Beetles Japanese Beetle: This pest will attack mostplants including roses. It will eat flowersand leaves, leaving a skeleton. The Rose Chafer too attacks roses. The beetle larvae will eat the roots of lawn grasses. Remove any visible beetles by hand and spraywith Diazinon or malathion. The larvae of the beetle must be killed as they hatch. This means regular and thorough spraying with carbaryl or Diazinon. Black spot Black spot attacks roses in the growing season. It appears as unsightly dark brown or black patches on the leaves. Gradually the leaves turn yellow and eventually fall off. Spray every week with Benomyl or Captan. Burn all leaves that fall. Strengthen the bush by feeding with foliar fertilizer and by applying chemical fertilizer to the root system. Caterpillar Caterpillars and in this category include inchworms and gypsy moth lavae. All types of trees, shrubs and plants are subject to the ravenous appetites of these insects. Theleaves of plants are particularly vulnerable Where possible remove the insects by hand,then give the plant(s) a thorough drenching with acephate, carbaryl or malathion. Earwigs Earwigs:- an insect we've all run across at one time or another, but they can often become a nuisance by chewing on the leaves of dahlias, gladiolas and clematises among others. Spray or dust with Diazinon or malathion starting in late spring and continuing through the summer. Fungus This disease affects many different typesof trees and plants particularly rhododendr-ons and roses. It shows as small black or dark purple spots, not to be confused with the more smudgy appearance of black spot. Pay special attention to the base of the plant. Mulch and water well. Apply any all-purpose fungicide such as mancozeb. Lace bug The Lace bug is a small, grayish colored bug that attacks deciduous trees and shrubs,particularly rhododendrons and azaleas. It leaves silvery spots on the top of leaves and hard black spots underneath. Spray under the leaves, where you will often find the insect, with acephate, malat-hion or rotenone in late spring and continueonce a month until the pest is completely eradicated. Leaftiers Leaftiers (tortrix caterpillars) attack most plants including house plants. They bore small holes in plant leaves and then spin a web, the fibers of which draw the leaf edges together. Find and remove any visible caterpillars.Spray with carbaryl, rotenone or trichlorfon Mealybug Mealybugs affect many house plants. Signsof their presence is indicated by bunches ofwhite 'cotton' at the nodes of the plant leaves. They are very small, pink insects that are active all through the year. Spray with systemic insecticide such as dimethoate, or try a non-systemic such as dichlorvos. Mildew Powdery mildew affects many plants inclu-ding, apples, asters, roses and dahlias. It appears as a white powdery deposit on leaves and shoots. Remove all affected shoots at the end of the season. In severe cases cut back immed-iately. Spray with Benomyl, funginex or sulfur. If this fungus continues, consult your nurseryman for alternative remedies. Mites There are several tipes of mite - red spidermite - broad mite - cyclamen mite and otherssome so small you need a magnifying glass. Evidence is usually in the form of distortedfoliage or stunted growth. Because these insects attack such a wide variety of plants it pays to suspect these first. The answer to infestations is repea-ted spraying with Diazinon, rotenone or malathion. Isolate infected plants. Mold Sooty mold attacks many plants. Lillies maybe subject to gray mold. It appears as black, sticky smudges on the surface of leaves. The time of attack is usually late summer or autumn. Sooty mold develops with insect infestat-ion - aphids-mealybugs-scale etc. Kill thesebugs with dimethoate or malathion. Gray mold on lillies can be treated with a spray of Benomyl. Rust Rust affects many plants, in particular, Beans, carnations, geraniums, snapdragons and sweet william. It shows as a brownish/ yellowish powdery mass of spores on leaves and stems. Remove and burn all diseased leaves. At weekly intervals spray well with Benomyl until the disease has been stopped. Scale Scale insects affect many different typesof plants and trees. They appear, as they are named, as scales on the stems and bark of plants and are seen as flat or rounded scales on plant leaves, especially indoors. On deciduous trees and shrubs, spray withmiscible oil or lime suplfur while dormant. In late spring , spray with carbaryl or Diazinon. Dip smaller plants in a solution of malathion. Slugs Snails and slugs can quickly devastate a garden. Even the most energetic gardener can be in a constant battle. These slow moving creatures will devour just about any-thing in (or out of) sight. First clear the ground of any decaying plant material. Avoid heavy mulches of organic material. Use slug poison baits andif necessary, spray with mexacarbate. You might try beer in shallow pans to kill slugsSpittlebug Many plants affected including roses, chrysanthemums, lavender and asters. The insects appear as frothy 'spit' that covers small green or pink insects. Attacks usually occur in late spring or summer. Use jets of water from a garden hose to remove the 'spit', then spray with carbaryl,Diazinon or malathion to kill the insects. Thrips Thrips attack a wide variety of plants and vegetables. The insects appear as a finewhite or silvery dust on leaves. The early summer is a prime time for thrips especiallyin hot and dry weather. Spray or dust with carbaryl, Diazinon or acephate.
