| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Aphids on Pepper plants. | 10/19/2009 |
Q: I saw an earlier question where you recommended someone use lemon dish soap mixed with water to get ...
A: Yes you could, but just make sure it is non-concentrated. As I probably mentioned in the email you ...
|
| Draecena and worms | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I have an old draecena tree with very woody bark. The nursery told me it was about 25-30 yrs old ...
A: I can't say for sure how the worms got into the house except that a moth may have laid eggs near the ...
|
| Tiny greenish pests | 8/26/2009 |
Q: I bought this plan(schfflera? looks like a big umbrella plant) a month ago from a reputable nursery ...
A: I have never had success washing insects off plants. Many books claim this to be the first line of ...
|
| Worms in Peppers | 8/25/2009 |
Q: I am growing jalapeno, habanero, and thai peppers. i found a tomato horn worm on one of them. now ...
A: Shannon, it can be one of several worms that infest pepper plants. These include the pepper ...
|
| Tomatoes; white spikes | 8/11/2009 |
Q: I have 2 tomato plants in my vegetable garden outside. The second one wasn't very healthy when i ...
A: I sounds like your plants have contracted a fungus disease called powdery mildew. This disease can ...
|
| Slimey goo on sunflowers | 7/25/2009 |
Q: I have sunflowers growing in my garden. I have notice that there are white slimey goo near the ...
A: The goo is most likely the excretion from slugs. Slugs leave a trail of their excretion on flowers ...
|
| Beetles | 7/19/2009 |
Q: I have found some beetles that I think are eating my plants. They are eating them to the point that ...
A: Beetles can only be controlled with an insecticide. If you prefer to stay organic, I would highly ...
|
| cutter ants and something else | 7/16/2009 |
Q: We bought 3 beautiful climbing plants (Mandevilla Dipladenia)and placed them on ground next to ...
A: Mary, you have no choice but to spread an insecticidal powder at the base of the Mandevilla. ...
|
| Bell Pepper Pest | 7/8/2009 |
Q: Seattle, WA We have holes in our bell peppers, close to the stem. They appear when the peppers are ...
A: The three pests that infest pepper plants are aphids, flea beetles, and leaf hoppers. All three will ...
|
| Hornworms | 6/19/2009 |
Q: What Would Be A Good Way To Get Rid Of These! I Have Over 25 Variety Of Tomatoes Plants And Don't ...
A: Oscar, tomato hornworms are actually caterpillars that chew large holes in the leaves of tomatoes, ...
|
| Squash Caterpillar | 6/18/2009 |
Q: I am struggling to find the type of culprit that is plaguing my zucchini and yellow strait neck ...
A: Jessica, I doubt the caterpillar is your problem. They will leave holes in leaves, but the symptoms ...
|
| Cats in our flower garden | 5/30/2009 |
Q: How can we keep cats from using our flower garden as a catbox?
A: Matt, there are many chemical repellents sold in local nurseries such as Ropel. Although most are ...
|
| Pests on broccoli | 5/22/2009 |
Q: Ym mother is 82, she lives in south Fl. She has little red bugs on her broccoli plants. She wants to ...
A: Vic, without seeing a picture, it is hard to say given the hundreds of garden pests common to ...
|
| Fungus growing in my garden | 5/4/2009 |
Q: I was wondering if the copper fungicide works on all kinds of fungus in flower beds. Our fungus is ...
A: Sarah, copper has proven to be the most effective control for fungus diseases. I personally use a ...
|
| Pests & Soft Touch (Japanese) Holly Bushes | 4/26/2009 |
Q: I live in the mountains of North Carolina. I've got soft touch holly plants/shrub (also known as ...
A: Joy, it is most likely a flea beetle or some other variety, but it is difficult to assess the exact ...
|
| Goutweed Bishops weed agerpodium(sp) | 4/20/2009 |
Q: HELP. I have been fighting this weed for about 10 years now, and I'm literally at wit's end. Last ...
A: Bishop's weed is one of the most invasive of weeds. Unless you use a vegetation killer, and make ...
|
| Garden pests | 4/19/2009 |
Q: I live in Tucson, Az. I have recently begun a fruit and vegetable garden. I am growing tomatoes, ...
A: Diane, it could be a 4-legged pest such as a rabbit, assuming it somehow is getting under the ...
|
| Plant insects | 4/8/2009 |
Q: My outdoor flowers have just started producing their leaves and I already see evidence of their ...
A: If you do not see any flying insects, the culprits are most likely slugs. Slugs only eat the foliage ...
|
| Insect infestation - Jacaranda Tree | 4/4/2009 |
Q: Tree is about 5 years old and trunk is 8" at base. Tree is healthy and spring bloom underway. ...
A: Unfortunately, both pests require different controls. If the worms are earthworms, they are ...
|
| Citrus tree; Beetles | 2/20/2009 |
Q: I have large dark (2cm) beetle type insects on my lemon tree Are the good or bad insects
A: Rudy, there are literally dozens of beetle species. Although some are beneficial insects, most of ...
|
| Houseplant Pests | 2/16/2009 |
Q: I have several house plants. All of a sudden all of them started looking very bad. I looked at the ...
A: Sue, it sounds like whiteflies or mites. Regardless of which pest has infested your plants, the ...
|
| Mealy bugs on indoor palms | 2/10/2009 |
Q: I was just washing down my indoor palm for mealy bugs. They were all over me. Do they cause any ...
