GardenZeus earns commissions on sales made through links in this article. There is no additional cost to you. This is the third in a series of three articles discussing whiteflies in the California home garden. Steps to control active whitefly infestations: 1) For early and small infestations, use a strong stream of water, as from […]

The photo above shows whitefly adults, eggs, and a few oval nymphs at left. The sphere at middle right is a droplet of liquid, either water or fluid from the plant.   GardenZeus earns commissions on sales made through links in this article. There is no additional cost to you. This is the second in […]

This is the first in a series of three articles discussing whiteflies in the California home garden. Whiteflies are a contender for most-pervasive, most-persistent insect pest in gardens throughout California. The worst infestations usually occur in disturbed landscapes that lack predatory insects, and on stressed or over-fertilized plants and trees, during warm-to-hot weather. At least […]

by Ann Clary and C. Darren Butler   Mildews are a common malady of cucurbits such as summer squash (including zucchini), winter squash (including pumpkin), cucumbers and melons. How can you identify a disease as mildew? And how should it be prevented and treated? What is mildew? Powdery and downy mildew are the most common […]

GardenZeus earns commissions on sales made through links in this article. There is no additional cost to you. Citrus leafminer is a tiny moth whose larvae tunnel between the upper and lower surfaces of new leaves of citrus and closely related trees. The citrus leafminer infests most of Southern California as well as coastal California […]

GardenZeus earns commissions on sales made through links in this article. There is no additional cost to you. Aphids are soft-bodied sucking insects that feed by sucking the sap of host plants, damaging plant leaves and soft stems. They may even limit plants’ ability to transport nutrients through damaged plant tissue. Aphids feed on an […]

Rats in the California Home Garden Part 4: Was the Damage Caused by Squirrels or Rats? Squirrels and rats are among the most challenging pests in California gardens and landscapes. Both pests may be active in a single garden or landscape. Chewing, feeding, and gnawing damage in gardens and landscapes from these rodents may appear […]

Rats in the California Home Garden Part 3: Signs of Rats in Home and Garden How common are rats as pests in gardens and landscapes? What should you look for as signs that rats are visiting your garden? Hard statistics about rat populations in urban California areas are almost nonexistent, and estimates of populations vary […]

Rats in the California Home Garden Part 2: Misconceptions about Rats I know there aren’t any rats in my house, on my property, or at my neighbors’ properties so it couldn’t be rats eating the fruits on my fruit trees or the vegetables in my garden. Roof rats may forage for food at distances of […]