Pests, Diseases and Beneficials

The cover image featuring two photographs, the top photgraph of a green caterpillar on a green leaf, the bottom photograph of a brown bettle on a yell

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Friends and Foes of Australian Gardens

By: F David Hockings AM

eBook - March 2014 - eRetailers

Helps gardeners identify and deal with common insects and small animals that are found in every Australian garden.

Pests, Diseases and Beneficials helps gardeners to identify and deal with those common insects and small animals (such as bugs, beetles, caterpillars, thrips and mites) that are found in every Australian garden. + Full description

It offers clear descriptions and full colour images to aid in identifying insects or other organisms, and provides useful advice on how to recognise and treat problems. The book also covers feeding habits, life cycles and insect biology.

Based on the 1980 book Friends and Foes of Australian Gardens, this new work has been revised and expanded to include general garden situations as well as Australian native plants, and provides further information on plant diseases, harmless and beneficial fungi, bacteria and viruses, physiological disorders and problems caused by horticultural mismanagement.

- Short description

News

This title is no longer available in print format, but can still be purchased as an eBook.

Reviews

"This is a vital reference to gardeners"
Paul plant, Subtropical Gardening, May 2014

"This is a most useful, accurate and informative book, written in an easy style and backed up with hundreds of superb illustrations"
Tony Cavanagh, Growing Australian, June 2014

"This book is a must-buy for anyone who loves to garden, and wants to protect their plants from all the pests and diseases that can attack them, but also to be able to recognise the friendly creatures that help to protect them."
Jan Sked, SGAP Queensland Bulletin, pp 23-24, March 2014

"Hockings' rigorous science is very pleasingly packaged in his obvious delight, not just in gardens, but in the multitudinous world of creatures which share them"
Nick Goldie, Cooma-Monaro Express, March 20 2014

"You'll be fascinated by close-ups of shovel nose bug, stinkhorn fungus, broad mite and more.."
Grass Roots, Oct/Nov 2014

"I enjoyed reading this book and found the author's enthusiasm for his subject to be contagious: I want to become far more aware of all the creatures in my garden, and encourage the beneficial ones as much as I can"
Deirdre Mowat, iGarden, 2014

"This was the first book I turned to when I could not work out what critter was making the soft bubble-like galls infesting eucalypt leaves... It is a fantastic edition to the bookshelf for garden dwellers."
Stephani Grove, Land for Wildlife South East Queensland, October 2015, pp 13

Acknowledgements
Introduction

Friend or Foe
Classification - The Importance of Small Animals
Plant Damage - By Mouthparts, Egg laying, Bites and Stings
Plant Diseases and Useful, Harmless and Beneficial Organisms
Dealing with Pests and Diseases

Illustrations:
Pests Associated with Flowers, Fruit, Seeds, Leaves and Shoots
Less Harmful, Harmless and Beneficial Small Animals
Pests Associated with Twigs and Small Branches
Pests and Beneficial Animals Associated with Trunks and Main Branches
Pests Affecting Collars and Roots
Small Animals Associated with Soil, Compost and Shelter
Free Ranging Small Animals
Diseases affecting Garden Plants
Harmless and Beneficial Other Organisms and Specialised Roots and Bark
Parasitic Plants
Physiological Disorders
Horticultural Problems

Appendix I: Control Chart
Appendix II: Glossary
Index

Authors

F. David Hockings AM has been professionally involved in plant and general horticultural problem solving for more than 50 years. He has written books on related subjects, a newspaper column for several years and delivered numerous papers across Australia and overseas. He has lectured up to tertiary levels, conducted Adult Education courses and presented radio and TV programs. In 2007 he was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for his work in horticulture.