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Q. "How can I control wooly adelgids on my hemlock trees?"
- CT
A. "Hemlock woolly adelgids are small, aphid-like, sap-sucking insects that concentrate their feeding activities on the youngest branches of a hemlock, where the needles attach to the twig. The feeding kills the needles and interferes with the trees ability to produce new ones. It's easy to recognize an infestation -- the insects are named for the white, fuzzy eggsac they lay along young twigs, at the base of almost every needle. Infested limbs may die in one growing season, and entire trees often succumb within 1 to 4 years.
If you are trying to control adelgids on one or a few small trees, you can try a horticultural oil to smother the eggs, crawlers and flying adults when they are vulnerable. Insecticidal soap also gives good control. If you are dealing with a large stand of trees, or very large trees, contact a county forester or local arborist."
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Insect Killing Soap
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Q. I'm looking for some safe, organic sprays. When I was growing up in the 20's and 30's my father made a spray with Payne's Spanish tobacco. I don't remember which crops he used it on, or for which pests. Can you tell me what this is used for, and under what circumstances?
- J. R., Las Vegas, NM
A. "The tobacco companies probably wouldn't want this to be widely known, but the active ingredient from the tobacco spray that poisoned the pests was nicotine, a broad-spectrum poison that will kill any insect in its path. Although you can make your own tobacco spray, it is no longer recommended for use on food plants. There are other botanical (plant-derived) insecticides available on the market that are much safer when used as directed; pyrethrum and neem are two examples. These are also broad-spectrum, but when you use them properly and only when truly needed, you can have less impact on non-target and beneficial species. Just recently, cottonseed oil has been formulated for use as a suffocating oil spray for use against scale, mealybugs, and other pests."
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Safer Brand® BioNEEM® |
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Q. The leaves of my columbine are covered with squiggly whitish lines. At first I thought it was slime trails left by slugs, but I don't think that's it. What is causing the lines and is it harming the plants?
- T. G., Middle Grove, NY
A. "It sounds like leafminers, which are a common pest of columbine. Leaf miners are the larvae of a small moth or fly that feed by removing green tissue from between the upper and lower surfaces of leaves. Since they're between the leaf surfaces, no amount of insecticide will reach them. You can pick and destroy infested leaves to kill the larvae and to reduce the population of future generations.
If you can encourage beneficial predators, such as lacewings and spiders, to take up residence in your garden, the beneficials will help keep the leafminer populations down. If you have a variety of plants in your landscape so that there's something blooming at all times, you'll provide the perfect environment for a multitude of beneficials.
In the meantime, just pick off the leaves of your columbines if they develop the tell-tale trails of leafminers. Although unsightly, they generally don't cause much harm to the plant. In addition to picking off infested leaves now, do a good thorough clean up around the plant in the late fall to remove any overwintering pests."
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Q. My basil, radish, and tomato plants have lots of little holes in the leaves. I don't see any insects on them, however. What do you think is making the holes?
- J. V., Ft. Lauderdale, FL
A. "Although many insects chew holes in leaves, if the holes are tiny, the most likely culprit is the flea beetle. These tiny black beetles, true to their name, will jump off plants if disturbed, making a positive identification difficult. One way to determine if these are the culprits is to cover the inside of a cardboard box with bright yellow paper, then smear petroleum jelly on the paper. Hold the box upside down and brush it over the tops of the affected plants. The flea beetles will jump toward the yellow paper and get stuck on the sticky surface. (If you do this frequently, you may be able to keep the population in check.)
Flea beetles are generally a problem on young plants only; mature plants are able to withstand the damage without compromising yields. Next year, protect newly seeded beds and young plants with floating row covers."
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Safer Brand®
Japanese Beetle Trap |
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Q. My young bean plants are being devoured by pillbugs at the point where the stem and ground meet. My garden seems to be infested with pillbugs. How can I kill them without using pesticides?
- J. K., Allen, TX
A. Pillbugs are fans of moist, cool locations, where they generally feed on decaying organic matter. As you've found, they do like tender seedlings as well. If you have mulch or leaf litter on your garden, pull it away from the area where the beans are planted. If that doesn't deter them, sprinkle diatomaceous earth (DE) around the plants. DE is fossilized remains of single-celled creatures called diatoms. Each fossil has sharp edges that irritate and deter soft-bodied insects.
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Q. What are some natural pesticides I can use on my plants?
- H. J., Hillsboro, OR
A. "First of all, it's really important to identify the pest before using any pesticide -- "natural" or not. Always try cultural methods first -- pruning, weeding, thinning, cleaning up garden debris, etc. Also, there is a misconception that "natural" pesticides are safer than "chemical" ones. Note that many so-called "natural" pesticides are extremely toxic. For example, nicotine was once used to kill insects, but this is no longer recommended because of its high toxicity.