A: Karen, they pose no threat to humans. However, since they can do damage to your plants, it is best ...
|
| Worm-like bugs in my lemon tree | 1/25/2009 |
Q: what can I do naturally? Thanks for your help
A: Chris, the best deterrent for worms and other crawling insects is BT, otherwise known as Bacillus ...
|
| Insects on Zucchinis | 1/22/2009 |
Q: i have noticed miniscule black insects that bore into my zucchinis. the fruit appears normal on the ...
A: Kym, the insect you described sounds like the flea beetle, but it is difficult to assess the exact ...
|
| Slugs | 1/7/2009 |
Q: My herbs (sweet basil, chives and nasturtiums, the latter of which was planted as a companion plant) ...
A: I, too, have had many heartaches over the damage slugs have done to my plants over the years. I ...
|
| Grubs | 12/17/2008 |
Q: I was wondering we have geranium plants in our classroom at school ......we have had them for years ...
A: Grubs are the larvae of Japanese Beetles. It is very possible that the Japanese beetles flew into ...
|
| Kaolin to protect my veggies | 12/10/2008 |
Q: I have read about a slurry of Kaolin (Surround) that you spray onto your apples to protect them from ...
A: Surround will protect vegetables from most insects, but keep in mind that it also deters beneficial ...
|
| Gardenia; Insects | 11/11/2008 |
Q: Good morning - something is eating into the buds of my gardenia before they open, leaving holes in ...
A: Julia, two great organic pesticides are pyrethrin and rotenone. Both are plant extracts which are ...
|
| Apple tree bark insect | 11/10/2008 |
Q: I have a large bee eating my apple tree bark. What insectacide can i put on the bark to protect and ...
A: I would recommend pyrethrum or rotenone. Both are organic insecticides that are highly effective. ...
|
| Squash and Pumpkin Borers! | 10/4/2008 |
Q: A couple weeks ago I was storing pumpkins and squash in my greenhouse for curing before moving into ...
A: Carpenter bees will bore holes into wood and certain vegetables leaving a trail of sawdust behind. ...
|
| Ivy | 9/16/2008 |
Q: I am trying to remove ivy from my garden as it is spreading everywhere. Is there anything that will ...
A: Ivy is very difficult to kill. Unfortunately, there are no organic products that I have found ...
|
| Grubs in my vegetable garden | 9/15/2008 |
Q: My whole garden was destroyed by large white grubs. I live in central Minnesota and am looking for a ...
A: Grub-ex is by far the best product on the market for an immediate resolution to your grub problem. ...
|
| Bugs on green beans | 9/4/2008 |
Q: I have little yellow, round, fuzzy bugs on my green beans, wax beans and limas. I also see tiny ...
A: These are the larvae of squash bugs. You can control them with pyrethrum, an organic pesticide that ...
|
| Something keeps attacking my Lilac! | 9/2/2008 |
Q: I have a lilac bush (Mme Lemoine variety) that is continually plagued by something that I can't ...
A: Alice, are you sure the white substance is composed of insects? The reason I ask is that lilac ...
|
| bugs? | 9/1/2008 |
Q: Please..."something" seems to eating the leaves and flowers off my various flowers in the flower ...
A: Gail, it could be a variety of pests including beetles, slugs, or even 4-legged pests such as deer, ...
|
| Caterpillar or worm | 8/27/2008 |
Q: I have a container garden for my tomatoes and I keep finding this green caterpillar about 1 1/2 ...
A: Millie, what you are describing sounds like the tomato hornworm. Tomato hornworms are actually ...
|
| Outdoor plants | 8/18/2008 |
Q: I have some potted plants I put out side this summer to receive more sun. I want to keep them by ...
A: Shirley, if you suspect insects are on the plant, I would first spray them with a horticultural oil. ...
|
| Petunia; Caterpillars | 8/14/2008 |
Q: My petunias have green catipillars on each flower and they are being eaten with hardly any blooms. ...
A: Catherine, you need to treat the plants with BT. BT is an organic insecticide which is short for ...
|
| How to kill leeches and maggots | 8/13/2008 |
Q: I was very unhappy to find maggots and leeches in a rock covered side yard and the infestation has ...
A: While the maggots and leeches are still in the crawling stage, you can use one of several organic ...
|
| Gardenias | 7/28/2008 |
Q: I have 2 potted gardenia plants that both bloomed. I also have a Plumeria, I am noticing white ...
A: Denise, your plants have been infected with powdery mildew, a fungus disease that is especially ...
|
| Diatomaceous Earth | 7/23/2008 |
Q: Ok, so I did not do my research before I sprinkled the DE Ant & Crawling Insect Killer (Safer ...
A: Patti, the brand you used is still organic, as are all products comprised of diatomaceous earth. It ...
|
| Squash problems | 7/13/2008 |
Q: Mike, I had some of my squash develop a black mold on the small fruit. Now, I am losing some of my ...
A: Jerry, it sounds like your plants have developed a bacterial disease which is normally spread by an ...
|
| pests on my annuals | 7/2/2008 |
Q: I have large pots planted with annuals: potato vines, New Guinea impatiens, ageratum, alyssum. Some ...
A: Judy, the pesticide you are using is called pyrethrum. As you mentioned, it is derived from the ...
|
| pests | 6/30/2008 |
Q: i have planted sun flowers and one by one they have gotten eatened.hey get cut right offat the base. ...
A: Fred, unless you see what the culprit is, I can only surmise that the animal is a groundhog, rabbit, ...
|
| Brown bugs | 6/27/2008 |
Q: I live in NC and we have had the worst garden ever, i have thses little brown bugs eating ...
