Month: August 2025

Q&A: Will This Insect Eat My Flowers?

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Soldier beetle adult feeding on the pollen and nectar of a golden aster flower.
Soldier beetle on the bloom of a golden aster. Photo:  Miri Talabac

Q: There are many insects visiting my pollinator garden that look like yellow-orange versions of a firefly. Some of the petals are missing on those flowers. How do I keep them from chewing my plants?

A: These beetles are innocent bystanders and are not the cause of damage, even though that’s where you see them most. These are soldier beetles, and although beetles have chewing mouthparts, soldier beetles are primarily pollinators as adults and predators as larvae.

The pollen and nectar in the blooms of plants in the aster, carrot, and milkweed families are favored, and where you’ll often find them, dining solo or mating. Adults can also eat soft-bodied insects, which include aphids and caterpillars.

Occasionally, you may find a soldier beetle clinging to a flower head by its jaws and dangling with wings spread, dead. This is a work of an entomopathogenic (insect-infecting) fungus, an example of how natural factors impact insect populations, both for species we consider pests and those we consider beneficial.

Soldier beetle larvae hatch from eggs laid in the soil and feed on the eggs and larvae of other insects they encounter. Their prey can include grasshoppers and caterpillars, and these garden helpers are great for suppressing pests like cutworms, corn earworms, and cucumber beetles. The larvae overwinter underground. To provide hunting grounds and shelter from the weather, do not remove the protective blanket of leaf litter and avoid tilling the soil.

Dark colored soldier beetle larva with dark orange head capsule on a leaf.
Velvety soldier beetle larvae eat many ground and plant-dwelling pests.

If flower petals go missing, another culprit is to blame – probably a chewing insect like Japanese Beetles or Asiatic Garden Beetles, but in some cases, a slug or snail. (Deer and rabbits tend to eat the entire flower head, so their damage tends to be more extensive than just nibbling around the edges.)

Missing its petals doesn’t necessarily ruin a flower’s wildlife value. Tolerate the damage if you can, or find a chemical-free way to discourage feeding. For example, flowers grown for cutting (like dahlias or mums) could be enclosed individually in small mesh bags before they open fully to exclude pests. However, that would deny pollinators access, too.

By Miri Talabac, Horticulturist, University of Maryland Extension Home & Garden Information Center. Miri writes the Garden Q&A for The Baltimore Sun and Washington Gardener Magazine. Read more by Miri.

Have a plant or insect question? The University of Maryland Extension has answers! Send your questions and photos to Ask Extension. Our horticulturists are available to answer your questions online, year-round.

Growing Ginger… Really!

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If you thought growing tropical plants like ginger couldn’t be successful in Maryland, think again! Ginger (Zingiber officinale) can be grown throughout the state, including Garrett County! Although it takes a long season to grow, starting it indoors and moving it outside will allow you to have a plentiful supply of ginger to use in savory dishes, baked goods, sweets, and beverages!

Ginger is a tropical plant that requires warmth, humidity, and a growing season of 8 to 10 months. Since winters are too cold and ginger dies below 50°F., it needs to be treated as an annual, and gardeners have even successfully overwintered the plant indoors.

To start growing ginger, make sure you are choosing the correct ginger, culinary ginger rhizomes. They can be purchased from a nursery or grocery store. However, some ginger can be treated with a growth inhibitor at the grocery store. When purchasing the rhizomes, look for nodules along the rhizome where the root is actively trying to grow shoots.

After purchasing the correct ginger, sprout the rhizomes indoors in late winter or early spring. This time period is around 6-8 weeks before the last frost. However, I have found that starting earlier and using a grow light will allow the plant to mature faster. To sprout the rhizomes, soak them overnight in a shallow tray and then place them in a shallow tray or pot with loose, well-draining soil in a warm (70-80°F.) area. Using a warming mat helps speed up the propagation process. Once the ginger has sprouted, transplant it into a large container, at least 12 inches deep. Ginger rhizomes grow horizontally, so the width of the pot is more important than the depth. Using 5-10 gallon grow bags has been very successful in my garden throughout the years I have grown it! 

