Identification: Blister beetles have elongated, narrow bodies and can be black, brown, striped, or metallic green in color.

The larvae overwinter in the soil and emerge in spring to feed. Adults are active in midsummer. There are typically one or two generations each growing season, depending on your region. Blister beetles are found throughout North America.

Damage: These long-bodied beetles feed on leaves and flowers of garden crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, melons, carrots, cabbage, peas, squash and eggplants. When they’re present in force, they can defoliate plants entirely. But blister beetle larvae are gardener’s helpers, because they dine on the eggs of a different garden pest — grasshoppers.

Insect Netting with Hoops Price: $34.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Shade Cover for Cold Frame Price: $44.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Tall Insect Pop-Up, 3' x 3' Price: $42.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Control: Options for control/elimination include:

• Mow grasses before they flower. These flowers attract adult blister beetles.
• Because of the beneficial role that blister beetle larvae play, it’s best to leave small infestations of adult blister beetles alone. If you’re concerned that beetle populations are increasing, don a pair of garden gloves (when crushed, blister beetles exude a substance that can burn your skin) and handpick the adults. Drop them into a bucket of soapy water. Picking is easiest in the morning when the beetles are sluggish.
• In midsummer, cover plants with insect netting to prevent beetles from feeding.
• Rose Rx 3-in-1 Wards off spider mites, whiteflies, lily beetles and Japanese beetles. Also controls black spot and powdery mildew. It works for all flowers and ornamentals; safe for houseplants and food crops, too.
• Summerweight Garden Fabric Fabric cover screens out Japanese beetles, potato beetles, cabbage worms, leaf miners, carrot flies and most vine borers. Transmits 85 percent of the light to plants without allowing heat build-up.
• Insect Pop-Up Nets Protect your crops from insects with this net, designed to fit on a raised bed.
• All Seasons Spray Oil Unlike heavy “dormant” spray oils that can only be used in early spring, this lightweight oil can be used year-round on vegetables and ornamental plants to control many insect pests, including aphids, mealybugs, red spider mites and scale.

Glove Set, 3 Pairs Price: $21.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Nitrile Gloves Price: $6.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Floral Nitrile Gloves Price: $8.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Post from: Meadowwood Garden © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Blister Beetle Control

Identification: Young armyworms are pale green; older larvae are brownish with stripes along their bodies. Several species attack a variety of garden crops, including corn, beets, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, onions, and peas. Adults are gray-brown moths that migrate northward in the spring to lay eggs on host plants and in lawns.

Damage: Armyworms feed at night on plant foliage and grass blades; they hide under foliage and debris during the day. Severe feeding can result in dead areas of lawn and ragged-looking or defoliated crops.

Control: There are several options to control and/or eliminate armyworms:

• Encourage native beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps that prey on caterpillars.
• Weed out grassy weeds as well as pigweed, plantain, and lamb’s quarters, which are host plants for the beet armyworm.
• Rose Rx 3-in-1 Wards off spider mites, whiteflies, lily beetles and Japanese beetles. Also controls black spot and powdery mildew. It works for all flowers and ornamentals; safe for houseplants and food crops, too.
• Caterpillar Control Eliminates cabbage loopers on broccoli, tomato hornworms and even the larvae of tent caterpillars and gypsy moths in fruit and ornamental trees. Active ingredient: Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki
• Grub Guard Contains beneficial nematodes, naturally occurring microorganisms that live in the soil. They feed on Japanese beetle grubs, Colorado potato beetle grubs, cutworms, root weevils, flea larvae and other soil-dwelling insects. Won’t harm earthworms or most beneficial insects, safe around pets.
• Spinosad Spray A soil-dwelling bacterium that controls dozens of insect pests: bagworms, borers, beetles, spider mites, tent caterpillars, loopers, and more.
• Slug Guard These beneficial nematodes are tiny, soil-dwelling predators that target slugs, killing them within 48 hours. One application is effective all summer. Unlike chemical controls, they won’t harm earthworms or most beneficial insects, and they are safe to use around children and pets.

Post from: Meadowwood Garden © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Armyworm Control

Identification: These small, soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects cluster densely on tender new growth and the undersides of leaves to suck plant juices. Many species of aphids feed on home garden plants; these insects range in color from pale green, pink, or black to red or yellow. Size is typically 1/16″–1/4″. Adult aphids are generally wingless, but winged adults will appear when overcrowded. Immature aphids (nymphs) closely resemble adults.

Damage: Both adults and nymphs feed on a wide variety of plants, including most edibles and ornamentals. In small numbers aphids do little damage, but they are able to reproduce rapidly and can quickly become a more serious problem. Also, as they feed, aphids secrete a sweet fluid called honeydew that can attract ants; sooty black fungus may grow on coated leaves. Aphids are common throughout the U.S.

