Ladybug,ladybug – come fly to my home!
Those tiny flying beetles with their bright polka dot overcoats are more than just pretty faces. They’re eating machines that can munch their way through aphids, scale insects and mites that attack our plants. One ladybug can devour up to 24 aphids a day, so having ladybugs in your garden is a good thing.
Aphids might be a ladybug’s fave, but they’re not welcome guests in anyone’s garden. With their little straw-like beaks they can literally suck the life juices out of plants, causing them to die if left unchecked.
Ladybug,ladybug – come fly to my home!
Those tiny flying beetles with their bright polka dot overcoats are more than just pretty faces. They’re eating machines that can munch their way through aphids, scale insects and mites that attack our plants. One ladybug can devour up to 24 aphids a day, so having ladybugs in your garden is a good thing.
Aphids might be a ladybug’s fave, but they’re not welcome guests in anyone’s garden. With their little straw-like beaks they can literally suck the life juices out of plants, causing them to die if left unchecked.
If you want ladybugs to stick around your garden...
think about planting herbs and plants that ladybugs like. Carrots, fennel, dill and cilantro are good choices. Flowering plants like yarrow, white cosmos, coreopsis and scented geraniums are also good. If you have dandelions, at least be assured that they too will attract ladybugs. Also, don’t use any chemical compounds to control weeds or pests of any sort. Keeping your garden organic is fundamental to attracting and keeping beneficial insects like ladybugs, and in maintaining a healthy garden environment.
Should you buy the lady bugs?
Some people who want to attract ladybugs go to the extreme measure of buying and releasing them into their gardens. Releasing ladybugs is tricky business though, and you’ll need to do some research before going ahead. Also, if you do go this route, its important be sure to buy native ladybugs. The Asian ladybug that is used commercially has been found to nest inside houses in the winter. They’re not native to Canada and so cannot survive the cold weather outside. A good website to find out more about ladybugs is www.pioneerthinking.com
The nitrogen factor:
Those of us who struggle with aphids may ask why it is that some gardens are more prone to aphid infestation than others. If you’ve ever looked over at your neighbour’s garden and wondered why it seems clear of aphids while you continue to do battle, it may be that your plants are getting too much nitrogen. Nitrogen is an important plant nutrient that promotes foliage growth. However, too much nitrogen can result in plants whose leaves grow too large too quickly. With lots of nectar moving nutrients into the new foliage, the plant is ‘jucier’ than plants with a more regular growth rate. Although large plants may look healthy and vigorous, the extra nectar is an invitation to aphids to dine on this overabundance of nectar.
What should we do to keep our plants free of aphids?
We all know that healthy soil is critical to healthy plants. Adding organic material to gardens is the best way to keep your soil healthy. But if you do get invaded by aphids, you might try one of these fixes:
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The quick fix: For a quick fix to get rid of aphids try adding some pureed garlic to water and spraying it onto the plants (3/4-1 Tbsp puree per 1L of water). This is a symptomatic fix but may bring about an immediate change and get rid of the aphids, at least for the present time.
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Take the longer view: Add a high quality calcium and phosphate source to your soils to help relieve some of the imbalances created by excess nitrogen. This can even be used in balcony gardens.
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Step three - bring on the ladybugs! Make your garden attractive to them so they will come back to dine on those pesky aphids. Remember to include plants ladybugs like in your garden design.
Research and writting by Nancy Sagmeister
For a "holistic" view of gardening, please read the story about John Slack (Soil Day with John Slack - May 18, 2009) and see how he talks about gardening. Not all "garden experts" look at the garden this way.