Garden Problems - Pests, Diseases and Unwelcome Visitors in the Garden
Even the best garden experiences problems. Knowing what to do and doing it quickly can avert garden heartache. Whether your garden problem is an insect, a disease or a four-legged intruder (or two-legged?), someone else before you has experienced it and there is probably a solution or two.
Gardening Safely
Gardening seems like such a genteel activity, but you will rarely see a gardener without a few cuts, bruises and bites. Gardening safely takes a bit of common sense and precaution. Hopefully we all know not to touch poison ivy or dig through electrical wires. Here are a few more tips to keep you safe while out in the garden.
Phenology for Gardeners - Let Nature Tell You When to Plant
Phenology is the study of the timing of recurring biological phenomena and their relationship to the weather. It is useful to gardeners, as a guide for when to plant.
Phenology is the study of the timing of recurring biological phenomena and their relationship to the weather. It is useful to gardeners, as a guide for when to plant.
How Do You Get Rid of Slugs in the Garden?
Slugs hid under leaves and do a lot of damage in the garden, before you even know they're there. What are your tips for getting rid of and controlling slugs in your garden?
Slugs hid under leaves and do a lot of damage in the garden, before you even know they're there. What are your tips for getting rid of and controlling slugs in your garden?
Slug Control in the Garden
Slugs hide under leaves and do a lot of damage in the garden, before you even know they're there. Here’s what some readers recommend. What are your tips for getting rid of and controlling slugs in your garden?
Slugs hide under leaves and do a lot of damage in the garden, before you even know they're there. Here’s what some readers recommend. What are your tips for getting rid of and controlling slugs in your garden?
Insects and Diseases of Plants
Diseases and insect pests of garden plants. Photos of insects, insect damage and diseases, with brief description of the pest and the damage it can do to plants in the garden.
Diseases and insect pests of garden plants. Photos of insects, insect damage and diseases, with brief description of the pest and the damage it can do to plants in the garden.
Organic Pest and Disease Controls
Gardening organically doesn't mean you have to surrender your garden to pests and diseases. There are many organic pesticide products and biological controls that will help you ward off everything from aphids to weeds. Once you get your gardening moving in an organic direction, it is actually easier to maintain than a garden dependent on synthetic chemicals and amendments. Here are some organic insect and disease controls to start with.
Gardening organically doesn't mean you have to surrender your garden to pests and diseases. There are many organic pesticide products and biological controls that will help you ward off everything from aphids to weeds. Once you get your gardening moving in an organic direction, it is actually easier to maintain than a garden dependent on synthetic chemicals and amendments. Here are some organic insect and disease controls to start with.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is one of the most common and easily recognized plant diseases. Almost no type of plant is immune. As the name implies, powdery mildew looks like powdery splotches of white or gray, on the leaves and stems of plants. Although powdery mildew is unattractive, it is rarely fatal. However severe or repetitive infections will weaken the plant. There are several steps a gardener can take to prevent and control powdery mildew in the garden.
Powdery mildew is one of the most common and easily recognized plant diseases. Almost no type of plant is immune. As the name implies, powdery mildew looks like powdery splotches of white or gray, on the leaves and stems of plants. Although powdery mildew is unattractive, it is rarely fatal. However severe or repetitive infections will weaken the plant. There are several steps a gardener can take to prevent and control powdery mildew in the garden.
Baking Soda Recipe for Controlling Powdery Mildew on Plants
Powdery mildew and other fungus diseases of plants have long been treated successfully with a mixture of baking soda, water and and oil or soap to help it spread.
Powdery mildew and other fungus diseases of plants have long been treated successfully with a mixture of baking soda, water and and oil or soap to help it spread.
Controlling Adult Japanese Beetles in the Garden
Japanese beetles can create havoc in a garden by feeding on the leaves of a number of different plants. They tend to congregate in large numbers and can easily defoliate shrubs and trees. If the problem becomes severe, try one of these control suggestions.
Japanese beetles can create havoc in a garden by feeding on the leaves of a number of different plants. They tend to congregate in large numbers and can easily defoliate shrubs and trees. If the problem becomes severe, try one of these control suggestions.
Rose Diseases
Despite a gardener’s best efforts, roses can often become infected with fungus diseases. Luckily, few fungus problems will kill your rose bush and most can be handled with low toxicity and minimal effort. Here are the top four rose diseases and how to handle them.
Despite a gardener’s best efforts, roses can often become infected with fungus diseases. Luckily, few fungus problems will kill your rose bush and most can be handled with low toxicity and minimal effort. Here are the top four rose diseases and how to handle them.
Tomato FAQ: Tomato Plant Problems
Tomatoes are subject to many common problems. Many tomato problems does show themselves until the fruit starts to ripen? With blossom end rot, green shoulders and tomato cracking, what can be done to save the ripening tomatoes? How can these problems be reduced with future tomatoes?
Tomatoes are subject to many common problems. Many tomato problems does show themselves until the fruit starts to ripen? With blossom end rot, green shoulders and tomato cracking, what can be done to save the ripening tomatoes? How can these problems be reduced with future tomatoes?
Tomatoes: Common Tomato Diseases - Symptoms and Management
There are many diseases that affect tomatoes. Tomato diseases are often weather dependent and can spread rapidly. Here are some common tomato diseases, their symptoms and what to do if tomato diseases threaten your home vegetable garden.
