Last week I have received calls and visits from gardening friends complaining about insects and pests having a feast on their leaves and plants. Like I said before with the heavy rainfall comes fungus, pests and all sorts of problems develop.
Those of you who read my Sunday column – In the Garden – were able to identify the problems faster than the others. Congratulations!
You are focused and you have saved your plants by accessing treatment for them.
Here are some of the most common pests and insects to look for:
- Leaf-eaters – Grasshoppers, Caterpillars and Locusts – These insects eat leaves at an alarming rate. The type of damage done to the leaf often gives a clue as to the perpetrator.
- Leaf miners – Moths, Sawflies and Flies – These are tunnelling insects that get between the upper surfaces of the leaves of many plants, leaving a white trail behind.
- Aphids (greenfly) – These are small, sap-sucking insects that can multiply at an alarming rate if left unattended. They attack the young tips of the plants with soft tissues. Besides being green they can also be black, grey or orange in colour. Ladybugs can be used as a form of natural control to help deal with an infestation.
While in some cases we can use natural controls, in most cases where there is a heavy infestation, insecticides can be used effectively to control these pests and insects. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Until next week, Happy Gardening.
