Adult stink bugs are green or brown and grow up to ¾” long; they have distinctive shield-shaped bodies. Young stink bugs are smaller, rounder, and more colorful, with highly patterned black, red, white, and green colored bodies. When held or squished they emit a foul-smelling fluid from glands located on the thorax. It’s released as a defensive mechanism and can be a nuisance, especially, if found in clusters. Populations peak in late summer and early […]
These small mammals, called groundhogs or woodchucks, love to eat all the greens in your garden. It is important to keep them out of your garden to protect your food! Repelling woodchucks can be challenging, but there are many natural ways to go about it. Treatment Options: Woodchucks are scared of larger predators. You can buy fox urine granules or animal repellent which helps to repel them. Along this same line, you can also […]
Mexican bean beetles look very similar to ladybugs. They have a tan back with black dots, and the younger ones do not have any spots. If left unchecked, they can destroy foliage and pods. Treatment Options: Hand-picking and placing the beetle in a soapy water bucket is a great way to get rid of them. Companion planting potatoes can help prevent Mexican bean beetles. Placing insect netting (floating row covers) over your […]
You can grow beans as snap beans, shell beans or dry beans. They are extremely easy to grow and will always be a staple on our garden. We plant new rounds of them every 3 weeks from spring until the end of summer. How to Grow: Bush beans can be planted as soon as the last spring frost has occurred until 10 weeks before first fall frost. In milder climates, bush beans can be planted […]
Corn borers are the caterpillar of a yellowish-brown moth with dark, wavy bands across the wings. The borer usually has a bit of a pale pink color. The eggs are whitish-yellow and laid in clusters on the underside of the leaves. Treatment Options: Use the organic pesticide, BTK (bacillus thuringiensis Kurstaki). BTK is a naturally occuring microorganism that sickens and kills caterpillars without harming butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects. There are varied opinions […]
There are many species of root maggots. Root maggots come from dark green-black fly that look like small houseflies. These flies lay their eggs in the roots of your plants. These maggots are very small, yellow-white larvae with pointed heads. They feed upon the roots causing stunted growth, deformaties, and could lead to death of the plant. Treatment can vary depending upon the type of fly that lays their eggs, but there are many organic […]
Leafhoppers are tiny insects that suck sap from your plants while spreading pathogens. Treatment Options: Our DIY cucumber beetle traps using yellow cups, sticky glue, and clove essential oil have also been shown to catch leafhoppers. See our blog post for more details! Placing insect netting (floating row covers) over your garden is the best way to prevent leafhoppers from attacking your plants. Yellow sticky traps have been shown to be effective […]
While we love having our pet rabbit to help with making free fertilizer, wild rabbits can be quite troublesome for your garden. These small mammals like to eat a lot of your greens and can be tricky to manage once they know where the food is. It is important to keep them out of your garden to protect your food! Treatment Options: Placing an automated sprinkler to scare the rabbit away is helpful. […]
These mites are extremely small relatives of spiders. They are typically found on the undersides of leaves. An easy way to check for them is to place a sheet of white paper underneath the leaves and gently tap. If you see moving specks on the paper then you have a problem. Treatment Options: Putting your beneficial insects to work is one of the best ways to help with spider mites! Releasing or attracting green […]
Birds can be both a pest and an ally in the garden. Birds help with pest control eating a wide variety of insects including aphids, caterpillars, mosquitos, and spiders. On the downside, they will also steal seeds and eat your tomatoes! Treatment Options: You can protect your seeds by covering them with a layer of burlap or shade cloth. I typically hold it down with a hardware mesh panel because that’ll help keep cats […]