Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Pests and Diseases
Having healthy soil and a healthy garden environment is the
best way to prevent pest infestation and diseases. No garden is
without pests and diseases, but the important thing is to con-
trol them before they become a problem. The secret is taking
the time to observe your garden. You can keep your plants
healthy and ready for use in your smoothies by using natural
controls and promoting beneficial insects and pests.
Find the Problem
Take the time every day or at least once a week to walk through your
garden just to observe the plants. Ignore the weeds and do not stop
to harvest; just take a few minutes to turn leaves over, check inside
the cabbage leaves, and look closely at any insects or pests you may
see. Doing this on a regular basis will allow you to catch problems
early on. Is a certain plant looking less healthy than it did last week?
Are those new holes in the leaves? Is something eating my spinach?
Are those cabbage flies around my brassica plants? Do my tomatoes
have spots or are they split? By observing the changes to your plants
