Pest Infestations in Backyard Gardens

Solution: Spray affected plants with commercially available or homemade insecticidal soap. Explanation: Insecticidal soaps disrupt the outer cell membranes of soft-bodied insects like aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies, causing dehydration and death. They must directly contact the pest to be…

Solution: Physically remove pests by handpicking or using traps. Explanation: Handpick larger insects like beetles and hornworms and drop them into soapy water. Use sticky traps for flying insects like whiteflies, or beer traps (shallow dishes of beer) sunk into the soil for slugs and snails. Water…

Solution: Use neem oil spray as a broad-spectrum insecticide, fungicide, and miticide. Explanation: Neem oil works in multiple ways: as an antifeedant, hormone disruptor, and smothering agent. It's effective against many common garden pests including aphids, beetles, mealybugs, and spider mites, as…

Solution: Attract or purchase beneficial insects that prey on garden pests. Explanation: Ladybugs consume aphids, lacewings eat aphids and other soft-bodied insects, and parasitic wasps target specific pests like hornworms or aphids. You can attract these insects by planting flowers they favor…

Solution: Cover vulnerable plants with lightweight fabric row covers. Explanation: Floating row covers create a physical barrier that prevents insects like flea beetles, cabbage worms, and squash vine borers from reaching the plants to feed or lay eggs. Drape the fabric over plants or support it…

Solution: Dust food-grade diatomaceous earth around the base of plants and affected foliage. Explanation: DE consists of fossilized diatoms with microscopic sharp edges. It scratches the exoskeleton of crawling insects like slugs, snails, and ants, causing them to dehydrate. Apply when plants and…