Bugs and Pests - April Feature at Gardener's Paradise

April Showcase: Bugs & Pests

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"Spring-like sunshine arrives at last
As April days now warm the earth
Cruel winter is but a memory past-
Once again the world gives birth"

~By David Squire~

"If you always take time to stop and smell the roses...
sooner or later, you'll inhale a bee "

Many plants do better when grown in presence of others. Part of this is due to the fact that several varieties of plants deter insect attacks.

Another method of protection some gardeners use is to plant a trap crop. (eg/ Plant dill to attract tomato hornworms) The trap crop attracts pests making them easier to control. Keep the trap crops in place to keep the insects preoccupied.

Plants that deter insects

Marigold	Aphids, Mexican bean beetle, nematodes and other insects.
Henbit	Deters most insects.
Horseraddish	Plant near potatoes to deter potatoe bug.
Geranium	Deters most insects
Garlic	Works against blight. Deters Japanese Beetle and other insects.
Thyme	Deters cabbage worm
Sage	Deters cabbage moth and carrot fly
Rue	Deters Japanese Beetle and discourages houseflies
Rosemary	Deters Bean Beetle Carrot fly and Cabbage moth.
Aster	Deters most insects.
Basil	Repels flies and mosquitoes
Borage	Deters Tomato worm.
Tansy	Deters Japanese Beetle, striped cucumber beetle, squash bugs and ants
Raddish	Deters Cucumber Beetle.
Calendula	Deters Most insects
Chrysanthemum	Deters Most insects
Nasturtium	Aphids, squash bugs and striped pumpkin beetles
Onion Family	Deters Most insects.
Mint	Deters cabbage moth and ants.
Celery	Cabbage moth
Tomato	Deters Asparagus beetle

Cover sunflower heads with old nylons to keep out BIRDS.

Sprinkle cayanne pepper or mothball flakes to keep RODENTS away from your bulbs.

Prevent CATERPILLARS by making your own organic garlic spray. Just crush several cloves of garlic and soak it in water overnight. Spray it on your plants.

Lay a wire fence (with small holes) over the ground to prevent PETS from digging.

Sheila's tip taken from 1001 Garden Tips

SQUASH BUGS attack pumpkins, melons, cucumbers and squash. They don't attempt to fly away. Many people squish them but they have a terrible odour. If you have a small garden you can use your thumbnail to take their heads off. This avoids the bad odour emitted from the body when they are squished. For the squeamish or for those with larger gardens; cover crops with floating row covers when they are young. Remove the covers once the plants begin to flower.

