How to Buy Mulch, Compost and Topsoil by the Numbers

It’s always frustrating to come home from the garden center with what you think is plenty of mulch, only to find that your estimate fell far short. Save yourself extra trips when you use this simple calculation to determine how much mulch, soil or compost you need for any job. And we’ll help you figure out the best way to move it too.

Calculate how much material you need in cubic feet

Length × Width × Depth (measured in feet)
For example, a 36 × 6-foot bed with 3 inches (.25 feet) of mulch:
36 × 6 × .25 = 54 cubic feet

Need a lot? Consider buying in bulk

Cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards
For example, 54 cubic feet ÷ 27 = 2 cubic yards

How do bags and bulk garden materials compare?

*Know your vehicle’s load limits!

A cubic yard of topsoil can weigh 1,000 to 3,000 pounds, depending on how much clay or moisture is in the mix. A cubic yard of compost is usually 1,000 to 1,500 pounds and bark mulch, 400 to 700 pounds. Don’t forget to include your own weight and that of any passengers in your calculations!

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A high-value lawn fertilization program focuses on the right nutrients at the correct time for your specific grass type, not just the lowest price. When you match fertilizer to your soil and follow a smart schedule, you support stronger roots, fewer weeds and steady growth without wasting money. This guide is brought to you by the specialists at Ricci's Landscape Management (RLM, Inc.) — a full-service lawn care and landscaping company serving Northwest Indiana.

What should I look for in a lawn care program?

A fertilization plan should green up your outdoor space and support its long-term health from the soil up. Look for these core elements:

• Targeted nutrients: Use applications based on your soil and grass type, not a generic mix.
  
• Seasonal timing: Apply fertilizer when your grass can actually use it.
  
• Weed and pest control: Choose a service with built-in prevention.
  
• Soil support: Help nutrients reach the roots with aeration.

According to experts, healthy grass depends on a balanced approach that combines nutrients, weed control and proper loam care rather than a single treatment. If your yard has struggled in the past, a system can help.

Why Fertilizer Options Matter

The best-value program depends on your grass type and how it grows throughout the year. A simple, well-timed plan is your most effective strategy. Here’s a practical breakdown.

To stretch your budget more, focus on these rules:

• Test your soil before choosing products.
• Prioritize nitrogen unless your soil needs other nutrients.
• Use slow-release fertilizer for steady growth.
• Split applications instead of applying everything at once.

According to the RLM, Inc. fertilization program, pricing matters less than effective management. You should remember that “in the warm summer sun, weeds can take over if they’re not under control. Summer also provides ideal conditions for many types of pests that can become a bigger problem for your lawn if not treated or managed correctly.”

Are professional fertilizer programs worth the money?

You can fertilize your lawn yourself, but the results depend on timing, product choice and consistency. Professional systems often deliver better value over time.

Professionals focus on long-term lawn health by combining fertilization with specialized liquid aeration and grub control. If your previous DIY attempts haven't worked, a structured, cost-effective program prevents repeated trial and error.

FAQs

What are the best lawn care packages for my type of grass?
Choose an option based on how your grass grows. Cool-season types require full fertilization, while warm-season grasses need spring and summer feeding.

Where can I find affordable lawn fertilization services across the U.S.?
You can use sites like GreenPal to find lawn fertilization services near you.

This article was sponsored by Ricci's Landscape Management, a Northwest Indiana landscape management company that focuses on long-term grass health and sustained growth.

What is included in a typical lawn fertilization program?
Most programs include seasonal fertilizer applications, pre-emergent weed control, post-emergent treatments, and optional pest or grub management. Some providers offer optional services such as aeration.

Can you have a lawn that lasts?

A healthy lawn needs more than a quick fix. When you choose a fertilization program that fits your grass type, soil and seasonal needs, you’ll enjoy steady growth and fewer problems over time. Work with professionals to help you get greener grass and consistent results without the trial and error of DIY landscape management.

Article written by Eloise Badenhorst

7 Ways to Set Up Your Garden for a Beautiful, Protected Spring

Spring is full of promise. Beds are cleaned up, new plants added, and every fresh shoot feels like the start of something beautiful. But spring is also when gardens are most vulnerable. Tender growth can be set back by late cold, pounding rain, hungry pests and browsing animals that seem to know exactly when the best plants have emerged.

