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Bugs, Bugs Everywhere

© Deborah Turton

Bugs can be a big problem in the garden. they can depress new gardeners. Bugs come and go, sometimes without any relationship to what you do in your garden. There are natural cycles for bugs. Some years they’re really bad, and some years they cause few problems.

The first thing to remember is that most bugs - about 95% - are good for your garden. Yep, they mix the soil, eat other bugs, store nutrients, breakdown organic matter, and generally make your garden a better place. Observe the bugs in your garden, are they eating your plants, are they even on your plants? Can you identify the bug. There are many books and even sites showing pictures of damaging insects and the corresponding plant damage.

Now if the bug turns out to be a pest insect, there are several things you can do to solve the problem. Make sure your soil is up to snuff. This may not seem related to insect damage but it is. Adding too much n nitrogen can force new lush growth on your plants. It may look nice, but it also is very tasty to insects. Use compost and other slow release natural fertilizers. You plants will still have plenty to feed them, but the tendency for rapid insect attractive growth will be diminished. Don’t use chemically based slow release fertilizers. These do nothing for the soil and will decrease the number of beneficial insects in your soil. In contrast the organic matter found in compost and other organic fertilizers can provide moisture retention, help fight fungal infections, and increase the general health of your plants. Healthy plants fight insects better and are less attractive to bugs. Check my archives for more information about improving your soil.

Now, once your new and improved soil is in place, what happens when the bugs are still around. Well, I divide bugs into two different categories, those that can pretty much be taken care of by other bugs, and those I need to step in and take care of.

White flies and aphids are rare in my garden. They can be taken care of by natural enemies. When they do appear, the ladybugs and their larvae scoop them up. I don’t worry when I see them.

I do however, have other problems. Flea beetles, Colorado potato beetles, bean beetles cabbage moths and Japanese beetles can all cause problems in my garden. Only the flea beetles cause real problems. What you should try to remember is that using any insecticide will have repercussions. The more powerful the insecticide, the more the repercussions will be. Unless you can specifically target the offending insect, you will kill of some of the beneficials. So, I don’t recommend using any of the stronger ‘organic pesticides’ such as pyrethrums, rotenone or nicotine. I have used neem and found it to be more gentle than the older insecticides. Still, I rarely use even neem.

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