Be vigilant about battling garden pests
On your daily garden stroll to see what’s in bloom and how fast your tomatoes are growing, check plant foliage and health to see if pest insects are causing any trouble.
More often than not a pest insect has a beneficial insect predator that will keep the pest in check — be patient until they arrive.
Other problems can be from plant diseases or cultural issues like too much water, not enough water, soil problems or the weather. Take a photo of a plant that you’re worried about — or a sample — into your local Colorado Master Gardener county extension office or a reputable garden center for identification and remedy suggestions.
Keep in mind that drift from spray products used on plants on hot or windy days may result in plant injury to your own plants and even your neighbors’. Plants may experience distortion, cupping, twisting or death. Be very careful when spraying — choose calm days, early in the morning or evening when temperatures are coolest.
• A common pest insect in Colorado gardens are aphids. These small, pear-shaped pests range in color from green to red. Their specialty is sucking plant juices on new or existing growth of trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Ants like to be near aphids to use their sweet honeydew “poo.”
Large numbers and continued feeding by aphids may cause loss of plant vigor, wilting, leaf curl and tip dieback. There are many “good guy” beneficial insects that eat aphids including lady beetles (commonly called ladybugs) and their larvae, plus many parasitic wasps, green lace wing insects and flower fly larvae.
Try to minimize chemical spraying which allows the beneficial insects time to show up to start aphid dining. Use a strong spray of water to dislodge aphids, and repeat often. Aphid numbers wax and wane throughout the summer, with early summer often seeing the highest numbers. • Teeny, tiny spider mites can be red, brown, yellow or green. They form webs on plants in large numbers. They love hot weather. Their mouthparts bruise and then suck sap from foliage of flowering plants, trees, evergreens, roses and shrubs, vegetables and houseplants. The damage causes plant foliage to look bronzed, flecked or mottled.
Spider mites can build up quickly on foliage, especially on plants and vegetables growing in containers in or near hot surfaces like concrete and brick.
Plants growing in rock mulch are also great places for spider mites to establish.
Pesticide use kills off natural predators to spider mites so instead hose them off regularly. Spray water early in the morning so the foliage dries through the day. Plan on hosing off your plants several times a week during the hot growing season.