For questions about controlling garden pests
1
vote
1answer
22 views
Control of Boxwood Psyllids
Do I have to use an insecticide spray or will a detergent like Dawn be just as effective?
1
vote
1answer
36 views
What are these white arthropods infesting my succulents?
My attempts to grow succulents continue to struggle - two from my wedding, which had been doing fairly well, appear to have developed, fairly swiftly, an infestation with some sort of mite:
Any ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
How do I keep Grackle's from pooping on my lawn?
Below is what I think is grackle poop on my lawn. (It might not be but I haven't seen any other animals there except desert cottontail rabbits and I know what their poop looks like.) How can I prevent ...
4
votes
1answer
56 views
How do I get rid of lawn grubs?
My lawn is progressively getting worse every year.
I've got large bare patches that just won't take seed, and in the spring and fall I've got racoons and skunks digging up grubs. There is also a ...
5
votes
1answer
62 views
How to flatten chicken wire?
We're trying to flatten chicken wire (for our raised bed fence) that came in a roll originally. Any tips?
2
votes
2answers
52 views
How do you organically handle lubber grasshoppers that destroy gardens?
Last summer I had a problem with black grasshoppers with yellow stripes on them, which I identified as Lubbers. Now I grow everything organically and all my plants are heirloom varieties, so last year ...
4
votes
2answers
161 views
BEST Plants to attract Ladybugs and Praying Mantis, from your experience
I have looked around and I have seen some recommendations for plants to attract ladybugs, for example, a few sites list that alyssum works well.
I am hoping to find out others experiences about ...
2
votes
2answers
85 views
What are the effective home based pesticides?
Sometimes my plants gets infected by different insects, unless I notice it, it gets very late to save the plant.
Chemical based insecticide works well, but I am fearful while using\spraying and ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Pine Borer Beetle Infestation
I cut down a tree that was infested with pine borer beetles. I don't want the beetles to infect other trees. Unfortunately, I can't burn the infested wood. And I don't have anywhere to haul the ...
5
votes
2answers
151 views
How to protect strawberries from “predators”
I'm starting to prepare my gardening year and I'm wondering what the most efficient and organic way is to protect strawberries from birds and slugs.
I'm not at all against sharing a part of my fruit ...
2
votes
1answer
137 views
Fig tree mystery worm problem
A friend has a fig tree which seems to be the target of a worm. As far as I can see the leaves and fruit do not have any bite marks or worms/insects inside them, but the fruit born was less this year, ...
2
votes
1answer
170 views
What are these orange insects under the leaves of my mandevilla?
First, I'll set the scene:
Location: South Florida
Temperature: 75°F - 85°F most days
Rain: Had been fairly dry until the last couple days
Affected plant: Mandevilla with yellow flowers
Story:
...
6
votes
1answer
173 views
What's eating my Peaches?
Several of my peaches have this crystalised goop on the outside, as seen in the first picture.
Cutting the peach open reveals some kind of bug trail. The hole the bug made is full of the sticky ...
3
votes
3answers
353 views
Ants and white/gray/brown spores all over my gardenia
I planted my gardenia four or five months ago.
I noticed, recently, that (a) growth has stunted, and (b) there are ants all over the plant (base, leaves, etc.).
There are also white little dots ...
8
votes
1answer
166 views
How do I prevent parrots from snacking on my fruit trees?
I live in a neighborhood in California that has a number of parrots that, presumably, escaped from captivity sometime ago and have since multiplied in number. They are all the same kind of parrot, ...
1
vote
0answers
36 views
What preventative action should I take against Fruit Fly?
I am in Sydney, Australia. This coming (arrived?) summer I have several fruit trees which will be bearing fruit for the first time. This includes a peach tree and nectarine (both of which already have ...
4
votes
3answers
314 views
My tree is a wasp magnet, what can I do to get rid of them?
There is a small tree (about 2 meters tall, maybe a bit more) at the front of my house that has become a wasp magnet in the last few weeks. I have seen at least 2 kinds of wasps hanging in there, and ...
