Online resources can help you find the best solutions for control of pests and diseases. Beneficial praying mantises eat insects that damage garden plants. The azalea looked healthy and happy last week. The shrub was full of leafy new growth and loaded with flower buds. This morning, all that remains are the flower buds—every leaf has been stripped. What did this? The power of the internet makes my sleuth work easier than ever before. U…

Before bringing them back inside, inspect houseplants carefully for hitchhiking pests they may have picked up. Before bringing them back inside, inspect houseplants carefully for hitchhiking pests they may have picked up. Temperatures are dipping into the low 50s to upper 40s nearly every night now and the weatherman has uttered the F word. “Expect scattered frost in the cold mountain hollows,” he said this week. Yes, summer is win…

When you’re deciding how to manage pests in your garden and landscape, keep this in mind: First, do no harm. The vast majority of garden visitors are either helpful or harmless. Learn to identify ladybug larvae, right. They are major aphid eaters. More Information Read Most Bugs are Good Bugs for more detail and photos of beneficial creatures. As you make your first visits to the garden this year, you’re sure to see a few bu…

…ing plant diseases and keeping animal pests out of your garden. What’s more, if you have a pest or disease problem in your garden that isn’t answered in the Pest and Disease Detective, you can ask an expert. Call 1-888-293-0322 (M-F 8am-8pm and Sat and Sun 9am-5pm)…