deer to insects, most commonly. Your common Aphids, a truly world-wide species of damaging pest, to cutworms, beetles and just plain dozens of other insects often are regionally- specific. However, as with the Aphid, some are world wide and control of these garden pests can often make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful gardening experience.

In increasing numbers of cases, organic solutions to pest problems are being found, causing less environmental damage and meaning fewer toxic chemicals are in garages and sheds. Nevertheless, in many cases professionals have few options other than the application of chemicals. The good news is that there are many ways of either cutting down the severity of infestations or of taking care of pest problems. Many of these solutions involve paying attention to the gardens closely and taking less radical measures early on.

Like medical problems, prevention is worth a huge dose of cure. Here some suggestions:

1. Pests tend to attack at predictable seasonal times. Get to know these times and these pests. Insecticidal soaps and other non-toxic solutions work real well if they get applied early on. Particularly for Aphids, the soaps are a great cure.

2. Pests tends to attack weaker plants first. Be on the lookout for your own slip ups in terms of watering regimes and generally healthy young plants. Damaged plants offer softer surfaces and are less able to fight off the destructive habits as hosts. If something happened, monitor things closely or you might find a new regime of problems, sort of exponentially developed.

3. Many insect problems stem from eggs and larvae eating leaves and roots. While those eggs and larvae on leaves can be seen, those underground may not be. Beware of this possibility in any analysis of why some plants may be struggling, this is not an uncommon occurrence. The Japanese Beetle, for example, has become a spreading pestilence in the Eastern United States. Oddly enough, one of the recommended cures is planting white geraniums between plant rows. There is something poisonous in them to the Beetle.

4. Fruit Trees also can have insect infestations, especially when the leaves are in their late Spring stage, still succulent and abundant with sap. Preventative measures for fruit trees may just be the height of wisdom. There is a Copper Sulphate we use to spray the local trees here, but insecticidal soaps are as good, just a bit less permanent.

Proper watering, constant checking on leaf health and stem health and the close inspection at the most intimate level is a great way to begin curing problems. Catch them early and things go a lot better. There are abundant resources online listing specific diseases, their symptoms and possible solutions. However, the primary but of information regarding any of them will be in Preventative Care and constant awareness. Pay attention, in other words.