That is why a beautiful spring garden is not just about adding color. It is about setting the space up to thrive. The smartest gardens combine strong early care, thoughtful planting, and protection from the start. Here are seven ways to do just that.

1. Start with a cleaner, crisper canvas

Before adding anything new, refresh the garden you already have. Clear away winter debris, cut back what truly needs cutting, pull visible weeds, and redefine bed edges. Even a modest cleanup can make the whole space feel brighter and more intentional.

There is no need to strip everything bare all at once, though. Beneficial insects may still be sheltering in stems and leaf litter early in the season. A gradual cleanup is often the better approach, especially if you focus first on what blocks new growth or makes the garden look untidy. The goal is not to erase winter overnight. It is to help spring take center stage.

2. Feed the soil before you feed the eye

Healthy spring color starts below ground. If the soil surface has crusted over or compacted during winter, loosen it gently and top-dress with compost or other organic matter. That helps roots get better access to air and moisture and gives plants a stronger start as growth picks up.

This may not be the flashiest spring task, but it supports everything that comes next. Better soil leads to steadier growth, stronger flowering and plants that are better able to handle spring’s sudden swings between cold, wet weather and warm, drying winds.

3. Add color where it matters most

Not every bed needs a total redo, but nearly every garden has a few places that deserve attention first. Focus on the spots you see every day: the front walk, the patio area, around the entry or outside a favorite window.

Tuck in cool-season annuals, early bloomers or colorful containers where they will have the most impact. Then think in layers. Low plants in front, mounded shapes through the middle and a few taller accents behind will make the planting feel fuller and more pulled together than a scattered mix of spring flowers.

4. Put protection in place before the garden becomes a target

This is the step many gardeners put off until something gets eaten. Unfortunately, by then the damage is already done.

Fresh spring growth is especially tempting, which makes early season the ideal time to protect vulnerable areas such as cutting gardens, vegetable beds, new borders and favorite ornamental plantings. A metal deer fence is especially effective in spring because it protects the garden without drawing attention away from it. Rather than feeling bulky or obtrusive, it allows the planting itself to remain the focus.

“A lot of gardeners wait until they actually see damage, but by then those tender spring plants have already taken a hit,” said Stephanie Anderson, customer support manager at DeerBusters. “If deer or other browsing animals are common in your area, it really helps to put protection in place early, before that fresh new growth starts drawing them in.”

5. Do not forget the lower-level damage

Not every garden problem comes from larger animals. In many yards, the real frustration happens lower down with chewed stems, dug-in beds and damage from smaller animals that slip through wider openings.

If that sounds familiar, it helps to look beyond the main perimeter and strengthen the lower part of the garden where needed. A metal chew or rodent barrier at the base of a fence can make a real difference around high-value beds, young plantings and edible gardens. It is a practical way to protect vulnerable growth near the soil line without changing the overall look of the space.

“People often focus on deer and forget about the damage that happens closer to the ground,” Anderson said. “If rabbits or other small animals are part of the problem, adding protection at the base can save a lot of frustration and help young plants get established.”

6. Make access part of the plan

A protected garden still needs to be easy to use. When gardeners think about fencing, they often focus on keeping animals out and overlook how they themselves will move through the space. Plan entry points while you are planning the layout. Where will you need to walk in with tools, watering cans or a wheelbarrow? Which beds need the easiest access for deadheading, harvesting or routine upkeep? A well-placed gate makes a protected garden easier to care for, and that usually means it will stay more attractive all season.

“You want protection to work with the way you actually use the garden,” Anderson said. “Easy access matters, especially when you’re going in and out for watering, weeding, harvesting or regular upkeep.”

7. Build for more than one moment of bloom

One of the biggest spring gardening mistakes is planning for one spectacular week instead of a longer, more graceful season. The best beds unfold in stages. As one plant peaks, another begins to rise. As one bloom fades, foliage or later performers begin to carry the show forward. Use spring planting to build that sequence.

