Take the following steps to keep your plants healthy and pest-free this winter. Refer to the UC IPM Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist for more monthly pest management to-dos for your region so you can prevent pests and their damage in the garden and landscape.

Here are some general pest tips for the month of December:

• Clean up fallen fruit and leaves to avoid harboring pests.
• Protect sensitive plants from frost or cold injury when freezing temperatures are predicted.
• Hose aphids off of sturdy plants or apply insecticidal oils and soaps. Look for natural enemies such as predaceous bugs, lacewings, lady beetles, and syrphids that may already be managing the aphids.
• Check for petal blight of azalea, rhododendron, and camellia. Remove and discard old flowers. Apply fresh organic mulch beneath plants.
• Manage weeds using nonchemical methods such as cultivation, hand weeding, or mowing.
• Prevent root rot by not overwatering plants and improving drainage.
• Monitor citrus plants for signs of pests such as Asian citrus psyllid or leafminers.
• Continue rainy-season prevention of earwigs, snails and slugs, and weeds.

Don't see your county on the checklist or want to provide feedback? Let us know!

Pest management to-dos for December.