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Natural Pest Control in the Garden
March 31st, 2015Bart RennerNorth Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Backyard Unicorn production
Components of a unicorn
Early April Fools!!!
What does natural Pest Control Mean???
• Generally considered the management of garden pests without the use of conventionally manufactured chemicals, hormones and antibiotics.
• Not necessarily “Organic”
• Does not mean you can drink it
• Make sure you still use “PPE” (personal protective equipment)!!
Integrated pest management
http://www.sustainablefood.com/promote/uploads/images/IPM.gif
“Many Little Hammers” approach
Biological control
pesticides
Cultural controltillage
intercropping
Soil fertility
Effectiveness of strategies:
Early blight
• Fungus that affects tomatoes and potatoes
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Alternaria_solani_-_leaf_lesions.jpg
Early Blight on tomato
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Alternaria_solani_-_stem_lesions.jpg/220px-Alternaria_solani_-_stem_lesions.jpg
Early blight on potato
http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/wivegdis/images/potatoeb.gif
Late blight
http://nysipm.cornell.edu/publications/blight/
Late Blight on tomato
FusariumWilt
• Affects tomato, tobacco, legumes, cucurbits, sweet potatoes and banana, to name a few.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/tomato/diseases/fusarium_wilt_race_3_Polk_1.jpg
Verticillium wilt
• Similar to Fusarium
• Affects basil, beans, strawberries, peas, and watermelon
http://easyguidetoorganicgardening.com/organicgardening/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/tomato_verticillium_wilt1-300x212.jpg
Verticillium wilt
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/IPM/images/tomatoes/diseases/tomato_D32a-Verticillium-021-OMAFHRT_zoom.jpg
Downy mildew
http://www.shouragroup.com/Images/gallery/vegetables%20big/squash_downy_mildew.jpg
Downey Mildew
http://blogs.cornell.edu/ccesummerinterns/files/2011/07/100_3776.JPG
Powdery mildew
Spotted Wing Drosphila• Organic
treatment: Spinosid (Entrust)
Brigade, Danitol, Malathion, Delegate, Mustang
• More info
Pests: Aphids
Image:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphidhttp://schools-wikipedia.org/wp/a/Aphid.htmhttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2005/jun/072801.htm
Aphids
These tiny, fragile insects suck plant juices from
tender growth areas. Feeding can cause distortion
of tips and leaves. Aphids often produce honeydew.
Aphids reproduce by giving birth to live young. Populations may
increase rapidly.
Predators and parasites often lower aphid populations within a short
time.
Lady beetles and their larvae feed
on aphids, scales and other pests.
Aphid Predators
Tiny wasps lay their
eggs in aphids. The
aphids then bloat
like the one to the
left of the arrow.
Aphid Parasites
•removal by hand
•insecticidal soap
•Malathion
•Merit
•horticultural oil
•Orthene
•pyrethrins•Azatin
Aphid Management
Azalea Lace BugThe azalea lace bug is the
most frequently reported
insect pest in North Carolina
landscapes.
It feeds on the undersides of
leaves
causing them to lookpale.
Azalea Lace Bug
Eggs of azalea lace bugs are inserted into the leaf and then covered with a drop of shiny excrement. This protects eggs from pesticides.
underside
Azalea Lace Bug
Azalea Lace BugAzalea lace bugs overwinter as eggs inside the leaves or as adults during mild winters.
malathion
Merit
soap
SevinOrthene
BagwormsBy midsummer, bagworms are much more
difficult to control. Generally only pyrethroid effective then.
By late summer,
the
bagworms have
pupated, and
chemical control
is no longer
effective. Picking
off the bags now
removes their
eggs before next
spring’s generation.
Bagworms
Bagworms
Bagworms hatch in Spring Each year and are extremelysensitive to pesticides in lateApril and May.
Bagworm Management
Hand picking anytime
B.t. (early spring)
malathion
OrtheneSevin
Spruce Spider Mite and Southern Red Mite
These mites actively feed during the cool seasons,
but damage doesn’t show until summer or winter.
The spruce spider
mite is the most
frequently reported
arthropod pest in NC
landscapes. It
infests junipers and
other conifers such
as spruce, fir, cedarand arborvitae.
Spruce Spider Mite
Southern Red Mite Southern red mites
infest hollies and other broad-leafevergreens. Likethe spruce spidermite, southern redmites do most oftheir damage inthe fall, winter andspring.
horticultural oil insecticidal soap Kelthane(Treat in Spring or late Fall)
Spider Mite ManagementOils work well for spider mite control in winter and spring. Oils also control scale insects and other kinds of mites.
White peach scale
Armored Scales Euonymus scale
Tea scale
Gloomy scale
Horticultural oils are
the best sprays for
tea scale
and other armored
scale insects.
Armored Scale Management
Japanese beetle
It is not practical to try to protect flowers
with pesticides. Foliage can be protected with
various pesticides such as
Sevin.
Japanese beetles
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Jblarva.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Jbadult.jpg
Japanese beetle Management
Japanese beetle grubs live in the soil and are the only white grubs susceptible to milky spore disease.