A: They could be flea beetles or mites, but it is very difficult to determine which insect it is ...
|
| tomato pest | 6/17/2008 |
Q: Mike--We have a bunch of critters on our Roma Tomato plant(not on our other tomato plants)that are ...
A: Although spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, and aphids are the most common pests that attack ...
|
| Raccoons in house | 6/12/2008 |
Q: there is a family of racoons in my crawl space in the bathroom what can you do to take them out
A: Trapping is really your only option besides poison if they are in the house. Trapping is relatively ...
|
| Red bugs | 5/31/2008 |
Q: My name is luke I live in Southern Indiana and I am nine years old. I was out side sitting on ...
A: Luke, there are literally hundreds of red insects, so it is very hard to give you a definitive ...
|
| Peach Tree + Pest = problem | 5/19/2008 |
Q: I have a sap on the base of the peach tree. I am thinking it may be bores. How can I treat this? In ...
A: JoAnn, I would start out with a light horticultural oil to destroy any insects and their eggs. There ...
|
| big beef tomato plant | 5/9/2008 |
Q: I bought a big beef tomato plant 3 feet high from Home Depot 5 days ago, and planted it in our yard ...
A: Jen, I always recommend avoiding plants that large. I find that the seedlings that do best are the ...
|
| Gopher repellent | 5/7/2008 |
Q: We live in rural California and my mom uses marigold plants to surround her garden area to keep ...
A: Carrie, mature marigolds have been known to deter many pests, including rabbits and gophers. Most ...
|
| Unknown Predator | 5/5/2008 |
Q: We live in north-central New Mexico next to a river and in the mountains/forest. We planted over ...
A: Cynthia, without identifying the pest by sight, it is really difficult to determine which one is ...
|
| Black worms on houseplants | 5/2/2008 |
Q: I just purchased a very large palm plant and I am in the process of repotting it. I noticed some ...
A: Simone, cayenne pepper is a good deterrent, but it does not always kill insects. It simply provides ...
|
| tomatoes | 4/21/2008 |
Q: what kind of worm or bug puts a little hole in nearly ripe tomatoes that just about ready to pick?
A: Ray, these worms are referred to as hornworms. Tomato hornworms are actually small caterpillars that ...
|
| Groundhogs | 4/2/2008 |
Q: I live in N/W Indiana and was wondering if you had any suggestion how to get rid of a ground hog. I ...
A: Jurgen, when dealing with pests such as groundhogs or other four-legged creatures, you basically ...
|
| Gnats on seedlings growing indoors | 3/18/2008 |
Q: I have started my garden for this summer and have two indoor green houses with several dozens ...
A: Diane, it sounds like you will need to resort to a more harsh insecticide. Since I am a firm ...
|
| Houseplant Pests | 3/11/2008 |
Q: I am getting a bunch of little black gnat-like bugs around the soil top of several houseplants. The ...
A: Carol, it sounds like flea beetles, but can also be mites attacking the plants. You can control any ...
|
| Apple Trees | 3/4/2008 |
Q: Last year several large branches on one of my apples just died - in full leaf. When I was pruning ...
A: Peeling bark is normal on trees over 10 years old. However, this condition can also be an indication ...
|
| Inchworms | 3/2/2008 |
Q: We have had an over run of inch worms in the house. We find at least 5 every morning and then again ...
A: There is no way of knowing what originally brought them in, but one thing is certain, they have laid ...
|
| indoor flying bugs | 2/29/2008 |
Q: help! i have many house plants, some i take outside during summer, some are just to big to move. i ...
A: I would venture a guess that it is either aphids, mites, or flea beetles attacking the plants. You ...
|
| house plant pests | 2/21/2008 |
Q: In the dirt of my house plants are these tiny bugs, you can barley see them, they look silvery & ...
A: Many insects, especially those found on houseplants, do little or no damage. But it still is a good ...
|
| Black Mites in herb garden | 2/9/2008 |
Q: I am starting a herb garden and I found small Black mites with white spots. When I try to pick one ...
A: I would definitely not purge the garden. Instead, I would wait it out and see if there are any signs ...
|
| Indentifying pest | 2/5/2008 |
Q: I have had an improved Meyers Lemon in a container for a little over a year in a container, ...
A: Although horticultural oil is the preferred method of killing pests and destroying their eggs, too ...
|
| Cayenne Pepper | 12/12/2007 |
Q: I noticed some small white worms in some of my house plants. The plants are in planters that don't ...
A: Elle, cayenne pepper, sprinkled in moderation, should not kill the plants. I use it often with much ...
|
| Diatomaceous Earth - Centipedes | 12/1/2007 |
Q: We live in Canada and in the past week we found two *huge* centipedes in our living room. They ...
A: Diatomaceous earth is an organic product composed of shaved remains of fossilized diatoms. Although ...
|
| bugs on my ming aralia | 11/12/2007 |
Q: Five weeks ago, I bought a beautiful Ming aralia from my local garden center and it has recently put ...
A: I would spray them with an insecticidal soap. You can purchase this product at most nurseries or ...
|
| Aphids | 11/5/2007 |
Q: 1 question, is there a way to get rid of aphid organically? The plants are inside the house, so i ...
A: Dustin, aphids can be controlled oranically with either a garlic spray or with an insecticidal soap. ...
|
| Sowbugs | 11/3/2007 |
Q: i have a mega big problem with woodlice as we call them here in germany, i think everybody refers to ...
