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Rust (Disease)
Description: Rust is a term used to cover various fungal diseases on various plants. Depending on the type of fungi the pustules on the leaves can vary from yellow/ orange to reddish/purple. When the pustules open they release masses of tiny spores. The leaves tend to die early and drop prematurely.
Affects: beans, beetroot, silverbeet, spinach, anthurium, azalea, boronia, calendula, daisies, roses, chrysanthemum, some stone fruit, geranium, fuchsias.
Solution: Choose fungal resistant varieties. Grow plants in a sunny spot and allow space between each plant to allow air to circulate. Keep weeds away from plants, avoid overhead watering.
Remove and destroy all diseased leaves.
Spray with sulphur or systemic fungicides as soon as symptoms appear, respray as per manufacturers instructions.
Note: Use registered fungicides with care. Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Slater and Pill Bugs (Pests)
Description:
Small grey to dark grey segmented body about 10-15mm in length. The most obvious difference is that Pill Bugs roll into a ball when in danger. They live in moist areas under pots stones and wood piles and in compost. They chew young shoots and soft fruit near the ground.
Affects:
Young tender plants.
Solution:
They tend not to be a huge problem and can often be kept in control but cleaning up damp area and removing any hiding places.
Spread lime or Napthalene flakes or spray with Eucalyptus.
Note: Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Slugs & Snails (Pests)
Description: Slugs and snails produce a soft mucus to help them slide on their soft foot. Slugs lost their protective shell during the evolutionary process. They tend to feed at night and prefer damp conditions. They cause a lot of damage to soft new growth particularly green leafed vegetables growing close to the ground. They leave ragged holes in the leaves and can completely remove seedlings. They can also move up the trunk of some trees and feed on the foliage.
There is also a species of carnivorous snail that eats plant eating slugs and snails. The shells of these are flatter and smaller that the usual garden snail. They wont control all problems with snails but they will help, so try not to destroy these.
Affects: Leafy vegetables, seedlings and also Citrus.
Solution: Remove by hand at night. Set snail traps, various attractants can be used including beer.
Various things can be used to create a barrier. The snails soft foot doesn't like travelling over anything that is gritty so sawdust, egg shells, sand and coffee grinds all make good barriers. Copper tape makes a good barrier, the snails get an electric shock when they try to cross the copper tape.
Multiguard is an iron based snail and slug killer which can be used in areas with
dogs, cats, birds and native fauna. The iron breaks down to a soil nutrient that won't harm earthworms.
Baysol contains methiocarb and is available in a pellet form, it is effective but is toxic to some animals.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans. Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Small Citrus Butterfly or Dainty Swallowtail (Pests)
Description:
The adult Small Citrus Butterfly are similar but smaller than the Large Citrus Butterfly, both male and female adults are the same size black, grey and white with red and blue markings.
The larvae however lives for longer and does more damage to the leaves so does need controlling.
The larvae has a brown body with three rows of orange-yellow dots along the sides and 2 red projection behind its head.
Photo: kathyw.org
Affects:
Citrus plus members of Rutaceae family including Choisya ternata and Eriostemon myoporoides.
Solution:
The larvae can be removed by hand if infestation is small.
Biological controls are available the most effective of these is Dipel. It comes in packets as dried bacteria which are reconstituted with water as per instructions. When ingested by the caterpillars it causes paralysis of the digestive track, the caterpillar stops feeding and after a few days dies.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Soft Scale (Pests)
Description: There are many types of soft scale. They are not as harmful to plants as hard scale. Like hard scale they have a mobile stage 'crawlers' directly after hatching and it is during this stage that pest control will be most successful. The scale become sedentary and start to feed.
Soft scale excrete a soft sicky liquid 'honeydew'. This sweet liquid attracts ants that then protect the crawlers from predators and fungi like sooty mold
Affects: Many soft scale of species specific.
Solution: Control the ants to allow the natural predators to control the scale.
The 'crawlers' hatch in late March/April and in November. The leaves may appear to be covered with brown dust. At this stage spray with soapy water or pest oil.
