Common Pests that Invades Vegetable Garden

Diseases, insects and other critters will try and invade your vegetable garden. The first step of defense is to get to know them and be prepared to treat whatever problems might occur.

Here are the most common pest problems of common vegetable crops:

Beans - Granulate Cutworm, Serpentine Leafminer, Aphid, Thrips, Cabbage Looper, Stink Bug, Leafhopper, and Two-spotted Mite.

Beets - Beet Armyworm, Aphid, Garden Webworm, and Flea Beetle.

Broccoli - Granulate Cutworm, Thrips, Cabbage Lopper, Beet Armyworm, Cabbage Aphid, and Sweet Potato Whitefly.

Cabbage - Granulate Cutworm, Diamondback Moth, Flea Beetle, Aphid, Thrips, Cabbage Looper, Beet Armyworm, Cabbage Aphid, and Sweet Potato Whitefly.

Carrots - Granulate Cutworm, Carrot Weevil, Spider Mites, White Grub, and Leafhopper.

Cauliflower - Granulate Cutworm, Diamondback Moth, Flea Beetle, aphid, Western Flower Thrips, Cabbage Looper, Beet Armyworm, Cabbage Aphid, and Sweet Potato Whitefly.

Celery - Granulate Cutworm, Cabbage Looper, Serpentine Leafminer, Aphid, Spider Mite, Corn Earworm, Beet Armyworm, Carrot Weevil, and Leafhopper.

Cucumber - Granulate Cutworm, Cabbage Looper, Pickleworm, Aphid, Southern Corn, and Rootworm.

Eggplant - Serpentine Leafminer, Sweet potato Whitefly, Aphid and Spider Mite.

Greens - Cabbage Looper, Flea Beetle, Spider Mite, Beet Armyworm, and Aphid.

Honeydew - Granulate Cutworm, Cabbage Looper, Melon worm, Sweet Potato Whitefly, Spider Mite, Southern Corn, Rootworm, Serpentine Leafminer, Aphid, and Thrips.

Lettuce - Granulate Cutworm, Cabbage Looper, Serpentine Leafminer, Leafhopper, Corn Earworm, Beet Armyworm, Aphid, and Thrips.

Muskmelon - Granulate Cutworm, Cabbage Lopper, Melon worm, Sweet Potato Whitefly, Spider Mite, Southern corn, Rootworm, Serpentine Leafminer, Aphid, and Thrips.

Okra - Corn Earworm, Aphid, and Stink Bug.

Onions - Granulate Cutworm, Thrips, Beet Armyworm, and Onion Thrips.

Parsley - Fall Armyworm, Flea Beetle, Carrot Weevil, and Aphid.

Peas - Granulate Cutworm, Aphid, Fall Armyworm, Cabbage Looper.

Peppers - Granulate Cutworm, Beet Armyworm, Pepper Weevil, Aphid, Spider Mite, Corn Earworm, Serpentine Leafminer, Flea Beetle, and Thrips.

Potatoes - Granulate Cutworm, Leafhopper, Wireworm, and Flea Beetle.

Pumpkin - Southern Corn, Rootworm, Serpentine Leafminer, Melon worm, Aphid, Spider Mite, Cabbage Looper, Squash Vine Borer, Squash Bug, Sweet Potato Whitefly, Southern Corn, and Rootworm.

Spinach - Granulate Cutworm, Beet Armyworm, Flea Beetle, Aphid, Cabbage Looper, Garden Webworm, and Grasshopper.

Squash - Southern Corn, Rootworm, Serpentine Leafminer, Melon worm, Aphid, Spider Mite, Cabbage Looper, Squash Vine Borer, and Sweet Potato Whitefly.

Sweet Corn - Wireworm, Corn Earworm, Flea Beetle, Aphid, Fall Armyworm, and Grasshopper.

Sweet Potatoes - Granulate Cutworm, Sweet Potato Weevil, Flea Beetle, and Wireworm.

