In fact, one of the most common questions asked by new organic gardeners is how to get rid of pests without using chemical pesticides.
As a result, you’ll find many recipes for homemade “organic” pesticides on the Internet and in books.
Crusader bugs, also known as spined soldier bugs, are a common pest that can infest and damage baby sage plants. These small, green or brown insects have elongated bodies with distinctive spines on their legs. They feed on the sap of plants, which can stunt growth and cause disfiguring damage to baby sage plant leaves. If you’ve noticed crusader bugs on your young sage plants, taking action to control them is important to protect your crop. Fortunately, there are several effective methods to safely and naturally get rid of these invasive pests.
Identifying Crusader Bugs
The first step in controlling crusader bugs is learning how to identify them. Look for these key features:
- Small, elongated insects about 1/5 inch long
- Green or brown coloration
- Distinctive spikes or spines on their legs
- Clusters of bugs on the undersides of leaves
- Damage to leaves and stunted plant growth
Crusader bug eggs are barrel-shaped and laid in groups on leaves Nymphs resemble small adult crusader bugs and are found clustered on the undersides of leaves
Removing Crusader Bugs by Hand
One of the simplest and most effective methods for controlling a small crusader bug infestation is to manually remove them from plants. This can be done by:
- Putting on gardening gloves to protect your hands from spines
- Carefully inspecting the undersides of all leaves
- Gently rubbing off any bugs you find into a container of soapy water to kill them
Check your sage plants daily and hand pick any crusader bugs you find before populations can multiply. This organic pest control method protects your crop without chemicals.
Using Neem Oil Sprays
An all-natural pesticide, neem oil can be used to safely kill crusader bugs and deter them from feeding on your sage plants. To use neem oil:
- Purchase cold-pressed, pure neem oil and mix it with water according to label directions
- Add a small amount of mild soap to help the oil stick to the insects
- Use a spray bottle to coat the undersides of leaves with the solution
- Reapply weekly until the infestation is under control
Neem oil is non-toxic to humans and beneficial garden insects like ladybugs It provides a chemical-free way to protect sage plants from damage
Introducing Beneficial Insects
Another organic method for controlling crusader bugs is introducing beneficial predatory insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and praying mantises. These insects feed on pest species like crusader bugs, helping keep their numbers in check naturally. You can order live ladybugs, lacewing eggs, or praying mantis egg cases online or from garden supply stores. Release them near infested sage plants and they’ll help control the pests.
Pruning Infested Parts of Plants
If you find a section of your baby sage plant heavily infested with crusader bugs, pruning that part of the plant can help prevent the pests from spreading. Using clean, sterilized garden shears, cut off any leaves or stems covered in crusader bugs. Place the infested trimmings in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of it. Pruning protects the rest of the plant while removing part of the pest population.
Using Sticky Traps
Yellow or blue sticky traps can be used to monitor and control crusader bug populations. The brightly colored traps attract the pests, who then become stuck and die on the adhesive surface. Place traps near infested sage plants and check them daily, disposing of any bugs caught in the glue. Traps provide an ongoing, chemical-free way to reduce crusader bug numbers.
Applying Insecticidal Soap
Insecticidal soap sprays are an organic pesticide option for controlling crusader bugs and other sap-feeding insects. The soap disrupts the cellular membranes of the bugs, causing dehydration and death. Mix insecticidal soap concentrate with water according to label instructions and spray onto infested sage plants, especially the undersides of leaves. Reapply every 5-7 days until pests are eliminated.
Changing Cultural Practices
Making changes to create an environment less favorable to crusader bugs can help reduce infestations in your sage crop. Recommended cultural practices include:
- Removing weeds and debris near sage plants that provide hiding places for pests
- Avoiding excess fertilization, which can cause faster, weaker growth that attracts bugs
- Rotating sage planting locations in your garden each year to disrupt pest life cycles
- Removing and destroying heavily infested sage plants to prevent spread
Preventing Future Infestations
Once you’ve eliminated a crusader bug problem on your baby sage plants, there are organic methods to help prevent future occurrences:
- Row covers provide a physical barrier to keep new bugs out
- Interplanting sage with pest-repelling plants like onion, garlic, and chives
- Applying kaolin clay sprays to sage plants can deter pests from feeding
- Maintaining healthy soil with compost to grow strong sage plants
Staying vigilant and checking for early signs of crusader bugs will allow prompt, organic treatment to prevent damage. With persistence and integrated pest management techniques, you can safely get rid of crusader bugs and have a thriving sage harvest.
