MARK CULLEN: What is Bugging Your Garden?

By Mark Cullen

Where bugs and diseases are concerned I am a proponent of ‘live and let live’ for the most part.  The vast majority of pests in the garden are either beneficial or benign.  Ladybugs eat aphids, birds munch on beetles and the larvae of moths and butterflies, and even the neighbourhood raccoon – nuisance that it may be – consumes voraciously large quantities of white and grey grubs, perhaps rolling back your lawn, roots and all, in the process.  They provide this service for a price.  Your job is to roll it back again and over seed with fresh grass seed.

As optimistic as I am, I have to admit that controlling bugs and diseases has its place in the sustainable garden.  The half way point in the gardening calendar is the best time to give some of the most troublesome bugs and diseases a shot of control.

Here is my short list of pests and diseases that could require attention this week:

Aphids.  Under a hand held magnifying glass an aphid looks like a light-bulb with the head at the ‘screw’ end and the bulbous shape at the rear.  They are about the size of the head of a pin.  Aphids like to munch on the new, tender growth of fast growing plants.

Control of aphids can be as easy as blasting them with a sharp spray of water from the end of your hose nozzle.  They come back within a couple of days, so don’t get your hopes up that you have ‘solved’ the problem acting as human water cannon.

Green Earth Insecticidal soap is one of the most effective controls on the retail shelf.    Keep in mind that aphids gestate over a 10 day period so no matter how effective your control today, they will be back in a week and a half.

Potato Beetles, Earwigs, Ants, and Sowbugs.  The crawling insects that make their way into our lives are often found in unwanted places.  The ants on a march across the patio into the house, the earwigs in my dahlias, and the persistent potato bugs on my potatoes can all be controlled using silicon dioxide or diatomaceous earth.  It is made of finely ground up flowers that were fossilized a few million years ago.  As beetles, ants, and the like move over this substance the waxy protective coating on their under belly is removed by the abrasive action of the powder.  In a day or two they dehydrate and are ‘toes up’ as a result.

Sold under the trade names of ‘Dio’, ‘Ant killer’ and ‘Crawling Insect Killer’, the contents in the squeeze bottle are always the same.  Be persistent with this stuff and re apply it every time it rains or you water the garden.

Powdery Mildew and Black Spot.  While these ‘problems’ are generally not lethal where your garden is concerned there is an environmentally responsible control: garden sulphur.  This powder is harmless to children, pets, and the environment as are all of the above mentioned products.  Applied in 10 day to 2 week intervals it can help to minimize the effects of many common diseases on roses and apples.

Hand picking.  Don’t underestimate the value of spending some time in your garden picking off the big bugs that cause damage to your valuable plants.  Tomato hornworms, potato beetles, slugs, and even tent caterpillars can be controlled with the swoop of a hand.  If you can’t stomach the idea of crushing a living organism in your bare hands I recommend that you wear a quality pair of gloves.

Swoop and crush away.   Get close to your plants during the best week of the year in your garden.

Mark Cullen appears on Canada AM every Wednesday morning at 8:40.  He is spokesperson for Home Hardware Lawn and Garden.  Sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.markcullen.com.