Tomatoes - Granulate Cutworm, Cabbage Looper, Fall Armyworm,
Tomato Pinworm, Stink Bug, Thrips, Corn Earworm, Beet Armyworm, Tomato(tobacco), Hornworm, Serpentine Leafminer, Sweet Potato Whitefly, and
Two-spotted Mite

Watermelon - Granulate Cutworm, Beet Armyworm, Texas Leaf cutting Ant, Aphid, Thrips, Southern Corn, Rootworm, Cabbage Looper, Serpentine Leafminer, Squash Bug, Sweet Potato Whitefly, Spider Mite, and Garden Webworm.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Share This

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Common Vegetable Garden Tools

The tools considered essential for maintaining a small or moderate-sized garden are a spade or four-pronged digging fork, trowel, rake, hoe, measuring stick, string, stakes, and irrigation equipment. With these tools at hand you can readily handle most garden tasks.
In purchasing tools consider the size of the garden, the job to be done, and the amount of money you wish to spend. In the long run, it pays to purchase tools of good quality, as they will give better service and stay sharp longer. If properly cared for, they can last a lifetime.

Spade

Spade with a sharp edge - used for turning soil and incorporating organic matter.
Four-pronged fork - good for mixing a compost pile.
Round-pointed shovel - good for mixing a compost pile.

Rake

Bow rake - good for smoothing out soil, removing stones, and breaking up clods.
Straight rake - designed so that its back can be used to smooth the seedbed and to compact soil over freshly shown seed for improved germination.

Hoe - comes in all shapes, sizes, and models used for preparing the seedbed, and for cultivating the soil to mix in fertilizer and control weeds.
A Common or Square-bladed filed hoe is good for most garden jobs.
A pointed or Warren hoe is good for opening a furrow by string and for cultivating between plants.
A scuffle hoe, made in several patterns with a flat bottom that cuts weeds off under the soil surface and breaks up the layer on top of the soil as it is pushed back and forth between the rows.

Long-Handled Cultivator- Used to Breaks up large clods and refines the seedbed.
Trowel- Used to transplant vegetable plants.

Hand Cultivator- Used for breaking up soil clods for light replanting.

Irrigation Equipment- such as watering can, garden and soaker hoses and sprinklers.

Hand Duster — Used to apply pesticides in powder form.

Compressed-Air Sprayer — Most popular piece of equipment for applying pesticides because it gives good coverage, especially to the underside of plant leafs.

String and Steaks — For row alignment.

Measuring Stick — For determining the distance between plants and rows.
Wheelbarrow or Garden Cart — Makes moving soil, stones, tools, and harvested vegetables much easier.

Wheel Cultivator — For removing weeds and preparing the soil.

Spreaders — For lime and fertilizer application:

A drop spreader covers less area than a broadcast spreader with each pass over the site, but the area covered is easier to detect.

A broadcast spreader applies materials uniformly, although the margins of the area covered may be difficult to see.

Hand Seeder - Majority of hand seeders are adapted to a wide variety of seed sizes.

Tiller — Makes soil preparation easy for serious gardeners who will use it enough to make the purchase worthwhile.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Share This

What Fertilizers are Needed for Vegetable Gardening?!

All vegetable gardens must have good quality soil for the plants or vegetables to grow healthy. For that to happen, the soil must be enriched with organic and natural fertilizers.

Basically, the nutrients provided by fertilizers or manures that provide us fast and normal growth of the vegetable gardens also contribute to pollution. If you apply fertilizer at the wrong time, this could actually result to leaching, erosion and groundwater pollution.

Fertilizers are derived both from chemical and organic materials and all of these can be purchased in various formulations. These composts and animal manures can be used as soil amendments. Most of these organic fertilizers are made up of small amounts of nutrients released into the soil in a matter of time.

The main essence of putting organic fertilizers in the soil is that they improve the soils structure, making it well-drained and likewise, holding the nutrients longer and better. Also through mulches like the straw or pine needles, they can also hold the nutrients in the soil as well as, it can slow down the water movement that decreases erosion.

Certain synthetic fertilizers for vegetable gardens are available in two kinds, first a granular form and second, a water soluble. The former is sprinkled all over the soil and worked in with a hand tool. The latter type is mixed with water and then poured out on the vegetables or plants in the garden.

However, it is said that before applying or putting the fertilizer on the garden, it is advisable that it should be tested first on the soil. This test will let you know the level of nutrients and ph of the soil.

