top of page

Common Garden Problems, and how to tackle them without using toxic pesticides

  1. Animals
  2. Disease
  3. Insects
  4. Moss
  5. Slugs and Snails
  6. Weeds

If you click on each area, you will be taken to a separate page in this website which provides information on methods and products which can help you resolve your problem. Or, you can find your way there by using the Navigation Bar at the top of the page. Hover over the words "Common Garden Problems", and the detailed list will appear.

We have pulled together many of the best resources from all around the region in a binder. As funding permits, we will make this available to retailers who wish to have a great source of information for staff and customers. All but one of the items in the binder is available in electronic form. Take a look at the table of contents below, and click on those resources you would like to see.

Table of Contents –

Garden Green Reference Binder

Last Update: April 13, 2018

Disease

  1. Powdery Mildew Color Fact Sheet http://gardengreen.webs.com/disease

Eco-Turf

  1. A New Look For Our Yards – article by Kate Riley, Snohomish Conservation District
    http://ecologywa.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-new-look-for-our-yards-eco-lawn.html
  2. Planting Instructions for Eco-Lawns https://ptlawnseed.com/pages/lawn-tips
  3. Planting Instructions for (almost) No Mow Mixes
    http://ecologywa.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-new-look-for-our-yards-eco-lawn.html
  4. How to Solarize https://ptlawnseed.com/pages/lawn-tips
  5. Sustainable Lawn Care: Installation and Maintenance Practices for Northwest Professionals http://www.seattle.gov/util/cs/groups/public/@spu/@conservation/documents/webcontent/01_025113.pdf
  6. Natural Lawn Care for Western Washington – large format booklet https://www.seattle.gov/util/cs/groups/public/@spu/@conservation/documents/webcontent/01_026741.pdf
  7. Natural Lawn Care for Western Washington - small format booklet. Not available online
  8. 5 Steps to Natural Yard Care https://www.tpchd.org/home/showdocument?id=948
  9. Natural Yard Care Through The Seasons is part of this document: https://www.seattle.gov/util/cs/groups/public/@spu/@conservation/documents/webcontent/naturalya_2003112617020011.pdf

Fertilizer

Organic Fertilizer: What Does It Mean? https://www.mercergov.org/files/fertilizer1.pdf

Green Gardening Products and Methods That Really Work

http://gardengreen.webs.com/Green%20Gardening%20Products%20or%20Methods%20That%20Work%20DE%20%20and%20ML%20Oct%203.pdf

Grow Smart, Grow Safe

About Grow Smart, Grow Safe. The information in this handout can be accessed online at https://www.growsmartgrowsafe.org/Home/UnderstandingGSGS

Insects

  1. Aphids, scale and whiteflies Fact Sheet This fact sheet is one of the resources located on this page: http://gardengreen.webs.com/insects
  2. Root Weevils Fact Sheet This fact sheet is one of the resources located on this page: http://gardengreen.webs.com/insects
  3. Tent Caterpillars Fact Sheet This fact sheet is one of the resources located on this page: http://gardengreen.webs.com/insects

Moles, Voles and Gophers

  1. Moles https://www.seattle.gov/util/cs/groups/public/@spu/@conservation/documents/webcontent/COS_005332.pdf
  2. Vole Management in Home Backyards and Gardens http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS094E/FS094E.pdf
  3. Pocket Gophers: part of this document: https://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/PNW/PNW0627.pdf

Moss

Moss Fact Sheet On this page: http://gardengreen.webs.com/moss

Mulch

Make the Mulch of It https://kingcounty.gov/~/media/depts/dnrp/solid-waste/natural-yard-care/documents/Make_the_mulch_of_it.ashx?la=en

Pollinators 

  1. Attract Beneficial Bugs! http://www.kirklandwa.gov/Assets/Public+Works/Public+Works+PDFs/Surface+Water/Yard+Care/Attract+Beneficial+Bugs!.pdf
  2. 5 Ways to Support Pollinators & Beneficial Insects https://www.kcdcommunityag.org/5-simple-ways-to-support-native-pollinators-beneficial-insects/
  3. Pesticides and Pollinators http://gardengreen.webs.com/pollinators-and-pesticides
  4. What Beekeepers Can Do to Protect Honeybees http://gardengreen.webs.com/pollinators-and-pesticides

Rodents

  1. Rats Fact Sheet http://gardengreen.webs.com/animals
  2. Least-Toxic Control of Mice https://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/alternatives/factsheets/MOUSE%20CONTROL.pdf
Slugs and Snails
Slugs and Snails Fact Sheet
On this page: http://gardengreen.webs.com/slugs-and-snails

Soil

Growing Healthy Soil booklet https://www.mytpu.org/file_viewer.aspx?id=57446

Watering

  1. Watering, by Bellevue: Going Green https://utilities.bellevuewa.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_4779004/File/Utilities/Publications/Natural%20Yard%20Care%20Guides/Watering.pdf

by Bellevue Going Green https://utilities.bellevuewa.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_4779004/File/Utilities/Publications/Natural%20Yard%20Care%20Guides/Drip%20and%20Soak.pdf

Weeds

  1. Dandelions and other Broadleaf Weeds Fact Sheet on this page: http://gardengreen.webs.com/weeds
  2. Quackgrass on this page: http://gardengreen.webs.com/weeds

If any of these links are broken, please contact Diane Emerson, of Garden Green: dianeemerson@yahoo.com, Land Line Phone 206-567-5492

Green Gardening Products That Work

One of the comments we receive by retailers, and the public, is concern that green gardening products just don't work. So we found ones that do. For an overview of products only, we have published a report on Green Gardening Products that Work, for retailers. Click here to read it.

In addition, we have created a guide to Green Gardening Products or Methods that Work, for the gardening public. Please click here to read it.

bottom of page