When the frost bites, so do the pests! While your garden might appear dormant, certain critters are working overtime to stake their claim.
They say ‘one bad apple spoils the bunch,’ and that’s exactly what these winter pests aim to do.
Don’t let them pull the rug out from under your garden – discover the best ways to send them packing!
1. Aphids Are The Sneaky Sap Suckers Hiding In Plain Sight
Aphids are tiny pests that come in shades of green, yellow, and black, blending in so well that you might miss them.
They pierce plant stems and leaves to suck out sap, leaving your plants weak and wilted. If that wasn’t bad enough, they leave behind a sticky residue, attracting even more troublemakers like ants and mold.
To show aphids the door, inspect your plants regularly and hose off infested leaves with water.
Encourage natural predators like ladybugs, which love to feast on these freeloaders. For a final nail in the coffin, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap to your plants.
2. Slugs And Snails Overstay Their Welcome In Winter
You know those uninvited relatives who refuse to leave? Well, those would be slugs and snails in our gardens. They’re slow but steady and these slimy critters feast on tender greens, roots, and seedlings, leaving plants riddled with holes.
Their feeding frenzies can turn a thriving garden into a patch of tattered remains. To make matters worse, their trails of slime make cleanup even more of a headache.
When winter rolls in, slugs and snails hunker down under mulch, leaf litter, or garden debris, waiting for damp conditions to venture out.
You can keep them at bay by removing hiding spots i.e., clearing debris and leaves. Create barriers with diatomaceous earth or crushed eggshells around plants, and for a crafty twist, set out beer traps to lure and eliminate these slippery pests.
3. Cabbage Loopers Will Fest On Your Winter Greens
Cabbage loopers are the freeloaders of the garden, munching their way through kale, broccoli, and cabbage.
These green caterpillars chew large holes in leaves, leaving crops looking worse for wear. As their numbers grow, your winter greens may not stand a chance, and their frass (caterpillar droppings) can invite fungal infections.
While your garden takes a break for winter, cabbage loopers lie low as pupae in the soil, ready to hatch come spring.
Don’t let them spring this trap on your crops! Cover your plants with fine mesh to block egg-laying moths, and handpick caterpillars whenever you spot them.
Spraying Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is another pest control method and a surefire way to stop them in their tracks.
4. Japanese Beetles Are The Glittering Garden Wreckers
Don’t be fooled by their metallic sheen – Japanese beetles are the wolves in sheep’s clothing of the garden. These pests feed on leaves, flowers, and fruits, skeletonizing plants until there’s nothing left but a web of veins.
Their appetite knows no bounds, and they often attack in large numbers, compounding the damage.
During winter, Japanese beetles retreat underground as grubs, burrowing deep into the soil to escape freezing temperatures.
Apply beneficial nematodes to the soil to target grubs. In spring, handpick adults and drop them into soapy water or use traps placed far from your plants.
Crop rotation and soil aeration also disrupt their life cycle.
5. Cutworms: Silent Stalkers Lurking In Your Soil
Cutworms are the vandals of the vegetable patch, severing seedlings at the base as they feed at night.
These plump, soil-dwelling caterpillars can wipe out entire rows of young plants before you’ve even had your morning coffee. Their stealthy nature makes them a gardener’s nightmare.
They spend winter as larvae nestled in the soil or under plant debris, lying in wait for spring’s planting season.
The easiest way to stop cutworms is by tilling the soil in late fall to expose larvae to predators.
Protect seedlings with collars made from cardboard or plastic, and sprinkle diatomaceous earth around plants as a defensive barrier.
6. The Voracious Veggie Vandals AKA The Grasshoppers
Here come the heavy hitters of the pest world! Grasshoppers devour leaves, stems, and fruits with reckless abandon.
Did you know that a single grasshopper can eat up to half its body weight in plants daily, and a swarm can devastate your garden faster than you can say ‘crop failure’?
While adult grasshoppers die off in winter, their eggs lie dormant in the soil, ready to hatch with the first sign of spring.
To outsmart these vandals, till your soil in winter to destroy egg pods. Plant trap crops like tall grasses to lure them away, and use neem oil or biological pesticides to keep feeding in check.
7. Squash Bugs Are The Stubborn Sap-Sucking Squatters
Last but not least, squash bugs can also thrive in winter! They’re the garden’s tenacious freeloaders, draining sap from squash, zucchini, and pumpkin plants.
Their feeding causes wilting, stunted growth, and can even transmit diseases that wipe out entire crops. Let me tell you one thing: Once they’re settled, they’re tough to evict.
As soon as winter arrives, squash bugs retreat to sheltered spots like plant debris, bark, or garden structures, waiting for warmer days.
Keep them on the run by removing debris and cleaning up plant residues. Handpick and destroy egg clusters on leaves in spring, and use row covers to keep these pests from staging a comeback. Neem oil is your trusty sidekick for managing infestations.
Ready to turn the tables on winter pests and show them your garden is off-limits, even in the coldest months? Use our tips to keep your plants safe and sound this winter!