GARDENS AROUND THE WORLD

PROTECT YOUR GARDEN

------------ BOB - Plant an onion in each hill to keep STRIPED CUCUMBER BEETLE off cucumbers. Cucumber beetles are yellow or orange with three black stipes and a black head. Spotted cucumber beetles are greenish yellow with 11 black spots and a black head. Both types are 1/4 inch long ------------ Dianne Robertson - Grow the Castor Bean Plant to keep MOLES out of your garden ------------- Ms. Cha Brooks McCarl of Texas - I use diatomaceious earth in my herb pots to keep slugs and snail away. This work perfectly and the herbs continue to grow and thrive beautifully without the unsightly chew spots. ------------- Lahonna of Arizona "I use "poultry wire" which you can find at a hardware store to protect young plants in the garden from BIRDS. It's made out of plastic and so easy to work with. I cut out and make little domed cages for my tomatoes or just lay the wire over the beds for protection." ------------ Belinda of Lancaster, PA - To keep bugs, rabbits, etc. from destroying many of the vegatables in my garden, I use Cheyenne pepper dusted on the plants. This avoids the use of chemicals that might harm my family, neighborhood animals/children, and does not release pesticides into the environment. It must be repeated following rain or heavy moisture, and all vegtable must be washed throughly before serving. I buy it in bulk from my local discount store so the cost is minimal. ------------ ------------ Chuck of Toledo - Grow cukes on fence to save space,keep them straight,easy to CONTROL BUGS and to pick and keep disease free. Plant them a few weeks later then usual and you will miss the hatch of the beetle that feeds on them and kills them. ------------ Elizabeth of Kensington, Ct - put moth balls around the edge of your garden to keep out ANIMALS ------------ Verda of Ontario "To control CORN EAR WORMS in the garden, when the silk begins to turn brown put a few drops of mineral oil on the silk which will then keep out the ear worms" ------------ KAREN of W.NY "I kept getting DEER in my garden eating my plants until I hung pop cans off sticks posts and trees with string. Hang 2 per section so they hit each other making noise." ------------ Dorene of Pennsylvania "Plant tansy to keep ANTS away" ------------ Christine of New Castle, Delaware "Growing some herbs like thyme near vegetables will REPEL PESTS and encourage predators to move in" ------------ Mary of Latrobe PA "I grow chives next to my roses to keep APHIDS away" ------------ Ann of High Bridge, New Jersey "I plant lavender, sage, and basil around my entire flower garden to keep the DEER from eating my flowers. If they first encounter an herb they don't like, they tend to move on and not eat my flowers" ------------ Betty of Stilwell, Ok "I found out that if you plant Rue in or by the garden it helps keep BUGS away" ------------ Mar of Montreal "I plant basil in my flower gardens and as edging in my beds. I have barrels in which I plant the perennial herbs that tend to wander such as mint and french tarragon. Most of the really strong perfumed herbs tend to REPEL PESTS. I bring my rosemary plants indoors for the winter and it is rapidly becoming a small tree. I also use my chives ( when I divide them) to fill in bare spots in my flower garden. I must be doing something right because I have had no pests for 2 seasons now" ------------ Jennifer of Cathlamet, WA "To control SLUGS cut out both the top & bottom of a tin can then use a "Church Key" bottle opener and press out a triangle of tin all around one end then place the can around your new plant. Remember to remove the can before the plant grows around it or leave it on for continued protection." ------------ shirley hrabar "Put crushed egg shell in your garden to get rid of SNAILS" ------------ Rudolf of Vancouver BC "Use beer to intoxicate SLUGS" ------------ Jennifer of Nanaimo BC "Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around primulas and lettuce at this time of year to head off the SLUGS. " ------------ chas of s.e. Michigan - With the SLUG ploblems we have here I have found that putting a copper band around areas of the garden keeps them at bay . As I work construction this is easy for me not so easy for others I assume. ------------ Mary of Redding, CA "In the front of my duplex I have a flower bed on either side of my duplex. When not in use during the winter months, the neighborhood CATS would love to curl up or answer the call to mother nature in them. No matter what I tried to deter them, (pruned rose stems, hot pepper seeds, etc.,) nothing seemed to work. Nothing that is until I found two pieces of fine mesh wire screen that I used for another project, that was left over. Placing them on my beds with both sides curled up a bit did the trick. No more cats in my bed. As Judge Judy would say: "PERFECT"!" ------------ Janet of Trenton, ontario "i spread dog hair throughout my veggie patch to keep the RABBITS & SKUNKS out" ------------ Rosemarie of Spencerport NY "I put my daughter's whirlybirds in my garden to help keep the SMALL CRITTERS away!" ------------ Sharon of Verdun Quebec Canada "NATURAL PEST REPELLENT RECIPE: Place 1 peeled onion, 2 peeled garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper in blender. Add 3 cups water and blend until smooth. Let mixture sit overnight, strain the liquid into spray bottle and coat plants generously. Refrigerate in bottle for up to 1 week" ------------ Susan of Ontario "Grow curcumbits on a trellis to prevent INSECT problems" ------------ NANCY of BALTIMORE, MD "I use my blender to grind up hot peppers that I have dried - I sprinkle these in the garden to keep out the CRITTERS!!!"

"If you always take time to stop and smell the roses...
sooner or later, you'll inhale a bee "

Tips for April:

April Tips for Bulbs
April Tips for Flowers
Tips for Vegetables
Tips for General Yard Care
Tips for Fruit & Berries
Lawns & Groundcover