In terms of applying the fertilizer, it is preferable to apply a broadcasting granular fertilizer all over the vegetable garden as instructed on the directions on the fertilizer bag. However, this can be wasteful in a sense that if the fertilizer is spread on spots where there are no plants it can lead to leaching, resulting in water pollution. Another way of applying certain fertilizers in your vegetable garden is through banding which is said to be more effective although it is more tedious. Narrow bands of organic materials or composts are placed in certain furrows slightly deeper and lower than the seeds to give way for a buffer spot.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Share This

The Good Insects that will Help You with Organic Gardening

In organic gardening, not all insects are considered as the bad guys. You must not intend to kill each and every tiny insect that you see on your beloved plants.

To achieve success on this type of gardening, not only must you have a green thumb. You must also have a big heart for nature. By going organic, you are being one with nature. You are helping it achieve a balance and lessen the damage that is being done by other people.

Companion Planting
When trying out the organic type of gardening, you must have a variety of yield in your garden. Have you ever heard of companion planting? This has been practiced for ages by the people who love to plant and understand their necessities.

When doing this process, you must plant two or more different kinds of plants along side one another. This way, insects may be repelled while what is considered as good insects can be lured into your plants. By being diverse, your garden will have fewer problems.

If you are worried of what plants to pair up, it can be resolved through time. By going through the trial and error process, soon enough, you will have an overview of what kinds of plants that you must pair up.

Beneficial Kind of Insects
Yes, not all insects are pests. There are those that can be considered as beneficial to your plants and to you as the gardener.

What are these insects? These are the insects that eat the common pests that can be found in the garden. They are the good guys in your garden and you would want to make them stay.

Some examples of these good insects are the following.

1. Ladybug larvae. This kind eats the aphids
2. Parasitoid wasps. They also eat aphids as well as grubs and caterpillars.
3. Ground Beetle. This type feeds on the pests on the ground.
4. Lacewing larvae. This also eats aphids.
5. Hover flies. This eats the likes of caterpillars and leafhoppers.

You must welcome such types of insects to your garden because they can help you succeed with organic gardening. They will eat the pests. For this reason, your job will be easier. There will be fewer tasks for you since most of the pests have been taken care of by the good insects.

Popularity: 31% [?]

Share This

Preparing an organic garden for the spring

Spring is one of most sought after seasons for planting. This is because all the elements that will contribute to healthy plants and harvesting are available during this time. For beginners, experts say that organic gardening should at least be started during spring so these will have the best growing environment as possible.

To prepare the organic garden for the spring, here are some tips that you can use:

1. Choose the plant that will suit your environment. This is very important because not all plants can withstand changing conditions of the environment. During spring, try the reliable ones such as vegetables and bean crops. You can also try simple flowering plants and fruit crops since springtime can help these grow easily and be at their best condition.

2. Ensure that you have enough containers. Containers that will be used for organic gardening need not be special and super expensive. As long as they are tapered, any container will do. If you have used milk cartons, cans, old pails, and other used containers, you can use these. Make sure that you clean them properly before using them. After cleaning these containers thoroughly, make sure that you label each properly since seeds look alike when they sprout. It is always best if all the containers are labeled properly so there will be no mistakes. Aside from making it easy for you to identify which is which, labeling is also crucial to avoid planting the same seed over again.

3. Have ready packets of planting mix. In organic gardening, planting mixes refer to those that can support seeds to sprout very well. Having ready planting mixes are very important in organic gardening because these will ensure the healthy growth of your crops. (TIP: It is always best if you use planting mixes that are sterile because they are safe for your plants and for you as well.)

4. Ensure that there will be light. If you are into organic gardening, make sure that there is plenty of air and light available for your crops. Light and air are very important because these will ensure that the plants can absorb all the nutrients it gets from the plants. In your site, if natural sunlight is not available, you can create a makeshift light source. These can include a fluorescent light bulb or tube that can be brought in most grocery and hardware stores. (TIP: Make sure that you place them properly so the sprouts can get all the light they need to grow healthy.)

5. Know how to control pests and other plant-related diseases. Springtime is the ideal time to control pests and other plant diseases because the weather makes it easier for the plants to absorb the synthetic chemicals without really affecting their growth. In controlling pests and other plant-related diseases, opt for using all-natural products and methods such as using worms and other insects that can defend your plants against other harmful elements.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Share This