garden pests tagged posts

Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows this informative article on how to manage Japanese beetles.

Q:  Japanese beetles have been ravaging my yard for a few summers now. I heard Milky Spore can be a natural way to treat them. Is that right?

A:  Japanese beetle grubs feed underground on plant roots (often in lawns). The adults feed on foliage and flower petals on perennials, shrubs, and trees. It’s possible only one of those two life stages will pose a problem for a gardener while the other does not. You won’t necessarily have to tackle both. In fact, a lot of lawn grub treatments are unnecessary...

Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows this informative article on what to know before applying pesticides in your garden. Featured image: Oregon Department of Agriculture, CC.

You have a pest problem in your garden – maybe it is hungry insects feeding on your vegetables, or stubborn weeds taking over your flower patch, or fungal diseases killing your lawn. You might consider using pesticides (which include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides), especially if the problem seems widespread or severe. How do you choose the right pesticides and apply them correctly to support a healthy and thriving garden? How do you ensure your food plants remain safe for consumption and adverse impacts on beneficial species and soil health remain minimal?

Choosing the right pestic...

Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows this informative article about getting to know your local mantis.

Q:  I’ve heard that not all of our praying mantis types are native. They’re all good for garden pest control though, right, or are some bad instead?

A:  Maryland is currently home to five species of praying mantis, but only one is native, which is the Carolina Mantis. The others are the European, Chinese, Narrow-winged, and Asian Jumping Mantids, with the latter being the most recent introduction...