2
votes
1answer
441 views
How can I protect my citrus tree leaves from being eaten?
A couple of years ago I planted a lemon and a lime tree in my garden. They've been growing quite well but recently I noticed the leaves are patchy and holey - something has been eating them. What's ...
3
votes
2answers
102 views
Are new caterpillar eggs added daily to a brassica that's already under attack?
I've got a few broccoli plants which are under attack from caterpillars. They aren't currently netted.
I manually "weeded" all the caterpillars off the most distressed plant (and some of the other ...
3
votes
2answers
286 views
How can I keep a dog out of my vegetable garden?
I have a small vegetable garden and a small dog. I'm looking for advice on the best way to keep the little guy out of the veges. Advice on the following would be appreciated:
Is there anything I can ...
2
votes
3answers
126 views
fava bean beetle?
I've noticed this beetle on in our Fava beans. They crawl out and fly away, leaving perfectly circular little holes. Any idea what they are and what they do? Besides the little hole, the beans seem ...
3
votes
1answer
102 views
Bag worm infestation on small pine trees
I noticed that some of my small pine trees (4 ft.) started turning brown and upon closer inspection I noticed 100's of bag worms all over the trees. I spent quite a bit of time pulling off the bags. ...
2
votes
3answers
88 views
how can I keep snails off my Day Lilies?
I have never had a problem with snails, but since planting a large swathe of day lilies I have found between twenty and fifty snails a day in that patch. I have been disposing of every one, to no ...
6
votes
2answers
300 views
What's the best way to kill cucumber beetles after I've started harvesting?
My yellow squash and zucchini are infested with both striped and spotted cucumber beetles. I don't think I can use Sevin Dust anymore because I've already started harvesting them. I tried food grade ...
3
votes
1answer
53 views
Holes in our landscaping
Something's digging in the shredded bark, unearthing our shrubs/roses/perennials. What is it and what's it after? It's July in Michigan -- a little late for grubs, right?
0
votes
1answer
84 views
How do you get rid of a swarm of cicadas?
I noticed a swarm of large amber coloured bugs on my walk home today. I think they were cicadas (they were moving too fast and it was too dark to take a picture). They seemed to be swarming around ...
4
votes
1answer
128 views
How can I stop vine borers from killing my squash?
A few of the squash plants in our garden started wilting for no discernible reason late last week. We lost three sweet meat squash plants before we figure out that vine borers were attacking the ...
3
votes
1answer
99 views
Orange tree has pest or blight
A few leaves on my orange tree have this.
What is this?
What can I do about it?
9
votes
1answer
260 views
Tomato plant looks like it has grains of salt - what is it and how do I treat it?
My cherry tomato plant has been showing some yellowing of leaves over the past week or so. Just today I noticed the formation of these cluster of white granules - not sure if it's connected to the ...
7
votes
2answers
226 views
Can anyone identify this abnormality that is on my dwarf citrus?
I recently noticed what looks like small beetles on our dwarf citrus tree. Can anyone identify this abnormality?
Click image for full size
Is this something harmful that I should attempt to ...
4
votes
1answer
351 views
How can I keep spiders out of the shed?
I've got a small shed in my garden, and it used to be a great home for many spiders (and two mice). Walls are thin wood, floor is solid concrete, and eternit roofing.
A few months ago, my father ...
6
votes
2answers
235 views
What's the best way to control squash bugs
Help! I need to get rid of squash bugs.
I know Sevin will kill them, but I would like to use a less toxic method.
I have been destroying them manually, but I am losing the battle.
3
votes
1answer
151 views
How to make a fake scare owl, and do different animals respond to different abstractions?
I would like to keep squirrels off of my peach tree. They have gotten over half of the peaches already.
Is there a way to make a home-made scare owl? I have found a few resources on-line, but they ...
4
votes
3answers
636 views
How do I repel tree squirrels that are digging holes in my lawn?
My neighborhood is saturated with squirrels, and I see the little critters burying nuts or whatever in my back yard all the time. They leave small holes about 2 inches in diameter in the yard. There ...