Once the scale are sedentary and feeding, a mix of systemic insecticide and pest oil seem to be most effective. Try Yates Scale Gun which contains a mix of oil and pyrethrins.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans. Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Sooty Mould (Disease)
Description:
The fungus grows in the 'honeydew' secretions of various insects, scale, aphids and mealybugs. The fungus is thick and black and stops light getting to the leaves so reducing the plants ability to photosynethise.
Affects:
Any plant with honeydew on leaves.
Solution:
Remove the source of honeydew. Once mold dry it will start to crack and flake, it will either wear off in time or hosing can help.
There is no need to apply fungicide as the Sooty Mold will disappear once honeydew problems has been treated.
Note: Use registered fungicides with care. Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Spined Citrus Bug (Pests)
Description: (Biprorulus bibax) feeds on the fruits of lemons, mandarins and oranges, causing drying and brown staining of the fruit segments, gumming on the skin and premature fruit drop. Although native to Australia, it only emerged as a major citrus pest in the late 1980s.
Affects: Inland regions of southern New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Damage is mainly confined to lemons and mandarins, but instances of damage to oranges have been reported.
Solution: Manual removal is recommended for domestic gardens - gloved finger tips or a pair of pliers will do the job perfectly well.
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Steel Blue Sawflies (Pests)
Description:
The sawfly larvae are capable of defoliating young saplings and small eucalyptus. They start at the bottom and work outwards and upwards. They do not tend to cause major problems to fully grown trees.
The larvae are covered with short white hairs, their bodies turn from brown to deep blue/ black as they get older. When under threat they regurgitate a smelly yellow fluid (eucalyptus oil stored in a sack in their gut). The larvae can be seen congregating on the branches during the day and at night they feed in groups. They pupate in mass cocoons in the ground at the base of the tree and emerge in early autumn. The adult females have golden wings and dark coloured bodies, they don't feed, they use a 'sawbench' under the abdomen to lay her eggs in a slit in the leaves closer to the ground.
Affects:
Eucalypts -in Eastern States of Australia including Eucalyptus blakeyi, Eucalyptus melliodora, Eucalyptus viminalis, Eucalyptus pauciflora.
Solution:
If the tree is not badly infested then the larvae can be removed by hand and the branches carrying larvae can be pruned off
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Sugar Lerp (Pests)
Description: Sugar Lerp is a scale insect with a sugary like domed protective covering. It is a sap sucking insect and feeds on the leaves.
Lerps tend to be found on stressed trees and can lead to further loss of vigour and death.
The major problem is that birds love and feed on the sugary covering. In making replacement lerps the insects use even more sap leading to further stress for the tree.
Affects: Eucalyptus trees that are stressed. Seen on Eucalyptus scoparia when it is grown in Sydney where is it much more humid than the dry inner areas of NSW
Solution: The solution will depend on the size of the tree
If the tree is small then infested branches can be removed and once it is established the lerps are still present then a systemic insecticide could be used. At the same time improve the health of the tree.
If the tree is large then removing infested branches and the use of a systemic insecticide is impractical. Improve the health of tree if this doesn't seem to be working then remove tree and think about planting a resistant species in its place.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Summer Grass (Weeds)
Description:
Digitaria sanguinalis As the name suggests this annual grass is a problem during summer. It has a vigorous growth habit and spreads up to 1m, new plants developing along the prostrate stems. The flower heads are made up of 3 or more spikelets the seeds will remain dormant until following summer.
Affects:
The tends to be a problem of lawns but can be found in sunny areas of the garden.
Solution:
Removal by hand is an option if the area is not too large or heavily infested. On garden beds a thick layer of mulch will help keep the number of weeds down.
In lawns unfortunately mowing will not help because of the prostrate stems will not be cut by the mower blades.
There are chemical sprays available - your options will depend on your lawn grass type. A pre-emergent spray is recommended this way the plants will die before producing more seeds. Consult your local nursery for advice on the best option for you.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Tea Scale or Camellia Scale (Pests)
Description: This is a small brown scale found on the underside of leaves of the Camellia family.
This tends to affect older leaves, the scale causes yellow spots on the upper leaf surface. In more severe infestations the scale can be seen on both sides of the leaves and this can cause leaf distortion, leaf drop and die back of new shoots. Scale builds up in spring and is worst during summer.
