Articles Index

Deer Resistant Gardens - Listings of Deer Resistant Plants
If deer are in your area, sooner or later they will find your garden. Plant wisely by choosing deer resistant plants. Use the lists here to help find plants deer don't like.

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?

A New Pest in the Garden - Viburnum Leaf Beetle
p]Viburnum were always know for being an exceptionally pest free garden and landscape plant. The imported Viburnum Leaf Beetle (VLB), a native of both Europe and Asia, was first spotted in North America in 1978, in the Ottawa-Hull region of Canada. Since then, it has been making its way south from Canada into the U.S., destroying the flowering shrubs.

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.

An Overview of Some Common Organic Garden Pesticides
Profiles of the most commonly used organic garden pesticides, including Sevin, insecticidal soap and oils and neem.

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.

Controlling Adult Japanese Beetles in the Garden
p]Japanese beetles can create havoc in a garden by feeding on the leaves of a number of different plants, skeletonizing the leaves and eventually defoliating the plants. An individual Japanese beetle doesn’t do that much damage while feeding on a plant, but they tend to congregate in large numbers and can easily defoliate shrubs and trees. If the problem beomes severe, try one of these control suggestions.

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.

Plant Nutrient Deficiencies
Not all plant problems are caused by insects or diseases. Sometimes an unhealthy plant is suffering from a nutrient deficiency or even too much of any one nutrient. Plant nutrient deficiencies often manifest as foliage discoloration. The following chart outlines some possible problems.

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?

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.

Garden Insect Pest Identification Web Sites
When insect pests attack your garden plants, the first line of defense is to identify the insect. To control insects in your garden, you need to know what kind of insect you are dealing with, what plants it favors and what time of year to expect it. These web sites provide photos for identifying pests and most also give info on controlling the garden pests.

Fungus Gnats - A Pest of New Seedlings and Cuttings
Fungus gnats are more than annoying pests flying around your new plant seedlings and cuttings. Fungus gnats can do serious damage to young plants and should be controlled before their population becomes too large. There are effective biological control measures you can take to detect, deter and control fungus gnats around your growing plants.

Popular Garden Pesticide Diazinon Will No Longer Be Available for Sale
The popular home and garden pesticide diazinon will no longer be available for sale. Diazinon has been one of the most widely used pesticides by home gardeners. It was also particularly popular as a grub control for lawn care. Diazinon’s use on lawns was shown to be a high risk for birds. Certain doses can also cause symptoms such as nausea, headaches, vomiting, and weakness in humans.