Pest Predictions
A warm autumn has allowed the pests to continue to multiply. Unless we get some good cold, pest killing weather over winter, we're likely to see some serious insect pests come spring.
Aphids are rarely a problem in the autumn, but their numbers have skyrocketed all around the garden in the past few weeks--on the mint, the broad beans, and weeds they are growing thick.
On the brassicas, the aphids have been joined by a late crop of cabbage white butterflies. The caterpillars are usually knocked back by now, but I worry all my winter brassicas will be eaten if it doesn't get cold quickly.
Grass grubs are plentiful in the soil right now--the larvae are nearly full size, and will pupate in early spring to emerge as adults in October, just in time to strip the fruit trees of leaves.
So here's hoping for some good cold winter weather over the next couple of months!
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