Pair bulbs with perennials that will help cover fading foliage. Mix flower shapes and leaf textures. Add a few shrubs or structural plants to anchor the display. Once the garden is protected, it is much easier to plan confidently for what comes next instead of constantly replacing what was lost.

A beautiful spring garden is a protected one

Spring gardening should feel hopeful, not frustrating. And in many landscapes, beauty lasts longer when it is protected from the start. A little cleanup, better soil, layered color and a thoughtful fencing plan can make a remarkable difference.

The payoff is not just a prettier garden — it is a stronger one throughout the summer and beyond. When the framework is in place early, the whole season feels easier to enjoy and much less like a race to stay ahead of the damage.

Want to keep spring beds beautiful from the start?Explore DeerBusters’ nearly invisible garden fencing and practical resources for protecting flower beds, vegetable gardens and other vulnerable plantings.

Shop Garden Protection at DeerBusters.com

Photos courtesy of DeerBusters

Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica)

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Delicate white-pink petals with pink veining in early spring; plants are ephemeral: the foliage fades away by early summer
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Moist, well-drained
Size: 4 to 12 in. tall, 6 to 9 in. wide
Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

From the Wild Side: Spring beauties

I had just sat down under our sugar maple tree (Acer saccharum), hoping to focus on nothing, when a bee buzzed by and focused on me. She was smaller, darker and cuter than a honeybee, and I could’ve sworn I saw pink thighs, but she was definitely checking me out. Was she trying to tell me something? Sure enough, when I stood up, she flew to a tiny hole in the soil I had been sitting on; I didn’t see it until she crawled right to it. She was a mining bee, fresh from her own winter nest, busy building a new one for her babies.

Back then, I had no idea that Nashville had hundreds of species of native bees — each with their own requirements and timing — but I did know that some made nests in soil and that I had finally caught one in the act. So I kept watching. Every time she left the hole, she ignored the sweet violets (Viola sororia), early buttercups (Ranunculus fascicularis) and other blooms in the grass to visit only one species of wildflower: spring beauty.

Native bees are pollen specialists

About the size of a dime, spring beauty’s white-pink flower offers nectar and pollen to all sorts of insects. But I had met the one insect who cannot reproduce without it, a spring beauty bee (Andrena erigeniae), a pollen specialist. And get this — the pollen is pink! I was right about those pink saddlebags. If you don’t believe me, check out the close-up view in the photo below.

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How the beneficial relationship works

The female spring beauty bee gathers pollen — and only this particular pollen — to provision each of her eggs with a little pink cake. When an egg hatches, the larval bee eats the spring beauty pollen until it pupates. Then next year, when this wildflower blooms again, new adults emerge, ready to make more bees.

Lawns in my neighborhood used to bloom with so many spring beauties, they looked like they’d been sprinkled with snow. But in the 30 years I’ve been watching, a lawn with even a hint of these flowers has become rare. And when the plant disappears, the bees disappear. What if more neighbors knew about this wildflower sleeping in our seed bank? What if they knew about the charismatic little bee who depends on this flower, and that there are many other specialist bees as well?

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Change garden practices to support pollinator populations

I know from personal experience that falling in love with just one native bee, butterfly or bird can change everything, change us. It’s why I’ve shrunk the lawn, quit herbicides and pesticides, weeded invasives, planted natives and written a book.

I also know that we can’t fall in love with what we haven’t met, which could be, by the way, the best reason to take breaks under a sugar maple even when trying to focus on nothing. You never know who might buzz by.

Keep an eye out for native bees

Want to meet a spring beauty bee? Find the flowers and some sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Try when the day isn’t breezy, so the only movement is a bee. If you see a flower tip under the bulk of a visitor, it’s not a spring beauty bee — it doesn’t weigh enough to bend a stem. If you see a small black bee with sparse white whiskers and saddlebags loaded with pale pink pollen, there she is — the real beauty of spring.

Plant sources

• Prairie Moon Nursery, 866-417-8156
• Izel Native Plants, 410-989-3721

Joanna, author of "This Is How a Robin Drinks: Essays on Urban Nature," writes about everyday wonders in everyday habitat loss on Instagram @jo_brichetto and at SidewalkNature.com.

