What should we do if one of our plants looks sick? Start by examining it closely to properly identify the cause of the problem. If we don’t see any particular insect pests or diseases with the naked eye or our newly purchased magnifying glass, we need to make sure the plant isn’t just suffering from inadequate growing conditions such as nutrient deficiency, over-fertilizing, pH too high or low, frost or wind damage.

If an insect pest or disease is to blame, first assess the scope of the problem and decide whether we actually need to do something about it. Given the right conditions, strong plants can withstand a few insects on pathogens. If we decide to act, we should start by using cultural, physical, mechanical and biological methods.

If we’re not satisfied with the results of natural methods and we decide we have to use pesticides, we should be sure to choose ones with a low impact. They should not be very toxic in the short or long term for human health or the environment. Low impact pesticides break down quickly and most of them destroy harmful organisms without interfering much with useful organisms.

Read and follow the instructions on the label before getting started. Pay careful attention to dosages, application methods, safety instructions and treatment intervals. Finally, keep an eye on the plant afterward and adjust your cultural methods accordingly. Use natural methods whenever possible.

For more information about ecological gardening log onto the Native Landscapes Garden Center website at www.NativeLandscaping.net.

And tune in to hear "The Living Landscape" with Pete Muroski throughout the day on LIME Radio, Sirius Satellite channel 114. Thanks for visiting "The Living Landscape".