Flamborough Baptist Community Garden

           They are coming at night for your plants!!

Don’t panic! It’s ok. Ok, now that everyone is calm let’s talk bugs. I must admit it is one of my least favorite things to talk about but as gardeners it is a reality we must face. There will be bugs in our garden. However, it must be said that some varieties of bugs are good for our gardens and are welcomed.

 Some good bugs: wasps, ground beetles, dragonflies. Attract the good ones by plants a variety of flowers and herbs in the garden. If every plots has some flowers, everyone will benefit!

So, how to manage these pesky little invaders? The first and best defense against them is to grow healthy plants. The stronger your plant the better is to defend itself against any trouble a bug may bring on. In fact in some cases, when we see signs of pest damage the best thing to do is, well, nothing. In nature, there’s always been some insect damage; that’s the way it has been forever, and plants are designed to cope. The good news is that since most of us are growing many varieties of vegetables and flowers in our plots. This mixing up of the plants attractive odors will make it harder for pests to find their favorite food.  But, in reality there may be issues to watch for. Now is the time to not just water your garden but care for your plants. Look at them closely. Are there signs of damage? Do they look weak?

Bad bugs to watch for:

· leaf miner: spinach, beets, chard, etc. Leaves turn brown.

·cabbage worm / moth: cabbage families ( broccoli, cauliflower,etc). Cover plants so eggs can't be laid. Pick off worms and put into a container with soap and water.

Cabbage worm/moth



Cabbage worm

  

·squash bug: squash, zucchini, etc. remove adults(spraying with a mixture of water and a bit of dawn soap will kill the adults), crush eggs on underside of leaves  

Adult squash bug and eggs

·ants and aphids: usually won't destroy a plant

Key is identification of the bug. Then you can find out if it is a big problem or not, and the best way to combat it (“The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible” by Edward C. Smith is a great tool for identifying pest and how to control them).  Often mechanical means (picking off adult bugs, destroying eggs on underside of leaves) are very effective. Removing affected plants or leaves can also help (removing leaves may open the plant to attack from earwigs). Remember, NO PESTICIDES allowed.