Pests & Disease

Healthy soil grows pest-resistant plants

Plants stressed by poor soil, drought, or nutrient deficiencies are dramatically more vulnerable to pests and disease. Invest in soil health and proper watering and you'll fight far fewer battles.

Crop rotation breaks pest cycles

Never plant the same plant family in the same spot two years in a row. Rotate nightshades (tomatoes, peppers), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli), cucurbits (squash, cucumbers), and roots (carrots, beets). This disrupts pest and disease populations that overwinter in soil.

Row cover keeps pests off entirely

Floating row cover is a fine-mesh fabric that lets in light and rain while keeping insects out. Drape it over newly transplanted brassicas and cucurbits to prevent cabbage moths, cucumber beetles, and squash vine borers from laying eggs on your plants.

Scout weekly — look under leaves

Most pest damage starts on leaf undersides where eggs are laid. Spend 10 minutes each week flipping leaves on vulnerable plants. A small colony of aphids caught early can be hand-removed in minutes. Found at scale, they require spraying.

Identify before you treat

Spraying broadly before knowing what's wrong often kills beneficial insects and makes things worse. Take a photo of the pest or damage and look it up before acting. Many "damaging" insects (ground beetles, spiders, wasps) are actually allies.

Start with the least disruptive intervention

The pest management ladder goes: hand-pick → water blast → insecticidal soap → neem oil → targeted organic pesticide → synthetic pesticide. Start at the bottom and escalate only when needed. Most problems don't require chemicals at all.

Attract beneficial insects

Beneficial insects — ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps, hoverflies — eat pests. Attract them by letting herbs like dill, fennel, cilantro, and basil flower. Planting alyssum, phacelia, and native wildflowers nearby provides nectar for adult beneficials.

For fungal disease: improve airflow and reduce moisture

Powdery mildew, early blight, and downy mildew all thrive in stagnant, humid conditions. Space plants far enough apart for airflow, prune lower leaves on tomatoes, avoid overhead watering, and don't work with plants when they're wet.

Remove infected material promptly

Don't compost diseased plant material — most home compost piles don't get hot enough to kill pathogens. Bag and dispose of it, or burn it if allowed. Leaving diseased debris in the garden guarantees next year's infection.