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Garden Disease and Pests / Disease and Pest Control

Winter Spray of Fruit Trees

  • This is the Atom Bomb of Organic Pest & Fungus Control. Duration 8:38. Bonide Orchard Spray. Contains sulphur and pyrethrin (derived from Chrysanthemums). Sulfur is a fungicide and Pyrethrin kills eggs and halts reproduction of insects. Start in February and spray every 3 weeks before buds form. Spray branches and base of tree thoroughly.

Kill weeds

  • Mix 1 liter of vinegar with 2T dish soap and 4T of Epsom salt. Spray on weeds.

Grubs - Japanese/June beetles

  • Lawn Grub ID and Organic Control. Use beneficial nematodes (species Heterorhabditis bacteriophora). They are microscope predators of all four species of grub worms. Applied in late spring when the soil temperature is above 60 degrees F, these minuscule worm-like creatures seek out and kill grubs throughout the growing season. They do not harm other insects, humans, pets, or the soil. Plus, they’re easy to apply, completely safe, and highly effective. Sellers: Arbico Organics
  • Doing Battle With Japanese Beetles. Prevention: drop them in soapy water; use chickens; a parasitic fly or wasp (like Spring Tiphia, Tachnid flies)--attracted by flowers like forsythia and peonies; moles (eat grubs and to get rid of the moles later, use 3T of a 50:50 solution of castor oil and dish soap per gallon and spray the lawn; Milky Spore (purchase on Amazon); beneficial nematodes, Neem oil.
  • Plants that Japanese beetles hate: Dogwood trees, Chrysanthemums, Poppies, Begonies, Lilac trees, Pansies.

Squash Vine Borer

  • Description: Killing squash bugs will not save your squash plants from dying! Why? Because you would have been attacking the wrong cause of your plants dying.
  • Squash Vine Borer Moth. Flies during the day, unlike regular moths which fly at night. While deposit eggs in June-July.
  • Videos:
    • Squash Vine Borer (my secret fix) How I Do It (OAG). (1) Remove the leaves and blooms about a foot up the plant (if you have the room). (2) Cut aluminum foil in 2 inch wide pieces and wrap the vine from the soil to the top of the leaf removed area.
    • 14 Ways to Deal With Squash Vine Borers! (1) Manual removal of eggs, (2) Aluminum wrap, (3) Yellow bowl holding soapy water. The moths are attracted to yellow. (4) Don't plant squash in the same place each year. (5) Dig them out with a wire and hook. (6) Yellow sticky traps (to capture the moth). (7) Insecticide. (8) Plant varieties that moths don't like (e.g. butternut, green-striped kacho). (9) Plant a trap crop (e.g. blue hubbard). (10) Use a row cover. (11) Inject Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) into the stem. (12) Cut them out with a knife. (13) Get rid of infected plant since they will dig into the soil and overwinter. (14) Turn the soil over to expose the worms.
    • How to Treat Powdery Mildew and Stop Vine Borers: 10 Varieties of Squash & Zucchini - TRG 2015. Duration 13:06. Uses Sevin Dust which is an insecticide that is known to cause cancer in humans.

Squash bugs

  • Description: Adults overwinter in protected areas. Active in spring. Mate in June+, eggs turn to nymph to adults. Typically one generation per year, but if second generation occurs then it's a very large generation. Adults are very resistant to insecticides. Best to manually remove the eggs every 2-3 days and/or kill the nymphs. However, adults will succumb to soapy water just as nymphs will.
  • Squash bug nymphs. Nymph take 4-6 weeks to develop into adults. Nymphs live on the underside of leaves, so any spraying has to be done on the underside. Soapy water kills the nymphs and adults. This is the cheapest option. However, you need to wash the soap off the leaves shortly thereafter or the soap dries and will burn the leaves and kill the plant. Insecticides will also work on the nymphs. Use any of these: Spinosad, Pyrethrum, Azera (azadirachtin + pyrethrins), Actara, Assail, +14 others.
  • Plants to grow near the targeted crop: marigolds, mint, catnip or white radishes. The idea is to produce a smell that overpowers the squash flower scent and the bugs get confused and will not find the squash plants.
  • Squash bug trap. Plant early in the growing season a squash variety that squash bugs favor--zucchini, for example. Use this as the sacrificial "trap" before planting other summer vegetables. Put wood planks (1" x 4" boards) around the target plant in which the adults squash bugs will want to hide when they are not feeding. Every 2-3 days uncover the planks one at a time and spray them with soapy water to kill the adults. The more concentrated the soapy water, the more instant the kill time and rate. More convenient to use a 32oz or smaller spray bottle. Also, turn over the leaves and manually remove the squash bug eggs.

