GROWING TIPS
Garden Pests 101
Leaf'd Box | March 18, 2021
This post includes affiliate links to products we recommend that work really well with our plant varieties. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from products purchased through these links.
Pests of all sizes can lead to the total demise of your garden. There are large pests, like squirrels, rabbits, and birds, and small pests, like aphids, cabbage worms, and white flies.
The larger pests are more likely to attack when you first plant your garden. They see their target and they go for it, eating your veggie plants before they have the chance to grow!
If you manage to keep the larger pests out of your garden, then come the smaller pests, aphids being the most annoying. Smaller pests multiply in the hundreds, and before you know it, your plant babies are COVERED in them. Despite their name, cabbage worms don’t just go after cabbage, they feed on many plants in the brassica family, especially broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, and mustard greens.
LARGE PEST PROTECTION
I personally have been having issues with the larger pests. My leafy greens in the early spring box got annihilated by some squirrels who hopped on the chance to dine at the all-you-can-eat buffet that is my garden. The hard part of dealing with larger pests is that they eat the entire plant, even the growing point in the center, meaning there is no coming back from it!
To fix this, I got some stakes, placed them in the four corners of my garden, and laid some garden netting along the sides. Garden netting is great because the netting is small enough so no pests can get through but it still allows for the plants to get sunshine and water. We recommend THIS netting to protect your garden from pests.
I placed the netting all the way on the ground, and I’m using some rocks to hold it down, that way, come harvest or when checking for smaller pests, I can just lift the rocks and get to the plants easily.
SMALL PEST PROTECTION
When it comes to smaller pests, these can be harder to handle. Since they are so small and hard to see, by the time you notice them they can be in the thousands.
Neem oil is an AMAZING natural pesticide that can help with aphids and other insect pests. You can find our favorite neem oil HERE. We also love THIS 3-in-1 garden spray.
Another way to kick insects off your plants, literally, is to spray them with cold water. Spray the leaves with high pressure so the bugs are literally thrown off, then spray them with neem oil to keep them off and kill any survivors.
Ladybugs are aphid, whitefly, and mite predators, so if you have a bad pest problem that just doesn’t seem to go away no matter how hard you try, buy a bag of ladybugs. Yes! They sell ladybugs. We reccomend THESE.
Don’t be afraid to go in and pick these insect pests off by hand, too -- show them who’s boss!
Here are some photos of what the pests look like so you can keep an eye on them:
Aphids
Check in small crevices and underneath leaves for aphids. Aphids turn black/dark grey/light brown when they are dead and they can also be a red color.
Whiteflies
They also like to hide under leaves and small crevices! Since they fly, using a small plant trap can be very helpful to catch them. They are often resistant to pesticides and swarm in groups.
Cabbage Worms
Here are cabbage worms! They look like your average caterpillar but do some major damage. Also, watch for their babies and be sure to get rid of them, too.
Remember, plants only need 3 things: water, sun and soil. If given those 3 things in the right quantities, ANY plant can survive and thrive. It’s the little things, like pests, that can turn your garden into a graveyard in a blink of an eye! I hope this helps with keeping pesky pests out of your garden. Remember to keep an eye out for pests as prevention is always the best strategy. Don't wait!
As always, please reach out to us at info@leafdbox.com with any questions or pest control help.
