Gardening Sweet Spots
By Donna Hessel
Early in my gardening experience, I thought I’d outsmart the herd of deer that browsed through my front yard at night by planting a marigold border around a tree base. Deer don’t eat marigolds, I had heard. Shortly after the marigolds flaunted their beautiful yellow blooms, they disappeared. Slimy trails amid the chewed-to-the-ground plants were obvious evidence of the killers — a slug strike at night!
SLUGS
From early in the season, slugs can decimate your newly emerged plants. And since they work at night, they’re hard to catch. The go-to option to discourage these slimy eaters is diatomaceous earth, which is made from ancient, fossilized sea animals. The microscopic edges are so sharp, they tear the soft exterior of the slug, discouraging them from sliding through the powder. Diatomaceous earth is not poisonous, but wear a mask when sprinkling it to avoid breathing it into your lungs.
Other non-chemical options for deterring slugs are beer in shallow container lids placed among your plants and sprinkling salt on any slugs you may catch in the act (usually at dusk or early dawn). You can also try placing pieces of old carpet or wood or an overturned pot among plants. Slugs are looking for a place to hide after doing their dirty work, and you can collect them in their hiding places in the morning.
CUTWORMS
Another pest to watch for are cutworms. You won’t see them during the day, but if your young broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower plants are tipped over at the base, you probably have them. Since cutworms are tough to catch, you need to be proactive. Use yogurt containers with the bottoms cut off or empty toilet paper tubes to protect each plant. Slide the cover over the young plant, pushing it roughly an inch into the ground. If the cutworm can’t reach the plant, they can’t eat it. Remove the protective covers before the plant is too big.
CABBAGE LOOPER
Also a fan of cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli is the cabbage looper. They’re green worms that blend in, almost invisibly, with the leaves. While they don’t do a lot of damage, they make a mess. Leaves are often riddled with holes with bits of defecation in the crevices. A good reason to wash veggies before preparing them to eat!
HORNWORMS
This one is cringe-worthy! They make me shudder when I find them — as well as many new gardeners — because they are the size of a finger and ugly! Hornworms typically target tomatoes so if you notice big holes in the leaves or frass (the debris and fecal matter left behind by boring insects), black droppings on leaves or on the ground around the plant, you probably have hornworms. The best time to catch them is at night. Look under the leaves and along the stems. Pluck them off and dump them in a bowl or can of soapy water. Wear gloves because they’ll sometimes squirt a nasty juice as a defense.
APHIDS
Aphids are everywhere, but the good news is they are easy to kill. They hide out on the underside of leaves and along stems. Aphids typically don’t kill a plant unless there is a heavy infestation, but they can make a mess, particularly if ants join the party. Ants eliminate them as they collect the honeydew aphids secrete. If ants aren’t apparent, water is one of the best ways to battle aphids. Spritz them with a hose and squish them with your fingers. You can also use insecticidal soap (not dish soap) to spray and kill them.
There are also many good insects in your garden. Only treat your plants if you see actual damage. Don’t spray insecticides indiscriminately, as the poison will also kill the good insects that eat the bad ones, as well as the bees, butterflies and other pollinators that visit your garden.
DEER, GROUNDHOGS & RABBITS
Nothing but an eight-foot fence around the garden will keep it free from browsing deer. As is true when you’re trying to protect against any wildlife, the top recommendation is to use fencing around the garden. Groundhogs and other burrowing animals can be discouraged by a two-foot-high chicken wire fence above ground that is buried in the ground another foot. Rabbits love new veggies and can destroy a garden overnight. Chicken wire with 1/2- to 1-inch mesh is a good choice for guarding against rabbits. The fence must be at least two feet high to keep rabbits from jumping over it. To prevent rabbits from burrowing under it, the fencing should extend at least six inches below ground or be secured to the ground to keep the bottom edge tight.
Try searching on the internet for organic or natural products and other ways to control garden pests before resorting to poisonous insecticides. Hand-picking the pests is often the best way to get rid of them in smaller gardens.
(Reference: From Plantersplace.com/edible-gardening newsletter – Amy Grisak – “Pest Control”)
