It's A Jungle Out There

It’s been a tough gardening season here in Connecticut. We’ve gone from wetter than normal conditions to drier than normal conditions all in the space of a few weeks. Much of the state is coming out of an official heat wave and it’s only the end of July. These weather swings can wreak havoc on a garden and, before you know it, you’re dealing with outbreaks of fungal diseases and insect infestations.

What can you do to help your garden make it through the rest of the summer? Whatever you do, do not over react and reach for the nearest spray bottle that will kill everything in its path. A wiser, more sustainable approach is to practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM). 

Understanding IPM

IPM advocates a commonsense multi-faceted approach to pest management that involves monitoring, evaluation, prevention and control. At the heart of IPM is understanding the role of insects in your garden and the differences between damage that is purely cosmetic versus damage which may actually kill your plants. Of course, figuring out which is which is not as easy as it sounds. 

Fortunately there are many comprehensive online sources to turn to for help. One of the first websites I consult is the HGIC Plant Diagnostic Website, sponsored by the University of Maryland. The site is really easy to navigate. Start by choosing the type of infected plant, perhaps a perennial or a conifer. Then search by the part of the plant that is infected, for example the leaves, flowers stems, roots or the entire plant. Color photos help you readily identify your culprit and then the site offers appropriate control methods.

You’ll find organic approaches to treatment as well as guidelines for when to use methods that may be more toxic (remember organic does NOT mean non-toxic). The site also guides you in the important steps necessary to objectively look at the damage and not jump to any conclusions that may be wrong. 

Another helpful site is UCONN’s IPM website. You can easily find IPM strategies for turf grass, fruit trees or even vegetable gardens. UCONN’s Lady Bug blog is another worthwhile resource for Connecticut gardeners. Weekly posts address issues that many gardeners are currently dealing with. Recent posts have included information on anthracnose of ornamental trees and black spot of basil.

There are also plenty of books on the topic of IPM. In my opinion, one of the best is What’s Wrong With My Plant (And How Do I Fix It?) by David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth. The book is a combination of drawings, photos and easy to understand advice on organic methods for diagnosing and treating a whole host of plants issues. What I like about having a book is that I can bring it out into the garden with me and do my detective work right in front of the plant. What could be easier than that?