Recently I had the opportunity of conversing with a garden writer for one of the larger Pennsylvania daily papers. Needless to say he was a bit more organized than I will ever be. He was also quite willing to share some of his notes.

Today I will use part of his gardening calendar to write about an area of gardening that I often dream will disappear if I ignore it long enough. I'm talking about garden insect and fungal problems.

Personally, I'm on the slow side of average when it comes to sprinting for the sprayer when a problem appears. I also am quick to admit that I still scoff at the thought that you can grow every plant in our location without any spray.

Anyway, in August the chief insect problems are bagworms on evergreens mostly; scale on euonymus and magnolias; webworms on fruiting trees; spider mites on spruce, other evergreens and fruit trees and lace bugs on azaleas and pieris.

Last winter I noticed lots of bagworms on two blue spruce trees in the yard of my son's recently purchased house. Knowing that it was either they or the trees, I tackled them with summer oil and an insecticide in late June and scored nearly a perfect kill.

Meanwhile, seeing only a few bagworms on a row of evergreens in my own yard I ignored them. I came back from a lengthy wedding trip (not my wedding)) in late July to discover a major infestation, partly bagged already. Again I sprayed with no better than a fifty percent kill. Next year I have no choice.

If you see any bagworms now, plan to spray as they hatch in late June of 2006.

The other real villains on the above list are spider mites. To identify, look for nearly invisible moving red dots on the underside of the leaf. The other telltale signs are small traces of webbing and leaves losing their color. They thrive in hot, dry weather and are especially troublesome on plants on the sunny side of white walls.

The common insecticide, Sevin, is candy to spider mites. Don't use it on plants susceptible to mites. They are difficult to control.

Continue spraying roses and fruit trees. I love looking at roses in somebody else's garden but am not diligent enough with the sprayer to keep them happy in my garden. Fruit trees need regular attention. The critical time for fungus is at bloom and just before harvest. Insect control is most important in the spring.

Lilacs, dogwoods, phlox and bee balm are at the top of the list of plants susceptible to mildew. Select sites with good air circulation. Keep uniformly moist. There is some evidence that milky water provides control. Mildew won't significantly harm the plant. Finally spray if you can't stand the ugly.

In the vegetable garden remove diseased plants and practice sanitation. Fungicide spraying will prolong the life and production of vine crops and tomatoes, if you wish.

Before you spray, read the label and consult an established spray seller or talk to the people at the Master Gardener's Hotline in Lancaster at 394-6851. We shouldn't fear chemicals but should pause to consider the environment, our safety and the safety of others before we grab the sprayer.