Identifying and Treating Pests
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Tomato HornwormSymptoms: Caterpillars feed on foliage and fruit. Leave eaten spots on fruits. Defoliation. Crops: Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers. Control: Hand pick and drop in soapy water. Applying Bacilus thuringensis on plants. Attract beneficial insects to garden. AphidsSymptoms: Curled and yellow leaves. Stunted growth. Blackening on foliage.
Crops: All garden crops but mainly beans, peas, melons, cucumbers, squash and tomatoes. Control: Spaying with water to knock off plant. Prune heavily infested foliage. Apply neem oil or horticultural soap. CutwormSymptoms: Severed plants at soil line. Usually young plants in spring.
Crops: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, corn, peas, beans, carrots, lettuce and more. Control: Tilling soil to disturb overwintering. Collect and destroy if possible. Collars around stems at soil line help. Potato BeetleSymptoms: Defoliates potatoes and other host.
Crops: Potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Control: Remove any eggs by hand. Pick bugs and drop and soapy water. Attract beneficial insects. Apply Bacillus thuringiensis. Squash BugsSymptoms: Yellow spots on foliage. Wilting and withering vines. Black spots. Crops: Squash and pumpkins. Control: Hand pick adults and eggs. Use trap boards in field, check under boards in morning and kill bugs. Remove squash plant once fruits are harvested. |
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Cabbage LooperSymptoms: Holes in leaves mainly between the veins. Stunted plants. Crops: Mostly brassicas: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale and mustards. Control: Remove and discard. Use floating row covers. Apply Bacillus thuringensis. |
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Cucumber BeetleSymptoms: Scaring on fruits. Damage to leaves and flowers. Vine wilt and bacterial wilt disease. Crops: Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, cantaloupe, gourds and melons. Control: Fertilize plants in spring to increase good growth. Use cloth barriers to protect from infestation. Plant later in the season. Remove and destroy. |
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Squash Vine BorerSymptoms: Fast wilting. Disrupts water and kills plant quickly. Damage to stem just above soil line. Crops: Squash, zucchini, and pumpkins. Control: Use row covers if possible. Wrap lower plant stems with foil to prevent damage. Remove and destroy. Turn soil a few times before next planting. |
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Corn BorerSymptoms: Damage to inside corn primarily. Other plants damage is to the fruit. Crops: Corn, beans, pepper and potatoes. Control: Destroy all corn stalks after harvest. Attract beneficial insects to area. Plant corn later in season helps. |
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