Garden Pest & Disease Guide
🐛 Organic Pest & Disease Solutions
Identify, prevent, and treat common garden pests and diseases using organic methods. Every solution is chemical-free.
29 Insect Pests
3 Diseases
3 Other Issues
Browse by Type
🐛 Insect Pests
Common garden insects and organic methods to prevent and treat them.
Aphids
Tiny soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth, leaf undersides, and stems.
moderate severity · 13 plants affected
Whiteflies
Tiny white flying insects that gather on leaf undersides and fly up in clouds when disturbed.
moderate severity · 8 plants affected
Cabbage Worms
Green caterpillars (larvae of the white cabbage butterfly) that chew large holes in brassica leaves.
high severity · 12 plants affected
Tomato Hornworms
Large (3-4 inch) green caterpillars with white diagonal stripes and a horn-like tail.
high severity · 3 plants affected
Spider Mites
Microscopic eight-legged arachnids that suck cell contents from leaves, causing stippling, bronzing, and eventually leaf drop.
moderate severity · 7 plants affected
Flea Beetles
Tiny dark jumping beetles (1-3mm) that chew small round holes in leaves, giving them a shothole appearance.
moderate severity · 11 plants affected
Squash Bugs
Gray-brown shield-shaped bugs that suck sap from squash family plants, causing leaves to wilt and die.
high severity · 3 plants affected
Squash Vine Borer
A devastating moth larva that bores into squash stems near the base, causing sudden wilting and plant death.
high severity · 3 plants affected
Cucumber Beetles
Striped or spotted beetles that feed on cucurbit plants and spread bacterial wilt disease.
high severity · 4 plants affected
Thrips
Tiny slender insects (less than 1mm) that rasp plant tissue and suck the released fluids.
moderate severity · 8 plants affected
Leaf Miners
Tiny larvae that tunnel between the upper and lower surfaces of leaves, creating winding white or tan trails (mines).
low severity · 5 plants affected
Japanese Beetles
Metallic green and copper beetles that skeletonize leaves, eating the tissue between veins.
moderate severity · 6 plants affected
Scale Insects
Small immobile insects that look like bumps on stems and leaves.
moderate severity · 4 plants affected
Onion Maggots
Small white maggots that bore into onion, leek, and shallot bulbs, causing rot and plant death.
high severity · 3 plants affected
Mexican Bean Beetles
Copper-colored beetles with 16 black spots that look like ladybugs but feed on bean plants.
moderate severity · 2 plants affected
Swallowtail Caterpillars
The colorful larvae of swallowtail butterflies (black with green/yellow stripes) that feed on parsley family plants.
low severity · 3 plants affected
Colorado Potato Beetle
Distinctive yellow and black striped beetles whose larvae can completely defoliate potato plants.
high severity · 2 plants affected
Citrus Leafminer
Tiny moth larvae that tunnel through citrus leaves, creating silvery winding trails.
low severity · 2 plants affected
Asparagus Beetles
Small beetles (common asparagus beetle is dark blue with cream spots; spotted asparagus beetle is orange with black spots) that feed on asparagus spears and ferns.
moderate severity · 1 plants affected
Carrot Rust Fly
A small fly whose larvae tunnel into carrot roots, creating rust-colored tunnels and making roots inedible.
moderate severity · 3 plants affected
Fire Ants
Aggressive stinging ants that build mounds in gardens and can damage seedlings, fruit, and root systems.
moderate severity · 3 plants affected
Earwigs
Nocturnal insects with distinctive pincers on their rear end.
low severity · 4 plants affected
Stink Bugs
Shield-shaped bugs that pierce fruit and plant tissue with their needle-like mouthparts, causing dimpled, scarred fruit and sometimes cat-facing on tomatoes.
moderate severity · 4 plants affected
Fruit Flies
Small flies that lay eggs in ripening fruit, with larvae feeding inside and causing fruit to rot.
moderate severity · 4 plants affected
Psyllids
Tiny jumping plant lice that suck sap from leaves and stems, causing curling, discoloration, and stunting.
low severity · 3 plants affected
Spotted Wing Drosophila
An invasive fruit fly from Asia that can lay eggs in firm, ripening fruit — unlike regular fruit flies that need overripe fruit.
high severity · 3 plants affected
Cane Borers
Beetle or wasp larvae that tunnel into the canes (stems) of bramble fruits like blackberries and raspberries.
moderate severity · 1 plants affected
Grape Leafhoppers
Small wedge-shaped insects that feed on grape leaves, causing stippling and premature leaf drop.
low severity · 1 plants affected
Blueberry Maggot
A fruit fly whose larvae feed inside blueberries, causing fruit to become soft and collapse.
moderate severity · 1 plants affected
🍄 Plant Diseases
Fungal, bacterial, and other plant diseases with organic prevention and treatment.
Powdery Mildew
A fungal disease that appears as a white or grayish powder on leaf surfaces.
moderate severity · 9 plants affected
Fusarium Wilt
A soil-borne fungal disease that clogs the water-conducting vessels of plants, causing wilting, yellowing, and death.
high severity · 3 plants affected
Downy Mildew
A water mold disease (not a true fungus) that causes angular yellow patches on leaf tops with grayish-purple fuzzy growth underneath.
moderate severity · 5 plants affected
🐾 Animals & Other Issues
Wildlife, mollusks, and other garden challenges with humane, organic solutions.
Slugs & Snails
Soft-bodied mollusks that feed on leaves, seedlings, and fruit, leaving behind large ragged holes and silvery slime trails.
moderate severity · 8 plants affected
Birds
While birds are generally beneficial garden allies (eating insects), they can damage fruit crops, eat seeds, and pull up seedlings.
low severity · 5 plants affected
Gophers
Burrowing rodents that eat plant roots, bulbs, and tubers from underground.
high severity · 4 plants affected
Create Your Own Plant Playlist
Use our kit themes as a starting point and build a custom planting plan for your garden.
Create a PlaylistFrequently Asked Questions
What are the most common garden pests?
The most common garden pests include aphids, cabbage worms, flea beetles, slugs, and whiteflies. Aphids alone affect over 70% of common garden plants. Early identification and organic prevention are key to managing all of them.
How do I control pests without chemicals?
Organic pest control relies on prevention first: companion planting, crop rotation, and attracting beneficial insects. When treatment is needed, use insecticidal soap, neem oil, Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), and hand-picking. These methods are effective and safe for your garden ecosystem.
What is the best organic insecticide?
Neem oil is one of the most versatile organic options — it works as both a pesticide and fungicide. For caterpillar pests, Bt spray is highly effective and specific. Insecticidal soap works well on soft-bodied insects like aphids and whiteflies. The best choice depends on the specific pest.
How do I prevent plant diseases organically?
Good air circulation (proper spacing), watering at the base of plants (not overhead), crop rotation, choosing resistant varieties, and maintaining healthy soil biology are the foundations of organic disease prevention. Remove infected plant material promptly to prevent spread.