Season of the Garden Pests! Phooey!

I love my garden. And this time of year, especially with the cooperative rain, it really starts to look lush. The Calendula is full and bright, the fennel is high and fluffy, the roses are still blooming, even as hips start to form on the rugosas, the chamomile is spreading it's cheer... you get the pictures. Many of you gardeners know, just as you look out and smile at the wonder, they appear. The pests - little buggies of all sorts including the evil Japanese Beetle.

Maybe not evil, but destructive for sure. Many of the herbs that get infused into our products come from my yard. I use no pesticides, but when I see these treacherous little herbivores, I'm tempted to head straight for the most lethal thing I can find.

I don't though. Through the years, I've discovered a few tricks that can help eradicated, or at least minimize the damage done by Japanese Beetles and some other garden bugs.


The most success I've had is with almost as simple as soap and water.

You'll need:
a bucket
a gallon sprayer
2 tablespoons of liquid dish detergent
2 tablespoons of neem oil
Optional - 4 tablespoons of neem powder * see optional steps below.

This is a two step process. Fill the bucket about 2/3 of the way with water and fill the sprayer to the line indicated with water. Into each container add 1 tablespoon of the liquid detergent and 1 tablespoon of the neem oil.

When you find any Japanese beetles, pick them off and toss them into the bucket or knock them into the bucket. Although I prefer the "knock them in" method, it can be tricky because the little buggers might fly off. You can also use the sprayer to spray them into the bucket. This helps coat the plants with a light protective coating while knocking the pests into the prepared water.

Don't do this in the heat of the day or it might cause the plants to overheat. It's best to do it early in the day or on an overcast day. I've found that if I do this every couple of days for about two weeks, I protect the plants for the rest of the season. The bad part is that you may hurt some beneficial bugs at the same time. Sadly, I'd rather save my rose plants.

Now, if I can only figure out how to protect my yard from the blasted gopher.

* The option format, to add a little extra punch, is to make a strong tea with the 4 tablespoons of neem powder in about 2 gallons of water. Let the tea steep until completely cooled. Then strain and use the tea in the bucket or sprayer.