There are several pest/disease which can affect plants – most are not of any great concern. The best way to fight pest/diseases is to grow hardy and pest-resistant plants.

For Australian natives:

• avoid high phosphorus fertilisers,
• be careful not to damage the main tap-root when initially planted,
• maintain good drainage and
• mulch regularly
• minimise water loss especially during hot weather

Plants should be checked for signs of pest and disease every fortnight during the establishment period and every three months after. Most plants suffer occasional damage from infestation or predation, and while some forms of damage are minimal and easily treated other may necessitate the removal of part or all of the affected plant.

The most common problems are caterpillars, scale, aphids, borers, thrip, leaf minor, wasp galls, root rot, rust, powdery mildew, damping off, slugs and snails

Pests can be separated into 2 main categories-borers and chewing grubs.

The most physically damaging predators are the borers which are the larvae of beetles or moths. They bore into the stems or branches of a wide range o trees and shrubs which can severely weaken the stem if the borer tunnels down the centre of the stem. A badly affected section will need to be cut off or the plant should be replaced.

Infestations usually occur during summer and autumn.

There are many sucking, chewing and infecting insects, depending on the type of predator; there are many commercially available products such as white oil that will treat a wide range of these. If found on a plant, a sample should be taken to a nursery for identification to ensure signs are evident, a sample of the plant and surrounding soil should be tested to determine if there is disease or non-visible signs of infestation.