Farm Life…
Pest Management & Garden Watch: What Pests Are You Seeing?
In June, we were lucky to have Brad lead a super informative Pest Management Workshop here at Holden Lake Farm and Garden. Together, we explored some of the most common garden pests — including aphids, slugs, cutworms, and more — and learned about their habits, life cycles, and the signs they leave behind.
🌿 Brad shared that prevention starts with diversity: planting a wide variety of crops, welcoming beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, and maintaining a clean, healthy growing space can make a big difference. Little things like cleaning up plant debris and rotating crops can stop pests from setting up long-term residence in your garden beds.
But pest problems still pop up — and that’s where we’d love your help!
👀 Garden Watch: Help Us Track Pests in the Community
We want to hear from you — what pests are you spotting in your garden right now?
Sharing what you’re seeing helps our whole growing community stay informed and prepared. If you’ve got a mystery pest or plant damage you’re unsure about, send it in!
📸 Here’s how to share your garden pest photos with us:
- Get close! If possible, use a magnifying glass or magnifier clip for your phone camera.
- Hold your phone directly over the glass to take a clear, enlarged photo of the pest or the damage.
- Take a few shots: one close-up and one showing the surrounding area.
- Describe the issue:
- What plant is affected?
- What kind of damage are you seeing?
- Why do you suspect a particular pest?
- Have you tried anything to manage it?
👇 Use the form below to upload your images and tell us about the problem.
🧪 Let’s learn together! We’ll share some of your submissions (with permission) in future blog posts or social updates to help others spot the signs early.
Thank you for being part of our growing community!
🌸 – The Holden Lake Farm & Garden Team
2 Comments
I’m having a very hard time this year with earwigs and slugs in my greenhouse this year. They are destroying my peppers. What can I use to get rid of them?
Hi Kathy, You’re not alone — earwigs and slugs have been especially active this season, especially in warm, humid greenhouse conditions 🌿
For slugs, we recommend using iron phosphate bait — it’s safe to use around food crops and pets, and it works well when applied in the evening when slugs are most active. You can also try beer traps or copper tape around containers.
For earwigs, try diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the base of your pepper plants. It’s a natural product that’s safe for the garden and works by dehydrating soft-bodied insects. You can also use rolled-up damp newspaper as traps overnight — in the morning, shake them out away from the greenhouse.
Keeping your greenhouse tidy, removing decaying plant matter, and avoiding overwatering can also help reduce pest pressure.
If you need any diatomaceous earth, we have some here.