Fall Garden Pests to Watch Out for in Alabama

Fall means one thing for anyone with a green thumb – gardening. This time of year is when Alabama gardeners are beginning to see beets, broccoli and leafy greens crop up. In the southern regions of Alabama in USDA Gardening and Plant Hardiness Zone 8a and 8b, you can even continue planting into November.

Fall gardens are generally easier to manage because there are fewer pests, but some opportunistic bugs can still pose a problem. Keep reading to learn which insects you’ll need to watch out for and how to get rid of pests that are in your garden.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

In the fall these guys are just a big pain for Alabama property owners. When the weather starts to cool off they move closer to people’s homes in their search for winter shelter. While they’re poking around, your garden will probably become a food source. Stink bugs are particularly fond of fall fruits like apples, pears and berries.

Pest Control Fix: Check out our article on kudzu pest control for stink bug eradication tips.

Cabbage Worms and Cabbage Loopers

Cabbage is one of the top fall garden vegetables, and it is also a favorite treat for cabbage worms and cabbage loopers. These pests get active in the late summer and early fall, chewing right through your cruciferous produce. The pupae will also hide away in the nooks and crannies of the vegetables, which is how they sometimes end up in homes.

Pest Control Fix: Cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts and other cruciferous plants need to be picked as soon as they’re ready to eat. Insecticides can be used to get rid of cabbage worms that are already in the garden. When Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is sprayed on plants, it will kill the worms without harming your plants. Hand picking the worms is also an option.

Cucumber Beetles

Cucumbers, pumpkin and squash won’t make it to your plate if cucumber beetles have decided to hide out in your garden for the winter. They commonly hole up under debris and leaves. Not only will cucumber beetles eat your vegetables, they can also spread disease.

Pest Control Fix: The soil insecticide carbofuran is effective at controlling cucumber beetles when applied to gardens with seedlings. A foliar insecticide may be needed for mature plants or if you were unable to control the beetle population with carbofuran.

Lawn Grubs

These chubby beetle larvae won’t damage your garden directly, but they can still cause a lot of indirect issues. If beetles attacked your garden in the spring or summer, there’s a good chance their offspring could continue wreaking havoc in the fall. Lawn grubs eat away at grass roots underground, which causes dead patches of grass. This can make your garden unsightly, but the real issue is that they attract other pests like raccoons and birds that could tear through your vegetables.

Pest Control Fix: Spray insecticides with carbaryl work best, especially if Japanese beetles are to blame.

Slugs

Slugs breed and lay eggs primarily during the fall, so it’s not uncommon to see them feeding in the garden while they’re looking for a place where their offspring can live. Both seedlings and ripened plants are the meals of choice for slimy slugs. However, they prefer to devour decomposing plants whenever possible.

Pest Control Fix: Thoroughly weed the garden and remove all debris that slugs snack on. Next you may want to try hand picking them when they are most active at night or in the early morning. A barrier of crushed shells, sand or sawdust will also help to keep them from getting back in the garden.

Snails

Like slugs, snails lay more than half of their eggs during the fall season. Each one is capable of laying hundreds of eggs that only take 2-3 weeks to hatch! If you don’t get these guys under control, they’ll quickly overrun your garden.

Pest Control Fix: Use the same solutions noted for slugs to treat for snails.

We understand the health of your garden and family is the top priority, but handling insecticides can be intimidating. If you need help keeping bugs out of your fall garden, Vulcan Termite and Pest Control Inc. can create safe, custom pest control treatments to protect your produce this fall and winter.

Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/garden-pest-control/fall-garden-pests-to-watch-out-for-in-alabama/