Diagnostic/ What To Look For

Controlling pests and diseases starts by being diligent. Organic gardening is different from using chemicals. Rather than spray your way to healthy plants, you work with nature to construct a healthy soil and then plan and manage your garden.

Start with the soil -  When you have healthy soil you will have healthy plants. Make sure you have sufficient nutrients within the soil by adding humus, compost and balanced organic fertilizers. We can help you select the right soil conditioners and amendments.
It is important for you to observe and watch the plants often for signs of poor health, insects and disease. Remember, starting and maintaining your plants correctly will avoid most all of the issues you will encounter. Below is a list of possible problems and their solutions.
All plants show us signs of ill health. If your going to be  a serious gardener, it will be worth your time to learn all you can about the growth of your plants and what problems you will incur.
Begin your diagnosis by making a closeup observation of the plant. This includes the underside of the leaves. What do you see? Are there small specs mottled on the leaves? Does the leaf have a "webby" look? Is it sticky? Do you see any small insects above or under the leaf? Note any changes you see in texture,color, growth or unusual differences. Always look over your garden and observe the plants closely.

Insects-

Things to look for.

Here are the most common pests  in your garden. Once you have identified them, see the solution to your problem in the last paragraph.

If you notice tiny microscopic dots all over the leaves and see small webs formed especially under the leaf as you see in the picture here, you have spider mites.

It seems that these pests appear when foliage is dry. Control them by using  Eco Smart Insect Killer  for small infestations. You may also use Liquid Seaweed at 2 tablespoons to a gallon of water. Adding about the same amount of Orange Oil will double your power.

If you see small white specs that look like bits of cotton you have Mealybugs.



The bugs are sucking insects and are primarily found at the stem dividers or in corners of the plant leaves or stems. You can squash small colonies or remove them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Larger problems can be treated with the same products listed above for Spider Mites.

There are several varieties of worms and caterpillars that affect your plants. Most all of them will be noted by the holes they eat in the leaves. You will see edges eaten off or holes. These will be freshly made and still have green edges within the hole.

1.Cutworms are most common and are mostly found curled up near the surface of the soil. They feed at night.

2.If you see small worms hanging from a silk looking thread it is Canker Worms. These worms don't damage most plants . Beneficial insects usually take care of them.

3. Caterpillars are more damaging. They can take care of most all the leaves on trees and plants if left unchecked.

4. Cabbage Loopers are another worm that feeds on leaves at night.

5. Of course, there are other insects that chew on the leaves too. Grasshoppers are another possibility. Many beetles eat the foliage and kill plants. They all produce holes and eat around the edges. To control any of these worms use  Thuricide Concentrate or Dipel Dust.

If you see small brown trails running e radically over the top side of the leaves you have encountered the Leaf Miner.



I associate these insects with the "mining" tunnels they create on the leaves. It's as if they are tunneling everywhere inside the leaves. These insects don't cause major damage so you don't need to fret over them too much. A good idea would be to spray the leaves with Eco Smart Garden Insect Killer.

One of the most common pests especially during the hot dry season are Aphids.



You will find these small green or black creatures in colonies on the buds of flowers and mostly on the stems. Ants work them for the honeydew they secrete. This sticky liquid coats the plants and turns to a black looking substance that can be seen all over the plant after a period of time. Huge infestations can be found in trees as well.  You may have noted small specs that look like water on your car or any open surface under the trees. This too turns to a sooty black mess. You can spray Eco Smart Garden Insect Killer or use Liquid Seaweed which is a good foliage fertilizer spray as well as insect deterrent.

One of the hardest insects to spot are the Borers.




These bugs like to lay their eggs at the base of the plant or tree. The larvae tunnel into the trees destroying cells and even killing them. You usually see the holes so keep a close eye out for this.

The 'borer', a grubby white caterpillar, hides inside the hollow vines of popular squash-family plants and works to destroy the plant stem by stem. You may not notice anything is wrong until the whole plant starts wilting, and by then, it's generally too late.

You need to inspect your squash vines often, looking for small holes or "worm poop" near the stems. One of the best ways to control them is to use BKT. One of the brands to use is Thuricide  or beneficial nematodes.

Leafhoppers produce a sap much like the Aphids. They also have a similar appearance. Sometimes you can also see yellow leaves along with stripped ones. Leafhoppers also affect the growth of the plant. If your plant looks stunted consider these pests. Control is the same as Aphids.



