Happy May!

It’s gardening season. The sun is shining and the clouds are storming! A perfect brew for new blooms. Besides the thrill of new growth and fresh blooms comes the invasion of garden predators. So, as you stroll through your gardens, keep an eye out for any signs of insect damage. Aphids love new, fresh buds and often can hide inside them. Honeysuckle and roses are among their favorites to feast on. It can feel like they came from nowhere. What’s the best way to deal with this? Bonide Super Insecticidal Soap is a great choice. Spray it early in the morning, before the pollinators come out. Later in the evening, spray the whole plant with a hard jet of water to knock off the dead insects and repeat this method for a few days until you are satisfied that you have the issue under control. The best option, I suppose, would be to catch them early and pull them off. This way, you don’t have to use pesticides and don’t have to worry about pollinators. However, that doesn’t always work. Other choices would include using natural predators like ladybugs and lacewings. You can sometimes find those in your local garden centers. Aphids are quite the treat for these good bugs. For right now, neem oil or insecticidal soap works. Be on the lookout for other common garden nuisances including deer, rabbits, moles, etc. Squirrels can be a nuisance by digging up plants especially newly planted bulbs in the fall. Granular Repels All works well, and you can also use Liquid Fence. Sometimes (most times) gardening is trial and error. What works for me in my garden might not work for you in your garden. There are a variety of efforts you can make to deter pests but keep in mind where there’s a will there’s a way and we can’t always fend them off 100%.