How to deal with garden pests in summer

A master gardener has been distributing summer gardening tips in the San Marcos Daily Record.

Linda Keese advises growers to take care the powerful effects of the sun do not overwhelm them by restricting their greenhouse and yard work to the cooler morning and evening periods.

She suggests using mint to keep aphids and flea beetles away from tomato plants – the herbs can be grown underneath larger specimens and should help dissuade pests from munching.

Another useful tip Ms Keese offers is spraying other vermin like grasshoppers and spider mites with soapy water.

Breaking up webs of bagworms should help remove their threat by giving the birds a tasty treat, while scale insects can be dealt with using horticultural oil, the article reads.

However, gardeners who breed butterflies should refrain from using any of these methods as they are potentially deadly to caterpillars.

Meanwhile, NewsOK.com recently reported gardeners can pick up useful tips by attending seed swaps.