May is when your garden comes alive—and so does everything else. Flowers, fruit trees, beneficial insects, and pests all converge at once.
One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make this time of year is overreacting. Not every insect is a problem. In fact, many are working for you. Lady beetles, lacewings, and parasitic wasps begin actively controlling aphids and other pests.
Monitoring becomes essential. For example, codling moth traps should be placed in apple trees now to track activity and properly time interventions. Fireblight risk increases during warm, wet bloom conditions, making sanitation and pruning critical tools.
Fertilization is another area where restraint matters. While soil temperatures reach ~50°F and lawns begin active growth, adding compost is often more beneficial than synthetic fertilizers.
The goal in May is balance—not elimination. Integrated Pest Management teaches us to observe first, act second.
Stop by the Plant Clinic and speak with Sandy Perrin or Sarah Holden to learn more about the pests we are seeing! Grab a Montguide on a specific topic, and don’t forget to ask for a Pest Management Calendar! If you prefer online resources, make sure you are seeking them from trusted, science-based sources, like Extension in your state.
Montguides offer science-based fact sheets and are FREE! https://store.msuextension.org/
Check out our Pest Management Calendar online here: https://missoulaeduplace.org/what-we-do/horticulture-agriculture/plant-clinic/pest-management-calendar.html
Check out the weekly update on our Pest Alert Phone Line 406-258-3820 / https://missoulaeduplace.org/what-we-do/horticulture-agriculture/plant-clinic/pest-alerts.html
