Ten Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

How do I control earwigs?

Earwigs are night feeders. They hide during the light of day in dark damp places.

Set traps for them to hide in: old pieces of garden hose, rolled-up newspapers or old pieces of wood with long holes drilled into them. Shake out the traps every few days into a pail of warm soapy water. Or spray them with a soapy solution (1 part of dishwashing soap to 40 parts of water). The pests will suffocate within 15 to 30 seconds after being hit. Rinse affected plant material with water. Always have your soap spray handy when working in the garden. Earwigs actually prefer aphids and slug eggs to your marigolds. So don't kill them all. They also don't seem to bother perennials much.

Help! I have an infestation of ants.

Make a solution from:

• 1 tsp. boric acid (available in drug stores)
• 6 tbs. sugar
• 2 cups boiling water

Soak cotton balls with solution and place in covered plastic containers punched out with some small ant-sized holes under the lid. Keep out of reach of children. Control should be achieved within a week or two.

I have large circles of brown and wilted grass in my lawn. What is causing this?

You most likely have chinch bugs. These are quick-moving red or black bugs with prominent antennae and white markings on their backs. Adults and nymphs damage lawn grasses by sucking the juice from the leaves and cause the damage you describe. For small areas mix 1 oz. of liquid dishwashing detergent in 2 gallons water. Apply with a watering can to treat 1 square yard. For larger areas, dispense the soap through a hose detachment in the correct dilutions. If the hose attachment dispenses concentrates in a ratio 1: 16, mix the soap concentrate at a ratio of 1 oz. of soap per pint of water. This will give a final dilution rate of 1 oz. of soap per gallon (256 fluid ounces) of water. Do not apply the liquid soap without diluting it to 1:256. Incorrectly diluted soap may burn the lawn, causing more problems than the chinch bugs!

I have grubs in my soil that feed on the roots of my garden crops and lawn grasses. How do I control them organically?

White grubs are the larvae of the June beetles and need three years to complete their life cycle. Control can be achieved with "milky spore disease" available under a Brand name at Ritchie Feed & Seed and other garden centres.

Something is chewing my bedding plants and vegetable seedlings off at the base. How do I get rid of this pest?

You have cutworms, smooth soft caterpillars that feed at night. If you dig around the surface of the soil where the damage has occurred, you can usually find the culprit. Protect your plants by placing cylinders made from empty tuna tins or plastic yoghurt containers (bottom removed) partly sunken into the soil around each plant. These pests are a temporary problem, lasting only a short while before they move on to the next stage of their development. For a serious infestation in a large garden Bacillus thuringiensis or B.T: is an effective natural control. But extreme care must be taken as this will also kill some beneficial insects and it is now believed that B.T. will also produce resistant super bugs when used for a longer period of time.

I have problems with my roses. Some leaves have black spots, turn yellow and drop off. Is there an ecologically safe remedy?

You have "Black Spot" which is caused by a fungus. It is highly contagious and if unchecked will eventually kill your roses. Cut off and destroy all affected leaves and clean the soil of any fallen leaves. (Burn or put into a dark, sealed plastic bag, and leave in the sun for 3 weeks to sterilize before adding to your compost.) Aerate the soil around the roses. Avoid wetting leaves when watering and do not overwater. Good air circulation around the plants is also helpful. Spray infected plants thoroughly with a solution of 1 tsp. baking soda to 1 qt. of water. For severe infestations a weekly application of sulphur is recommended. If the problem persists replace with Black Spot resistant Explorer Roses like "Frontenac" or "Alexander MacKenzie". Sterilize your pruners with rubbing alcohol after each use on sick material.

How do I address mould and fungus problems in my garden?

Prune off affected parts immediately and destroy (see above under Black Spot). Make sure that your plants are not crowded. Give them some air. Do your watering in the early morning so that plants have a chance to dry during the day. If you are unable to water in the morning do not wet the foliage so that plants are not wet overnight, especially during hot, muggy weather. Those are the conditions that fungus thrives on.

Our crab apple (cherry, plum) tree is full of tent caterpillars. Would pruning be the best control?

Yes, it would, if only small branches are involved. Otherwise that would be overkill. The best time to do it is in the morning when all the caterpillars are still in the tent. Dispose of pruned off material as above under Black Spot. After a few weeks you may add the material to your compost. For bigger branches or for tents in the crotch where two branches meet, or if you don't want to prune, a more "hands-on" approach is necessary. Armed with a pair of gloves, a brush, sponge and a pail of warm, soapy water , simply wipe the whole nest into the pail and scrub the area clean. Rinse with clean water.

Be a good neighbour. If your garden borders public land and you notice tent caterpillars there, you may as well destroy them too or they will re-infest your garden.

We have a patch in the lawn that is heavily infested with weeds. We would like to turn it into a perennial bed. What is the easiest way to do this?

Spread several layers of newspaper over the area and top up with about 6 inches of soil and plant with annuals. In the following year, the turf should be completely consumed by micro-organisms and it should be a cinch to dig a deep perennial or shrub bed. Alternatively, place black plastic over the area early in the season weighted down with stones and leave undisturbed. This effectively sterilises the soil. It then becomes imperative to dig in plenty of rich compost to replace the micro-organisms when preparing your bed the next season.

I have blossom end rot on my tomatoes. Is this due to a fungus?

Blossom end rot is seen on both green and ripe tomatoes. First fruit to ripen is more likely to be affected than fruit that ripens later. This condition is due to a calcium deficiency in the fruit. It is aggravated by drought or uneven soil moisture, root damage, high salt levels in the soil, and excess nitrogen. If soil test indicates deficiency, add high- calcium lime to the soil. Prevent problems by keeping soil evenly moist and go easy on high nitrogen chemical fertilisers. Compost or well-rotted manure is a better alternative.

Most tomato problems can be avoided by choosing healthy young seedlings. They should be green in colour, not purplish, and should not yet have flowers on them. Ask the grower for VFN resistant cultivars or choose those types when growing your own. Tomatoes should not be grown in the same spot year after year. Rotating over a four-year period is ideal. When problems do show up remove the diseased part immediately and destroy. Water in the early morning or only drench the soil when watering at night. Mulching is also helpful.

For more information on all your gardening problems please refer to The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control by Rodale (publisher) available in the reference section of the Chelsea library.