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To Squish or Not to Squishin MD Veggie Gardens
June 2, 2021Patricia Lynch, Master GardenerMCP Community Garden, Liaison
• Special Thanks to:
Jon TraunfeldDirector
Home and Garden Information Center
Common biotic problems (excluding wildlife!)
• Flea beetle• Colorado Potato Beetle• Cabbage worms, multiple types• Harlequin Bugs• Cucumber beetle• Squash bug• Squash vine borer• Mexican bean beetle• Stink bugs, multiple types
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
AKA--The Intelligent Person’s Method!Elements:• Examine both sides of plant leaves and stems• Physical and Biological Controls• Prevention Measures• Less Toxic Alternatives• Use of Organic Approved Pesticides only if
Absolutely Necessary
Physical ControlsFloating Row Cover
• Spun-bonded polyester; gauzy material. Draped over crop and secured to ground; leave slack to allow crop growth.
• Excludes pests, and increases crop growth in spring and fall by raising temp. and humidity.
• Can be re-used; must be removed before flowering of cross-pollinated crops (cukes, squash, etc.)
Tips for Using Row Covers
• Row covers come in different weight or thickness depending on purpose:– light weight is used to keep pests off plants. – Heavier weights to protect from frost and colder
temps for early Spring and/or Fall planting• Row covers don’t work if the pest is already
lurking– Inspect ALL seedlings and remove any pests BEFORE
using the row cover--store bought and home grown!– Install the row cover right away—before the pests
find your precious plants!
Flea Beetles, Row Covers Happy Eggplants!
Biological controls• Give mother nature a chance!
– Predators eat pests– Parasitoids lay their eggs on or in pests
Natural predators
SpiderLadybird beetle larvaAssassin bug
Hornworm parasitized by tiny Braconid wasps
Prevention• Use Bird and Bat Houses to reduce insects• Plant to attract beneficial insects and support
pollinators --mountain mint, anise hyssop, thyme, oregano, basil, dill, yarrow, aster, marigold, zinnia, alyssum, phlox, bee balm, milkweeds, butterfly weed, borage, salvias, lamb’s ear
Prevention
• Keep garden free of diseased plants/debris to limit hiding places for insect pests and slugs
• Time plantings to avoid peak insect infestations—plant early, plant late, plant multiple times
• Clear out dead plants, weeds, and debris at the end of the season to reduce over-wintering
• Try a cover crop to revitalize and protect soil
Organic Pesticides
• Products are labeled for Organic Gardening or OMRI Listed
• Products may be less toxic than other pesticides, but they ARE pesticides, and can cause harm
• Please note Organic, Natural, and Safe don’t necessarily mean the same things
• These products include things like insecticidal soap, Neem, Spinosad, Pyrethrum, Horticultural Oil, and Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis)
More Organic Pesticide Info
• READ and FOLLOW all label directions—It’s the LAW!
• Chose the product based on the pest you have. Some work only if direct contact is made. Others only work on one stage of development. Some only work on specific pests—one product does NOT fit all!
• Wear protective clothing as specified on the label• Use only as directed
Colorado Potato Beetle
Organic Management
• Look at leaf undersides to find egg masses• Check all nightshade plants• Handpick, crush eggs• Use Row Cover whole season, pollination not
needed• Consider crop rotation and/or growing
nightshades every other year• Kaolin clay, Neem, pyrethrins, Spinosad
Cabbageworm Butterfly
Imported Cabbageworm
Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University Bugwood.org
Cabbageworm larva
Organic Management
• Remove all plant debris• Floating row cover prevents egg laying• Handpick larvae• Use Bt on younger caterpillars• Spinosad, Neem, and pyrethrum are
effective—apply as directed on label• Pollen-rich flowers attract predators and
they will reduce populations naturally
Harlequin Bug Life Stages
Organic management• Remove (chop and hot compost) all crop residues
immediately after.• Search out and manually crush eggs, nymphs, and
adults. • Floating row cover from transplant to harvest.• Spray nymphs with an pyrethrum + oil or neem +
oil (spray must contact bugs).• Mustard greens and Chinese cabbage are most
vulnerable crops.• This can become a major “community” pest
because Brassicaceae crops can be grown year-round.
Spotted cucumber beetle
Striped cucumber beetle
Bacterial Wilt Disease
bacterial ooze
Organic Management• Difficult to hand-pick; must be controlled
early in season.• Exclude with floating row cover until bloom• Protect plants prior to flowering with
organic insecticides (apply to both sides of leaves), Neem, pyrethrins, Spinosad.
• Seal up badly infested plants in plastic bag.• Plant late; plant multiple crops. • Select varieties resistant to cucumber wilt
and mosaic virus.
Squash bug
Eggs and immatures
Organic management• Remove plant debris to eliminate
overwintering sites.• Hand-pick adults and eggs; place wooden
boards next to plants. Check under boards in AM destroy nymphs or adults.
• Floating row cover from transplant to flower.• Plant late (mid-June) or plant a spring squash
trap crop.
Wilted squash- what could be wrong?
Squash vine borer
Organic management• Floating row cover from planting and anchor
firmly to prevent the SVB moth from entering. Keep covered until flowering.
• Wrap stems with aluminum foil collars, check regularly.
• Cut affected stem, remove or pierce larva/e.• Destroy all affected plants! Do not compost!• Practice crop rotation. Pupae overwinter in
soil.
Mexican bean beetle- “skeletonizer”
Mexican Bean Beetles
ating Mexican bean beetles
Organic Control
• Squish, squish, squish—adults, larvae, eggs• Use row covers as soon as you plant—remove
at flowering• Clean up garden debris• Remove infested plants, do not add to
compost or garden debris piles• Apply kaolin clay, Neem, pyreythrins, spinosad
Brown marmorated stink bug
Organic Management
• Found mostly on beans, corn, tomatoes, peas, peppers, squash.
• Use row cover beginning in spring.• Search for egg masses and crush. Handpick bugs.• Bugs hide or drop when startled. Knock into a
container with soapy water held underneath.Clean up plant debris after the season, especially crucifers and legumes. Tilling disrupts overwintering sites.
Organic Management
• A cloudy spot in fruit can be cut out and does not affect eating quality.
• Insecticidal soap or botanicals such as Neem or pyrethrum are only effective on young nymphs. Adults are resistant even to highly toxic insecticides.
• Thick organic mulch provides desirable habitat for stinkbugs. Consider removing mulch or using plastic, fabric or rolled paper mulch.
Resources
• Home and Garden Information Center. University of Maryland Extension http://extension.umd.edu/hgic
• The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook by Susan Mulvihill. Quatro Publishing Group, April 2021
• Search Engine of your choice—Enter: Pests (or Diseases) of Name of Plant
More Resources
• Mac’s Field Guide: Bad/Good Garden Bugs of the Northeast: A Laminated Chart. The Mountaineers Books, 2000.
• Good Bug Bad Bug by Jessica Walliser. Spiral bound Field Guide. St Lynn’s Press, 2011.
• Your Smartphone—various apps—iNaturalist/seek, Picture This ($ 29.99/yr)
Thank You!
Q
Harlequin bug nymphs hatching from eggs
Predatory Stink Bug