Stepping into the garden and discovering that the plants you’ve lovingly nurtured are now looking ragged, or even stripped bare, is incredibly frustrating. Voracious insect pests can quickly unravel your hard work and shatter your garden dreams.

Finding the culprit is the first step to getting your garden back on track. While many pests are widespread, I talked with experts from various regions to find out which ones were causing the most trouble in their areas and what you can do about them. One thing they all agreed on: Tackling pest problems with integrated pest management (IPM) is easier on the environment and helps prevent pesticide resistance.

What is IPM?

This decision-making approach for pest control starts with low-environmental-impact strategies first, then steps up the strength of the response if necessary. For example, when you notice damage, use an insect identification app or check your county extension resources to pinpoint the culprit. Then decide how much damage you can tolerate. If you’re willing to wait it out, many pest problems fizzle as the moisture or temperatures change, and most plants will bounce back with new growth in just a few weeks.

More About IPM Practices:
IPM Basics: Controlling Weeds
IPM Basics: Controlling Pests
IPM Basics: Controlling Garden Diseases

If you find that a problem returns every year, the next level of prevention could include cultural practices, such as growing resistant varieties, rotating crops or using row cover or landscape fabric to prevent pests from laying eggs. If all else fails, the final step might be a targeted chemical control, whether it’s organic or synthetic. The idea is to be strategic and only do the minimum necessary to deal with the most damaging pests in your garden.

Find out which garden pests are causing issues in your region

We asked regional gardening experts which pests are causing issues in their part of the country and which ones to look out for. Click your region in the list below to find more details about each pest:

Pacific Northwest

• European earwig (Forficula auricularia)
• Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius)
• Lookout for this rising pest:Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)

Midwest

• Roseslug sawfly (Endelomyia aethiops)
• Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)
• Lookout for this rising pest:Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)

Southeast

• Larger canna leafroller (Calpodes ethlius)
• Crape myrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae)
• Lookout for this rising pest: Cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula)

Northeast

• Four-lined plant bug (Poecilocapsus lineatus)
• Bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis)
• Lookout for this rising pest: Allium leaf miner (Phytomyza gymnostoma)

Regional Pest Watch: Midwest

Regional Expert: Kyle Broderick, Associate Extension Educator, Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Even with hot, humid summers and winter temperatures that get below 0 degrees F, there are lots of pests to battle in Midwest gardens. Our regional expert shares three to be on the lookout for along with helpful tips for identifying and managing them.

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Roseslug sawfly (Endelomyia aethiops)

These ½-inch-long yellow-green caterpillars with an orange head do all the damage and are active from spring to early summer. The adult looks like a fly but is actually a wasp.

What roseslug sawfly eats

This pest eats all kinds of roses (Rosa spp. and hybrids), but it is especially attracted to rambling roses.

Damage to look for

The caterpillar chews and scrapes the upper surface of leaves, creating a windowpane effect. Damage is mostly cosmetic and may diminish flowering, but it won’t kill the rose. Professor Broderick noticed that populations were high in recent years but finds that they tend to peak and wane over time.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tips

Handpick caterpillars early in the season or spray them off with a strong stream of water. Beetles, birds, parasitic wasps and small mammals will feed on the roseslug sawfly. Insecticidal soap can help but must come into contact with the larvae to work. Spray both the upper and lower leaf surfaces in early morning or early evening, when cooler temperatures keep the soap from drying too quickly, so more larvae are affected.

Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)

These tiny arachnids measure 1⁄50 of an inch long and range in color from rusty green to brown, yellow, red or orange with two black spots on their backs. They are most active from spring through summer and produce multiple generations per year.

What two-spotted spider mites eat

Two-spotted spider mites are a problem for more than 200 plant species.

Damage to look for

Adults and nymphs (juveniles that look like the adults but are smaller) use piercing mouthparts to feed on the undersides of leaves, which causes a stippled or mottled look. As populations rise, plants look bronzed or bleached, leaves and flowers become distorted and these spider relatives produce webbing often found on the undersides of the leaves. They thrive in dry growing conditions and temperatures above 90 degrees F. Healthy plants can withstand some mites, but stressed ones may succumb.