Disease and Pest Control

  • General:
  • Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). Only kills caterpillars (gives them an upset stomach and die of starvation)--e.g. tomato hornworms, corn borers, earworms, cabbage loopers, leaf rollers. Will cause some damage to the plant. It comes in either liquid concentrate, wettable powder (mix with water) or dust (do *not* mix with water). Difficult to apply the dust version of BT. Spray the plant to the point of runoff.
  • Notes on Bt: (1) Short shelf-life, buy only for the season, (2) It takes days for the caterpillars to die, degrades in sunlight so spray in dawn or dusk, (3) stays on the plant for less than a week. See Bt Pest Control: Info For Controlling Pests With Bacillus Thuringiensis.
  • Diatomaceous Earth. Kills beetles (e.g. Flea beetle, Colorado Potato Beetle). Need a duster to apply.
  • My Mid Summer Spraying Regiment for Blight, Powdery Mildew, and Pests. In 1 gallon of water: 2T baking soda, 3 drops of dish soap, and 3T of vegetable oil. Also uses Copper Fungicide, but in large quantities is bad for worms. Also, alternatively, uses 2T Apple Cider Vinegar in a spray bottle--good for powdery mildew. Neem Oil is very potent and will kill your plant if you use too much. For pests, he only uses Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis).
  • Homemade Dormant Oil Spray for Fruit Trees. Use a dormant oil formula to control pests like scales, aphids and mites. Dormant oil consists of refined petroleum oil that -- when applied to trees -- will smother overwintering insects -- such as aphids, scales and mites -- and their eggs or will dissolve their protective waxing coating. It is applied in the winter months when fruit trees are in their inactive period. For dormant oil to provide proper control, the oil must come in contact with the pests. Several homemade recipes are mentioned.
  • Homemade Dormant Oil Spray for Fruit Trees. Mix together 1 tablespoon of canola oil, a few drops of laundry detergent and a quart of water. In the dormant season use: 1 cup of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of liquid soap. Take the oil/soap mixture, and pour it into a gallon of water.
  • Ibid. Sometimes insect control requires a different approach than suffocation. Another method for controlling insects on fruit trees is to apply a spray that deteriorates the waxy outer coating of the insect, thereby exposing it to the elements, which causes its downfall. To make a dormant oil spray for fruit trees that accomplishes insect control via this method, start by mixing 5 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of soap (preferably of a natural origin like olive oil) with 1 gallon of water. Pour the mixture into a sprayer and shake it vigorously before applying it. The baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are an important part of this solution because they work to sterilize fungal spores that are potentially damaging to fruit trees. This spray is also great for use after pruning as a way to seal the tree and keep unwanted pests out.
  • Get a leg up on fruit tree problems with dormant oils. Renquist recommends a three-pronged approach to spraying. In fall around Thanksgiving, apply copper. Spray sulfur in early January and then at least two weeks later make a spray with dormant oil. Then make another copper spray in mid-to late February. Don’t combine copper and sulfur or sulfur and oil in the same tank to minimize the risk of damage to tree bark.
  • Can I Make a Horticulture Oil to Spray on My Apple Trees? One of the recommended recipes is: 2 Tbsp of ultrafine canola oil, 1 Tbsp of baking soda, with 1 gallon of water. On apple trees apply during the dormant season, with temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheith for 24 to 48 hours and no rain.
  • Insect-Free Peach Trees. Suggests chemical, dormant oils and/or biological to control insects. Also, interior latex paint applied to the base of peach trees provides a barrier that keeps young larvae of peachtree borers from penetrating the trunk.
  • How to: Diagnose & Treat Leaf Curl / Yellowing Leaves (Inc. Lemon Tree Update). Duration 10:05.
  • How to Kill Ticks in a Yard. (1) Mow your lawn. Ticks need grass that is higher than 3 inches to survive. Ticks need higher humidity level to live. (2) Remove debris. (3) Replace plants that deer like to eat with plants they hate. Deer are notorious for transporting ticks. Deer enjoy eating azaleas and rhododendrons, for example, but dislike daffodils and marigolds.

