100% NATURAL PEST CONTROL FOR HOME & GARDEN

This handy tool for pest identification can be taken right into the garden. Color pictures and descriptions of each pest and their life cycle help make identification easy.

You'll learn about Biological Insect Control, Cultural Insect Control, Acute Insect Control, Creating A Good Garden Environment, Integrated Pest Management Principles (IPM), Insect Resistance; Cockroach IPM for the Home; and common pests of gardens and homes.

Below is an excerpt from this title on Plant Diseases.

A Word About Plant Diseases
Many plant diseases are spread by insects or caused by soil fertility imbalance. House plants that become diseased are usually attacked by whitefly and aphids. These inconspicuous insects suck plant juices by piercing plant tissues. They transmit viruses that they inject into plants with their saliva. Further, the wounds they make start to decay and are susceptible to airborne diseases that land on the wounds. Spraying the plants with soap or releasing Encarsia Formosa (whitefly parasite) in the house will prevent plant injury.

Aphids also excrete a sweet juice called honeydew. Honeydew can become a breeding place for molds. Sometimes removing the honeydew with a cotton swab will prevent diseases like sooty mold. However, the root cure for many diseases is removing the insect spreading the disease. Diseased outdoor plants may indicate that soil fertility has declined beyond the point of supporting the plants. However, even with good fertility, old plants become susceptible to disease. Citrus orchards are replanted after a number of years for this reason. The best remedy is to replant with young plants.

The gardener can spread disease in the garden by handling wet plants or by touching a diseased leaf and then handling other plants. Cut off and destroy diseased leaves and wash your hands before touching another plant. Some disease organisms live in the soil. Compost heats up considerably as it forms and is free of most soil borne diseases.

Insect control and good soil enriched by compost are the keys to avoiding most disease problems. Crop rotation also prevents plant diseases in the garden.