Monday, September 13, 2010

Where the Bad Bugs Spend the Winter

Looking to build a winter resort for many of the bad bugs that inhabit your garden during the growing season? It's easy! 

Don't clean up any fallen leaves, branches or fruit beneath the infected plants. The aphids, whiteflies, scale and codling moth...especially the codling moth, will thank you.

So, if you want more sticky honeydew on your driveway, curled, deformed leaves and lots more holey fruit in 2011, just ignore this mess now.
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3 comments:

  1. LauraBeeSeptember 13, 2010 at 12:30 PM

    But I DO clean it up ! Sanitation is a must, not only for sanitation's sake, but also because my orchard is the major portion of my suburban backyard. And yet ... I have coddling moth in my asian pear & the dreaded spotted-wing drosophilia in my cherry tree. What's an organic gardener to do ?

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  2. Fred HoffmanSeptember 14, 2010 at 8:26 AM

    Some good tips for organic gardeners who want to control codling moth at: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7412.html
    controls include
    mass trapping, trunk banding, and fruit bagging.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LauraBeeSeptember 14, 2010 at 3:06 PM

    Thanks, Fred !

    ReplyDelete