Mainly clear skies. Low 49F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Mainly clear skies. Low 49F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.

Mainly clear skies. Low 49F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Mainly clear skies. Low 49F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.

No matter how much tender loving care goes into your garden, you will have to contend with outrageous insects, annoying pets, and wildlife that come from far and wide to nibble at your buffet. Every gardener must deal with weeds and there is no avoiding other adversities presented by Mother Nature. Strong winds, yes for months in Sonoma County. Drought, yes when will it ever end?

Still these problems are just stones in the road to the perfect garden and they are not reasons to give up altogether.

You cannot control the weather, but you can take steps to protect your plants. Most pests respond to come sort of organic concoction or maybe even get done in by natural foe that you encourage to come around by growing beautiful flowers. 

And even if the pests cause a few casualties from time to time, they will never get the best of you with these tried-and-true deterrents.

Preventive maintenance is the best way to limit the trouble you will have with pests and adverse weather conditions. Most important begin with healthy plants that will suit to your garden and local weather conditions.

Diversify the mix of plants in your garden to make sure that a single pest or other adversity can’t cause serious damage.

From the healthy start, keep up with housekeeping. Deadhead spent flowers and clear away debris, which often denies pests a place to hide or nest. Monitor the garden often for evidence of pest damage so you can stop a small problem before it becomes a big one. Then use mechanical controls, such as barriers, traps, hand-picking, and floating row covers, and enlist allies such as chickens, frogs, birds, ducks, lizards, spiders, lady-bug sand bats. These are all predators that feast on unwanted garden pests.

Disease will strike plants from time to time, but you can reduce the odds with preventive measures and by purchasing plants that have been bred to resist diseases. Plant catalogs often describe the disease resistance of their offerings since most gardeners place a high priority on the valuable characteristic.

You can avoid damping-off disease by using sterilized potting media or seed-starting mix when you start seeds indoors. Damping off is caused by several strains of fungi that thrive in damp garden soil.

Prune overgrown trees and shrubs to encourage better air circulation around and through plants. Plant annuals and perennials far enough apart and far enough from hedges and buildings to allow good air circulation. Most leafspot diseases and mildews are caused by fungi, which spread when leaves remain damp. Water your plants early in the day so the foliage dries completely before the dampness of evening returns.

Rotate each crop’s location in the vegetable garden each year to stay one step ahead of any soilborne diseases, which usually require the presence of specific plants. Most of these diseases are caused by fungi that invade plant roots.

Rake up and dispose of all fallen leaves and fruit infected with fungi from around plants to reduce disease problems in the future.

Good sanitation keeps plant diseases from spreading. Disinfect flowerpots and shears. Your shears can easily spread viral and fungal diseases as you move from branch to branch and plant to plant.

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