*Grub control rarely results in plant protection, however.
Chickens?Ducks?Sevin (adults)*trichlorfon (grubs)*imidacloprid (grubs)
Release of biological agents to control pests.
• Can be complicated and needs to be done under survellance
• Click here to view common biological controls in North Carolina
Photo: Fire ants trying to avoidthe sting of a phorid fly. Photo courtesy of Bugwood Network
Fire Ants
Fire ants preferto nest in openareas. Moundshave “honey-combed” tunnels.
Fire Ant Management
Amdro (bait)diazinon or Orthene mounddrench (except sensitive areas)
Fire Ants
Painful stings can cause pustules on the skin.
Flea beetles
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Phyllotreta.vittula.jpg
Thrips
http://utahpests.usu.edu/admin/images/uploads/UtahPests/small-fruit-advisory/2009/05-15/IMG_3915.jpg http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/images/thrips-in-stages.jpg
Cucumber beetles
Colorado Potato beetles
Images:http://livingwithinsects.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/colorado-potato-beetle-larvae.jpghttp://faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/bstud/say1.jpg
• Click here for more info
Pests: Cabbage worm
Images:1. https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHqOKFxDpH8Y-2Iys0hnksmshn6KLKP3N7XmSgldXWlIGalK-CIw2. https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT_OyMHleZwMQY4g2l2CFT-uuVd1NoVfWUN_Y1UbEF_c2mkGyr5Lw3. http://milkingweeds.blogspot.com/2008/06/cabbage-worms.html
• Click here for
More info
Pests: Cabbage maggot
Images:http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/cabbagemaggot.htmlhttp://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/cabbage-maggot
Biological Pest control
• Using other living organisms to controls pests
http://ferrebeekeeper.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/braconid.jpeg
Methods for controlling fungus:
1. Avoid contaminated material
2. Plant resistant varieties
3. Fungicides
4. Scouting and monitoring
The fungus is coming….
Copper sulfate
• Naturally occurring salt
• Used to control mildew, leaf spots, blights and apple scab
• Can also control grape diseases (Bordeaux mixture)
• Also an effective algacide
Serenade-fungicide
• patented strain of Bacillus subtilis
• Kills microbes on contact
• Controls Fire Blight, Botrytis, Sour Rot, Rust, Sclerotinia, Powdery Mildew, Bacterial Spot and White Mold.
Insecticide/ fungicide: NEEM Oil
• Azadirachtin and liminoids, both from the seed kernels of the neem tree fruit.
• Disrupts the insects hormonal system, causing them to not reach maturity
• Generally will not harm beneficials
• Washes off in the rain, breaks down in sunlight
Insecticidal soaps
• Sodium or potassium salt combined with fatty acids
• Penetrate insect’s cells and cause them to collapse
• Must come into direct contact with pest, no longer effective when dry
Insecticide: Pyrethrins
• Natural organic compounds normally derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium
• neurotoxins that attack the nervous systems of all insects
• Break down with light and air exposure
• Careful of the bees!
Insecticide: Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)
• Generally a powder that is sprinkled on plant, must be eaten by insect
• Bt releases toxins in the stomachs of susceptible insects and makes them stop eating
• Very host specific, will not harm humans or pets (can be irritant on skin).
Insecticide: Horticultural oil
• Highly refined petroleum oil- coats and suffocates insects
• Adelgids, aphids, caterpillar eggs, leafhoppers, mealybug, mites, scale, spider mites, thrips and whiteflies
Insecticide: Diatomaceous Earth
•Absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate.
•Effective against a wide variety of insects when applied properly
•Not effective when wet
Insecticide: Milky spore
• Bacteria (Paenibacillus popilliae), which dwell in soil.
• Cause the “milky spore disease” in Japanese beetle larvae
• Very specific to larvae
• Cold and drought tolerant
Pesticide Safety
• 3 modes of exposure:
• Dermal, inhalation, ingestion
Weeds!!!Bart RennerNorth Carolina Cooperative Extension serviceMay 6th, 2013
What is a weed?
• Plant growing in the wrong place
• Generally very aggressive/ reproduces quickly
• Responds well to disturbance
Why are weeds a problem?
• Rob our desired crops of nutrients, sunlight, water.
• Create home for undesirable insects, fungus, snakes, rats, pests etc.
• Make harvest difficult
Weeds?
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3193/2464758679_7b99c6e2a2_z.jpg?zz=1
Weed?
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/kkozmins/volunteercornAug6-1.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b_MC5rbeRUc/TBqz2ESnPjI/AAAAAAAABe4/iqMyV943jeY/s1600/100_6085.JPG
An IPM approach to weed management
Weed information
Herbicides
Hand pulling
Tillage Cover crops
Crop rotation
Weed free periods
Why is it Important to Identify Weeds?• So you know
• when it germinates,• how it spreads,
• And, so you can determine the most appropriate control measure(s) --herbicides, cultivation, mulches, etc.
Understanding the enemy• Monocot vs. Dicot?
• Rhizome or stolon?
