Eliminate Those Nasty Vegetable Garden Pests
January 5th, 2009Bugs and insects are a huge pain for many vegetable gardeners. The majority of bugs are more of a nuisance than willfully destructive. But if you find a garden pest devouring your harvest, you’re not going to be too happy.
Among the ugliest garden pests is the tomato hornworm. This fat worm is green and white in color and has a horn like a stinger. You can pull it off the plant while wearing gloves, and kill it by dunking it in soapy water. Alternatively, you could spray the tomato hornworm with stomach poison insecticide, neem oil, or Bacillus thuringiensis.
Thrips overrun numerous plants and create uneven white markings on the plant’s leaves. You can wash the bugs off by using a hose, and then apply contact poison to the plant.
You know when snails and slugs have been there because they leave behind a slimy trail and eat the leaves on the plants. You can buy bait to attract and kill them, but you can achieve the same thing with a shallow dish of beer; they’ll be drawn to it and drown.
Those plump white worms that you see in the ground are most likely grubs. Grubs will cause your plants to droop, and may stunt their growth. They can be held in check by adding milky spore to the soil. Grubs eventually grow into beetles, which you can rid of with stomach poison insecticide.
Cutworms tend to attack a plant’s stem at the base. The only successful means of controlling them is by placing a paper collar around your plants.
Corn earworms will infiltrate a cob of corn while it’s still on the stalk and consume the kernels. Similarly, the tomato fruitworm will chow down on the interior of eggplants, peppers and tomatoes. Try using an insecticide that specifically targets earworms.
Borers are found in many vine plants with thick stems. The only way to eliminate them is to cut them out of the plant. If the borer is discovered near the base, you will have to remove the entire plant and destroy it. Try using insecticide to discourage them.
Another annoying pest is the beetle, which likes to eat the leaves on your plants. You have to get rid of them because they can do a tremendous amount of damage to your garden. You can either spray them with insecticide or just pick them off the plants.
Aphids are a common sight in any vegetable garden. Typically, you’ll come across bunches of tiny, soft bugs in assorted colors. To eliminate aphids, use neem oil or insecticidal soap.





















