{"id":5724,"date":"2021-06-28T15:00:21","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T19:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?p=5724"},"modified":"2023-01-04T12:46:16","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T17:46:16","slug":"top-5-garden-pests-and-how-to-get-rid-of-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/top-5-garden-pests-and-how-to-get-rid-of-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Garden Pests and How to Get Rid of Them"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Written by: Hamda Alvi<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">A<\/span>re you having trouble getting rid of pesky garden invaders? If that&#8217;s the case, there are a lot of people who can relate. These annoying little insects like to worm their way into gardens and wreak havoc on all of your hard work, which is a source of frustration for all gardeners. But don\u2019t worry! Here is a list of top five of these unwanted pests and how you can get rid of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>Aphids<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5725 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-1-300x208.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-1-300x208.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-1-768x532.png 768w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-1.png 831w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These insects feed on plant sap, causing vegetation to swell and leaves to fall off. They tend to climb on vegetables, fruits and flowers, and are keen to spread diseases. These little critters are part of the Aphidoidea family, and can vary in color. They are also commonly called greenflies or blackflies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How do you get rid of them?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure to cover plants with floating row covers where possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use repellent sprays containing hot pepper or garlic.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spray plants with a strong stream of water.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apply <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespruce.com\/what-is-horticultural-oil-1402736\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">horticultural oil<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.saferbrand.com\/articles\/what-is-insecticidal-soap\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">insecticidal soap<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/neemgen.html#whatis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">neem oil<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to serious problems.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>Cutworms<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5726 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-2-300x252.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"252\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-2-300x252.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-2-768x644.png 768w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-2.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These insects like to hide under the soil during the day and slither out at night to devour your garden. They tend to attack the first part of a plant it finds, which is usually the stem of a seedling, and cuts it down. They are found on flower seedlings and vegetables and during May and June, they eat up all the small plants in their path.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How do you get rid of them?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Postpone planting in your garden<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.senior-gardening.com\/how2s\/cutworm_collars.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cutworm collars<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should be used on transplants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pick up any cutworms below the surface with your hands.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>Mexican Bean Beetle<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5727 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-3-300x217.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-3-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-3-1024x740.png 1024w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-3-768x555.png 768w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-3-1080x780.png 1080w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-3.png 1249w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/b><\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These invaders are found on snap beans, lima beans, soybeans, and cowpeas. They are yellow and brown covered in black spots and love to be in your gardens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How do you get rid of them?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plant a trap crop of soybeans.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bush beans should be planted as soon as possible.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cover floating rows with floating row covers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hand-pick any beetles that you find.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spray with <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/neemgen.html#whatis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">neem oil<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.saferbrand.com\/articles\/what-is-insecticidal-soap\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> insecticidal soap<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>Tarnished Plant Bug<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5728 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-4-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-4-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-4.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These insects are a serious problem in North America, found on vegetables, flowers and fruits. They are fast moving with brown coloured bodies and long antennae. They suck plant juice, causing them to fall apart.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How do you get rid of them?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In spring, keep your garden weed free.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure to apply floating row covers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/neemgen.html#whatis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neem oil<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should be sprayed on young Nymphs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t forget to encourage <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oakhillhomestead.com\/2016\/07\/predatory-bugs-natural-enemies-of.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">native predatory insects<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>Scales<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5729 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-5-300x253.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-5-300x253.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-5-768x648.png 768w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/hamda-5.png 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These little critters can be found on indoor plants, fruits, ornamental shrubs, and trees. They also suck on plant sap, turning them yellow and weakening the plants in your garden.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How do you get rid of them?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/neemgen.html#whatis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">neem oil<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to spray them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spray dormant or summer oil sprays on the plants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scrub scales gently from twigs with a brush, soap and water, then rinse thoroughly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oakhillhomestead.com\/2016\/07\/predatory-bugs-natural-enemies-of.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Native predators<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should be encouraged.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plant sections that are infested should be trimmed out.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;re probably running to your garden now that you&#8217;ve read about these uninvited visitors. Don&#8217;t worry! It&#8217;s not too late to defend your plants against these voracious pests! But you never know; these tiny insects are cunning and can creep into your garden undetected. Keep an eye out for potential threats and watch your garden flourish.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Picture credits:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aphids:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/growingspaces.com\/aphid-control-aphids-suck\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/growingspaces.com\/aphid-control-aphids-suck\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cutworms:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cutworm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cutworm<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mexican Bean Beetle: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mexican_bean_beetle\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mexican_bean_beetle<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tarnished Plant Bug: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/entnemdept.ufl.edu\/creatures\/trees\/tarnished_plant_bug.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">http:\/\/entnemdept.ufl.edu\/creatures\/trees\/tarnished_plant_bug.htm<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Photograph by Scott Bauer, USDA.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scales: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/coloniallawn.com\/blog\/identifying-tree-scale\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/coloniallawn.com\/blog\/identifying-tree-scale\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Hyperlinks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oakhillhomestead.com\/2016\/07\/predatory-bugs-natural-enemies-of.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.oakhillhomestead.com\/2016\/07\/predatory-bugs-natural-enemies-of.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.senior-gardening.com\/how2s\/cutworm_collars.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">http:\/\/www.senior-gardening.com\/how2s\/cutworm_collars.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.saferbrand.com\/articles\/what-is-insecticidal-soap\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.saferbrand.com\/articles\/what-is-insecticidal-soap<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespruce.com\/what-is-horticultural-oil-1402736\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.thespruce.com\/what-is-horticultural-oil-1402736<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/neemgen.html#whatis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/neemgen.html#whatis<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodhousekeeping.com\/home\/gardening\/a20705991\/garden-insect-pests\/\">https:\/\/www.goodhousekeeping.com\/home\/gardening\/a20705991\/garden-insect-pests\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you having trouble getting rid of pesky garden invaders? If that&#8217;s the case, there are a lot of people who can relate. These annoying little insects like to worm their way into gardens and wreak havoc on all of your hard work, which is a source of frustration for all gardeners. But don\u2019t worry! Here is a list of top five of these unwanted pests and how you can get rid of them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5733,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5724"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5724"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11382,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5724\/revisions\/11382"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}