Insect Netting with Hoops Price: $34.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Garden Dust, 4 Lbs. Price: $24.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Spinosad Ready-to-Use Spray Price: $9.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Control: There are several options to control and/or eliminate aphids:

• When fertilizing your garden, avoid over-applying nitrogen. Too much nitrogen can stimulate plants to grow too rapidly and produce a flush of exactly the kind of tender new growth that aphids love.
• Use a strong spray of water from your hose to dislodge aphids from affected plants. This will reduce their numbers dramatically. Recheck the plants a few days later and repeat the treatment if needed. (Keep in mind that water sprays will also kill beneficial insects.)
• Ladybug Feeders. Set of 2 Ladybugs are voracious predators of many garden insect pests, including aphids, whiteflies, spider mites and mealybugs.
• Adult Ladybugs Voracious predators of many garden insect pests, including aphids, whiteflies, spider mites and mealybugs.
• Beneficial Bugs Garden Pack Includes three species of efficient pest-eaters that (unlike chemical controls) won’t harm plants, earthworms, or humans. Ladybugs, lacewings and beneficial nematodes.
• Orchard Spray Protects fruit trees and bushes, nut trees, ornamentals and vegetables. Effective against blight, blackspot, powdery mildew, aphids, mites, caterpillars, whiteflies and more plant pests and diseases. Active ingredients: sulphur and pyrethrins
• All Seasons Spray Oil Unlike heavy “dormant” spray oils that can only be used in early spring, this lightweight oil can be used year-round on vegetables and ornamental plants to control many insect pests, including aphids, mealybugs, red spider mites and scale.
• Rose Rx 3-in-1 Wards off spider mites, whiteflies, lily beetles and Japanese beetles. Also controls black spot and powdery mildew. It works for all flowers and ornamentals; safe for houseplants and food crops, too.
• Insect Control Spray Controls pests with fast-acting natural pyrethrins to kill insects and larvae on contact and canola oil to smother eggs
• Garden Dust Contains copper sulphate and pyrethrins. Use it as a last resort if other controls are not effective.
• Bon-Neem Spray Controls a variety of pests, including aphids, mites, whiteflies, flea beetles, scale and earwigs. Contains natural potassium salts and potent neem tree oil.

No-Phos Fertilizer Price: $29.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Replacement Cutting Lines, Set of 12 Price: $5.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Kneeler Tool Pouch Price: $7.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Post from: Meadowwood Garden © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Aphid Control

This is getting unbelievable! Since the last article about groundhogs a few days ago I have trapped and relocated the following critters:

• 1 Groundhog (diseased — disposed of see below)
• 3 Raccoons!

Trapping 5 animals seems like a lot of activity so early in the year. I’m wondering if it is a sign of things to come…

Usually the animals appear to be in very good health, but the groundhog I caught yesterday definitely had some issues. About half of her hair was missing due to some sort of mange or something on her rear and tail. It looked she had undergone a groundhog bikini wax that went a little too far. (Brings up a disturbing visual doesn’t it?)

EDIT: Because I wasn’t sure what was wrong with this particular animal I made the decision to dispose of it rather than potentially spread disease or have the animal suffer from whatever was wrong with it. I want to thank the reader who pointed out that I had not made this clear in the original article.

Seeing a diseased animal so close to the house concerns me. As mentioned in the comments I’m redoubling my efforts in that particular area to assess the health of the rest of the groundhogs. I’m also going to ask my local Veterinarian about what sort of diseases, if any, could potentially be transferred to myself or to Zoe my German Shepherd.

The Havehart traps are getting a bit beat up. One has ceased to function. Another is almost not working. Both are in the workshop awaiting a quick adjustment.

Post from: Meadowwood Garden © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Varmint Season is in Full Swing — Update

My theory that the early gardener gets the groundhog has paid off — look what was in the live trap this morning! Hello Mr. Groundhog! This healthy specimen was released where he won’t bother anyone.

Groundhog Problems

For the past couple years there has been somewhat of a groundhog problem at Meadowwood (Meadowwood is the entire property, Meadowwood Garden is just the vegetable garden…). One or more families have taken up residence in the woods next to the house. There are several holes under the shed there, and just last week I found a large colony of holes further down the treeline.

Two years ago one enterprising fellow even dug a hole under the back deck directly at the back door! And late last year another hole appeared under the front porch. Basically these little furry creatures are getting a little too close for comfort!

I’ve been asked why I don’t just let the little critters live wherever they want. A couple reasons come to mind: property damage and disease. A good example of the former is the hole I found under the front porch. As rain enters this hole it will erode the den and eventually could lead to a collapse of my entire front porch! Same with the holes under the shed.

