A while back, I noticed that something was eating holes through the leaves of my pear tree. More recently, I noticed holes in my eggplant and pepper leaves and then, while watering, I noticed brown spots on one tomato plant and aphids on another. Plagues of Biblical proportions? No, just normal garden pests. 
I spent some time investigating my plants’ symptoms. Here’s what I learned: Early blight occurs before fruits have ripened and is a fungus that turns leaves brown, rotting them from the inside out. Early and late blight, the cause of the Irish Potato Famine, share the scientific name that translates to “plant destroyer.” However, the fungus can be treated with applications of neem oil or insecticidal soap spray. Neem is an oil derived from the seeds of a neem tree from southern Africa, India, Australia and Asia, and it is a relatively safe natural pesticide. It has little or no effect on many beneficial insects and birds, whereas it suppresses the appetite and growth of harmful insects, eventually killing them. Neem can also be used to treat aphids, however an easy natural way to remove them is to vigorously spray the bugs with a garden hose, knocking them off of your plant. Aphids die before they can climb back up to feed on sweet soft plant buds. Be sure to apply neem at night because it is an oil and daytime applications may burn the plant tissue. What about the holes in my eggplant, pepper, and pear foliage? I’ve been unable to pinpoint the exact pest, but each plant is susceptible to a number of pests that eat away foliage including mites, aphids, and beetles. The good news is that many of these pests can be treated with neem oil or insecticidal spray. Remember, gardens are living things and they grow and change. Pests are especially attracted to plants in distress, in shade, and after warm wet periods, and my plants were probably susceptible to disease from a wet June immediately following the initial planting in the spring. I hope for positive results following my neem treatment for healthy bountiful fruits and vegetables for the remainder of the summer. Photos: 
I spent some time investigating my plants’ symptoms. Here’s what I learned: Early blight occurs before fruits have ripened and is a fungus that turns leaves brown, rotting them from the inside out. Early and late blight, the cause of the Irish Potato Famine, share the scientific name that translates to “plant destroyer.” However, the fungus can be treated with applications of neem oil or insecticidal soap spray. Neem is an oil derived from the seeds of a neem tree from southern Africa, India, Australia and Asia, and it is a relatively safe natural pesticide. It has little or no effect on many beneficial insects and birds, whereas it suppresses the appetite and growth of harmful insects, eventually killing them. Neem can also be used to treat aphids, however an easy natural way to remove them is to vigorously spray the bugs with a garden hose, knocking them off of your plant. Aphids die before they can climb back up to feed on sweet soft plant buds. Be sure to apply neem at night because it is an oil and daytime applications may burn the plant tissue. What about the holes in my eggplant, pepper, and pear foliage? I’ve been unable to pinpoint the exact pest, but each plant is susceptible to a number of pests that eat away foliage including mites, aphids, and beetles. The good news is that many of these pests can be treated with neem oil or insecticidal spray. Remember, gardens are living things and they grow and change. Pests are especially attracted to plants in distress, in shade, and after warm wet periods, and my plants were probably susceptible to disease from a wet June immediately following the initial planting in the spring. I hope for positive results following my neem treatment for healthy bountiful fruits and vegetables for the remainder of the summer. Photos: 