IPM tips

To prevent infestations, use mulch, choose drought-tolerant plants and don’t fertilize during a drought. Spraying with water can help dislodge two-spotted spider mites from foliage.

Look out for this rising pest in the Midwest:

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)

The 1-inch-long spotted lanternfly adults have brown forewings with black spots and black, white and scarlet hind wings. They’re active from spring through fall and produce one generation of black to red nymphs per year.

What spotted lanternfly eats

First spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014, this colorful, invasive plant hopper is slowly spreading to other states. It feeds on more than 100 plant species, such as grape vines (Vitis spp.), hops (Humulus lupulus), maple (Acer spp. and hybrids) and fruit trees, along with a host of ornamental garden plants.

Damage to look for

Both nymphs and adults use piercing mouthparts to feed, which results in oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling and dieback. They also produce honeydew, which smells bad as it ferments and attracts wasps, ants and bees. The damage doesn’t usually kill plants but causes stress that allows other pests or diseases to move in.

IPM tips

Remove the weedy tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), as it is a favorite host plant. In fall, look for and remove the distinctive 1-inch-long egg masses, which look like smeared mud on tree trunks.

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Regional Pest Watch: Northeast

Regional Expert: Dr. Ana Legrand, PhD, Entomologist, University of Connecticut

Snow-covered winters and warm, humid summers create ideal growing conditions for plants—and garden pests. Our regional expert shares how to identify three common pests and the damage they can cause in your garden.

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Four-lined plant bug (Poecilocapsus lineatus)

This 1/3-inch-long green-yellow plant bug has four black stripes and is most active in late spring to early summer. The nymphs are bright red to orange with black spots on the abdomen.

Favorite plant

The four-lined plant bug is a pest of more than 250 plant species but seems especially fond of plants in the mint family.

Damage to look for

Both adults and nymphs use piercing mouthparts to feed on foliage. This causes black or brown spots that are often confused with fungal disease. In small numbers, four-lined plant bug feeding only makes the plants look bad. But with a big population, entire leaves can curl up and fall off. New growth may be deformed.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tips

Insecticidal soap can get rid of nymphs. Handpick the larger adults. Dr. Legrand recommends holding a container of soapy water under infested foliage and tapping the plant so these fast-moving insects fall in and drown. Look closely at leaf stems for 2- to 3-inch-long scarring where females have made small slits to lay eggs. Remove these leaves and put them in the trash to prevent the next generation from developing.

Bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis)

You’re more likely to see the “bags,” or cases, than the gray caterpillars with dark splotches inside them. The bags start small and get larger as the caterpillar grows and adds more foliage pieces. Bagworms are active in spring through summer, producing one generation per year.

Favorite plants

Bagworms are attracted to a wide range of conifers, including arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis), juniper (Juniperus spp. and hybrids) and spruce (Picea abies). They’ll also feed on deciduous trees, such as sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis) and linden (Tilia spp.).

Damage to look for

Bagworm larvae eat the needles and foliage of their host tree. Though the damage is light at first, as the larvae grow they cause serious defoliation, which can be especially hard on evergreens.

IPM tips

Keep an eye out for the distinctive bags the larvae create from silk and bits of foliage from the host plant. Pull or cut them off and send them away in the trash. For larger trees or infestations, spray Bt when young bagworms emerge in late spring to early summer.

Rising pest to look out for in the Northeast:

Allium leaf miner (Phytomyza gymnostoma)

The small gray 1/8-inch-long flies have a yellow head and produce two generations of cream 5/16-inch-long larvae each year. They’re most active in spring and fall.

Favorite plant

Ornamental allium (Allium spp. and hybrids), chives, garlic and leeks are beginning to be attacked by this new invasive pest in Northeast gardens.

Damage to look for

In spring and fall, females lay eggs on the tips of allium leaves. The spring larvae tunnel through the leaves and leaf sheaths, causing disfigured foliage and creating openings for fungi and bacteria. In fall the larvae overwinter.