6
votes
1answer
280 views
What is this Michigan garden insect with a striped body and reddish head?
Here's a photo of a bug in Michigan that's eating my tomato, chard, and other plant leaves. Can you identify it? For extra credit, can you tell me how to get rid of it organically?
5
votes
3answers
597 views
How can I deal with the beetles eating my grapevine?
My mother is in a furor because the grapevine that she planted last spring and which flourished last year is now infested with little black bugs. From what I can tell, they seem to be flea beetles. ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
What is eating my cabbage, and how can I protect it?
I transplanted some cabbage about a month ago (after starting it from seed in a flat). Now I see that something is eating the cabbage leaves:
I also see that one pair of seedlings is doing very ...
2
votes
0answers
105 views
What is this leaf miner / tenter in my small bush/tree?
I have a small bush/tree. I don't know exactly what it is. What I see is the new growths folded over onto each other, and connected together. When I pull them apart, I can find tiny white worms with ...
5
votes
1answer
106 views
What is the best way to keep deer away?
I've been contemplating putting up a fence, but I'm not exactly sure how high it should be. Can anyone point me to some instructions on what specs a good deer fence should have as well as how to ...
6
votes
3answers
919 views
How can I keep earwigs from eating my basil?
Last night I found that earwigs have been eating my newly planted basil plants. They have only been in the ground for a few days, and it didn't take long for the earwigs to find them.
The planted ...
9
votes
2answers
371 views
What is this bluish-grey bug on my lettuce, and how do I treat it?
I have a planter with several lettuce plants and other plants growing on my balcony. Recently, all of "normal" leafy lettuces were rapidly overcome by a bug. A sawtooth, more mizuna-like lettuce was ...
2
votes
1answer
85 views
What should I do before applying organic fertilizer to ensure no bugs or smell?
Does all organic fertilizer require decomposing? I would like to focus on fertilizer available in gardening shops instead of unprocessed urine or manure from mammals.
As far as I know, decomposing of ...
6
votes
4answers
3k views
How do I get rid of pill bugs in my vegetable garden (or is it even the problem)?
I have had multiple plants in my vegetable garden that have seemed to just vanish from the garden over the period of about a week. I have notice pill bugs eating the remains of the plants. They seem ...
7
votes
5answers
4k views
How do I get rid of ducks from my backyard?
There are a couple of ducks in my yard (male and female). I think they have come to my backyard to make a nest. I fear that if this happens half my backyard will become off-limits due to an angry ...
4
votes
1answer
67 views
How are fire ants removed without endangering vegetation nearby?
My parents seem to have a large problem with fire ants in their backyard. They're more of an inconvenience than anything.
What seems to be the most effective method (chemical, or a technique based, ...
6
votes
2answers
417 views
How can I tell what animal is eating my plants?
Many of my perennial garden plants have been getting eaten by some animal. Possible culprits include deer, rabbits, and groundhogs. I would like to control them, but I have to know what I am ...
3
votes
3answers
416 views
Why are there small flies on my Fatalii pepper plant?
I have a fatalii pepper plant and today I discovered some very small larva in my plant's soil. I already saw that there were more flies than usual.
Is there any danger for my plant ? Should I kill ...
8
votes
3answers
381 views
Indoor Garden Built - Now Little Flies!
We built this indoor "garden" in our office as a prank for one of our employees who was out for a stint. It was only meant to be temporary, however we have all grown a liking to it.
We ended up ...
3
votes
1answer
321 views
How do I control fire ants in the mulch around my tree?
I live in Houston, TX, USA and fire ants are a nearly year long concern. I have had success treating mounds with Orthene as they appear.
However, I had a Siberian Elm in my backyard that was ...
5
votes
1answer
233 views
What insect/disease causes lemons to look like a Cthulhu and how can this be prevented?
Earlier today, pictures of weirdly shaped lemons were shared on reddit. The top comment there says it is a case of citrus bud mites, which actually seems to make sense.
My questions are:
Is this ...
