Home » Blog » How to Identify Common Garden Insects & Plant Diseases How to Identify Common Garden Insects & Plant Diseases July 19, 2017 Annuals, Controls, Disease, Education, Flowers, Herbs, Insects, Landscape, Lawn, Perennials, Pest, Plants, Roses, Trees, Van Putte Gardens, Vegetables, Wildlife/Insects Summer is here and now that you’ve got your gardens planted, ’tis the season for animal pests, insects, and disease to become more visible, and more destructive — Mother Nature likes to give us all a challenge from time to time! But never fear! Our experienced Green Thumb staff have got you covered. We are available to diagnose your lawn, vegetable, flower, tree, and shrub issues whenever we are open, and can offer easy organic and non-organic solutions for almost any plant problems. So, if you’ve got a yellowing cucumber plant, a patchy lawn, holes in your rose leaves, gnarly growths on your peach tree, or something else entirely, save yourself hours of online searching and just stop by with a sample and let us take a look. We know the area, the recent weather, the plants and the local pests, and we’re happy to use our experience and knowledge to help! Before you stop by, please collect a sample of the problem as follows: 4 Easy Steps to Collect a Sample for Pest/Disease Identification Observe your plant (or turf) in the morning and evening. Sometimes insects are only active at certain times of day and you don’t want to miss the culprit! Make a note of where the plant is growing, how long it’s been planted, and any other details (like if you’ve been away on vacation for a week, if any other plants have similar damage, etc.). Collect a sample of any insects you see, and a clipping from the damaged plant. Try to catch any live insects in a bag or sealed container, or bring a clipping of the transitional area (where the plant or turf changes from healthy to damaged). For turfgrass, cut a 1-foot square section that includes the transitional area. Try to take a picture of the entire plant/tree or lawn area so we can see the extent of the damage. No need to print it out — just bring it on your phone or iPad. Bring in your notes, pictures and sample, and we will determine the cause, then offer organic or other solutions per your preference! We are open 7-days-a-week year-round.