A: Simon, in order to control these bugs, they must be killed at the source, which is outside. You must ...
|
| Muskrat Problem | 10/19/2007 |
Q: I have a problem w/ muskrats around my fish pond. I don't want anything w/ anykind of chemicals ...
A: Sandy, you have four options at this point. You can fence the area in, attempt to trap the animal, ...
|
| Grubs | 10/15/2007 |
Q: We have a major grub problem (Japanese beetles). I used a product like Grub-ex earlier this year, ...
A: Grub-ex must be applied between June and early August for maximum effectiveness. This product ...
|
| Love Bugs | 9/25/2007 |
Q: I know love bugs only come in may and september and i haven't seen any until about two days ago ...
A: Nicole, love bugs fly in swarms and usually number in the hundreds. They appear twice each year, ...
|
| Green Worm on Roses | 9/24/2007 |
Q: This year, 2007, I have spotted several 1" long curled green worms eating the leaves of my roses. ...
A: Deborah, this common garden pest is called a green hornworm. Hornworms are actually caterpillars ...
|
| Ants | 9/16/2007 |
Q: What is the best remedy to rid the house of little black ants?
A: Virginia, there are several controls you can use, but most of them involve chemicals. That is why I ...
|
| Grubs | 9/14/2007 |
Q: I have grub worms and they are making brown patches in my grass. I understand detergent and water ...
A: Bethany, you can mix 3 tsp. of dishwashing liquid per gallon of water to deter most pests, including ...
|
| Pest Control | 9/8/2007 |
Q: H i Mike I live in Az. and have a rosemary plant that has these little worm like bugsall over it ...
A: Mike, it is hard to say what the pest is without a photo, but it does sound like the funnel weavil. ...
|
| Yellow Jackets | 9/6/2007 |
Q: There's an old grill permanently installed in our side yard. We don't use it but can't remove it. ...
A: Grace, unfortunately there is no deterrent for bees, but there are ways to control them. Your best ...
|
| Vomit Looking Stuff on my Lawn! | 9/4/2007 |
Q: I have a HUGE cow paddy like growth or mound that has appeared on my lawn. It has an orangy,foamy ...
A: Donna, the substance you are describing is called slime mold. It is a fungus composed of thousands ...
|
| Ming Aralia (houseplant) dying suddenly | 9/1/2007 |
Q: I have a wonderful Ming Aralia, which was, until about a week or so ago, quite healthy. I admit that ...
A: Micah, you have really answered your own question. Over-caring for house plants is the number one ...
|
| Tomatoes; Hornworm | 8/31/2007 |
Q: Whatis the large green caterpillar that eats tomato plants in Wilmington, NC
A: Jane, this common tomato pest is called a green hornworm. Tomato hornworms are actually caterpillars ...
|
| Zucchini; Red Bugs | 8/17/2007 |
Q: I have little red bugs on my zucchini. I think they might be some sort of spider because they have ...
A: Joshua, these are most likely red spider mites. You can use an organic pesticide to control these. I ...
|
| Insects and White Powder on Flowers | 8/13/2007 |
Q: I planted Marigolds and Silvia and they were doing great. Now I have noticed a white poder on the ...
A: Bonnie, it sounds like your marigolds have contracted powdery mildew, a fungus disease that infects ...
|
| Gnats | 8/12/2007 |
Q: I live in Lawndale, a suburb of Los Angeles. Last summer and, again this summer, my backyard ...
A: Judie, the only solution is to fill a pressure sprayer with an insecticide according to the ...
|
| spider mites | 8/11/2007 |
Q: We live in central Indiana - a drought summer & unusally hot - there are farm crops on 3 sides of ...
A: Pam, spider mites can be easily controlled in a small garden by using yellow sticky traps. Larger ...
|
| Squirrels | 7/28/2007 |
Q: This is my first summer in a new house and we have squirrels! I planted a nice little container ...
A: Sara, you basically have two options with squirrels. Either trap them or use a deterrent to keep ...
|
| Diatomaceous Earth; Slugs | 7/26/2007 |
Q: I'm trying to use an organic product to rid my garden of snails and slugs that are piggin out on my ...
A: Kim, diatomaceous earth is an organic product, but not if it is mixed with silicon dioxide. ...
|
| Slugs and Caterpillars | 7/23/2007 |
Q: it worked at first and now I'm not catching any). They're tearing through my broccoli and I'm afraid ...
A: Catherine, there are two separate controls for slugs and caterpillars. Let's start with the ...
|
| Insects on Roses | 7/22/2007 |
Q: I have a rose bush that insects are eating the leaves. I can't see them with the naked eye. What can ...
A: Albert, you probably have aphids infesting your roses. Insecticidal soap is effective and can be ...
|
| Carpenter Bees | 7/21/2007 |
Q: We have a new home built in the middle fo 75 acres of woods. The Vinyl siding on the porch has ...
A: These are most likely carpenter bees. The are large, black, and fuzzy with a yellow stripe. Although ...
|
| Grasshoppers | 7/16/2007 |
Q: How do I get rid of grasshoppers that are eating my marigolds?
A: Carolyn, grasshoppers are one of the more difficult pests to control. There are chemicals such as ...
|
| Japanese Beetles | 6/22/2007 |
Q: we have been having a problem with these nasty insects for 2 years now, going to 3. i live in NJ ...
A: There are several insecticides that will kill Japanese Beetles, including rotenone and pyrethrum. ...
|
| What is Killing my Sunflowers? | 6/20/2007 |
Q: I'm in Portland, OR. My sunflowers are about 3 feet tall. A week ago, one was gnawed off at about ...