Bumpy looking leaves are usually an indication of scale. They are found  mostly in clusters and actually look like scales. One way to control them is to use Orange Oil Concentrate at the rate of 2 oz. per gallon of water. Spray the foliage and scale well.



Another  plant sucker is the Whitefly. You will see these pests flying around the plants. They look like small white flies or moths. Orange Oil Concentrate is also an effective control as well as Neem Oil.

These are some of the most common pests in your lawn and garden though not all of them. If you cannot solve your problem email me at erland@hbhorganic.com. Send a photo and describe what you see.

Controlling Pests In Your Lawn

f you maintain your lawn in a healthy state you will have little problem with pests and diseases. Here are some tips:

1. Aeration- Lawns need oxygen too. During the first two years you should aerate the soil in March and June. Equipment can be bought or rented at most garden centers. They range from shoes with spikes to handle rollers with spikes. Once the lawn is healthy you will not have to aerate unless the area becomes compacted by walking on it too much, etc.

2. Fertilizing- is best done according to the seasons in your location. You should apply the organic fertilizer right after you aerate the soil. A general rule is to apply about 30 lbs. for very 1,000 sq. ft. in early spring and 10lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. the end of spring. (June to July)

3. Weeding- is lessened with a healthy soil. You can use Vinegar 20%  on a hot sunny day.

4. Watering- Always water in the early morning if possible. Avoid days with high winds. Try to soak your soil to a depth of 6-7 inches each time rather than light frequent watering.

5. Mowing- An investment is a mulching mower is best as you should leave the clippings on the lawn. You should spread piles evenly if needed. Most lawns start out with a 2 1/2 " cutting height in the spring and increase to around 3 1/2" or higher in the growing season. Scalping turf in the spring is a really bad idea!

How To Prevent and Treat Garden Diseases

As with controlling pests, most types of diseases can be prevented by maintaining correct soil conditions and proper fertilizing. Here are the main ones to watch out for.

Fungus- There are two kinds of fungus. To simplify, there are good ones and bad ones. Fungus that feeds on live plants or matter are called a parasite. These are the harmful ones. The key to remember is that the plants are alive. They do not need fungi to survive. Anything that feeds on live matter is a parasite.

If the matter is dead, the fungus is called saprophytic. Don't fret the terms . Just remember that fungus on live plants is not good and fungus in dead plants such as mulch or compost is good.

Again, a healthy plant and using organic soils and fertilizers will help prevent most diseases. The most common are Leaf Spot Fungus which looks like round yellow or yellow/ green spots. They appear darker as they get older.

Here are some pictures to identify with.




Blossom End Rot 

Description: A disease, especially of tomato, pepper, squash, or melon, caused by a deficiency of calcium and characterized by brown or black decay at the distal part of the fruit.

Organic Control: Blossom End Rot is due to a calcium deficiency, so adding calcium from any source is recommended.




Botrytis Blight

Description: Botrytis blight or gray mold is a fungus disease, which infects a wide array of annual and perennial plants. Botrytis infections are favored by cool, rainy spring and summer weather usually around 60 degrees.

Organic Control: Products that contain neem oil or potassium bicarbonate are effective, organic controls for many plant diseases.




Powdery Mildew
Description: There are numerous fungi that fall under the general description of a powdery mildew. Powdery mildew appears as a dusty white to gray coating over leaf surfaces. In most cases this fungal growth can be partially removed by rubbing the leaves. The fungus is favored by periods of high relative humidity or site conditions that promote a more humid environment, such as close spacing of plants, densely growing plants, or shade.

Organic Control: Products that contain neem oil or potassium bicarbonate are effective, organic controls for many plant diseases.




Rust
Description: Initial symptoms include yellow lesions that enlarge over time. When mature, spores break through the epidermis of the lesion and are blown by wind and splashed by rain to new infection sites. Most spores are characteristically orange in color, but some may be various shades of yellow, red, or brown.

Organic Control: Products that contain neem oil or potassium bicarbonate are effective, organic controls for many plant diseases.

These are some of the main diseases. Most all of them will have that "burned" look with crisp or brown/black colors. If you have a problem identifying a disease or insect, send us a picture and we will try to solve your problem. Email erland@hbhorganic.com.

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