Who would not want to have a garden at home? Some people treat their plants as if they were their children, and trying to raise them is like raising a family. That is why homeowners with gardens will take great pains to defend their turf against pests. These pests are especially dispiriting to the gardeners as these pests can totally destroy the plants that they nurtured from the start.
What are the most common garden plants that cause destruction here in the U.S.? Here are some of them:
- Cabbage Maggots – When the cabbage root fly need to lay eggs, they will do so at the base of the plant, and when these eggs hatch, they become this small, white legless worms. They destroy cabbages by burrowing through the roots slowly. Cabbage fly eggs hatch only during the cool weather, which is why they attack only cool weather plants like the cabbage. They can also attack carrots, beets, broccoli, radishes, and turnips A sign of the presence of these maggots is when the plants start to wilt. You may then check for the presence of maggots at the roots. To prevent cabbage maggots from infesting your plants, simply put row covers over the plants. If you discover that your cabbage has maggots, then you have no choice but to pull the plant out and destroy it just to prevent the spread of the cabbage maggots.
- Stink bugs – The stink bugs are oval-shaped insect that is 2 cm in length. Their coloring may be brown, black, to bright green. As a form of self – defense, they have chemicals that to distract predators. These chemicals that they emit come from glands located at the thorax. Adult stink bugs can fly as they have wings, and these are folded when not flying. Stink bugs annoy the gardeners with their odor. They eat garden plants and crops. They prefer fleshy fruits but can eat just about any kinds of plants. Damage to crops meant discoloration, but it could also lead to early decay and spoilage. For prevention, cut tall grasses and remove dead in your gardens so that they will not have any hiding places. Put row covers on your plants to keep the stink bugs away.
- Caterpillar – They are known to eat and kill leaves and burrow into different fruits using their cutting and chewing mouthparts or mandibles. To get rid of them, make use of friendly insects like spiders, and allow them to roam freely around your gardens. The spiders will take care of these caterpillars.
- Whiteflies – These are soft-bodied winged insects about 1/12 of an inch in size. They are active during the day. They are found in large numbers under the leaves. They feed on the sap or plant juices, and when it is sucked, the plant weakens and is unable to perform photosynthesis; leaves will wilt, and the plant dies. To control the spread of whiteflies, use a sticky trap to catch them. Another way is to use insects that are natural predators to rid your garden of whiteflies.
Nothing is more upsetting than seeing your plants you have worked hard to grow being munched on by annoying pests in your garden. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of garden pests, but if the most efficient is hiring a professional pest control operator nearby to stop this menace.
