Pesky Pests

Doris Power talked about understanding bugs at the April Hort meeting.

According to Master Gardener, Doris Power, less than 1% of all bugs are “bad”! Throughout her presentation at the April meeting of the Tweed and District Horticultural Society, Doris emphasized the importance for gardeners to develop an understanding of these bugs in our gardens.

She shared her knowledge about various “bugs” that many of the members have experienced in their gardens.

        APHIDS…

·       Produce in masses

·       Suck sap from plants and transport diseases to other plants

·       Ants protect and even move aphids

·       Look for curling yellow leaves

·       Remove by hand, prune leaves, blast from the hose, insect soap are way to get rid of aphids                             

COLORADO POTATO BUG…

·       Larvae feast on plants

·       Eat foliage of tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers

·       Crush egg masses (located on underside of leaf)

·       Female can lay 350 eggs from June-late July

 CUTWORMS…

·       Vary in size and colour

·       Come out at night

·       Place paper rolls around seedlings for protection

·       Plant sunflowers around perimeter of garden to attract cutworms

        EARWIGS…

·       Important predator to aphids

·       Like moist shady places

·       Can destroy vegetable seedlings and ornamental  plants

·       Need to be diligent to capture them

 GARDEN SLUGS and SNAILS...

·       Like vegetables and tender leaves

·       Rough sand, copper bands, dry wood ashes and dishes of beer at ground level(these must be emptied daily) are ways to get rid of these pests

        4-LEGGED PESTS…

·       Moles, skunks, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, dogs and cats

·       Fencing, human hair, orange peel (for cats), live trapping (check municipal bylaws)

·       Certain plants that animals avoid ….rabbits-rosemary, lavender

                                  …squirrels-daffodils wrapped in mesh bags, chicken wire and mulch in top 

                                   …deer-spruce, baby’s breath, snowdrops, daffodils, snap dragon, dusty miller

Doris also suggested planting marigold plants as they deter many insects and basil to protect tomato plants…plant these throughout the garden.  Soil preparation, crop rotation, plant diversity, weeding, removing diseased leaves and plants, using pollinators and recording keeping are all ways to control these pests that all gardeners talk about!!!

COMING UP….

 May 3…Dawn Golloher from Gardens Plus will discuss easy care perennials and this year’s hot new plants. Bring your money as there will be plants for sale!

 May 21…Annual Plant Sale at Tweed Memorial Park @ 8 am.

Plant material for the sale should be there by 7am. Please label plants.

 May 31 @ 5:30 pm…Planting the flower beds and planters in town. Meet in the parking lot across from Valumart.

GENERAL INTEREST EVENTS…

 May 7…District 3 Spring AGM