Hot, dry and dusty are pretty typical outdoor conditions for this time of year. The last rains were months ago; late summer and early fall often features toasty daytime temperatures with low relative humidity. Most people, plants and animals don’t prefer it, but it’s ideal for pesky spider mites. More than 200 different plant species, …
As we transition from spring to summer and temperatures climb, it’s mosquito season. Not only are these flying pests annoying, their bite can be anywhere from mildly irritating to seriously painful. AND they can transmit disease, so it’s a good idea to start with preventing them from breeding. Don’t let mosquitoes breed in your yard! …
Snails and slugs love to eat plants with tender foliage and fruit. Favorites include seedlings and plants with succulent foliage; they seriously damage basil, beans, cabbage, lettuce, and many other vegetable plants along with dahlia, delphinium, hosta and marigold. Ripening fruits close to the ground like strawberries are easy targets. And they’ll climb trees to …
It’s the time of the year when roses, our national flower, put on a dazzling show, cloaking plants with brilliantly colored, sweet smelling blossoms. Are your plants bedecked with perfectly formed flowers, or by chance do you see what way too many gardeners do come June, roses with petals that resemble Swiss cheese, young buds …
First you see them, then you don’t. Those glossy new leaves that cloaked the branches on your dwarf fruit tree seemed to disappear overnight! Same with the succulent mahogany-colored foliage on your prize rose plant, and the prickly leathery leaves on a large chunk of your California live oak. What’s up with that? Even your …
Ants on your artichoke plant? Your plum tree or leafy vegetables? They’re a prime indicator that sucking insects are feasting on your plants. There’s a group of soft-bodied insects — aphids, mealybugs, soft scale and whiteflies being the most common, that feed by sucking juices from plants. The direct damage they inflict on the plant …
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In early spring, masses of thick foam can coat delicate stems on a variety of plants – they’re spittlebugs. While visually unappealing, they’re generally nothing to be too concerned about. The abundant globs of bubbles are produced by young froghopper larvae as they begin to feed; the frothy mass is thought to serve as protection …
Don’t be fooled! This is NOT a green ladybug! The cucumber beetle is a common pest that feeds on the leaves of many vegetables as well soft fruit, though it’s not fussy and can be found in many parts of the yard. While they may be a just a nuisance on your roses, they can …
Seeing your first aphids of the season? Did you know that these bugs are common in your yard because they love lush, new growth on plants, are attracted to flowering plums, roses, crape myrtles, apples, and many vegetables AND ants will protect them from their natural enemies. Read more to learn how to manage these prolific …
