Pest Control & Diseases
What to do about leaf miners?
By now, you probably know that I don’t think a garden should be free of pests. In order to have a garden as free from chemicals or pesticides as possible, there has to be both “bad” bugs and “good” bugs. Sadly, the bad bugs usually show up first, and then it takes...
A Backyard Gardener’s Approach to Powdery Mildew
Welcome my friends! If you are battling powdery mildew, you aren’t alone. In fact, this year more than most, I’ve had people approach me about what to do with all the powdery mildew in their gardens! The absolute truth is that powdery mildew is nothing to fear. In...
Blossom End Rot ~ Identification, Control, and Prevention
Blossom end rot is a common garden problem, but thankfully we know what causes it. While blossom end rot (BER) most commonly occurs in tomatoes, BER can also happen with cucumbers, melons, eggplants, peppers, and squash.Blossom end rot (BER) is not a disease. It is a...
How to Get Rid of Leafhoppers in the Garden
This is the first year I started to notice my plants developing tiny, light-colored speckles all over the leaves. Because I generally practice IPM (Integrated Pest Management) in my garden, I wasn't jumping for a spray or solution right away. Eventually I observed...
Fighting Fungus Gnats
Admittedly, I had never battled fungus gnats until now. In my opinion, our current problem is the result of quite a few issues. First, we had a very wet winter. Even with our irrigation shut off, the soil stayed wet for days at a time. Also, for the first time we...
How to Stop Cabbage Caterpillars From Eating Your Garden!
Are cabbage caterpillars eating your garden? Out of all the pests I have covered so far, I think the cabbage caterpillar (also known as the cabbage worm) might be the one that we have all battled at some time or another. In my experience, the best way to stop green...
Earwigs In The Garden- Pest Control
Earwigs, also known as pincher bugs, are scary looking. Their scaly bodies and large pincer claws on their rears look menacing. Earwigs like to hide in dark, damp spaces which, in a vegetable garden, usually means the crevices of our cabbages, artichokes, lettuces,...
Dealing With Roly Polies or Pill Bugs in the Garden
Anyone else use to play with these little bugs when they were kids? I remember racing them (snails too) and being fascinated by how they could roll into balls like armadillos. Around here we call them roly polies, but they are also known as pill bugs and a plethora of...
Meet Randi
