It seems everywhere I turn I see bugs. Chinch bugs in the grass, worms eating bougainvilleas, scale on irises and lilies, mealy bugs on tropicals. To spray, or not to spray? That is the question. We need to raise our tolerance of what is acceptable in our landscapes. A few bugs here or there or a little plant damage is all o.k. Did you know that only about 5% of insects are bad? Many insects are even beneficial. This fact is the reason you must decide whether or not to spray. Lots of times nature will take care of itself if you wait a few days. Keep your plants as healthy as possible, and you will not have many insect or disease problems.
First, make sure you have the right plant in the right place, proper sun exposure, correct spacing of plants to insure air circulation, regular feeding, mulched beds, watering. All of these things reduce stress and result in perfect growing conditions for your plants keeping them happy and healthy. We call it IPM or Integrated Pest Management. If you do determine you need to treat a problem insect, start with the least toxic approach.
- Insects and disease go for the weak and stressed plants first.
- A few aphids can be controlled with a blast of water.
- A cluster of mealybugs on the tips of plants can be remedied by pruning and discarding the area.
- Using Insecticidal Soap, Neem Oil, or Thuricide sprayed on plants with insects is your next approach.
- Never spray everything just because one plant has a problem.
So look around your yard; see what’s happening. If you’re not sure whether you have a beneficial or a problem insect, just put a sample in a ziplock bag and bring it to us. We will help identify the bug and tell you if you need a control solution.
-Deanna
James and I admire DeAnna for her leadership and product knowledge. We’re thankful for her commitment to learning and sharing her garden knowledge,
Chinese Hat 
easier, and can save you a lot of sweat. 
Seems a little early with all the rain, but the temperatures are right on up there where they should be for May. I am seeing lots of damage to the lawns and finding chinch bugs. Areas of the lawn will look dry, especially near the sidewalk or driveway where it is the hottest. If you dig up a shovel width piece of lawn and shake it over white paper, you will see small black bugs with a white stripe across their back. The old method was to cut the bottom out of a coffee can and push it into the soil of the dry area, fill it with water and the chinch bugs would float. Try finding a metal coffee can these days! You can spray the areas with Cyonara, 
Triazicide, even Mosquito Beater Hose-end will kill chinch bugs. You do not have to spray the whole lawn, just the areas affected. The grass will quickly recover. For an organic control, use Spinosad or Diatomaceous Earth.
Time to treat for grub worms. Did you know, grub worms come from June bugs? Grubs are the larval stage of the brown June Beetle that flies around your porch light every Spring. If you notice a large number of these beetles, you may want to consider treating your yard with Bayer Season Long Grub Control. It works to kill grubs for approx. 3 months. Grub worms eat the roots of your grass during the early spring and summer causing the area to die. You can literally roll your lawn up like a carpet. If you have grubs each year, then it is likely you will have them again. Taking precaution now is better than waiting till late summer or early fall and seeing the damage already done. An organic solution is to spray out Beneficial Nematodes. Each sponge contains 5 million nematodes, enough to treat 2000 sq. ft. of surface area. Reapplying these nematodes monthly will help to build the population for effective control of grubs and fleas through the summer. If do not want to treat or are unsure if you have the problem, just watch your grass closely. Any areas that look dry and wilted but the rest of yard does not, it could be grubs. Dig down and look. If you find more than 4 grubs in one square foot of area, then you should treat with Bayer 24 hour. If no grubs are found, and 
Every year around this time, I think about how much my Mom has done for me. When I drive back home to visit her, I always look for her favorite flower (which of course is a weed!). Much to my Dad’s chagrin, I arrive home with a bushel full of Queen Anne’s Lace. If I could, I’d buy her enough Queen Anne’s Lace to make a whole bed of it for her, but generally nurseries don’t sell too many weeds! For Mother’s Day this year, instead of buying your Mom cut flowers, why not find out her favorite 