There are certain biological controls, such as Bt, that target only one type of pest. Bt is a bacteria that is used to control caterpillars, among other pests. It is very important to choose the correct control -- for example, different strains of Bt are used to control different pests. Also, remember that the Bt that controls caterpillars in the garden will also kill butterfly larvae, so use it only when absolutely necessary.
Others pesticides, such as horticultural oil, suffocate a variety of pests. Horticultural oil may be made from petroleum or vegetable oils; note that you should always use one made specifically for plants, since they have been highly refined for this purpose. It is often used while plants are dormant, to kill overwintering scale and mites.
Finally, there are "broad spectrum" controls, like pyrethrum and rotenone. Even though these are derived from plants, they must be used with great caution, if used at all, because they will kill beneficial insects as well as pests -- and these beneficials can often keep pests in control by themselves! The one benefit they have over synthetic insecticides is that they break down quickly in the environment, so they don't persist like some synthetics. (However, this also means that they may need to be reapplied more often.)
Some gardeners make their own using a liquid dish soap like Ivory Liquid at a 1 or 2 percent concentration in water."
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Q. Can I add insecticidal soap to a fungicide spray, so I can "kill two birds with one stone," so to speak? Or must they be used separately? I'd like to use the mix on roses, but in general is this an OK practice?
- C. K., Kent, WA
A. "It's not a good idea to mix fungicides and insecticides together. There might be a chemical reaction between the compounds, or the combination could be phytotoxic (react with the sun to burn leaf surfaces). Fungicides can be used to help prevent black spot of roses if sprayed during the dormant season prior to leaf emergence. If fungal diseases develop during the season you can usually stop the spread of the disease by picking off the leaves that develop spots. Insecticidal soaps are effective against soft-bodied insects such as aphids, but these insects are usually found on the tender new growth, not on older, diseased leaves.
So, the bottom line is: To avoid potential problems, use either if necessary, but not at the same time, and not mixed into a homemade brew."
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Safer Brand® 3 in 1 Garden Spray
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Q. My tomatoes and peppers are overrun with leaf-footed plant bugs. How can I get rid of them? I would rather not spray an insecticide.
- L. F., Highland, CA
A. Leaf-footed plant bugs (Leptoglossus spp.) can damage plants by sucking the juices from leaves, stems, and ripening fruit. They become problematic when populations soar, so check their proliferation early in the season. Handpick adults and squish any egg masses you find on the undersides of leaves. The pests like to hide in ground covers and weed patches, so keep weeds in control, and try growing a trap crop of mustard around your tomato and pepper plants. You can destroy the trap crop and the insects at the end of the season. Be sure to clean up garden debris at the end of the season to remove egg masses, and till the soil. This will expose the insects to natural predators. Next spring rotate the planting sites for your crops.
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Q. I have noticed a lot of lady bugs the last few days. They are all around my sliding glass door to our deck. Are they wanting the warmth of the inside of the house? Some have made it inside. Do they hibernate? Are they just eating the small insects around the deck? Today I counted nearly 30 of them and they seem to show up around noon and stay until the sun is off of the house, 3:30 or so. Will the ones that make it in the house multiply? I don't want to get rid of them, I'm just curious about them. Does the fact that I bought a bag of them a year ago to put on my roses have anything to do with it?
- B. L., Poulsbo, WA
A. "Ladybugs can be a real nuisance indoors! Your home has probably been adopted by the Asian ladybugs rather than the native kinds. These imported ladybugs do eat pests, but differ from the natives in that they prefer to hibernate on high cliffs instead of old tree stumps. Your house might be the highest place they could find in the area and they decided to hibernate under the eaves near the roof. As the weather gets progressively cooler, the ladybugs are drawn toward the heat escaping from your home. They manage to find tiny openings between the boards of the house and end up in wall spaces or attics.
Then the warmth of your home tricks them into thinking it's springtime. Ladybugs are programmed to disperse when they wake up from their winter hibernation, and so they begin flying and crawling all around, in an effort to escape. The kindest thing you can do is collect them and send them outdoors. Either vacuum them up and empty the bag outside, or sweep them into a pile and toss them outside. There may be a few casualties, but the majority of them should survive the ordeal. There's really no way to keep them from coming in, short of sealing all of the tiny openings between the exterior and interior of your home. You're not alone, though. Many, many homeowners are invaded by swarms of ladybugs, especially in the early spring or late fall."
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Q. I had aphids on my melon plants so I purchased some ladybugs. I've been releasing about 1000 every evening after sunset. However, by the next evening, all but about 10 have left the area. What can I do to keep them interested in my garden?
