- Author: Belinda J. Messenger-Sikes
Figuring out what's wrong with your plant takes a little detective work. Plants can look unhealthy for a number of reasons, including diseases, pest insects, or even environmental conditions like sunburn, too much water, not enough water, wind damage, and other issues. Start by examining the plant closely for anything out of place. Knowing what the plant should look like will help you determine if there's a problem. Because some pests attack only specific plants, identifying the type of plant, including the variety or cultivar, narrows down disease possibilities.
Diseases caused by a plant pathogen, like a fungus, will look and act differently than something caused by...
- Author: Anne Schellman
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
![Pruning out an scale insect infestation. [Photo by C. Reynolds]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/40504small.jpg)
Now is the time to prepare your garden and landscape for winter. The simple tasks recommended below will help prevent perennial weeds, insect pests, and certain disease pathogens so these problems don't get established and become difficult later.
Weeds
- Manage weeds using nonchemical methods such as cultivation, handweeding, or mowing.
- Prevent weeds using competitive plants, mulches, and hand removal.
- Herbicides (weed killers) are rarely needed in established landscape plantings when nonchemical controls are used regularly.
To learn more about managing weeds, see the UC IPM Pest Note: Weed...
The UC IPM Web site offers several free online training courses for landscape and structural pest management professionals on topics including integrated pest management, pesticides and water quality, herbicides, pesticide equipment, and calibration. These courses offer continuing education units that satisfy the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), the Structural Pest Control Board, or both.
Another course is designed to prepare you to take the DPR Maintenance Gardener Category Q Qualified Applicator Certification (QAC) exam.
You'll also find links to two free online training courses for retail nursery and garden center employees. These courses are ideal for employees or Master Gardeners who answer...
