6 Most Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Did you know that the average American spends about 14 hours a week gardening or landscaping? It’s clear that we take great pride in the greenery outside our houses.

If you’re someone who enjoys your outdoor space thoroughly, plus you love to garden, then you don’t want your yard to look anything short of pristine. Plus, any sign of trouble can undo all the hard work you’ve put in.

To help you out, here are the 6 most common pests and plant diseases you should be aware of.

1. Aphids

Aphids are a type of very small green bug and they love to feast on multiple types of plants. They do so by sucking up the sap. Because of this, and the fact that they can multiply fast (even without mating!), a small aphid population can quickly become overwhelming for your garden, draining it of life.

A simple solution is to spray down your plants with water. You might need to do this multiple times.

Another great and green solution is to get yourself some ladybugs! These are natural predators, plus they’re pretty to look at.

You might be able to find some at your local nursery. Just buy some and release them into your garden for eco-friendly pest control!

2. Spider Mites

As their name suggests, these tiny creatures look like small red spiders; that is, if you can see them. They’re smaller than a pinhead but like aphids, their population can quickly get out of control.

What’s unfortunate is that once your plants are overrun with spider mites, it’ll be extremely difficult to get rid of them. In most cases, you’ll just have to dump your plants.

Even worse is, you can’t even compost them if you have a nice pile going. If you try to compost your infested plants, the spider mites can live on and take over other nearby plants. In this case, you’ll just have to wrap the plant in a garbage bag and throw it into the trash.

3. Sooty Mold

Sooty mold is a type of fungi that can appear on your plants. As the name suggests, it has a black sooty appearance, which makes sooty mold very noticeable.

This happens when insects that feed on plants leave honeydew. This shouldn’t be confused with the fruit; instead, it’s a sticky deposit that’s left behind by insects.

If left unchecked, sooty mold can take over the leaves of your plants. Not only does this ruin their beauty, but it can also hinder their ability to perform photosynthesis. As a result, your plants’ growth might be stunted and the leaves overrun with sooty mold may drop off.

Considering the sooty mold results from plant-sucking insects, the best way to handle this issue is to have a professional pest control company take care of them.

4. Black Spot

Here’s another type of fungal disease you should keep an eye out for, especially if you have roses in your garden. Black spot particularly likes attacking roses, as well as other flowers and fruits.

The good news is, black spot most likely won’t kill your plants. However, it will definitely weaken them, which will make your beautiful plants more susceptible to other issues, such as those on this list.

You’ll want to keep an eye out for black spot when the weather gets cold and wet. You might start noticing small black spots on your plants’ leaves. They’ll then turn yellow and then drop off.

You can try and prevent black spot by mulching, placing plants with the most morning sun, and watering at the roots. You should also get rid of any canes and leaves that are diseased before winter arrives.

Otherwise, a professional can fully eliminate this issue with the proper fungicide.

5. Tomato Hornworms

This is definitely a pest to watch out for if you enjoy growing tomatoes and other vegetables in your garden. This worm is actually the larval stage of the five-spotted hawk moth.

While tomato hornworms love to feast on tomato leaves, another favorite is pepper leaves, as well as any other vegetable leaves. What’s frustrating is that these worms are very tough to spot, as their coloring enables them to blend in with plant leaves.

So you’ll want to be diligent in going through your garden and thoroughly inspecting everything. These worms are a few inches long, so once you spot them, you’ll definitely know they’re there. Simply remove them from the plant they’re on and dispose of them to rid your garden of your tomato hornworm population.

6. Whiteflies

Like aphids, whiteflies feed on your plant’s juices, which can wreak havoc. If you have a whitefly population, it can cause your greenery to quickly wilt. This results in either stunting or even death.

Whiteflies look like tiny grains of rice and also produce honeydew. Not only does this cause your plants to get fungal diseases, but it’ll also attract other pests to come live in your garden.

Make sure you inspect every new plant thoroughly to make sure you’re not introducing a whitefly population into your garden. If you do notice whiteflies, then you’ll most likely need professional help to completely eliminate them.

Watch Out for These Pests and Plant Diseases

Now you know what to look out for when it comes to the most common pests and plant diseases.

If after reading this article, you’ve realized that you’ve seen some of these signs in your garden, then the best thing you can do is be proactive. While you can certainly temporarily treat some of these pests and plant diseases, ultimately, you’ll need a professional to get rid of them, once and for all.

So call someone reliable like Fast Action Pest Control to get rid of these pests so you’re well on your way back to having healthy plants and a pest-free home.

Do you think you have pests in your house? Then schedule a free inspection from us now. It’ll take just 20 seconds to do!