IPM tips

Insect netting or row cover can help prevent adults from laying eggs in spring. Keep an eye out for rows of white spots (the injury caused by egg laying) descending from leaf tips near the ends of the leaves, and remove any that you find. Rotate crops and clean up the garden in fall so larvae don’t have a place to overwinter.

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Regional Pest Watch: Pacific Northwest

Regional Expert: Nicole Sanchez, Associate Professor of Horticulture, Oregon State University

Mountain ranges create diverse growing environments here, with one side having fertile soil and regular winter rainfall, while the other is dry and arid. Our regional expert shares a couple of pests that can wreak havoc on your garden in the Pacific Northwest and one that is rising in the area to watch out for.

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European earwig (Forficula auricularia)

These red-brown ⅝-inch-long insects with long or short cerci (the pincerlike appendage in back) are most active in spring through fall and have one or two generations per year.

What European earwig eats

Though earwigs eat aphids and other insects, they also feed on seedlings, flowers, foliage, soft fruit and vegetables. Fast moving with a big tail-end pincer, this insect also has the startle factor when it darts out from under foliage or a container.

Damage to look for

Earwigs are most active at night, chewing holes in fruit, flowers and leaves. This voracious pest can decimate entire plants or a row of seedlings in a single feeding, then hides during the day.

Integrated pest management (IPM) tips

Professor Sanchez finds this homemade trap helpful in reducing earwig damage: She fills an empty 16-ounce plastic container about a third full with vegetable oil, adds a little soy sauce and cuts a few ½-inch holes in the lid before putting it back on the container. Then she digs a hole and positions the container flush with the ground. The soy sauce lures earwigs into the trap, where the oil smothers them. Each morning she empties the trap and sets it again for another night.

Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius)

Slender green-bronze ⅜-inch-long flathead beetles are most active in early summer and produce one generation of ¾- to 1-inch-long cream larvae per year.

What bronze birch borer eats

This beetle is a serious problem in the Pacific Northwest, killing birch (Betula spp. and hybrids) trees of all kinds, especially white-barked types. River birch (Betula nigra) seems to be somewhat resistant.

Damage to look for

Sparse yellow foliage and twig dieback in the upper crown are an early clue that bronze birch borer larvae are burrowing through a tree and disrupting its nutrient flow. The decline can be reversed if you catch it early, but if more than 50 percent of the crown is damaged, it likely can’t be saved. Look for small ⅛- to ¼-inch D-shaped exit holes in the bark where adults have emerged or zigzag lines on the bark.

IPM tips

Drought stress makes birch trees especially vulnerable. Keep them growing strong by choosing a planting spot on the north or east side of the house, where it’s cooler, watering during dry spells and providing a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch.

Look out for this rising pest in the Pacific Northwest:

Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)

Shiny green and bronze, this ⅓- to ½-inch-long beetle is most active in early to midsummer and produces one generation of C-shaped ⅛-inch- long white grubs per year.

What Japanese beetles eat

Japanese beetles have become common in the Eastern United States and Midwest but are only now making their way into the Pacific Northwest. It eats hundreds of different plants, but rose (Rosa spp. and hybrids), canna (Canna spp. and hybrids) and hibiscus (Hibiscus spp. and hybrids) are some favorites.

Damage to look for

Metallic-looking adults feed on the flowers and upper surfaces of leaves and skeletonize them. Flower petals have holes or are completely consumed. While the damage looks bad, it doesn’t usually kill the plant. Larvae nibble on turfgrass roots below ground, which causes brown patches in the lawn.

IPM tips

Protect small plants with row cover from June to September when adults are active. You can also pick and drop adults into a bucket of soapy water. Avoid pheromone traps — they attract even more beetles. To create a less hospitable environment for egg laying and young larvae, don’t water your lawn in mid- to late summer.

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Southeast region pest watch

The long growing season in the Southeast means lots of flowers and a plentiful harvest—unless pests take over. We asked two regional experts, and they shared three pests that can wreak havoc on your garden and that Southeast gardeners should watch for.

