Garden Pests and Diseases Articles
Buying Healthy Plants To Avoid Problems
Every minute of every day, the plants in your yard are defending themselves from their natural enemies. When a gust of wind breaks a tree branch, chemicals concentrated at the base of the plant mobilize into a protective wall to prevent pests from invading the healthy parts of the tree.
A shrub that is being attacked by insects nibbling on its leaves will respond by changing its leaf chemistry, thus making its leaves less appetizing. …
Garden Insects In Winter.
Many people ask me how do most insects manage to live through the winter in cold or freezing sections of the country?
A few garden bugs are able to migrate to warmer climates, but most of these cold-bloodied creatures must adjust to freezing temperatures -or die. Specially endowed insects like the cinch bug produce an anti-freeze chemical that keeps their insides from turning to ice. Others calmly freeze without injury and await …
Good and Bad Bugs.
Organic gardeners divide the insect world into two camps: good bugs and bad bugs
The bad bugs bring death, disease, and destruction, they suck the life out of plants, infest the soil and lay eggs by the thousands.
Good bugs eemind me of an army of peacekeepers, who come marching in bringing peace and harmony.
They work quietly, taking care of the bad bugs by munching on them and generally getting rid of your enemies for you.
Now, you …
Natural Repellents
BANANA PEELS placed around roses and other plants bothered by aphids, make a natural repellent and will make the pests disappear. Why this is I do not know, but I have tried it very successfully.
Keep putting the peel around the base of the plants as long as the aphids are present. As an added bonus, the potassium in the banana skin stimulates larger blooms.
CITRUS RINDS as a natural repellent have a …
Insect Repellents
I will list some of the Insect Repellents that may help you to ward them off when they are active..
All-Purpose Repellants.
Anise.
Anise is a good insect repellant for a variety of pests Many gardeners report less of a problem with aphids, fleas,and cabbage pests when Anise is planted nearby.
Catnip
Catnip deters many pests , such as Colorado potato beetles darkling beetles,flea beetles, japanese beetles, squash bugs,
weevils and the biggest pest of all ANTS!
You will only have …
Animal Pests
Four- footed creatures and birds can cause more damage in many gardens in rural areas, than insects. They can ruin your garden or landscape overnight, eating anything from apples to zinnias. Most animal pests feed at night, so you may have to search for signs such as destroyed plants,tracks, tunnels, or any other signs that would tell you who the culprits might be.
Try and identify the pest. Tracks are often a good clue to their …
Control Your Pests
Most gardeners find that a good offense is better than a good defense.
As soon as you plant your first seeds, you need to take measures to control your pests.
It is sometimes difficult to decide, when you should step in with pest control, as many times it involves using lots of chemicals.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Do you spray before you see any bugs?
If you see a bug, do you rush to spray …
Dealing With Fungus
You have just been out in your garden and you have noticed that your once lovely bushes are looking dull and some are even yellowing and wilting.
Not what you want to see!
If you know that you have been taking proper care of them, then there is another cause, FUNGUS!
Most fungi love wet conditions, and overwatering can produce these conditons. If the soil your bush is planted in doesn’t drain well and water stands too …
Deer Repellant.
Try these organic methods for repelling deer.
For minor deer-damage problems ,buy soap bars in bulk and hang them from strings in the trees. Or nail each bar to a 4″ stake and drive the stakes at 15′ intervals along the perimeter of the area.
Some gardeners report that human hair is an effective repellent. Ask your hairdresser to save hair for you to collect each week. Put a handful of hair in a net or mesh …