A: Jeff, it sounds like rabbits based on your description. They normally feed in the evening or very ...
|
| Pests - Eating Everything! | 6/19/2007 |
Q: backyard, and something is eating everything in sight! The leaves on my mint, beans, basil and even ...
A: Joanne, I doubt that the sowbugs are eating the plants. Their primary diet is decaying plant matter, ...
|
| Caterpillars??? | 6/18/2007 |
Q: This is a two-part question. a)I noticed that the leaves of my hibiscus plants were being eaten. ...
A: Mollie, I always recommend organic controls, and the best on the market today for caterpillars is ...
|
| Japanese Beetles | 6/17/2007 |
Q: I was walking around the house checking my new plants and saw hundreds of beetles mating on my holly ...
A: Georgeann, the most likely cause of your problem is grubs. Grubs are the larvae of what eventually ...
|
| Chipmunks | 6/16/2007 |
Q: Help!! Something is nibbling at my portulaca. It looks as though it's a chipmunk or a squirrel ...
A: Sherry, I have found planting garlic, marigolds, and aromatic herbs nearby usually deters most ...
|
| Grasshoppers | 6/12/2007 |
Q: We just moved into our new home in January. This past week, we have been infested with ...
A: Angela, grasshoppers are one of the more difficult pests to control. There are chemicals such as ...
|
| Red Bugs in Lawn | 5/30/2007 |
Q: I'm hoping you can help me. I live in Mass and I was outside today playing with my son. I had put ...
A: Amy, although it is difficult to identify an insect without seeing it, the only red insect that ...
|
| Aphids and Ants | 5/29/2007 |
Q: I believe we have aphids on a couple of our plants. We also have ants in our eggplant. Will the dish ...
A: Jessica, unfortunately, insecticidal soap is not very effective against ants. It does, hewever, work ...
|
| Pests - Organic Controls | 5/22/2007 |
Q: I was weeding in one of my flower gardens and when I disturbed leaves at the base of a rose bush, ...
A: Lauri, they will harm your roses over time if left unattended. Two organic controls are pyrethrum ...
|
| Bees on Plants | 5/21/2007 |
Q: The Cotoneaster plants in our small front garden have always attracted a few bees, but this year it ...
A: Jackie, you can purchase a bee trap at any home improvement center or nursery. Basically, these are ...
|
| white spots on impatiens petals | 5/9/2007 |
Q: I recently purchased starter plants at my local nursery. I got mostly impatiens, brought them home. ...
A: Ann, these are probably mites. You can treat them with one of several organic controls. These ...
|
| Balcony plants | 5/7/2007 |
Q: HELP!!!i have, it seems, many simultaneous problems. First of all, i m not in the US. I live in ...
A: Vassia, there are organic controls available to deal with insects. Organic alternatives include ...
|
| Black Ants | 5/6/2007 |
Q: I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Every May, when the weather becomes warmer and spring is upon ...
A: Jean, the best organic solution for ants is diatomaceous earth. Basically, it is a mineral product ...
|
| Organic Pest Control | 4/29/2007 |
Q: Mr. Mascio, My wife and I have a small apartment patio garden - Potted plants. We have started to ...
A: Arnold, my recommendation is to use an oil spray. These products are organic and will suffocate all ...
|
| Bumble Bees | 4/24/2007 |
Q: We moved into our present home this past December. This Spring was our first here. There are 2-3 ...
A: Mark, your best bet is a bee trap. These are cylindrical contraptions that bait the bees in with ...
|
| Balcony Pests | 4/17/2007 |
Q: I live in a third-floor, southwest-facing apartment about five mile inland in Los Angeles. On my ...
A: I never advocate the use of chemicals, but sometimes when the infestation gets really bad, there ...
|
| Spruce Trees - Insects | 4/1/2007 |
Q: I live in Maryland. Something is eating the needles off the ends of my spruce trees. What can I do ...
A: Frank, it could be one of many insects. The most prevalent, however, include spruce miners and tree ...
|
| Worm-like Critters | 3/30/2007 |
Q: We live near Mtn. Home, Arkansas - north central part of the state. We recently added compost to ...
A: Cabbage worm and loopers can be controlled with BT. BT is an organic insecticide which is short for ...
|
| Worm-like Critters | 3/29/2007 |
Q: We live near Mtn. Home, Arkansas - north central part of the state. We recently added compost to ...
A: Dave, what you are describing are pillbugs. These insects do little damage to plants. They will ...
|
| Fungus Growing in Flowerbeds. | 3/12/2007 |
Q: I have some kind of pink, brown, yellow nasty foam/dog barf looking stuff growing in my flower beds. ...
A: Kristie, the technical name for this growth is Fuligo septica, more commonly referred to as vomit ...
|
| Corn; Low Yield | 2/12/2007 |
Q: I planted a high yielding disease resistant variety of corn, proper land preparation and pest and ...
A: The most probable reasons are a lack of phosphorus in the soil; poor drainage; interplanting of ...
|
| Moss on Patio | 1/24/2007 |
Q: Moss growth on my brick patio (on concrete slab on grade) keeps me power washing it off and it only ...
A: David, chemicals are your only option given the fact the moss is on your patio. In the garden, I ...
|
| impatiens | 1/7/2007 |
Q: I have some impatiens planted in outside in a mostly shaded area. They grow very large and with ...
A: Ann, the symptoms you described are a sign of too much water or poor drainage. Impatiens, like most ...
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| garden pest | 12/19/2006 |
Q: "I live in the midwest (Chicago area) and have a problem with regular old everyday type garden ...