The adult scale insects is immobile and lives protected by the hard scale. The eggs hatch under the scale and are released to move around looking for a good spot to built their own protective cover. It is at this stage is the young 'crawlers' are most vunerable and easiest to kill.
Affects: Camellia
Solution: In light infestations the scale can be scraped off by hand.
Use a contact insecticide or Pest Oil at the crawler stage - need to apply every 2-3 weeks to ensure all crawlers have been killed
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Thrips (Pests)
Description:
There are many species of thrip and the damage they cause can vary from minor to serious depending on species. The adults are 1.2mm in length and can vary in colour from cream/yellow to black and brown, they have hairy wings, the nymphal stages tend to be lighter in colour.
Thrips feed by rasping the underside of the leaf and sucking the sap. Affected leaves have a silvering or mottling effect and new growth can be badly distorted.
These insects have a very short life cycle - when the conditions are right the population can double within 7days.
Affects:
Viburnum, Fuchsia, Dahlia and Gladioli
cabbage, cucumber, beans, melon, turnip, beet, tomato, pea, onion, fruit trees some shrubs.
Solution:
Thrips do not like hot sunny conditions.
Monitor with Sticky Blue Monitoring pads
Spray the plant with soapy water
Montdorensis is an Australian predatory mite that feeds on thrips and is available commercially.
Use a systemic insecticide either Confidor (active ingredient Imidacloprid) or Pyrethrum. Note that Confidor is harmful to bees, do not use Confidor when the plant is flowering.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans. Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Tomato Caterpillar (Budworms) (Pests)
Description: A greeny brown caterpillar that is 3cms long and striped on he back with black. It eats flower buds and fruit.
photo: Dr. Paul McLeod, Department of Entomology University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Affects: tomatoes
Solution: Remove caterpillars by hand.
Non-chemical options are to spray the leaves and flowers with Dipel or Spinosad (Yates Success Naturalyte). Reapply weekly and also after rain. Yates also have a product designed for tomato pests and diseases. Tomato dust contains sulphur against tomato mites, copper against any fungi and spinosad against insects.
Note: Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Tomato Mite (Pests)
Description:
These mites are very small and tend not to be noticed until the plant starts to look diseased. Stems and leaf stalks become smooth and bronzed and the leaves shrivel and die progressively from the bottom up.
photo: Western University, London Ontario Canada
Affects:
Tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and other members of the solanaceae family.
Solution:
Lime sulphur can be used to control these mite.
Yates also have a product designed for tomato pests and diseases. Tomato dust contains sulphur against tomato mites, copper against any fungi and spinosad against insects.
Note: Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Two-spotted Spider Mite (Red Spider Mite) (Pests)
Description: The adults are about .4mm in length. During summer the bodies are pale green with dark spots on either side, in winter they become red all over. They tend to be found on the underside of leaves but can move onto the upper surface, blossoms and developing fruit. They damage the leaves by rasping the surface and then sucking out the sap which causes the leaves to become have a yellow mottling or silvering. A tell tale sign that you have spider mite and not another sucking insect if the presence of fine webbing over the leaves.
Affects: Affects ornamentals, Apple, peach, plum, grape, citrus, strawberry, melon, tomato, artichoke, maize, onion, bean, pea, cucumber, marrow and celery amongst others.
Solution: Remove badly affected leaves, keep the area clear of weeds, water the plants from above.
Organic option is the use of commercially available predatory mites eg Phtyoseiulus persimillis.
Sulphur can be dusted on the plants before the weather gets too hot.
Note: Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Vegetable Weevil (Pests)
Description:
The adult weevil is grey brown 8mm long with a grey V on its back. These emerge in spring and feed on leaves at night until summer when they hibernate until autumn. The eggs are laid in autumn and the larvae appear in winter; the larvae live in the soil during the day and come out at night to feed. They start to feed on leaves at the base of the plant but gradually more up the plant chewing at stems and leaves. They cause most damage to seedlings where they can retard growth and even kill the plant.
Affects:
Brassicas, fleshy root crops and wide range of annuals and weeds.
Solution:
Keep area clear of all weeds and other organic litter.
Practice crop rotation - alternate plantings with unaffected crops like bean and peas.
GK Derris Dust
Note: Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Author: Bob Saunders.