Garden Pests and Diseases: Preventative Measures
Karen Problems with pests and diseases are constant problems in the garden. You can’t entirely eliminate them but you can do something to minimize them. Good garden practices go a long…
Ten Interesting Facts about Woodlice (Sowbugs and Pillbugs) and How to Control Them
Woodlice can be a pest in the garden when the eat young seedlings. Altough sowbugs and pillbugs look very much alike, those that roll up into a ball when distubed…
Plant Problems and Their Control: Brown Rot (Monilinia fructicola) of Stone Fruits
Brown rot is a common disease of stone fruits including peaches, nectarines, cherries, and plum. It may also affect almond and pome fruits such as apples and pears. It is…
Chitinase for the Garden
Have you heard of chitinase? It is a naturally occurring substance that has potential for preventing or reversing disease in plants. You may be using chitinase right now to fight…
Garden Pests: Chipmunks and Their Control
Chipmunks can be an amusing asset to a garden. Their small size, attractive coloration and frenetic search for food make them very entertaining as they dash around stopping only to…
Beneficial Arachnida and How to Attract Them: Wolf Spiders
If you have seen a large, hairy spider with long legs in your garden it might be a wolf spider. Actually wolf spider refers to a family of spiders and…
Root-Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and How to Control Them
Sometimes a plant wilts easily, has a yellow appearance, fails to grow properly, and slowly dies. No signs of insect or fungal damage can be seen; fertilizing and watering does…
Pest Control: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), Beneficial Bacterium
One of the tools available to the organic farmer is Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly known as Bt. It is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces a protein that is toxic to…
Beneficial Insects: Yellow Jackets
If you have ever been chased and stung by a yellow jacket you must be surprised that the title of this post suggests that they are good insects. The truth…
Insects and their Control: Blister Beetles (Epicauta spp.)
The common name “blister beetle” is given to 7,500 species of beetles in the Meloidae family that secret cantharidin, a chemical that causes blistering of the skin. They have a…