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Organic
gardeners divide the insect world into two groups, good bugs and
bad bugs.
The bad
bugs bring death, disease, and destruction, they suck the life
out of plants, infest the soil and lay eggs by the thousands.
The good bugs are like an army of peacekeepers, who come
marching in bringing peace and harmony. They work quietly,
taking care of the bad bugs by eating them and generally getting
rid of the enemies for you.
It is always recommended to use good bugs
to rid yourself of the bad bugs. However, there will be
times that is may be required to use chemical to rid yourself of
infestation.
Please
feel free to contact one of our staff members for a
recommendation of what product(s) to use in these extreme cases.
Now, lets introduce the "Bad Bugs".
Aphids
They are very small with light colored bodies that leave a sticky residue on
the leaves.
Treatment - Remove damaged
leaves, wash plant leaves with warm water for a week then spray
an insecticidal soap onto leaves.
Caterpillars
Most kinds of
caterpillar are considered plant pests and will eat the leaves.
Treatment -
Pick off by hand.
Colorado Potato
Beetle
Inch long striped
beetles and their larvae will eat everything on a plant. Treatment - Pick off by hand
and optionally, spray with insecticide.
Cockroaches
Small dark colored
insects with beetle like bodies.
Treatment - Pick off by hand
if you can catch them. Remove any organic debris from the base
of the plant. Set out roach traps.
Cutworms
Small worm type
insects that curl up into a ring shape. They eat through plant
roots and topple the plant.
Treatment - Not too common in
hydroponics - if found, spray with insecticide.
Earwigs
Small dark brown
centipede-like insects with a pincer tail.
Treatment - Not too common in
hydroponics - if found, spray with insecticide.
European Corn
Borers
Small, 1 inch long
caterpillars who bore into plant stems and eat them from the
inside out.
Treatment - Spray with
insecticide.
Fungus Gnats
The hatched
offspring of tiny black flies. The maggot offspring attack plant
roots.
Treatment - Discard any
damaged plants, spray with insecticide. Not too common in a
hydroponics garden.
Imported
Cabbage Worm
The hatched
offspring of tiny black flies. The maggot offspring attack plant
roots.
Treatment - Spray with
insecticidal soap.
Leaf Hopper
Small, 1/8 inch
long, wedge shaped insects that suck the sap through the plant
leaves.
Treatment - Pick off by hand
and apply insecticide if needed.
Mealybugs
Small bugs create
white, powdery masses on leaf stem joints.
Treatment - Scrape off and
spray with insecticide.
Mexican Bean
Beetles
Small, 1/2 inch
beetles will eat roots and leaves leaving only the veins.
Treatment - Insecticidal soap.
Root Maggots
Fly larvae that
hatch at the base of the plants and eat the roots.
Treatment - Not too common in
hydroponics gardens. If found, spray with insecticide.
Scale
Tiny waxy growths
on the underside of leaves and on stems.
Treatment - Scrape off and
isolate plant, if possible. Wash leaves with warm soapy water
and apply insecticide if needed.
Spider Mites
Red, yellow or
green microscopic bugs forming cobwebs.
Treatment - Isolate plant if
you can, wash leaves with warm, soapy water and spray with
insecticide.
Striped
Cucumber Beetle
Small, very
destructive, striped back beetles 1/4 inch long. As adults,
these plant pests eat leaves and larvae eat roots.
Treatment - Use insecticidal
soap.
Tarnished Plant
Bug
Small beetles
about 1/4 inch long with tarnish-like markings on it's back.
They inject plants with a substance that deforms leaf tips and
stem joinings.
Treatment - Clean off all
nearby organic debris and spray with insecticide.
Thrips
Very small and
slender bugs leaving dark blobs on the leaves.
Treatment - Remove bugs by
hand, wash leaves with water and spray insecticide.
White Flies
Tiny,
white flying bugs.
Treatment - Very resilient.
Spray with insecticide or something stronger. Also spray all
surrounding plants. |