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Common Garden Pests & How to Control Them Without Pesticides
SNAILS & SLUGS Snails and slugs can do extensive damage and are hard to eradicate . Slugs love moist areas where there is abundant decaying organic matter . Slugs feed on decaying and living plant tissue .
Control : Remove debris from shaded areas . Sprinkle in a protective border of Fertilizer salts ( not table salt which can harm plants ) to dehydrate slugs .
STINK BUGS
Stink Bugs ( Tarnished Plant Bugs ) have snouts that pierce fruit and suck juices , causing leaf and fruit distortion . This also creates an entry point for other pests to enter and destroy fruit .
Control : Keep gardens weed-free in the Spring ; spray young nymphs with Bt as early as possible ; hand pick or brush off .
SCALES Scales suck plant sap , weakening plants : plants turn yellow , drop leaves and die . Honeydew ( a sugar-rich sticky liquid ) is excreted onto foliage and fruit , which attracts the over 200 species of scales .
Control : Prune out infested plant parts ; scrub scales gently with soft brush and soapy water and rinse well ; apply dormant or summer oil sprays or neem oil .
GRUBS Grubs feed on all types of grass roots and damage lawns . The grass eventually feels loose and can roll up . Moles digging in the turf or flocks of birds feeding on the grass are possible signs of white grubs . Milky Spore is a great solution to control the grubs plaguing your turf .
Control : It is tempting to treat white grubs in the spring , but spring treatments are generally ineffective . Overseed damaged areas in the spring . Treat between August 1 and September 15 only to those aesthetically important areas of your lawn . Two commonly used insecticides : Merit ( imidacloprid ) and Mach-2 ( halofenozide ) must be applied early in the season before eggs are laid in order to be effective against the fall larvae . Please read pesticide labels prior to use or call a lawncare professional .
“ Pest ” photos courtesy of NPMA
MOLES , GROUNDHOGS , & RABBITS Moles , groundhogs , and rabbits are always feeding on your garden . They dig tunnels and ruin root systems .
Control : Moles protect your home and garden from many insects , so if you can deal with them , you should . You can “ control ” wildlife ( to some extent ) with live traps baited with cabbage and apple juice . Fences are a simple and very effective way to protect your garden by blocking access . Just make sure your fence is the appropriate size to keep out the expected invader . Deer need higher fences than rabbits … and rabbits can get through , or under , most deer fences . There are also some electronic devices and repellents that will help .
WASPS & HORNETS Wasps and hornets can be a real nuisance around your garden , especially if you like to eat outside . However , it ’ s important to realize that wasps are a vital part of the garden ’ s natural balance and devour pests such as aphids and caterpillars .
Control : If you can live with them , do so ... they are beneficial insects . If you can ’ t , you need to destroy the nest . We recommend you call a Pest Professional . Wasps are nasty and dangerous . Do not try to remove a wasp nest !
ANTS Ants attack your garden in a very unique way ... they use it to farm aphids ! They control their food source by bringing aphids to your garden , protecting them from other predators . While the aphids feed on ( and destroy ) your plants , they produce sugary secretions that the ants eat .
Control : Circle your plants with baking soda , flour , and baby powder . Ants will not cross the powder , and it ’ s a great organic way to keep them away . To really eliminate ants around your home or garden , you have to destroy the nest .
No vegetable or flower garden is completely free of pests and disease . Keep a close watch , and at the first signs of any problems , take action . Don ’ t be afraid to try several tactics to stop pests . The most important thing is to be vigilant and address issues at their earliest stages . Now get out there and show your garden some love ! .
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