Plant
pests include insects, mites, molluscs, millipedes and
mammals. This section will concentrate on the
"creepy crawlies" you may find from time to time
around your daylilies and will provide you with a quick and
easy means of pest identification. Many more pests are included
here than you are likely to find causing problems in a single
garden. Your daylilies may well have no significant pest
problems; the intention here is merely to assist you to identify
and develop a little understanding of any that you may possibly
encounter.
All
the pests mentioned have been seen at some time in
daylily gardens, but not all are likely to cause significant
problems. Finding one or two should not necessarily
be cause for immediate control measures to be implemented;
assess the damage level first to see if it can be tolerated.
Control may not be necessary, as the problem could
be limited in its extent; or natural pest enemies may
take care of it for you. Make sure any suspect is actually
the one causing the visible damage: look at the type
of injury. Pests damage plants in different ways -
some by chewing, some by piercing the tissue and sucking
out the plant juices for example - so knowing the typical
feeding damage can help with identification of the
culprit. When in doubt as to the cause of your problem,
consult your local Extension or Ministry of Agriculture
specialists, who will be able to assist you with diagnosis.
Maintaining
your plants in good condition with adequate water and
sufficient nutrients will go a long way towards helping
them overcome or avoid pest problems. But bear in mind
that higher nitrogen levels are considered to make plants
more attractive to certain pests.
If
damage occurs, consider other options before using chemical
pesticides; there may be less or non-toxic approaches
to the problem. Even plain water sprayed from a hose
can help minimize infestations by certain pests. Where
possible, less toxic controls which can be tried are
listed under the individual pests. If these fail to give
adequate control and damage is significant enough that
a chemical pesticide is considered necessary, local advice
should be sought regarding its selection, since product
availability varies regionally, as does the timing of
application, etc. Remember that using a chemical pesticide
inappropriately can actually increase pest problems by
eliminating beneficial insects, and incorrect use may
damage plants. |
