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Garden pests in Cambridge

Weeds

There are over 5,400 species of plant in Ontario. However, weeds are plants that are either noxious (can harm humans) or harm our ability to use the outdoors. Garden pests in Cambridge, and throughout Ontario, are often just other plants competing for space.

Noxious weeds are a serious issue, with some such as the Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) having sap that can cause 3rd degree burns on the skin. Plants such as Giant Hogweed naturally live in Ontario, especially in the south of the province in cities such as Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo. Unlike most weeds, the government of Ontario permits a very large array of treatment options for noxious weeds.

Most non-noxious weeds are only seen as a nuisance. Although allergies from Rag Weed or the thorns from various Thistles may be annoying, treatment must be more restrained in order to avoid environmental damage. As such, only pesticides and other treatment options mentioned on Ontario’s “Allowed List” are permitted for these sorts of pests.

Pesticides on the “Allowed List” are not necessarily less effective, but they are more eco-friendly.

When it comes to weed treatment around the home or business, remember that “perfect” is the enemy of “good”. The occasional weed can often be solved without professional involvement through picking them or using weed-killer approved for domestic use. However, if the weed population gets out of hand, or noxious weeds are discovered, professional treatment options are available.

Professional treatments can target the plant by destroying their leaves (a defoliant), their roots, or preventing their seeds from sprouting. Different herbicides can also be used to target specific species, instead of killing all plants that are exposed.

Pests of plants

There are many insects which can kill off garden plants and the grasses of lawns. Grubs are insects (usually larvae) that kill the roots of plants, while aphids and caterpillars (among others) attack the plant from above the ground.

Pests that attack the leaves and stems of plants such as Popillia Japonica and B. trivittata  can wreck havoc on trees and shrubs. Luckily, they are the easiest to spot, as they are above ground and attack in large numbers. Others, such as Aphids, have evolved to camouflage with their environment and are quite small. This makes them difficult to notice until they’ve begun damaging your garden.

Species of nematode, as well as the larvae of many types of beetle and cranefly live underground until they’ve matured. While the adults do not necessarily cause issues, their larvae can kill off plants in large areas. Grub activity is often spotted only after homeowners notice strangely shaped patches of dead grass or garden plants.

Treatments for these types of pests can be either preventative, with an exterminator looking for signs of infestation and doing treatments on a regular basis, or reactive. Reactive treatment does not bring back your plants from the dead, but will prevent further damage once an infestation is discovered.