Regional Experts: Shimat Joseph, Associate Professor of Entomology, University of Georgia & Alton Sparks, Professor of Entomology, University of Georgia

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Larger canna leafroller (Calpodes ethlius)

Eggs laid by the 1-inch brown Brazilian skipper butterfly hatch and grow into this 2-inch-long translucent green caterpillar with an orange head. Both are active in summer, and there are two generations per year.

What larger canna leafroller eats

Cannas (Canna spp. and hybrids) are by far the favorite plant of this butterfly’s pesky larvae. It will occasionally feed on Indian arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea).

Damage to look for

The caterpillar secures part of the canna leaf around itself with a silk strand for protection while feeding. Generally, it stays on the same leaf, eating and molting before metamorphosing into a butterfly. Severe infestations can defoliate plants.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tips

Handpick and squish the larvae to kill them. If you’ve had problems in the past, avoid growing red-leafed canna varieties and those with red or orange flowers. For large populations, spray Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). The caterpillars have to ingest this for it to be effective, so apply liberally to thoroughly coat the leaf.

Crape myrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae)

Dark red females grow ⅞ of an inch long and are covered with a white feltlike covering. Active in spring through summer, they produce two to four generations of pink nymphs per year.

What crape myrtle bark scale eats

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is by far the most common host for this invasive pest. Occasionally you’ll find it on beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), St. John’s wort (Hypericum spp. and hybrids) and boxwood (Buxus hybrids).

Damage to look for

Females and nymphs feed on the sap of small branches, twigs of trees and shrubs, and cluster around pruning cuts, causing poor growth, fewer flowers and leaf drop. Stem dieback can occur when populations are high. Bees and wasps are attracted to the scale’s honeydew, which can also cause sooty mold to develop.

IPM tips

Because of its covering, crape myrtle bark scale is a challenge to treat. This is still a relatively new pest, but researchers have found lady beetle larvae to be especially effective predators.

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Look out for this rising pest in the Southeast:

Cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula)

The tiny ⅛-inch pale green cotton jassid has one dark spot on the back of each wing and moves diagonally, instead of straight ahead like most other insects. It’s active in summer, and each year it can produce up to 11 generations of pale green wingless nymphs that look similar to the adults.

What cotton jassid eats

Cotton jassid was first identified in Florida in 2024 and moved into Georgia and North Carolina in 2025. Cotton is a top choice for this invasive pest, but so is sunflower (Helianthus spp. and hybrids), tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), okra and eggplant.

Damage to look for

You’re likely to see the damage before noticing the insect, so if your plants have yellowing foliage that eventually turns red-brown, check the undersides of the leaves, especially around the third to fifth leaves from the terminal (the leaf at the end of the stem), for insects. Both nymphs and adults feed on sap.

IPM tips

Researchers are still looking for solutions. Spiders, lady beetles, ants and green lacewings are possible predators. If you find cotton jassid in your garden, contact your local extension agency.

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How to identify crape myrtle bark scale?

Crape myrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae), or CMBS, was first reported in North America around 2004, and has spread rapidly wherever crape myrtles grow. Its damage is rarely fatal to otherwise healthy crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp. and hybrids), but it’s unsightly and can reduce vigor and flowering. In severe cases you might see stunted growth or a few dead branches.

In Southern climates, there can be up to four generations of this sap-sucking scale insect per year. So you might find different stages on a tree at any time. Small, feltlike white or pale gray egg sacs hang along branches. Eventually they open, each releasing up to 300 pink nymphs, which crawl and fasten themselves to the bark to begin feeding. Some may be carried to other crape myrtle trees by wind or water.

As the adults feed, they excrete a sweet, sticky honeydew. It sticks to crape myrtle’s leaves and bark (and anything else underneath), eventually turning to a sooty black mold.

How to get rid of crape myrtle bark scale

Horticultural oils will suffocate CMBS at any stage of life. Read the label to determine the right mixture for the time of year. But before you spray, scrub off some of the worst infestation with soapy water and a stiff brush.

Because there can be several generations each year, timing is hard to determine. You’ll most likely need to spray several times during the growing season. Scientists are investigating biological controls, and plant breeders are working toward CMBS-resistant crape myrtles. But at this point, research is ongoing.

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