Natural Solutions to Things That Bug You (88 page)

wilting and yellowing……………………………………..              Onion maggot

Leaves turning silvery……………………………………              Onion thrips

Seedlings are pale, thickened, deformed,

bulbs swollen at base, leaftips dying……………………Stem & bulb nematode

PEAS

PEA PEST PROBLEM SOLVERS

              THE PROBLEM                                                                      CAUSED BY

Surface scarring of pods or deformed pods……………              Thrips

Leaves and stems covered with honeydew

and black sooty mold……………………………………..              Aphids

Holes in leaves, greenish-yellow beetle………………..              Cucumber beetle

Leaves are skeletonized…………………………………              Armyworm

Off white stippling on upper leaf surface

and fine webbing on underneath side of leaf………….              Spider mite

Curving white trails in leaves, stems or pods………….              Leafminers

Half-moon chewed notches on edges of leaves………              Pea leaf weevil adults

Pods partially damaged or removed……………………              Birds, rabbits, kids

White grubs with brown heads in peas

and round holes on pods………………………………..              Pea weevil

PEPPERS

GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO READ

Next time you plant peppers, try wrapping each plant stem in 6X6-inch square of newspaper. Dip the newspaper in cool tap water before wrapping each pepper plant. When the roots are kept moist it keep away the cutworms.

PEPPERS & EGGPLANT

PEPPERS & EGGPLANT PEST PROBLEM SOLVERS

              THE PROBLEM                                                                      CAUSED BY

Buds or fruit turns yellow or drop from

plant, pods that remain may turn yellow

or be misshapen………………………………………….              Pepper weevil

Curled and distorted leaves or stunted plants…………              Aphids

Small holes in leaves worse at lower levels……………              Flea beetle

White frothy foam on eggplant stems…………………..              Spittle beetle

Peppers have small worm, holes……………………….              Corn earworm or leaffroller

Leaves wilt and turn yellow              ………………………………Whiteflies

POTATOES

POTATO PEST PROBLEM SOLVERS

              THE PROBLEM                                                                      CAUSED BY

Tunneling in tubers, pink eyes with silk…………………Potato tuberworm

Curled and distorted leaves, stunted plant……………              Aphids

Leaves curled upward, older leaves yellow,

edges of younger leaves turn purple…………………..              Potato psyllid

White stippling on upper leaf surface,

leaf edges yellow or brown              ……………………………..              Leafhopper

Leaves have many holes, tubers have bumps,

shallow winding trails on upper surface of leaf……….              Flea beetle

Bumps on tubers, swelling on roots, brown spots…….              Nematodes

Leaves missing, yellow-striped beetle visible…………              Colorado potato beetle

PUMPKIN

BOARD UP YOUR PUMPKINS

When your pumpkins or squash start to mature, try placing a small board under each fruit. This will protect the fruit from soil-borne bacteria and fungus.

CUCURBIT CROP PEST PROBLEM SOLVERS

(Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Squash, Watermelon)

              THE PROBLEM                                                                      CAUSED BY

Deformed or curled leaves, tiny, soft

bodied insects on underneath side of

leaves. Honeydew or black sooty mold present………..Aphids

Fine strippling on leaves, yellowing or

browning of leaves, orange or red dots…………………Spider mites

Yellowish leaves, honeydew present,

clouds of tiny white bugs…………………………………              Whiteflies

White strippling on upper leaf surface………………….              Leafhopper

Holes in leaves, wilting, scarred runners………………              Cucumber beetle

Leaves have small yellow specs that turn

brown, vines wilt………………………………………….              Squash bug

Swelling or beads on roots, low yield………………….              Nematodes

RADISHES

FRIENDS FOREVER

Radish seeds develop strong sprouts that are capable of breaking through the ground. Parsnips do not have very strong sprouts and need the radish sprouts to open up the soil for them.

RADISH PEST PROBLEM SOLVERS

              THE PROBLEM                                                                      CAUSED BY

Small plants wilt and die, grooves on root

surfaces, tunnels in roots………………………………..              Cabbage maggot

Foliage deformed with whitish-yellow spots……………              Harlequin bug

Tiny holes in leaves………………………………………              Flea beetle

SPINACH

SPINACH PEST PROBLEM SOLVERS

              THE PROBLEM                                                                      CAUSED BY

Leaves partially eaten and green caterpillar

hanging around……………………………………………              Loopers

Leaves yellowing………………………………………….              Aphids

Leaves have green or yellow spots with

maggots in them…………………………………………..              Leafminers

STRAWBERRIES

STRAWBERRY PEST PROBLEM SOLVERS

              THE PROBLEM                                                                      CAUSED BY