Fungus and Fungicides

  • General:
    • Do not spray during hot, midday sun; early morning or evening is best.
    • Do not compost diseased leaves, fruit or branches. Throw in trash or burn.
    • Do not use Neem oil in the summer because it will burn your plants.
  • How to: Make Cheap Homemade Fungicide (Complete Step by Step Guide). Helps blight, black spot, downy mildew, powdery white mildew, leaf rust. Ingredients:
    • 1 gallon of water
    • 3-8 Tablespoons of baking soda depending on severity of fungal tissue. The higher amount is in extreme conditions. Better to start with lower dosage at first.
    • 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil or neem oil
    • 1 Tablespoon of biodegradable dish liquid
    • Shake well and spray
  • Anti-Fungal Peroxide Garden Spray | Helps Leaf Spot and Blight. Kills fungus and bacteria on the plant. Kills leaf spot, blight, etc. Apply once a week. Ingredients:
    • 1 gallon of water
    • 8-12 Tablespoons (or 0.5 to 0.75 cup, or 4 to 6 fluid ounces) of 3% hydrogen peroxide. (If using 35% hydrogen peroxide, add 11 parts water to get 3%.)
  • Bordeaux spray. See below.
  • Copper Fungicide. Works the same way as baking soda (above). Stays on the leaves longer than baking soda.
  • Milk/Whey. See below.

Bordeaux spray - as fungicide (for leaf curl, brown spots, etc.)

  • Application caution: Bordeaux spray burns leaves, which is why it should only be applied during winter dormancy before flower buds or leaves open. Wear old clothes because the blue tinge will stain. Wear safety goggles and gloves while spraying.
  • Bordeaux spray formula/usage: (1) Dissolve 100 grams (7 tablespoons or slightly less than 1/2 cup) of hydrated lime in a gallon of water (use plastic bucket, not metal). (2) Dissolve 100 grams (7 tablespoons or slightly less than 1/2 cup) of copper sulfate in a gallon of water and pour steadily the dissolved lime water into the dissolved copper sulfate water. (3) This 2 gallon concentration needs to be diluted with another 2 gallons of water before spraying. Use within a couple of days. (4) Thoroughly clean out sprayer with warm soapy water and flush the nozzle.
  • When Should I Copper Sulfate My Fruit Trees? Copper sulfate mixed with water and lime becomes Bordeaux mixture that helps protect fruit, vegetable and other plant from fungal diseases attacking fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants. It is available at department stores, garden centers and home improvement stores in various formulations including wettable powder, fluid concentrate and dusts. Application is done during the dormant season. May require 1 to 3 applications. The first in November. Use protective equipment when spraying since copper sulfate is corrosive.
  • Leaf curl: Leaf curl is a fungus that loves cold and wet conditions and infects peach, almond, apricot and nectarine trees. As the tree buds swell the fungus gets to work infecting the leaf cells. This stimulates the leaves to grow larger than normal and often with a reddish tinge.
  • Making Bordeaux Spray to Prevent Leaf Curl. leaf curl is easily preventable with one or two well-timed applications of a fungicide spray such as copper sulphate or Bordeaux spray. Spray the trees in winter while they are still dormant and just as the buds begin to swell. You need to spray enough to cover all the bare branches of the tree so that it’s dripping.

Milk/Whey as a fungicide

  • Whey as a fungicide. Spray whey on fruit trees! It's better and safer than fungicides against fungal diseases and it works better. See SAFE & EFFECTIVE!!! Spring Summer and Fall Disease Spray for your garden or orchard fruit trees
  • Using Milk to Prevent Powdery Mildew.
  • Powdery mildew. Milk/whey trials done in Australia focused primarily on grapes. David Bruer, an owner of one of the vineyards where the research took place, happens to be a chemist. He noted that under the influence of ultraviolet light, a protein in whey (ferroglobulin) produces an oxygen radical that is extraordinarily toxic to fungal spores. These trails showed good effectiveness on powdery mildew.
  • Secondary scab in apple. Similarly, summer whey sprays may prove a great means to limit the spread of secondary scab in apple. Disease pathogens that generate on the surface of fruiting plants seem the prime target.
  • Brown rot. I know of a Virginia grower successfully using diluted milk sprays for brown rot on stone fruits. Having multiple mechanisms on the calcium front to ward off disease points to further possibilities.
  • Sellers: PetSmart (raw goat milk, $8, 15oz), PrimalPetFoods.com (raw frozen goat milk).

