What are Pests and Diseases?
From the humble balcony or patio pot to a spectacular vegetable garden; whether it is a hanging basket or the hanging gardens of Babylon, no-one likes to see their precious plants under attack. Plants become treasured personal possessions and seeing them attacked almost becomes a personal insult.
There seem to be armies of pests and plagues of diseases which all threaten to stop flowers, fruits and vegetables from performing at their best. So it is a relief to find there are measures that can be taken to stave off the various ills that can beset our precious garden plants.
Getting to know the most vulnerable plants in your collection, taking preventative measures where appropriate and taking remedial action when first spotted are sensible ways to combat these problems.
Some pests and diseases can ruin all your hard work. Slugs can quickly devastate seedlings and new shoots; vine weevil larvae can destroy the root system of precious plants and blackspot can turn a rose display into a leafless collection of flowerless stems. Luckily not all plant problems are so devastating, but they can be equally irritating.
In the following pages we will try to arm you with the knowledge to prevent the most ruinous problems and give you advice on how to take action if they occur in your precious plot.
In the context of this web site, plant pests are the pesky bugs that suck the sap of plants, eat the leaves, roots and buds of plants and general cause damage. Below you will find how to recognize what they are and learn how to control their spread so that your beautiful plants and tasty fruit and vegetable crops are not ruined. When treating plants follow the instructions on the product label and follow the safe spraying advice below.
There are a few diseases that attack the leaves and stems of garden plants, most causing spots, blotches and powdery coverings that prevent the leaf from working and can eventually cause premature leaf fall. Other moulds can ruin a crop of fruit or affect the branches and roots of shrubs and trees. Some like powdery mildew can be treated easily with a fungicide, others like canker and honey fungus are more problematic and removal of the damaged branch or plant is the answer.
Related products:
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Always read the label. Use pesticides safely.
Chemical Information
Children, Pets, Wildlife
Information on usage of pesticide when children, pets and/or wildlife are a consideration.
Chemical Usage, Storage, Disposal
Important advice on using chemicals in the garden, chemical storage and safe disposal.