A: Rick, the best control for worms in or away from the garden is BT. BT is an organic insecticide ...
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| sweet violets | 12/12/2006 |
Q: I think my plants caught a bug called leaf curl. It started as little yellow spots, progressed ...
A: Inconsistent watering and/or poor drainage is the primary reason for leaf curl. The water in the ...
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| white flies | 11/21/2006 |
Q: First time gardner, I had white flies everywhere in the garden especially on the tomatoes. Tried ...
A: Chemicals are always an option, but definitely not the safest way to control insects, especially on ...
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| pests | 11/9/2006 |
Q: what if i sprayed vineger on the plant?i keep finding these little light green worm things on ...
A: Vinegar can serve as a short-term solution. However, the smell dissipates quickly, and the pests ...
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| pests | 11/6/2006 |
Q: i keep finding these little light green worm things on severel of my plants!what can i do so that ...
A: Coleen, if you do not want to kill them, you need to hand pick them. Unfortunately, they will ...
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| tree and ants | 10/13/2006 |
Q: I just got a home for the first time. it has a large (for me) lime tree (or are they lemons? cant ...
A: Tim, you definitely want to get rid of the ants. Whether or not they do permanent damage depends on ...
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| plant disease | 10/13/2006 |
Q: I live in West Covina California. My gardenia plant has a serious problem. I have tried several ...
A: Ann, it sounds like your gardenias have contracted a fungal disease. It's hard to tell which one it ...
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| identifying pests | 10/7/2006 |
Q: I find on my rosemary plants a white sticky globule, is this a pest? If so which one, and how can I ...
A: The only two pests that generally infest rosemary are aphids and mites. Either can be treated with ...
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| green pepper pests | 10/4/2006 |
Q: Portland, Oregon I went out to check on my peppers and discovered that they all have a small (maybe ...
A: Eggplant and peppers are both members of the nightshade family. As such, they are susceptible to the ...
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| Tunnels in my lawn | 9/22/2006 |
Q: I live in Northeast Ohio and just mowed my lawn and found soil quite soft in many spots and have ...
A: Bill, you either have moles or voles tunneling in your lawn. First, make sure you have properly ...
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| larvae egg | 9/12/2006 |
Q: we live in louisville,ky and we have a flower garden,we have found several small egg like things,we ...
A: Jerry, there are literally hundreds of species of caterpillars, so I cannot really identify it with ...
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| slugs | 9/11/2006 |
Q: ok this isnt exactly garden related but i thought you might be able to help. i have recently moved ...
A: Rob, slugs are a big problem here in the midwest, especially in the early spring when it is cool and ...
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| yellow catapillars | 9/11/2006 |
Q: mom has big sunflowers next to house-leaves being savaged by yellow hairy ...
A: Dave, without a picture, it is next to impossible to identify what type of caterpillar is infesting ...
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| loss of tomato leaves | 8/14/2006 |
Q: I'm in Charlotte, NC and planted late tomatoes. They seem to be healthy and are producing. ...
A: Penny, you didn't mention how tall these plants are, but it sounds like some type of animal is ...
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| tomato plant pest | 8/14/2006 |
Q: I found several green catapillars on my tomato plants. They were green with what looked liked white ...
A: Nicole, it sounds like your tomato plants are infested with hornworms. Tomato hornworms are actually ...
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| Beetles | 8/13/2006 |
Q: I live in the Channel Islands off the coast of France in the English Channel. This year, we seem to ...
A: Tommy, I would definitely use an organic control to prevent any harm to your dogs. Two proven ...
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| Salad Leaf problem | 7/28/2006 |
Q: I'm in london, England. I have been growing salad veg, i.e. rocket,various lettuce etc in pots and ...
A: I would suspect aphids or whiteflies have infested the plants. To control these insects, spray the ...
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| Hornworm | 7/27/2006 |
Q: I took it off the plant, what should I do with it? Also, are there more or does the moth just lay ...
A: Just drop it in soapy water or move it out of the yard completely. It's hard to say how many you ...
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| Slugs in outdoor potted plants | 7/26/2006 |
Q: I'm an 2nd story apartment dweller. Last year I set out pots of flowers and veggies on the ...
A: Kathleen, slugs are a big problem here in the midwest, especially in the early spring when it is ...
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| worms on lanai | 7/26/2006 |
Q: I live in Bonita Springs, FL. Everytime we get a heavy rain, I get hundreds of very small worms on ...
A: Phyllis, the best control for worms is an organic product called BT. BT is an organic insecticide ...
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| little red bugs | 7/6/2006 |
Q: On 8/8/05 Vanessa asked you about little red bugs on her tomato plants. We also live in Nothern VA, ...
A: Rudi, it's hard to say without actually seeing the insect. There are literally thousands of insects, ...
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| Zucchini | 7/3/2006 |
Q: My plants have a white powder on them and its killing the leafs.. Plant is still producing new leafs ...
A: Randall, what you are experiencing is a fungus disease called powdery mildew. The disease is spread ...
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| organic zuchini pest control | 5/13/2006 |
Q: I live near Pittsburgh PA.. Do you know of an effective organic way to protect zuchini plants from ...
A: Vince, the larvae you described is the larvae of the squash borer. The moth lays the egg in the ...
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| Worms on tomatoe plants and squash | 5/9/2006 |
Q: I have discovered green horn worms on my tomatoes and small worm holes in my squash. Is there a ...
A: Tomato hornworms are actually caterpillars that chew large holes in the leaves of tomatoes, ...
