VOA健康报道2023--Catch Garden Pests, Diseases Early to Save Plants

Catch Garden Pests, Diseases Early to Save Plants

In her latest gardening story, Jessica Damiano tells of the garden pests and diseases she has seen in her plants.

The Associated Press writer suggests acting¹ quickly when combatting garden pests and diseases. When not dealt with quickly, pests and diseases can quickly grow and reproduce². That can result in less plant growth and worse health, less flower and fruit production, or even death of your plants.

Her measure always begins with the gentlest treatment possible. She only intensifies³ her treatments when necessary. Even then, she has her limits. Damiano says she would rather lose a flower or vegetable plant than use strong chemicals.

In the case of her tomato plants, Damiano caught the aphids, a pest, early. She washed them off and removed the ones that would not come off by using her fingers under moving water. They have not returned in the week since removing them, but she looks out for them every day, just in case.

Had the invasion been severe or the water and finger removal method been ineffective, she would have used Neem oil. The organic oil, which comes from the seeds of the Neem tree, kills aphids by not permitting them to breathe. It is safe to use on plants that will be eaten and it is not harmful to people, animals, and birds. Still, it should be used after the sun has set when helpful insects are less active.

The same day Damiano found the aphids, she found another pest called scarlet⁴ lily beetles⁵ on her Asiatic lily plants. The adult red insects feed on a grouping of plants called true lilies and fritillaries.

In an earlier stage of life, called the larval stage, they cover themselves in waste. This makes them less appealing to those that would want to eat them. But the coating also protects them from chemicals, making them difficult to remove.

The pests had already damaged some of her plants. To prevent more damage, she removed them by tapping them off of the plant into some water with soap and vinegar, or household cleaners.

Her rhododendron, a flowering plant, were attacked by a pest called azalea bark scale last summer. She saw the white insects had come back this year. Some of the leaves were infested⁷, so she cut them off. But because most of the leaves only had a few of the pests, she was able to remove them by touching⁸ each insect with some rubbing alcohol.

By working early, Damiano slowed or stopped infestations⁹ that could have killed her plants. The same would be true for diseases, many of which also respond better to early treatments.

Words in This Story

garden – n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown

pest – n. an animal or insect that causes problems for people especially by damaging crops

stage – n. a particular point or period in the growth or development of something

tap – v. to hit (your fingers or feet) against something lightl

 

infest⁶ – v. to be in or over (a place or an animal) in large numbers

1 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

2 reproduce   

v.生育，繁殖，复制，重做

参考例句：

• The machine can reproduce a key in two minutes.这机器能在两分钟内复制一把钥匙。
• The picture will reproduce well.这照片会印得很清楚。

3 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

5 beetles   

n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 infest   

v.大批出没于；侵扰；寄生于

参考例句：

• Several animals in sea water can infest wood.海水中有好多动物能侵害木材。
• A lame cat is better than a swift horse when rats infest the palace.宫殿有鼠患，瘸猫比快马强。

7 infested   

adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于

参考例句：

• The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
• The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。

8 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

9 infestations   

n.（害虫、盗贼等）群袭，出没，横行( infestation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The arrival of warm weather raises the specter of disease and increased rat infestations caused by rotting garbage. 天气转暖使人们担心垃圾腐烂会引起疾病传播和鼠群猖獗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Piperazine citrate is the drug of choice in the treatment of Ascaris infestations. 枸橼酸哌嗪治疗蛔虫感染是最好的药物。 来自辞典例句