What's Bugging Your Garden?
Oh no! The aphids are in my roses!
Something is eating my herbs----what's that white stuff all over my begonias?My Bougainvillea has big notches chopped out of the leaves but there is nothing there. I thought nothing bothered bougainvilleas!
Dear Gardener: Here's the truth California was built on an ant hill, there is a new disease or pest entering our state on average each month, piggy backing a ride on a tourist or an incoming shipment of goods.
At the bottom we'll give you some helpful ideas and links to finding individual pests or disease problems We'll try to cover a few here.
Here is someplace to begin.
Insects are either chewing, sucking, piercing, or just generally fighting on the side of the bad bugs.
Sucking Insects suck the juices out of the plants leaves or other tissues and make your leaves look pale and dried out looking.
Diseases
Many insects carry virus's,
A virus is a disease and like in people there usually isn't a cure.
There are lots and lots and lots of them. Some are fungal like mildews, some are bacterial and usually cause spots or turn plants black and ugly. If you don't know what you are fighting take a sample in a plastic bag to your local garden center and ask for someone who is knowledgeable on plant problems.
If they don't know go to your local Agricultural Home Garden Advisors free helpers. They are
called Master Gardeners.
Here are some handy guides:
Comparing Insecticides: Natural Vs. Conventional
Comparing Fungicides: Natural Vs. Conventional