Expert Tips for Protecting Your Garden from Pests and Wilt

By Blake Jackson

Squash bugs, aphids, mildew, and wilt can quickly ruin months of hard work in the garden. To help local growers better manage these threats, Harvick Farms teamed up with Lincoln University of Missouri’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program to host the “Know Your Pests and Diseases” workshop.

Held at Harvick Farms in Southeast Missouri, the event welcomed 18 participants from Barry, McDonald, and Cole counties, including farmers, gardeners, and university experts. The goal was to provide hands-on learning and practical guidance for managing pests and diseases in specialty crops.

Founded four years ago in Barry County, Harvick Farms has become a hub for food production and community education. The farm regularly offers workshops on composting, food preservation, and gardening techniques.

“We asked our community what they most wanted to learn, and pests and diseases came up repeatedly,” said Lainey Harvick, who leads Harvick Farms. “People want to know how to fight back against what’s destroying their gardens. That’s why this partnership with Lincoln University has been so valuable.”

Lincoln University connected with Harvick Farms through Lesa Queen of the Innovative Small Farmers’ Outreach Program. The workshop featured presentations from Dr. Anitha Chitturi, assistant professor and state extension specialist for IPM, and Dr. Waana Kaluwasha, assistant professor of plant pathology.

Chitturi discussed pest identification, insect life cycles, and management strategies. She emphasized tools like yellow sticky traps, timely field scouting, and methods like trap crops and row covers.

“Regular monitoring and scouting are critical for early detection, and timing is everything,” Chitturi said.

For organic gardeners, she recommended neem oil, insecticidal soaps, and crop rotation.

Kaluwasha addressed common diseases affecting cucurbit crops, including powdery mildew, bacterial wilt, and root-knot nematodes. She advised using resistant plant varieties, clean seeds, and proper watering methods.

“A combination of management methods is always recommended,” Kaluwasha said. “No single strategy works on its own.”

“I liked how this wasn’t just for big farmers even a home gardener like me benefited,” said participant Steve Kajtor. “I’ll be looking at my garden differently now, paying attention to things I might have missed before.”preciated the practical takeaways. “I liked how this wasn’t just for big farmers even a home gardener like me benefited,” he said.

“Workshops like this are important because they bring knowledge directly to the community,” Harvick said.

Photo Credit: lincoln-university-missouri