Springtime Japanese Beetle Treatments

Japanese Beetles are destroying my garden! 

If those words were going through your mind last year, it's time to take action. Call Blooming Rails Garden Nanny today at 630-450-1251.

Springtime is here and while thoughts of shopping for flowers and growing a beautiful garden may be just starting to percolate in your mind, those pesky beetles are getting ready for a summer long feast.

Last year many of our clients here in Illinois saw Japanese beetles come out in force, attacking plants as soon as we got them in the ground. Milky Spore is one effective "green" way to fight the beetles in their grub form and there are some plants that repel the Japanese beetle such as garlic, catnip, chives, tansy or rue. The fight to control Japanese beetles starts now, in spring, and continues on throughout the summer and fall... "every year" for at least three years as the spore continues to spread and kill off these invading pests. Natural enemies are wasps and birds although you'll probably get much more enjoyment by attracting birds to your yard than you will wasps. Do nothing to fight these nasty little pests and the very act of planting your beautiful garden is opening the door for them to actually invite other Japanese beetles over for dinner... in your backyard. The best way to fight this pest is to enlist your neighbors to join you in the war against the Japanese Beetles.

In March through April the grubs that have been hiding out deep in the soil start to work their way up to feed on the roots of your lawn and can cause substantial damage. Now is the time to make a preemptive strike. Grubs are easiest to kill in spring, come June the beetles will start to emerge and head straight for your roses and other ornamentals, that you've spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on.

Make no mistake, the battle doesn't end with a spring treatment... but it's the best time to get started. For more information about the battle against Japanese beetles visit the Blooming Rails website.

Deter Birds From Plundering Your Flowers and Plants

So you've got your pots planted, your flower baskets hanging, and your entry ways, sidewalks, and back porch decked out with beautiful flowers and plants. It's wonderful, now you can sit back and relax, enjoying the sights and smells in the morning with a cup of coffee and a good book...Ahhhh.

But wait a minute, looking closer at your newly planted gems. Why is it that some of your plants seem to be thinning. That nice tea plant for example has a couple leaves on the top, but is now mostly just a stick. And several flower blossoms are handing broken or missing all together.

Those dastardly birds have done it to you again.

Bird watching can be enjoyable, but it's not so much fun to watch them ruin your flowers, plants, and all your hard work making the container garden look nice. Your lush new garden is truly irresistible to birds of all kinds, as they look for a perfect nest or the material to make a nest. However, there are plenty of plants in the wild for them to choose from...elsewhere.


So now your garden becomes a battle ground. You find yourself chasing the birds off every time they swoop in for an attack, or you've armed your lawn chair with a handy new weapon called a garden hose and you're constantly on alert. This may work for the moment, but it's not very relaxing and you can be certain, those pillaging birds will be back.

There's an easier way to battle the birds, it's simple, inexpensive, and does all the work for you. Go out to the store and get yourself a few nice shinny pinwheels. Birds don't like the reflection and motion of these guardians of the garden and they work amazingly well. In no time, your garden hose will be back where it belongs, and you'll be back to the serenity of your garden with your coffee and book.

Unfortunately on the horizon there lurks new enemies of the garden. Pinwheels don't do anything to keep away aphids or Japanese beetles... but that's a story for another day.

Organic Controls For Pests

Below are some of the best home remedy to get rid of aphids:

The best way is organic control of aphids. Bring in predators that feed on aphids and this will solve your problem. Predators of aphids include lacewings, lady bugs, aphid predator (which is actual bug called that) and hoverflies.

You can also plant companion plantings like mint, fennel, dill, yarrow, clover and dandelions in garden which attract aphid predators to your garden and thus keep your gardens aphid-free naturally.

Mix the following ingredients: 1 cup vegetable oil or white mineral oil, 1 ½ cups water, 2 teaspoons of dish soap or Murphy’s soap. Spray this on aphids attacked areas for few days. Aphids will run away of suffocation.

Alternatively, I’ve used a half baking soda and half water solution with a couple of drops of Dawn dish detergent which creates a dusty paste that the aphids do not like and sends them packing for more scrumptious goods. After you are sure they are gone, you can simply rinse off the powder with your garden hose. More stubborn dustings may need to have you fill a small bowl or plastic baggy and immerse and swirl gently until the baking soda dissolves.

Another remedy is to avoid over fertilization of plant. Aphids are attracted to over growth in overly fertilized plants and attack whole plant.

Fighting Japanese Beetles and Aphids at the same time? Spray the plants with the oil solution, and then purchase a Japanese Beetle Trap and attach fly paper to the top to catch the aphids! But be sure to put these traps at least 15 feet away from your plants you are trying to protect. It is important to empty the traps daily and ensure the bait is fresh. Beware: full bags can attract raccoons who will gladly eat your trappings.

If you get to the point where you want to grab a blow torch, you can always call the Garden Nanny for help!