A piece of ginger root with a new, fleshy bud forming.
Visible eyes sprouted after several weeks. These will now move into a deeper
container under a grow light. Photo credit: Sarah Llewellyn
Young, green shoots of ginger emerging from a container filled with potting soil. The shoots grew from a piece of sprouted ginger root buried in the pot.
Shoots started in late winter, growing with help from a grow light until
warmer weather arrives. Photo credit: Sarah Llewellyn

Once all threats of frost have passed, slowly acclimate the ginger to outdoor conditions. The ginger can remain in the pot, allowing for a longer season because you can move the plant indoors in the fall on cooler days. You can also plant directly in the soil. However, using pots or grow bags does make harvesting the rhizomes much easier at the end of the season.

Throughout the season, keep the soil moist but not soggy and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer (contains roughly equal percentages of nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium) monthly. Ginger grows slowly, but you will be able to see leafy growth throughout the summer. It will likely not have a long enough season to flower, but the plant will still produce usable rhizomes. Ginger can be kept at room temperature for a few days, or it can be kept in the refrigerator unpeeled for a month or more. It can be frozen whole, sliced, or minced for long-term storage. It can also be dehydrated for extended storage. 

Five gallon container with 2 to 3 foot tall ginger plants with long, strappy leaves.
Ginger at season’s end, attempting to grow flowers as it dies off due to cold weather in late October. Photo credit: Sarah Llewellyn

Harvest usually occurs in the fall before frost, typically in late October in Allegany Co. To harvest, use a garden fork to gently lift the plant to separate the rhizomes. If the plant is in a pot, turn it over to remove the whole plant and spray off excess soil. Plants can be overwintered inside, but will become dormant. During dormancy, keep the soil moist and maintain temperatures around 70 degrees. During this dormant period, the plant may lose its leaves, or you can cut them back to the soil level. Growth should resume in early spring when you move the plant back outside after the last frost.
Ginger plants at the end of the season removed from their growing containers. The top growth has been cut back and the rhizomes are large and fleshy with pink, yellow, and white coloration.
Ginger harvested from the garden in late October. These were grown in
a 5-gallon grow bag. Photo credit: Sarah Llewellyn

Overall, ginger is a long-season crop, but it can be grown throughout the state with early-season sprouting and can also be prolonged in a greenhouse or brought inside. So, the only thing left is to decide what recipe you will want to use with your fresh ginger! 

By Sarah Llewellyn, Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Allegany County, University of Maryland Extension.

Q&A: What’s Eating My Blueberry Plants?

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Q: I found a group of caterpillars on my blueberry plants. Some branches were completely stripped of leaves. I have several plants around my yard such as milkweed so hope to ID these before taking action to eradicate.

A group of yellownecked caterpillars on the stems of a blueberry plant. The caterpillars are several inches long with black heads and yellow and black stripes.
Yellownecked caterpillars feeding on a blueberry bush. Photo credit: Ask Extension

A: These are Yellownecked caterpillars, a native species that can feed on azalea and various other host plants. They won’t cause severe damage to the plant, even if it’s defoliated, by chewing leaves this late into the growing season. However, if you want to remove them, just pluck them off by hand or knock them into a container of soapy water to kill them. (Or, just knock them off into a dry container and toss them elsewhere for birds and other animals to eat. Yellownecked caterpillars are preyed upon by various insects and other animals, so some will be eaten before they mature.

No pesticide is needed in this case, but if they cause problems in a future year, young, smaller caterpillars can be treated with Btk (Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki), a derivative of naturally- occurring soil bacteria that kills caterpillars without harming other insects. Older caterpillars are not as vulnerable to Btk, so if you miss that life stage and only find them when they’re larger (as pictured here), they can be managed with a spinosad application instead. Spinosad is a relatively low-risk insecticide derived from a soil microorganism and approved for use in organic farming. Follow all product label directions for use, and ensure the chosen product can be used on edible plants.

