GARDEN PESTS

The joys of gardening, for me, do not include the abundance of garden pests that infect and infest various parts of my garden. After putting so much work and effort into gardening, it's disheartening to have your plants destroyed by larvae, your strawberries eaten by pill bugs and slugs, and aphids suck the life out of your lettuces. My son, Chase, recently said, "Maybe we should try to grow bugs instead of a garden. It seems like it would be a lot easier."

Every time I encounter a new problem, I'm driven to the internet to research similar symptoms, pictures, insects, larvae, solutions, etc. Since I am new to gardening, every pest situation is, well, new to me.

Below are the garden pests I've encountered, what damage they have done and what I have tried (successfully and unsuccessfully) to either get rid of them or minimize their damage to my garden.


BEETLES

Beetles of some kind found on nasturtium leaves summer garden 2014.

CABBAGE LOOPER

Cabbage looper and leaf damage.

CUTWORMS

Cutworms and plastic collars to keep them from "cutting off" my tomato plants.

GRAPE LEAFHOPPER

Grape Leafhopper found on my grape leaves. You can see the damage they have done to the vine.

GRAPELEAF SKELETONIZER

Grapeleaf Skeletonizer found in various stages of growth on my grape leaves.

PILL BUGS & SNAILS

One way to catch pesky pill bugs and snails.