By Jo Ann Stevenson, Harris County Master Gardener
Jo Ann Stevenson is a native Texan, an Aggie and a Master Gardener since 2020. She enjoys writing and editing for the Urban Dirt newsletter, coordinating the Green Thumb lecture series, and serving on the Education and Publicity committees, and the Board of Directors. When she’s not gardening, you can find her browsing in a local resale or antiques shop.
Let’s define “pests”
If you garden, you have seen pests. Garden pests can be summed up into four categories:
Invertebrates – such as insects, caterpillars, or worms;
Vertebrates – such as rabbits, squirrels, or birds;
Pathogens – such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes that cause diseases in our plants; and
Weeds – yes, weeds are considered pests because they interfere with the health of our gardens.
Your prized tomato plant can suffer any or all of these maladies. It can be pierced by the thirsty leaf-footed bug, poked by a hungry mockingbird, succumb to the dreaded root-knot nematode, or even get choked out by weeds. I’ve experienced all four of those bad guys in my garden.
Managing Pests
Expecting pests is one thing. Knowing what to do with those unwanted visitors is another thing. First, learn to identify the “good guys” from the “bad guys." For instance, you don’t want to harm a Gulf Fritillary butterfly’s caterpillar, but you do want to keep a hornworm caterpillar from destroying your tomatoes.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a proven method to manage pests. It has been around for 70+ years, and is a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical management tools.
By starting with the least hazardous control method, you can eliminate pests without reaching for that spray bottle in your garage. And if other controls don’t work and you do need to reach for a chemical, IPM will teach you the ‘what, when and how’ for safe use.
Working With Your Garden
Can we prevent pests? Completely – maybe not. But satisfactorily – yes. Here are some things I’ve learned to improve my chances:
- Maintain healthy soil
- Plant healthy, disease-resistant, and diverse varieties of plants
- Water, fertilize, and mulch properly
- Rotate crops
These steps can help to attract natural predators, confuse the ‘bad’ bugs, prevent diseases, keep weeds at bay, and improve the overall health of my garden.
“Planting” my shadow in the garden regularly is another key step in prevention. The more often I can be there to look for pests, the better chance of survival my plants will have.
Clever Solutions
I’ve also planted “trap crops” to lure those pesky leaf-footed bugs away from my tomatoes and eggplants. It turns out those bugs love sunflowers and artichoke blooms, too. So much, in fact, that I can sneak in there with my cordless vacuum and catch them by surprise!
Just like me, my garden is a work in progress. I’m learning to love both of us more every day.
For More Great Advice
Watch Debra Caldwell's presentation on integrated pest management on this month's "Green Thumb" Program
Add a comment to: What’s Bugging You? or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying about Pests and Love my Garden