Diseases, Insects and Animals

These three things constantly threaten gardens. Here are some effective tactics for keeping these threats at bay.

Early Intervention(1 of 6)

Be sure to examine plants for signs of damage and make sure you vary the times you check for infestation. Different varieties of insects are active at different times of the day.

There are many ways for you to protect your crops: through pest-repellents, traps or just simply picking the pests off plants. If the foliage on your watermelon curls, puckers and turns yellow, your plants may have aphids. You can spray the plants several times with water early in the morning, once every other day to rid the plants of the bugs. If the leaves of your melon plant dry up and turn black, your plants may be infested with squash bugs. The best way to rid the plants of squash bugs is to handpick the bugs from the leaves.

Next Photo: Okra Pests