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| Snails and Slugs | 4/22/2006 |
Q: We get a LOT of snails and slugs, front and back, and some of them are huge, too (where do they come ...
A: Marci, snails and slugs are attracted to garden beds that supply hiding places during the day to ...
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| Need a natural repellant for cutter ants | 2/4/2006 |
Q: Mike, Thanks for the reply. However, most things that are readily available to people in the U.S., ...
A: Annie, you can make some home made remedies that are very effective. Probably the most effectives ...
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| Need a natural repellant for cutter ants | 1/26/2006 |
Q: We live in Cozumel, Mexico and have a big cutter ant problem in our garden. We just planted some ...
A: Annie, I personally use Diatomaceous Earth to control many crawling insects, especially ants, ...
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| cats | 1/2/2006 |
Q: you may not be able to help but i hope you can. our neighbours have 2 cats who have been ...
A: Chris, cats are probably the most difficult animal to control. In the vegetable garden, it is a ...
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| Cats ruining garden | 12/4/2005 |
Q: We have two outdoor cats in Baton Rouge, LA. They constantly play in our large front yard garden ...
A: Melissa, I also have two male cats that love to dig in the garden. I have tried many deterrents, ...
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| Insects in Palm Tree soil | 11/14/2005 |
Q: I live in Southern Ontario, Canada. I bought a Palm Tree that is a little over 5 feet tall. It was ...
A: Mary Jane, I would try to resolve the bug issue before giving up on the tree. You need to apply an ...
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| Hobo Spiders/Centipedes | 9/14/2005 |
Q: I live in Preston Idaho and seem to be the new living space for hobo spiders. How can I control the ...
A: Diane, most crawling insects such as spiders and centipedes can be controlled with powdered ...
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| Gardenias | 8/23/2005 |
Q: My gardenia bush is in serious trouble. It has stopped blooming, there are little white specks on ...
A: Ann, the white specks are either hundreds of small insects or the eggs they have laid. Without ...
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| hybiscus insect/worm | 8/20/2005 |
Q: I have a very small, very fertile furry white worm on my hybiscus and it appears to be laying ...
A: Susan, without seeing the worm, it is very difficult to identify it. However, an effective control ...
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| whiteflies | 8/18/2005 |
Q: Im in Florida and I'm having a terible time controling whiteflies,or at least i think they are ...
A: Peri, since you have identified them as whiteflies or some other type of an insect, and not a ...
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| little red bugs on my tomato plants | 8/8/2005 |
Q: I live in Northern VA, about 1/2 hour outside of DC, and have just noticed some tiny red bugs on one ...
A: Vanessa, I doubt the bugs are your problem, although from your description it sounds like one of ...
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| Catapillars | 8/7/2005 |
Q: I found 2 catapillars on my tomato and pepper plants.....they were green and blended in perfectly ...
A: Kevin, it sounds like your tomato and pepper plants are infested with hornworms. Tomato hornworms ...
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| Yellow Squash Problems | 7/10/2005 |
Q: I live in Charlotte North Carolina and just recently I have been having a problem with my squash ...
A: David, the more likely disease is what is called Choanephora, otherwise known as wet-rot. This ...
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| slugs | 6/17/2005 |
Q: I have heard of a way to keep slugs at bay. Supposedly slugs will not cross copper. Since they ...
A: Slugs are snails without the shell. They both belong to the mollusk family. Copper is a very ...
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| Hibiscus-Gone in 60 seconds | 6/16/2005 |
Q: I live in Plano, TX. Just last night, I was feeding my plants with Miracle Grow and everything was ...
A: Mike, without seeing the animal that destroyed your plant, it's very difficult to venture a guess. ...
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| Pest | 6/15/2005 |
Q: There are many small piles of small, greyish and red/organge/brown balls on top my newly mulched ...
A: Jennifer, these are eggs. They can be from a wide variety of insects, but are most likely the eggs ...
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| Insects | 6/6/2005 |
Q: I have a problem with an insect called Spittlebug. It has attaked two perrenials and I cannot find ...
A: Ed, Sevin is the most popular pesticide on the market, but it is a very harsh chemical. It is ...
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| Japanese beetles | 5/27/2005 |
Q: Springboro, Ohio While planting my flowers, I've run into hundreds of Japanese beetles (grubs). Is ...
A: Peg, a product such as Grubex, made with Merit, is highly effective against grubs. The upside is ...
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| Ants | 5/11/2005 |
Q: I live in Arcola, Illinois and ants are driving me nuts. They come in the house each spring and ...
A: Donna, you can control ants by spreading some diatomaceous earth in the area that is infested. ...
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| grubs in flower garden soil | 5/10/2005 |
Q: I live in Mentor, Ohio. We were planting some petunias and noticed several grubs in the soil. Are ...
A: Ann, Grub-ex is by far the best product on the market for an immediate resolution. The problem with ...
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| whiteflies | 1/12/2005 |
Q: Hollister, Ca. I aquired whiteflies this last summer and have tried a product from Ortho which only ...
A: Deanna, the chemicals you described are contact insecticides, and will only control the insects on ...
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| cottony scale on rose bushes | 1/3/2005 |
Q: I am in Miami florida and am in a constant war with cottony scale on my rose bushes. I hose them off ...
A: Shoshana, spraying them with water is only a temporary solution. To eradicate scale you must either ...
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| tiny white bugs | 11/12/2004 |
Q: This summer I kept some hot pepper plants in a long planter on the balcony of my apartment. They ...
