Plant Care - Fighting the Enemy

Got garden bugs? A visiting rabbit that likes to nibble on your lettuce? Here’s some advice on keeping your garden protected from unfriendly garden pests.

The protective measure you take depends largely on what type of pest you’re fighting. Mechanical interventions work best when you have a larger animal damaging your plants. Smaller bugs and insects are usually better targeted with chemical applications. That’s why the first step in garden protection involves identifying the pest in question.

First, identify the symptoms your plants are exhibiting. Are parts of leaves missing or are the plants gone completely? Do you see bugs on your plants or evidence of bugs - like webs, spittle pods or eggs? Also look around the garden for animal tracks or feces to help identify a larger animal. You can lookup your plant’s symptoms online or you can check a gardening book out of your local library for more information on your pest problems. Either source will give you details about the pest in question and ways to repair the damage or prevent it in the first place.

When you’re fighting off plant enemies, you have two main options – chemical and mechanical. Chemical applications include such things as fungicides and insecticides, while mechanical protection involves devices that guard the plant’s physical structure.

If you’re fighting a larger animal, you’ll have better luck with mechanical devices. Fencing in your garden with chicken wire or electric fencing may help, but can cost a lot of money to install. If only certain plants are being targeted, you may be able to construct smaller structure to help protect them. Covered frames made of glass, mosquito netting or chicken wire are easy to build and will keep most predators away from your plants. You can also use tar paper, stiff tin or cardboard to construct collars that circle the plant and sit on the ground. This will help keep rabbits, rodents and other small pests away.

Smaller insect pests can be deterred with chemical applications. Commonly used garden chemicals include insecticides, pesticides and natural remedies made from soap, chili powder, diatomaceous earth and more. Be careful when using commercial chemicals – over-applying insecticides and pesticides can harm your garden, your health and the environment around you. Whenever possible, use a natural remedy to solve your insect problem. More information on specific natural cures can be found on gardening sites and gardening forums across the web.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keep your garden healthy by maintaining proper drainage and air circulation around your plants. Plants that remain damp after watering may harbor more disease than those allowed to dry out completely. Regular weeding gives insects fewer places to hide, so keep up with that task as well. As you’re weeding, take the time to examine your plants to check for signs of insect infestation. Treating a few bugs at a time is much easier than a whole colony!

Dealing with garden enemies is an important part of garden maintenance. Keeping on top of pest problems with mechanical and chemical solutions will help keep your garden healthy and productive throughout the growing season.

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