By Miri Talabac, Horticulturist, University of Maryland Extension Home & Garden Information Center. Miri writes the Garden Q&A for The Baltimore Sun and Washington Gardener Magazine. Read more by Miri.

Have a plant or insect question? The University of Maryland Extension has answers! Send your questions and photos to Ask Extension. Our horticulturists are available to answer your questions online, year-round.

“Garden Smart” to Protect You and Your Garden

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If the dog days of summer are making you want to howl at the heat, humidity and lack of rain, you are not alone. Take steps to protect yourself and your plants as you tackle your to-do list.

Your plants are depending on you, so self-care is important.  Drink plenty of water.  Wear sunscreen and a hat.  Work in the early morning if you can and certainly not for too long. Garden in the shade when you can.  I’m a human sundial, working around the patches of shade in my yard.  And I take frequent breaks to stand, stretch, and hydrate.

I’m mastering the 15-minute garden raid.  Water!  Weed!  Harvest!  Deadhead! Your plants need water, too. I can’t say enough about the benefits of good, deep soaks rather than sprinkles.  Did you know a mature tomato plant needs 2 to 3 gallons of water weekly?  Enough said.

What else needs doing in your garden?  Regular harvesting keeps plants productive and avoids the dreaded five-pound zucchini. Harvest tomatoes when they first change color and let them finish ripening indoors to avoid cracking, splitting, and insect and disease problems. Herbs are best harvested before they bloom.  My basil is starting to flower, so I’ve begun my annual pesto-making frenzy. 

Mature, healthy, multi-branched basil plant with several new flower spikes and some open flowers.
Basil flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other beneficial insects. Removing flower heads and pinching off stems above a leaf node stimulates new tender stems and leaves. Gardening is full of tradeoffs! Photo-credit: Jon Traunfeld

There is still time to plant crops like kale, collards, and leafy greens.  Use our planting calendar to guide your timing.  As you remove crops, consider planting cover crops to cover and improve the soil.  Crimson clover, winter rye, and spring oats can be planted from late summer to early fall. Order now to get the best bulbs for fall planting and beat the rush.  That also goes for garlic and all those spring flowers we love for their color and cheer.

Mature, healthy collard plant. Also known as collard greens.
Mature collard greens in mid-summer. Plants seeds now for a light fall harvest.
Protect plants with a row cover over winter and they will re-grow in spring.
Photo credit: UME, HGIC

Tidy your plants for appearance and health.  Look for browning from drought or disease or the inevitable fungal leaf spots caused by high heat and humidity. Remove affected leaves to reduce the amount of fungal spores.  This slows the progression of diseases and reduces the chance of diseases returning next year. Keep removing fallen fruits from under your trees, vines, bushes and vegetables. They can harbor disease and insect pests.

Did you know compost can help suppress soilborne diseases while building healthy soil and helping it hold water? It truly is a five-star soil amendment. To keep your compost pile cooking, add both juicy greens and dry browns. Pile on nitrogen-rich, untreated grass clippings and garden trimmings. Then toss in the carbon-rich leaves falling prematurely in all this heat. Take all the gifts nature gives and recycle them into your soil. 

Garden smart in the heat.  Be good to yourself.  Keep harvesting, watering, planting, tidying, composting, and learning.  Then pour something tall and cool and enjoy. 

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension.  Read more by Annette.

Bacterial Leaf Spot Resistant Peppers in Two Gardens

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Last year, I accidentally introduced bacterial leaf spot into the pepper beds in my own community garden plot and the Derwood Demo Garden, probably through infected seed. BLS is a common disease of peppers that spreads quickly in warm, humid weather (a.k.a. our summers) and can be devastating to an entire crop, especially in small gardens. Lesions on leaves expand until the foliage drops; lesions on fruits make them unattractive though still edible. Cooler, drier weather (the kind we mostly don’t get) can slow or even stop the disease, but otherwise, the only solution once it really gets going is to pull the plants. Trash them, don’t compost them, because while the disease doesn’t linger long in soil, it can last quite a while in plant debris. This also means that garden cleanup is important. Read more about BLS and how to prevent and manage it here.

BLS on pepper leaves
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