A: Brian, you are most likely correct that the insects are aphids. The other possibility is ...
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| moths eating plants | 11/12/2004 |
Q: I have a friend who lives in Spring Hill, FL. She has a lot of Blue Daze plants which get killed ...
A: Jane, these are most likely coddling moths. They are very prevalent in the home garden and can do ...
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| horrible, large green caterpillers! | 11/8/2004 |
Q: I live in Miami Beach, Florida, have a large Angel's Trumpet shrub (yes, I know the flowers could be ...
A: Shoshana, caterpillars can be controlled with an organic microbial insecticide called Bacillus ...
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| hibiscus infestation | 9/14/2004 |
Q: I live in WV and a few months ago I bought an orange hibiscus plant. A few days ago I noticed ...
A: Rose, these insects are appropriately named after their appearance. They are called whiteflies. ...
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| bugs | 9/10/2004 |
Q: Near Fort Worth, Tx. I love HollyHocks. Ours start out nicely in the spring, with beautiful ...
A: I doubt your problem is with earwigs. These insects usually eat dead or decaying foliage. The most ...
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| organic garden pest | 8/25/2004 |
Q: my sqaush and pumpkins have powdergray bugs on them that turn brown when they mature there are ...
A: Ken, what you are experiencing is an infestation of squash bugs, otherwise known as stink bugs. The ...
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| Aphids and Caterpillars | 8/4/2004 |
Q: I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and have had excellent success in gardening until I ...
A: Molly, you can try cutting the petunias down to about 3" and hope for one more flush of blooms in ...
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| pests | 7/26/2004 |
Q: Cheshire.Dear Mike, I have several snapdragon plants in my garden an this year ...
A: Lynne, these insects sound like flea beetles. These black beetles are very small in size but can ...
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| Organic produce pest management | 7/26/2004 |
Q: I was wondering if you can tell me some different methods for pest management for organic produce, ...
A: Tim, there are entire books written on this subject, so answering this question in this type of ...
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| Squirells & sunflowers | 7/14/2004 |
Q: Squirells are eating the heads off of all my sunflowers. I tried spraying them with a cayenne pepper ...
A: Sarah, you basically have two options with squirrels. Either trap them, or use a deterrent to keep ...
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| Japanese Beetles | 7/14/2004 |
Q: Japanese beetles are destroying my roses this year. Are there any safe, natural (non toxic) ways to ...
A: Lisa, the most likely cause of your problem is grubs. Grubs are the larvae of what eventually ...
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| Mole infestation | 7/13/2004 |
Q: Mike ... not sure if this is really your area, but I'm getting desperate for help. I've got a mole ...
A: Felix, it sounds like you have done all of the right things. Moles can be crafty, and the secret is ...
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| something eating sunflowers | 7/1/2004 |
Q: I have something that is eating the leaves of my newly planted sunflowers. There are little ...
A: Keli, it sounds like you may have slugs in your garden. Slugs are very prevalent in late spring and ...
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| square foot method | 6/26/2004 |
Q: hi - what is the square foot method of gardening?
A: Square foot gardening is a method of intensive gardening. The term "square foot gardening" was ...
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| Phlox | 6/26/2004 |
Q: Something is eating holes in the leaves of my phlox. What could it be and how can I stop it?
A: Gina, your problem is most likey slugs. They are very prevalent this time of year. I have tried ...
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| orange beetles on lilies | 6/10/2004 |
Q: What to do? Disgusting beetles or bugs orange with black head and black pieces of something under ...
A: Helen, it definitely sounds like you have two or more types of beetles infesting your plants. The ...
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| pests eating plants | 6/1/2004 |
Q: i started a bunch of sunflowers from seed - now they were big enuf to go in the garden - so i would ...
A: Pamela, there's no question that mature plants are less appealing to slugs than are young seedlings. ...
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| rabbit in garden | 5/26/2004 |
Q: I HAVE A SMALL GARDEN-IN THE CITY- AND HAVE A RABBIT THAT LIKES TO SIT IN IT AND MY BROCCOLI PLANTS ...
A: I can certainly empathize since rabbits have been a nemesis for me for a long time. In all honesty, ...
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| Hosta Lily | 5/22/2004 |
Q: Does Hosta lillies cause or attract flies??
A: Gail, the only insects that are attracted to hostas are snails and slugs. If left uncontrolled, ...
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| Mysterious stuff on flower bed mulch | 5/12/2004 |
Q: A mysterious blob of what looks like yellow vomit appears on my flower bed mulch. It changes ...
A: David, the substance you are describing is a fungus composed on thousand of tiny spores. This mold ...
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| Pest control | 4/28/2004 |
Q: I am looking for an organic solution to pest control in our vegetable garden.
A: Don, two great organic pesticides are pyrethrin and rotenone. Both are plant extracts which are ...
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| cabbage pest | 4/10/2004 |
Q: I live in New Zealand and I have been getting some type of worm which lives inside the cabbage as it ...
A: The best way to prevent worms is to stop the coddling moths from laying their eggs. I use reemay, ...
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| Are These Garden Pests? | 4/3/2004 |
Q: Mike. I have a question that I need to ask you; it may affect whether I garden this year or not. ...
A: We had a cicada infestation four years ago here in Ohio. While they did do some damage to the ...
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| Indoor/Outdoor Insects | 3/18/2004 |
Q: Although this isn't strictly a gardening question, I have a feeling the bugs that have begun ...
A: Jen, given the fact there are literally thousands of species, it is very difficult to pinpoint which ...
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