As for disease, I’m mostly concerned about rabies or diseases Zoe can contract from feces, such as heartworms. Last year a groundhog ran straight at me! A couple that I’ve trapped were mangy and looked very unhealthy, so one never knows what they could be a carrier for.

The Plan this Year

One of the problems with groundhogs is where there are one, there are many! They are very fertile and have large litters. Once the babies grow up they tend to move to an area close by and dig their own burrows. This leads to more damage, etc.

Over the past two years I have trapped about 15 groundhogs total (and about as many raccoons — which are another story!). In spite of my efforts they keep getting closer and closer to the house — and that is simply not an acceptable place for them to be. So this year I decided to trap early, and trap often. My idea is to trap as many as possible just as they wake up from winter hibernation and before they have a chance to breed.

How to Trap Groundhogs

This has turned out to be the easy part. I purchased a live trap a couple years ago — they are made of wire and are easy to set up (you can see it in the photo above). Turns out groundhogs like apples, so for bait I buy old apples from the grocery store. Cut the apple in half, place it in the trap, put the trap next to a hole and usually the next morning you will have something in it.

As the season wears on they seem to become wary of the traps. When that happens I stop placing them for a week or so and often as soon as I start up again I will get one or two.

At some point I want to write-up a more extensive post about how to control these furry fellows. Until then I will keep everyone updated as to my eradication efforts!

Post from: Meadowwood Garden © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

First Groundhog of the Season

Identification: Adult Japanese Beetles are about 1/2-inch long and have a hard outer shell that is iridescent. They tend to group up on infested plants — often in very large numbers. Japanese Beetles can fly, but are slow and easy to catch.

Immature Japanese Beetles take the form of 1-inch white grubs in your lawn. They will feed on roots and other things in the soil.

Damage: Japanese Beetles chew leaf tissue from between the veins, leaving a lace-like leaf skeleton. Due to the tendency to group in large numbers Japanese Beetles can cause large amounts of damage very quickly if not controlled.

Grub Guard, 1 Million Price: $19.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Milky Spore 40 Oz. Price: $129.00 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

58-inch Metal Stand Price: $9.95 Seller: Gardener's Supply Company

Control: This can be a challenge because Japanese Beetles can fly long distances. We recommend several options to help get these pesky beetles under control:

• Handpick Half-fill a cup or small jar with water and add a few squirts of dishwashing liquid (I use Dawn). At the beginning and end of each day walk slowly through the garden and brush the Japanese Beetles off the plants and into the water (or pick them off and throw them in — they don’t bite). Use this as an opportunity to inspect the plants for any insect damage, new fruits, etc.
• Milky Spore A naturally occurring microscopic bacteria (Bacillus popilliae) that kills Japanese beetle grubs before they can grow into ravenous adults. Use in combination with beneficial nematodes (Grub Guard)
• Catch-Can with Bait Its double bait system (a floral and a pheremone lure) attracts and traps Japanese beetles. Best for large yards, where it can be placed away from the garden.
• Grub Guard Contains beneficial nematodes, naturally occurring microorganisms that live in the soil. They feed on Japanese beetle grubs, Colorado potato beetle grubs, cutworms, root weevils, flea larvae and other soil-dwelling insects. Won’t harm earthworms or most beneficial insects, safe around pets.
• Rose Rx 3-in-1 Wards off spider mites, whiteflies, lily beetles and Japanese beetles. Also controls black spot and powdery mildew. It works for all flowers and ornamentals; safe for houseplants and food crops, too.
• Summerweight Garden Fabric 6′ x 50′ Fabric cover screens out Japanese beetles, potato beetles, cabbage worms, leaf miners, carrot flies and most vine borers. Transmits 85 percent of the light to plants without allowing heat build-up.
• Insect Control Spray Controls pests with fast-acting natural pyrethrins to kill insects and larvae on contact and canola oil to smother eggs
• Garden Dust Contains copper sulphate and pyrethrins. Use it as a last resort if other controls are not effective.
• Insect Pop-Up Nets Protect your crops from insects with this net, designed to fit on a raised bed.
• Bon-Neem Spray Controls a variety of pests, including aphids, mites, whiteflies, flea beetles, scale and earwigs. Contains natural potassium salts and potent neem tree oil.
• Slug Guard These beneficial nematodes are tiny, soil-dwelling predators that target slugs, killing them within 48 hours. One application is effective all summer. Unlike chemical controls, they won’t harm earthworms or most beneficial insects, and they are safe to use around children and pets.

Post from: Meadowwood Garden © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Japanese Beetle Control