Brown Rot of Stone Fruits

  • Brown Rot of Stone Fruits. Brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructicola (a fungus), is a common disease affecting stone fruits throughout the world. Almonds, cherries, apricots, peaches, and plums are all susceptible to the pathogen. High humidity, rainfall, and warm temperatures favor the development and spread of the disease. ... the most destructive infection period occurs just before harvest.
  • Fungicides. Many fungicides are labeled for brown rot, including azoxystrobin, benomyl, chlorothalonil, copper sulfate, fenbuconazole, iprodione, myclobutanil, propiconazole, sulfur, thiophanate-methyl, triforine, and vinclozolin.
  • Alternate fungicides (1). Ready to use copper fungicides (i.e. Bonide's Copper Fungicide) or sulfur powders should be applied weekly to infected trees starting when the blossoms are just beginning to open and continuing throughout the growing season. If at all possible, time applications so that 12 hours of dry weather follows application.
  • Alternate fungicides (2). Containing sulfur and pyrethrins, Bonide® Orchard Spray is a safe, one-hit concentrate for insect attacks and fungal problems. For best results, apply as a protective spray (2.5 oz/ gallon) early in the season. If disease, insects or wet weather are present, mix 5 oz in one gallon of water. Thoroughly spray all parts of the plant, especially new shoots.
  • Application. Apply fungicide during bloom and just before harvest. A preventive treatment just before bloom,when pink begins to show out of the buds, may also be needed, particularly if weather conditions favor the development of the disease.

Cabbage aphid - attacks Brassicaceae (mustards and crucifers like broccoli, etc.)

  • Cabbage aphid. Cabbage aphids feed on the underside of the leaves and on the center of the cabbage head. They prefer feeding on young leaves and flowers and often go deep into the heads of Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Colonies of aphids are found on upper and lower leaf surfaces, in leaf folds, along the leafstalk, and near leaf axils. Continued feeding by aphids causes yellowing, wilting and stunting of plants.
  • Cultural control: The field should be plowed immediately after harvest to prevent the spread of aphids to other crops (Griffin and Williamson 2012). It is important to rid the field and surrounding areas of any alternate host plants like mustards or other cruciferous weeds (Natwick 2009). Destruction of plant debris at the end of the season can help kill overwintering aphid eggs in temperate climates (Hines and Hutchison 2013). Planting a nectar plant to attract beneficial insects could also be helpful e.g., sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv.) as tested in cabbage (Webb 2010). Crop rotation with non-host crops is also beneficial (Kessing and Mau 1991). Choice of cultivar could also reduce aphid populations and damage. For example, the cauliflower cultivar ‘Smilla’ could be a good choice because it affects adult reproductive parameters (Jahan et al. 2013). Avoid replanting on land where an aphid-infested crop has been recently removed.
  • Biological control: Syrphid fly maggots, lady beetle adults and larvae, and lacewing larvae (aphid lions) are common predators of aphids. Leaf extract of peppermint (Mentha piperita), and seeds and leaf extract of flowering lantana (Lantana camara) have showed promising results against cabbage aphid.
  • Chemical control: Aphids have been managed using insecticidal soaps (e.g. Safer Soap). Application timing is very important to keep aphids under control while conserving populations of natural enemies.