Understanding the enemy
Life cycle of an annual weed
SeedSeedling
Plant
flowers
Plant
sets
seed
Plant
dies
Life cycle of a perennial weed
Seed Seedling
Plant
Flowers
Plant
Over-winters
Plant
sets
Seed
Roots/
rhizomes
spread
New plant
Understanding the enemy
• Annual-bindweed, chickweed, crab grass, knotweed, lambs-quarters, mallow, pigweed, purple deadnettle, groundsel, nettle (common), purslane, speedwell, spurge and yellow oxalis
• Perennial- bindweed, burdock, dandelion, dock, ground ivy, horsetail, Japanese knotweed, plantain, poison ivy, purslane, quackgrass, thistle, ragweed
Absent Membranous Hairy
Ligules
LigulesAbsent Membranous Hairy
Absent Present Clasping
Auricle
Branched spike
Panicle Spike
Seedheads
Leaf buds
Growth HabitsJ. N
eal
Upright Spreading
J. N
eal
Leaf Orientation
Opposite
Alternate
Whorled
Rosette
Simple Verses Compound Leaves
Simple
Pinnate Palmate
Compound
Other Ways to Identify Cont.• Leaf shape• Leaf margin
• Toothed,entire,lobed, or deeply cut
• Petiole length• Hair on leaves or other parts
Leaf Shapes
Leaf Margins
J.
Ditom
aso
Entire
Deeply lobed
Shallow lobes or toothed
Hairs –present or absent, & where?
Mouseear chickweed --Hairs on stem & leaves
Common chickweed --Hairs absent
Tell Me What You See?
Tell Me What You See?
• Rosette• Broad, nearly entire leaves
• 5 veins• Flowers on spikes
Broadleaf plantain
Tell Me What You See?
Tell Me What You See?
• Upright growth
• Alternate leaves
• Deeply divided (dissected) leaves. Twice lobed.
Common ragweed
Chemicals
• Round up-Glyphsate
• Crossbow-Tychlopyr, 2,4-D
• Dicamba-broadleaf weeds
• Many more
Hand pulling weeds
• Best for in between plants
• Understand when your weeds are beginning to harm your crops
• Best done in the morning
Tillage
Positive
• It is a mechanical way to destroy weeds.
• Ploughing loosens and aerates the top layer of soil which can facilitate the planting of the crop.
• It helps in the mixing of residue from the harvest, organic matter (humus) and nutrients evenly throughout the soil.
• Dries the soil before seeding.
Tillage
Negative
• Brings up weed seed buried in soil
• Soil dries faster
• Erosion of soil / Higher rate of fertilizer and chemical runoff.
• Reduces organic matter in the soil (Microbes, carbon compounds, earthworms, ants, etc.).
• Destroys soil aggregates.
• Aeration and mineralization may cause lower soil fertility.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillage
Cover crops
http://www.waldeneffect.org/20110824covercrops.jpg
Rye
• Important to understand the difference between ryegrass and cereal rye.
• Generally most cold tolerant cover crop.
• Produce allelopathic chemicals
• Can mine nutrients from deep in the soil
Cereal rye
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Ear_of_rye.jpg/800px-Ear_of_rye.jpg
Ryegrass
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Starr_001026-9002_Lolium_perenne.jpg/754px-Starr_001026-9002_Lolium_perenne.jpg
Cool season grass
Deep roots
Allelopathic
Vetch
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Vicia_orobus1_eF.jpg/417px-Vicia_orobus1_eF.jpg
•Great nitrogen fixer
•Very effective at out competing weeds (once established).
•Good for the bees!
Cereal Rye and vetch
http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/vetch%20and%20rye.JPG
Clover
• Cold tolerant, can be planted in the fall or spring
• N fixing
• Great for the bees!
• Needs a higher pH (6.5-7)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Trifolium_pratense_0522.jpg/220px-Trifolium_pratense_0522.jpg
Clover
http://www.extension.org/sites/default/files/w/1/17/Crimson_clover_cover_crop_small.jpg
Buckwheat • Rapid growth in
the summer
• Great for a smother crop in between spring and fall plantings
• Rapid growth cycle
• Great for bees!
• Produce plenty of biomass
• Have shown some pest and nematode control
• Good for the bees!
• Deep rootedBrassicas
http://www.extension.org/pages/18643/brassicas-and-mustards-for-cover-cropping-in-organic-farming
Mulches : #1 defense against annual weeds
Bare ground Mulched
How much mulch is enough?
0102030405060708090
100
0 no mulch 3 6 10
Mulch Depth (inches)
% W
eed C
over
Source: Greenley and Rakow, 1991
Synthetic Ground covers
• Can be permeable or impermeable
• biodegradable
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/images/Product/large/9302.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FQwY2pRG6O8/ShiGsswp8DI/AAAAAAAAAHg/71iqXYbP_Ng/s400/Tomatoes+mulched.JPG
• Virginia Tech’s weed ID page
• NCSU’s Turf files
• Weed Science Society of America’s page
Questions?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ranMxTMXrw0/TzG_0CbfpqI/AAAAAAAAAjc/vT_-khhblHo/s1600/weeding.jpg