- A. V., Tucson, AZ
A. "The beneficials you've purchased have been kept cool to fool them into thinking spring has just begun. Ladybugs, as you have discovered, are genetically programmed to disburse when they wake up from hibernation. If you have a large population of aphids, the ladybugs may stick around long enough to lay eggs before they fly away. When the eggs hatch the larvae will begin feeding on the aphids, so even though you don't see large numbers of adults around, they may have already worked their magic by laying eggs.
Wait a few weeks to see if you can find new populations of dark colored alligator-shaped ladybug larva. Check the undersides of leaves for clusters of orange-yellow eggs, too. You may be surprised at what the ladybugs have left for you!
Note that most beneficial insects like disk- or ray-shaped flowers because the nectar in these flowers is easy to reach, so consider adding some cosmos, zinnias, and daisies to your garden to attract native beneficials."
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Q. "What is the most effective way to get rid of Japanese beetles? Last year they ruined most of my garden. Is there anything I can do to get rid of them but still stay organic?"
- M. K., Cairo, NY
A. "Japanese beetles are a difficult pest to control. Your best bet is a two-prong approach: one to deal with the larvae, one to deal with the adults.
Japanese beetle larvae are the white, C-shaped grubs you find in the soil. They are best controlled by spraying beneficial nematodes on the lawn and garden area. The microscopic worm-like nematodes harm only the grubs in the soil and not plants, animals or humans. Spray them in spring when the temperatures are above 55°F and you should see a difference this summer.
For adult beetles, try handpicking combined with a neem oil spray. Avoid using Japanese beetle traps. In some cases, it appears that they actually draw beetles to them from the surrounding area -- and you don't need to be attracting extra beetles!"
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Q. What do you suggest to get rid of or prevent iris borers?
- J. M., Clarendon Hills, IL
A. "Iris borers can really ruin an iris bed! These moth larvae emerge in the spring as tiny caterpillars. They bore into new iris leaves and eat the soft interior tissue, gradually working their way down into the roots. In early fall the fat, pinkish, dark-brown-headed borers emerge from the rhizome and pupate in the soil. The gray-brown moths begin to appear in late August and are active at night. In late fall the moths lay their egg clusters on old iris foliage and other nearby garden debris.
To eliminate overwintering eggs, clean up and destroy old leaves, stems, and debris in fall or winter. Inspect the plants in spring and early summer and squish any larvae you see in the foliage. Look for signs of borer infestation -- yellow leaves that detach easily from the rhizome. Dig up affected plants and examine the rhizome for borers; remove and destroy any infested plants.
The borers not only damage the plants with their chewing but carry the bacteria that produce foul-smelling soft rot, one the serious diseases that affect irises. Make sure the iris are not receiving too much water, as this will also encourage rot."
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Q. I was told by my local nursery to spray dormant oil on my fruit trees this fall. What is dormant oil? Is it the same thing as the "superior oil" products I've seen?
- C. G., Hillsboro, OR
A. "Dormant oil is an extremely refined oil, intended for use on dormant outdoor plants to smother overwintering pests, insect eggs, and fungal spores. An even lighter weight oil, called superior oil or summer oil, is sold for use during the growing season to control mites and scale on citrus, and powdery mildew on roses, among other uses. It's an important distinction because a heavy application of oil when temperatures are high can cause burning of plant tissues. These refined oils can be from petroleum or from plant oils, depending upon the manufacturer.
Be sure to read the labels on your dormant oils for warnings of phytotoxicity on selected plants, and follow application instructions carefully. Ferns are particularly sensitive to oil applications and conifers can be burned by an improper application. Spraying on hot or humid days can also cause phytotoxic reactions especially if the plants are under water stress."
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Q. Someone gave me a recipe for bug control: equal parts chewing tobacco, Listerine mouthwash, and dish soap. This only worked for a short time, but it also caused the plant leaves to wilt. Are there other mixtures I can make at home for controlling pests?
- M. T., Runnemede, NJ
A. There are many home recipes for insect control, but as you have discovered they can have varying degrees of success. The above mixture sounds very strong to me, especially if you didn't dilute it in water before applying. It is always a good idea to test any new spray on a few leaves, then wait a few days and make sure it is not going to damage your plants. It's also crucial to identify the pest so that you can choose a control method that is known to work. Sometimes simply giving it a good strong spray with water from the hose will do the trick -- but it really depends on which insect/mite/animal/pathogen is bothering the plant. Sometimes environmental conditions can cause problems that are misdiagnosed as pest problems. The best way to protect your plants is to keep them healthy, with proper nutrition and watering, because pests prefer plants that are already weakened or otherwise out of balance. (For example, too much nitrogen fertilizer makes plants attractive to aphids.) Make sure they're suited to the
growing conditions (soil type, moisture level, light exposure) and that you provide the care they need to maintain health.