Broccoli pests

  • Common Broccoli Pests. Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, cutworms.
  • Cabbage, Broccoli and Other Cole Crop Insect Pests. cabbage aphid, turnip aphid, cabbage looper (moth larva), cabbage webworm (moth larva), cross-striped cabbageworm (moth larva), diamondback moth caterpillar, imported cabbageworm (butterfly larva), cabbage maggot (larva of fly similar to housefly), harlequin bug.
  • Chemical control: All of the caterpillars (larvae of moths and butterflies) infesting cole crops can be effectively controlled using Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.), spinosad, or pyrethrin. B.t. is a microbial insecticide that contains spores of these bacteria and is used to control caterpillars when they feed on leaves containing the spores. B.t. works best while the caterpillars are small. B.t., spinosad, and pyrethrin are all less toxic control options. Spray B.t. early or late in the day. Aphids may be controlled by using a commercially prepared insecticidal soap product, neem oil extract or pyrethrin, which are all less toxic control options. Harlequin bugs, stink bugs, flea beetles and whiteflies, as well as aphids and caterpillars may be controlled using cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin or bifenthrin. Bifenthrin is not labeled for use on Brussels sprouts.

Mosquitoes

Japanese Beetle Traps

  • Description: 11 months they are in "grub" form, then 40 days as adult to breed. These beetles love geranium plants, but is toxic to them.
  • Pesticides: Can control using BTg (Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae) kills the adults. Neem oil won't kill but stops them from breeding.
  • Japanese Beetle Trap Construction Video. Duration 8:09.
  • Trece Japanese Beetle Trap Top, Yellow, 2/CS. The PHEROCON® Japanese Beetle Trap has earned the distinct title of being the most effective trap on the market for trapping Japanese Beetle. Constructed of high-quality materials, this replacement part will provide years of performance. deer like to eat with. Price: $21.00.
  • Japanese Beetle Dual Lures, 2/CS. The Trécé dual lure system has been proven unsurpassed in attracting both male and female beetles by university tests. For larger areas, place 1 trap every 200 FT around the entire perimeter. Lasts 4-6 weeks. Hang late June through early August in most areas. Attractant includes eugerniol and phenethyl propionate.
  • This Amazing Tool is Eliminating My Garden Pests and Diseases. Duration 11:26. Great tool but pricey at about $230. Cuts spraying time by about 1/2.
  • Videos:

Tobacco Plants as attractors

  • Enjoy bug-free veggie gardens with tobacco plants. Quinn Peterson explained that the bugs are drawn to the nicotine, become addicted and will stay and not leave until death. We grow Nicotiana tabacum – Virginia gold. It reaches a height of 6 feet, and has velvety light green leaves and beautiful pink trumpet flowers. It is quite lovely and adds a level of interest to the gardens. These plants are insect attractors and should be thought of as ‘a trap crop.’
  • Growing guidelines for Virginia Gold Tobacco. Soil should be slightly acidic (pH 5.8).
  • Seed Germination: Start the seeds 4-6 weeks before the last frost. At the optimum temperature of 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, seeds typically take 10 to 25 days to germinate, some varieties take a little longer. At lower temperatures, the germination simply takes a few days longer. Do not let the temperature fall below 60F. Sprinkle seeds on damp compost. Do not cover the seeds with soil, as they need light for germination, but do cover with a plastic cover to keep in moisture. A good source of indirect light is needed to get the seedlings started.
  • Site and Soil Conditions: 6 hours of sunlight. Well drained soil. Space plants 2-3 feet apart. Plants grow 4-8 feet, depending on variety. Require a lot of nitrogen and potassium during active growing stage.

House Flies

  • This Is How To Keep Flies Out Of Your House All Year. Duration 5:19. Published 5/11/2018. Four shiney pennies in a baggie with water hung in both front and back porches.The reflection from the sun will cause the flies to think it is a big predator and will stay away.

Moles / Voles

  • Castor oil. To make your own safe mole/vole repellent at home, combine 6 ounces of castor oil and 2 tablespoons of liquid detergent in 1 gallon of water. Mix well. Then dilute to spray on the entire lawn at a rate of 1 ounce per gallon of water applied per each 300 square feet of lawn.

Deer

  • Description: Almost nothing is safe from deer, especially tender plants. However, consider the following ideas.
  • Deer-Resistant Plants and Trees That Are Edible.
    • Plants include: Onion family, Aromatics, Artichokes (mature plant), Lavender, Nightshades (particularly hot peppers and tomatoes), Rhubarb. Others include: blueberry, raspberry, some plum varieties.
    • Trees include: Fig (mature), Pawpaw, Persimmons. However, the jury is out on fig and persimmon trees. Deer are known to eat the fig leaves.