There are many diseases that affect tomatoes. Tomato diseases are often weather dependent and can spread rapidly. Here are some common tomato diseases, their symptoms and what to do if tomato diseases threaten your home vegetable garden.
Allelopathy - When One Plant Stops a Neighboring Plant from Growing
Allelopathy is a term to describe the ill effect a plant can have on a neighboring plant's growth and development.
Allelopathy is a term to describe the ill effect a plant can have on a neighboring plant's growth and development.
What Can?t I Plant Under a Black Walnut Tree?
Black walnuts (Juglans nigra L.)are valuable landscape and lumber trees, but black walnut trees are not always good companions for other plants. They produce a chemical called "juglone", which can be allelopathic to many common plants. Here are some tips for gardening near a black walnut tree.
Black walnuts (Juglans nigra L.)are valuable landscape and lumber trees, but black walnut trees are not always good companions for other plants. They produce a chemical called "juglone", which can be allelopathic to many common plants. Here are some tips for gardening near a black walnut tree.
Common Non-infectious Tree Diseases
Not all tree problems are caused by insects and pathogens. Sometimes a tree’s environment can do it in. Here are some ways to judge if your tree could use some help.
Not all tree problems are caused by insects and pathogens. Sometimes a tree’s environment can do it in. Here are some ways to judge if your tree could use some help.
Organic Gardening Essentials
The key to organic gardening is keeping a healthy balance in your garden. Prevent problems, rather than treating for them after the fact. Healthy plants are better able to withstand pests than stressed plants. And your plants will be healthy if they are given what they need to grow well and if you are growing diversity of plants. Here are some more tips to help you garden organically:
The key to organic gardening is keeping a healthy balance in your garden. Prevent problems, rather than treating for them after the fact. Healthy plants are better able to withstand pests than stressed plants. And your plants will be healthy if they are given what they need to grow well and if you are growing diversity of plants. Here are some more tips to help you garden organically:
Companion Planting
There is no rule that says vegetables and flowers can’t mix. In fact, the vegetable garden will benefit greatly from the addition of some flowers and herbs. It’s not just esthetics that make flowers and herbs welcome in the vegetable garden. Companion Planting offers several beneficial features that can protect your vegetables from insect pests and even make them more productive.
There is no rule that says vegetables and flowers can’t mix. In fact, the vegetable garden will benefit greatly from the addition of some flowers and herbs. It’s not just esthetics that make flowers and herbs welcome in the vegetable garden. Companion Planting offers several beneficial features that can protect your vegetables from insect pests and even make them more productive.
Deterring Birds
Birds are usually welcome in the garden, until they become a nusiance. Besides eating your fruits and berries before you get a chance, they can make an ugly, slippery mess of things. Here are some ways to deter birds from staining, pecking and nesting in your home.
Birds are usually welcome in the garden, until they become a nusiance. Besides eating your fruits and berries before you get a chance, they can make an ugly, slippery mess of things. Here are some ways to deter birds from staining, pecking and nesting in your home.
Bird Control in the Yard and Garden
If birds seem to get all your fruits and berries before you have a chance to harvest them, you need to implement some type of bird control in your garden. There are dozens of varieties of bird control on the market. It can be hard to figure out which is right for you and your needs, and each type has its pros and cons. Most humane bird control can be divided into several categories: visual scares, taste aversions, roost inhibitors, sonic repellers and ultrasonic disrupters.
If birds seem to get all your fruits and berries before you have a chance to harvest them, you need to implement some type of bird control in your garden. There are dozens of varieties of bird control on the market. It can be hard to figure out which is right for you and your needs, and each type has its pros and cons. Most humane bird control can be divided into several categories: visual scares, taste aversions, roost inhibitors, sonic repellers and ultrasonic disrupters.
Disease Prevention in Home Gardens
Preventing disease in the garden is easier to handle than curing it, with some tips from University of Missouri Extension.
Preventing disease in the garden is easier to handle than curing it, with some tips from University of Missouri Extension.
Integrated Pest Management for Vegetable Gardens
Integrated Pest management for Vegetable Gardens Lots of suggestions for stopping problems in the garden before they start.
Integrated Pest management for Vegetable Gardens Lots of suggestions for stopping problems in the garden before they start.
Insect Repellent Patch
There's a lot of controversy surrounding the safety of insect repellents, but sometimes you're safer using one than not. The "Don't Bug Me" insect repellent patch is very safe, but is it effective. Here are some pros and cons.
There's a lot of controversy surrounding the safety of insect repellents, but sometimes you're safer using one than not. The "Don't Bug Me" insect repellent patch is very safe, but is it effective. Here are some pros and cons.
New Year's Resolution for the Garden
The American Phytopathological Society’s tips for how to have a healthy garden. Who better to give us advice on how to keep plant’s healthy than the folks who study plant diseases for a living?
The American Phytopathological Society’s tips for how to have a healthy garden. Who better to give us advice on how to keep plant’s healthy than the folks who study plant diseases for a living?
Top 10 Gardening Gripes for 2005
Most of gardening is ejoyable, but there are always problems and frustrations, new pests to deal with, disappointing plants... Take a moment to vent your gardening frustrations.
Most of gardening is ejoyable, but there are always problems and frustrations, new pests to deal with, disappointing plants... Take a moment to vent your gardening frustrations.