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Safer Brand® 3 in 1 Garden Spray
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Q. "I have read several articles on companion gardening but nothing that mentions specific plants for controlling grasshoppers. They are everywhere! Any ideas? "
- D. A., Cropwell, AL
A. "Here are three suggestions for your grasshopper problem. First, remove any grassy weeds near the garden, where the grasshoppers will congregate when they're not eating your garden plants. Second, encourage wildlife, especially birds, into your garden. Do this by minimizing pesticide use and planting trees and shrubs with berries and seeds that are attractive to birds. Birds can eat a remarkable number of insects. Finally, consider using the biological control Nosema locustae. This is a microbe that attacks grasshoppers, and is sold under various trade names specifically to control grasshoppers. One last suggestion: if you live on a large lot, consider getting a few free-roaming hens. They will correct the problem very quickly! And of course, the eggs are a bonus!"
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Q. I have found some strange insects on my plants. At first glance they looked like caterpillars, but upon closer examination I saw that they have legs. They have dark backs with orange-ish spots. They don't appear to be eating leaves or harming anything. Can you tell me what they are? Are they good or bad?
- J. B., Vancouver, WA
A. I'm not absolutely positive, but based upon your description, I'll bet they're ladybug larvae. These "good guys" are shaped like little alligators and have ridges running sideways from their heads to their tails. Eventually they'll draw themselves up into a roundish shape, develop hard wings, and look like full grown ladybugs. Don't do anything to them, they're definitely beneficial in the garden! These "youngsters" actually eat a lot more pests than the more recognizable adult ladybugs.
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Q. "I noticed a white foamy substance on some of my hosta plants. When I touched it a flat, bright white insect jumped off, out of the foam. What is it, and is it harmful to the plants? If so, what can I do to get rid of it? "
- H. H., Calhoun, IN
A. "I think you're describing spittlebugs. These small insects feed by sucking the juices out of stems and leaves. They protect themselves from predators by manufacturing a bubbly foam that disguises them, and makes them appear larger than they really are. Spittlebugs can be hosed off plants with a strong stream of water. You can squish them between your fingers, if you'd prefer. They're not as damaging to plants as some of the other insects out there, but they don't make things in the garden look very appealing!"
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Q. I have earwigs everywhere! I see some damage on my flowers and herbs, but I don't know if they are the culprit. Are the earwigs a true pest, and if so, what can I do to control them?
A. "Earwigs are one of those semi-good guys that sometimes become a nuisance. Although they occasionally chomp on our flowers, they also have the habit of chomping on aphids and certain pest larvae.
It's helpful to understand the pest's habits and life cycle. In fall, the adults build nests in the top few inches of the soil and overwinter. They lay eggs in April and the young stay close to the nest and are fed by the adults until June, when they go off to fend for themselves. The population booms again in late August, when a second generation of adults emerges. Earwigs feed at night on just about any dead or living material they can find. They prefer heavily mulched soil amended with organic matter, dark places and cool, wet weather.
You can trap the earwigs moving from the ground to the plants in the evening by placing rolled newspaper or cardboard tubes, baited with vegetable oil mixed with moistened bread crumbs, at the base of the corn plants. The earwigs seek out dark, cool hiding places during the day, and the bait will help keep them there. Check the traps in the early morning, killing any earwigs found there by shaking them into soapy water.
If you don't have time for these procedures, diatomaceous earth sprinkled sparsely on and liberally around the seedlings and other plants will discourage them as well, as the particles are razor-sharp to insects.
For long-term control, amend your soil annually with organic matter -- earwigs tend not to bother plants as much when they have an abundant source of decaying organic matter to feed on in the soil. Earwigs build nests in the soil, so fall tilling may be a way to destroy those that overwinter, thus lowering the population."
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Q. "What can I do to safely kill the earwigs that I've seen creeping around my potted vegetable plants?"
- M. P., Ventura, CA
A. Earwigs like hiding in cool, damp places and this preference for damp shade makes them easy to trap. A piece of hose, bamboo, or even rolled newspaper laid in the shade will attract them, and then you can do away with them by drowning or squashing them. To protect seedlings, surround them with a sticky barrier, such as cardboard coated with petroleum jelly; if the critters try to scale it, they'll get stuck. If you don't have time for these procedures, diatomaceous earth lightly sprinkled on the plants, and more liberally spread on the soil between the plants, will discourage them as well, as the particles are razor-sharp to insects.
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