Why Do Diseases and Insects Eat Your Plants?
What kind of food does an aphid (Aphidoidea) like? What does a disease such as powdery mildew prefer to eat?
We tend to think insects and diseases are making our plants unhealthy, but actually, they are there because our plants are unhealthy.
This is one of the biggest shifts we need to make in our thinking when moving to organic gardening practices, and to me it’s absolutely fascinating.
While animals prefer healthy plants, insects and diseases prefer the opposite. They choose plants that have a nutritional imbalance of one or more nutrients. They literally do not possess the enzymes necessary to digest healthy plants.
In fact, they don’t even see healthy plants as a food source at all. Sounds crazy, right?
Well, I’m going to explain it, because this is one of the most important concepts to understand when talking not only about non-toxic pest control, but organic gardening in general.
I won’t go into too much detail, but here’s the gist of it.
Beautiful beetle
Baking Soda Might Help With Certain Fungal Diseases
Research has been done to see if baking soda works to prevent and eradicate powdery mildew (Erysiphales), blackspot (Diplocarpon rosae) and a few others.
I’ve tried it myself and it worked well on roses.
A solution of 1-5 tablespoons of baking soda per gallon of water is generally recommended. Start lower though, as 5 tablespoons can hurt the leaves in some cases.
Efficacy is apparently improved by adding an equal amount of natural liquid soap or insecticidal soap, or an equal part of horticultural oil.
In this case, the main benefit seems to be that they help the baking soda solution stick to the leaves. I actually used molasses because it provides other benefits than just stickiness, whereas the soap is not friendly to the beneficial microorganisms on the leaves.
Alternatively, one of my readers wrote me and shared this: “Rather than using baking soda if you use baking powder for early or late blight on tomatoes and potatoes it changes the leaf surface pH sufficiently for the plants to “overcome” and produce until frost for me. The only thing I have to do is make sure it is applied at the first sign of blight on the leaves. We have been successful with 2 tablespoons in a gallon of water and spraying top and bottom sides of leaves. Have to remember to reapply if it rains.”
Spot-spraying dandelions with vinegar
So using baking soda may help with certain diseases, but the problem with focusing on moving from chemical pesticides to organic pesticides is that we’re not working with the root cause of the pest problem and fixing that instead.
To look at the root cause of the problem, we first need to see why humans eat plants…
How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs – The Grumpy Gardener
FAQ
What are the tiny green bugs on my sage plant?
What are the mites on my sage plant?
How do you get rid of bugs on sage?
What is eating holes in my sage leaves?
How do you protect Sage from pests?
Plant sage in a location that is protected from pests. This could include planting it in a garden bed that is surrounded by a fence or planting it under a tree. Water sage regularly to keep the soil moist. This will help to deter pests, such as aphids, which are attracted to dry plants.
Do aphids eat sage?
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on the sap of plants. They are typically green or black in color, and they can be found clustered on the undersides of leaves. Aphids can cause damage to sage plants by sucking sap from the leaves, which can lead to wilting, yellowing, and leaf drop. They can also transmit plant diseases. Spider mites
Do sage plants have pests?
Left unchecked, they can damage and destroy your precious sage plants. Keeping a close watch on your plants during regular daily inspections will help you spot any pests before they can do irreparable harm. Check leaves and stems for these symptoms that come from pests on the prowl. Here are some proven ways to get rid of pests on your sage plants.
How do you get rid of bugs on sage plants?
Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of a mild dish detergent, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a gallon of water to make a solution that will repel all kinds of bugs, as well as a fungicide for mildew on the sage plant leaves. Shake it well in your bottle before spraying and repeat every week for it to be continuously effective.