Don’t Bug Out! Learn How to Manage Garden Pests

Photo source: Wisconsin Horticulture

Fending off garden pests can feel like a never-ending battle. To reduce the number of these nuisance insects, you must first be able to identify them and learn the least harmful way to get them out of your garden. Eliminating the pest while also minimizing the amount of risk posed to both humans and the environment is the main focus of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

One of the most important steps of IPM is knowing what you are targeting. Using the correct management method for your pest is important; without the appropriate removal method, pests will continue to thrive in your garden. Additionally, not every insect in your garden is harmful! When removing pests, it is crucial to protect the numerous beneficial insects in your yard.  

To make sure we are targeting the correct insects, let's get to know some common garden pests in The Woodlands. 

Green aphid in detail
Source: David Cappaert

Aphids

• Appearance

  • Small, pear-shaped insects with green, yellow, black, or brown bodies

  • Can be winged or wingless

• How to Spot Them

  • Eggs are tiny black ovals attached to the plants

  • Commonly seen on milkweed varieties and any plant with new growth

• What Makes Them a Pest

  • Aphids suck the sap out of the plants, which can cause stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and leaf distortion.

  • Aphids excrete a sticky substance called honeydew that leads to the growth of sooty mold on your plants.

• Common management options

  • Spraying with a strong burst of water from the hose

  • Soap and water

  • Neem Oil

Leaf-footed bug on a plant
Source: Michael Miller – Texas A&M AgriLife

Leaf-Footed Bugs

• Appearance

  • Medium to large in size; dark brown body with large back legs. Leaf-footed bugs also have a white zigzag pattern on their backs.

• How to Spot Them

  • Eggs are small, brown and laid in a string-like strand.

  • Commonly seen on vegetable plants such as tomatoes and squash

• What Makes Them a Pest

  • Leaf-footed bugs suck on the juices of the leaves and the fruits of plants, which introduces a fungal yeast. This fungal yeast is harmful to the fruit and may make it unviable for harvest.

• Common Management Options

  • Handpicking when you see a few

  • Soap and water

  • Neem Oil

Tomato hornworm on a plant

Tomato Hornworm

• Appearance

  • Pale green caterpillars up to four inches in length with white stripes along the sides of their body. They have a small “horn” on their hind end.

• How to Spot Them

  • Eggs are small, round, light green, and found on the leaves of tomato plants or other host plants.

  • Commonly seen on tomato plants, eggplants, peppers, and potatoes.

• What Makes Them a Pest

  • Tomato hornworms chew on the leaves of these plants, causing some damage to the plants.

• Common Management Practices

  • Handpicking – as these are large and easy to spot, you can remove them by hand and displace them.

  • Spraying with a strong burst of water from the hose

  • Targeted insecticidal soap

Prevention

Prevention is an important element of managing the pests in your garden. Stopping the introduction of these pests before they find your garden limits the amount of removal required throughout the season. One prevention strategy is introducing the practice of companion planting into your garden.

Companion planting is a natural pest control practice that focuses on planting a variety of different species together so they benefit from one another’s strengths. Companion planting can repel pests away from plants, attract and create habitat for beneficial insects, and create physical barriers so the pests are not able to get to the plants. Companion planting also promotes diversity within your garden!

Some examples of companion planting:

• Plant basil near your tomatoes to repel tomato hornworms and aphids.

• Add marigolds to your yard to repel aphids and other pests while also attracting beneficial insects.

• Plant chives around your garden to repel many pests and provide a strong physical barrier.

Remember, pay attention to how your garden is functioning and adjust your prevention and removal strategies as needed! 

People at a gardening educational booth talking

Interested in learning more about natural approaches for pest prevention? Join us in person at the 29^th annual Woodlands Landscaping Solutions on Saturday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to noon at The Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park.

For more information, contact the Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.