With the arrival of warmer days, we spend more time in our gardens, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Staying on top of gardening chores can be a never-ending task, especially if you prefer a clean lawn and borders filled with luscious plants. So the last thing you want is additional problems that will create additional jobs, leaving you with less time to sit back and enjoy it!
No matter how good we are at gardening, we all face a problem with pests: they are determined to destroy our beloved plants. By eating the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of plants, they enjoy a feast while leaving a path of chaos in their wake.
So, to help combat pests in your garden, we’ve compiled some tips from Craig Wilson, gardening expert at Dream about Gardeners. Here, he shares his tips on four common plants that encourage pests to enter your garden and how to deal with the problem if you don’t want to dig them up.
1. roses
“You’re likely to find roses in most well-established gardens,” says Wilson, “and as beautiful as they are, they are unfortunately notorious for attracting some unwanted pests.”
So while we spend time dead roses To keep them blooming, we must also be careful with pests. The most common pests you will find around your rose bushes and plants are aphids, Japanese beetles, and mites. “Aphids, in particular, can have a pretty disastrous effect on plants, sucking sap from stems and causing things like discoloration, leaf curling and even stunted growth,” he says.
Aphids
Unfortunately, aphids are attracted to more than just roses, so they are likely to spread to other areas of your garden. Wilson explains: “Large aphid infestations can cause a sticky residue called ‘honeydew’ to build up on a plant’s stems, attracting ants and stimulating fungal growth.”
japanese beetles
Japanese beetles are aggressive pests that love roses. They will be happy to devour the bush from top to bottom, where they will also eat the tissue between the veins of the leaves. “Japanese beetles also release a pheromone that attracts more beetles,” says Wilson, “so if you spot the beginning of an infestation, you need to act quickly.”
mites
The mites feed on the undersides of leaves and cause obvious damage to roses, causing the leaves to turn a brown/bronze color. Wilson explains that they suck chlorophyll-containing liquids from the leaf cells, which causes the color change.
How to beat insects
Wilson suggests using a natural alternative to chemical pesticides to get rid of pests and recommends neem oil. According to the National Pesticide Information CenterNeem oil is found in the seeds of the tree and has a smell similar to garlic and sulfur.
However, Wilson warns that neem oil is toxic to insects and good bees and needs to be protected. “Spray the leaves of your rose bushes and plants in the evenings, when these good insects are less active. Continue this daily until the pests are gone!
Alternatively, Wilson says you can try introducing natural predators of these pests into the area, such as ladybugs. “These insects will help kill and control common pests such as aphids. He can also add other plants such as marigolds and alyssum to invite hoverflies into his garden; These will again control unwanted pests and pollinate at the same time!
2. Vegetables
If you like to grow your own fruits and vegetables, pests will be a constant battle. Wilson says common vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes, encourage whiteflies and tomato worms.
white flies
“Whiteflies are pests that reproduce quickly and accumulate on the undersides of leaves, sucking sap and weakening plants,” says Wilson, “if infestations are particularly severe and out of control, they can ultimately cause the death of the plant.
tomato worms
Tomatoes are a popular crop to grow at home, but as Wilson explains, “Tomato worms are hungry little pests that, if given the chance, could completely decimate a tomato plant in a day.”
Pests chew the leaves and fruits of tomatoes and other solanaceous plants, such as potatoes, peppers, and eggplants.
Although they are not caused by pests, you may also be interested how to get rid of tomato blossom in your crop: a disease caused by a lack of calcium in your soil.
How to beat insects
To deter pests from your garden, Wilson recommends rotating crops annually to prevent soil-borne pests and diseases from becoming well established. “To protect plants from above-ground pests, use covers made of a lightweight, permeable fabric to protect your vegetables from a wide range of pests while still allowing light, water and air to reach the plants” , advise.
There is another way to get rid of whiteflies. Wilson suggests spraying your plants with a hose to disperse the adults and dislodge the pupa and eggs. He explains that young whiteflies cannot crawl and will die if they do not have access to their food source. Then, to prevent the adults from returning to your plants, she recommends treating them with neem oil as soon as you remove them.
3. Fruit trees
“Fruit trees, such as apple and cherry trees, are more common in home orchards and can be a pleasure to have and harvest,” says Wilson. “However, the persistence of pests such as the codling moth and fruit fly can greatly affect the joy you get from the trees.”
moths
Codling moths are a pest problem because once they lay their eggs, they hatch into larvae. These larvae then burrow and feed on the inside of the fruit, leaving behind tunnels and frass and rendering the fruit inedible. “One way to prevent these pests is to scrape loose bark in early spring to remove overwintering flower buds,” says Wilson.
female fruit flies
“Female fruit flies look for fruit to lay their eggs on, and once they do, the eggs hatch within days and immediately begin to spoil the fruit and cause it to rot,” Wilson explains. He also warns that fruit fly infestations can grow rapidly and therefore it is necessary to protect your plants to prevent the crop from spoiling.
How to beat insects
Covering your fruit trees with netting is one technique to protect them from pests. Wilson recommends covering them with a lightweight mesh bag, or you can create a bag by stapling pages of newspaper. Both techniques will prevent pests from reaching the fruit.
If you are looking to purchase new fruit trees, Wilson suggests choosing disease-resistant varieties and rootstocks that are suited to local climate and soil conditions. “Planting the right variety can significantly reduce vulnerability to pests,” he says, adding: “Fruit trees should also be regularly pruned to remove dead or diseased wood and maintain an open canopy. “This improves air circulation and sunlight penetration, which reduces pest habitat and promotes healthier tree growth.”
4. Sunflowers
Plant sunflower seeds It’s fun, especially if you have a young family. But while they are beautiful and spectacular flowers, they attract several pests to your garden, even when they are young seedlings.
“Wireworms and sunflower beetles are the most common feeders on sunflowers,” Wilson explains. “Wireworms feed on developing seedlings, which often die before emerging or, if they do, wilt soon after. “Sunflower beetles, however, feed on sunflower leaves.”
sunflower beetles
Wilson suggests that sunflower beetles can be picked by hand from plants rather than using chemicals, while wireworms can be removed by washing. However, if he finds that they keep coming back, he suggests treating the plant with neem oil to keep them away.
Aphids
“Aphids are another common pest,” explains Wilson, “but planting a variety of flowering plants like Alyssum around sunflowers can attract natural predators like ladybugs and wasps, which feed on them and other small pests.”
How to beat insects
Petunias, marigolds, chrysanthemums and even catnip can help reduce the number of beetles and aphids, and Wilson adds that chrysanthemums are particularly helpful. “They are a natural source of one of the safest and most effective types of pesticides in the world, pyrethrins, making them a great choice!”
- Find out how to get rid of tomato blossom end rot
- And 7 things that attract wasps to your garden
- Also, 5 plants that will keep wasps away from your garden
