Pest Management & Plant Health

The explosive growth of organic agriculture in the U.S. reflected in a 90% increase in organic farms from 2011 to 2021, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics has come at a cost for some farmers.

Nutsedges are aggressive and persistent weeds that commonly infest lawns, vegetable and flower gardens, and landscapes. These perennial sedges are a problem in lawns because they grow faster than turfgrasses and result in non-uniform turf.

As vacation season begins, people will be traveling much more in the coming months. Whether you'll be staying at a hotel, hostel, motel, rental home, or summer camp, you should always be on the lookout for bed bugs.

The week of June 17-23 is National Pollinator Week, which celebrates the vital winged creatures we are so dependent on to pollinate most of the flowering plants in the world.

Rats can contaminate our food, damage structures, and spread diseases. To help residents and urban pest professionals safely and effectively manage rats, UC IPM has updated the Pest Notes: Rats publication.

It's not often that an entomologist chalks up a 44-year career of teaching, research and public service. But such is the case with UC Davis distinguished professor James R. Carey.

Are grasshoppers taking over your garden? Within the last week, we've received several reports of large populations of these pests covering people's plants, especially in Northern California. Grasshoppers are a sporadic garden pest.

Summer is here and so are the pests! Keep an eye out for the following pests and take these steps to prevent problems in the garden or landscape this June. To see more tips specific to your region, visit the Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist on the UC IPM website.

It's not too late to plant pumpkins! If you plant them now, you'll have pumpkins ready in time for Halloween and Thanksgiving. It takes 95-110 days for a pumpkin to go from seed to fruit, depending on the variety. Although many gardeners plant pumpkin seeds in May, you can also plant them in June.

Pampasgrass (Cortaderia selloana) is a common ornamental landscape plant that readily naturalizes throughout California's coastal areas and some interior regions.