Insect Control

Here are a few basic guidelines to help with pest control.

Pests of the West
Item # 99626 		Pests of the West

each $19.95
  • Topic: Pests
  • Keywords: insects, pests, control, Pests
  • Date: April 2002

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As the days get warmer more unwanted pests will be appearing in our gardens. Here are a few basic guidelines to help with pest control.

Identifying

The first step in controlling pests is identifying the specific bugs you have. You should recognize all stages of a pest, not just the adult form. For example, if you know what Colorado potato beetle egg clusters looks like, you can crush any you find. This is called using physical control. This will minimize damage and help you avoid later problems that might require the use of more drastic control measures.

Diagnose

Learn to diagnose problems based on the type of damage you find. If you find leaves with holes in them, look closely, especially on the under-sides, for larvae. Leaf distortion can be a sign of aphid damage. Mottled leaves and webbing is a sign of spider mite infestation. If you do not find a pest, it could be that the culprits feed only at night, or have finished eating and left your plants. Once you have found a suspect, try referring to an insect field guide to identify it, or come to the greenhouse and talk with one of our staff members.

Controls

Once you have identified your pest, you have many options for controlling them organically. The cheapest and safest way to pest management is to protect and attract the myriad of beneficial insects to your garden by planting attractive flowers, giving them a water source, and by maintaining refuges of permanent plantings around your garden. The next thing you can do is to introduce beneficial insects or set traps for the pests. As a last resort you can apply pesticides. There are many natural insecticides out now, for example, pyrethrins, soaps, pheromones and growth regulators.

Summary

In general, maintaining a healthy garden will help cut down on unwanted pests and disease. Planting species that attract beneficials and following good cultural practices will help you maintain a happy garden.