Those aren’t little white flowers on your woody perennials and shrubs. Look closer. What is it? It’s not a flower, it looks and feels like a wad of spit!
That would be the cocoon for the aptly named spittlebug. What’s a gardener to do about this pest which can be found throughout North America?

America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture professor, Debbie Flower tackles that and more of your yuck-inducing garden questions, including: should you eat green potatoes? Why does my boxwood shrub smell like cat urine? What is all this white mold around the roots of my plants?
It’s all in today’s episode, number 275, Spittlebugs and More of Your Questions.
We’re podcasting from Barking Dog Studios here in the beautiful Abutilon Jungle in Suburban Purgatory. It’s the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots and Dave Wilson Nursery. Let’s go!
Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Transcripts and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout

Pictured:  spittlebug cocoon on rosemary

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July 21, 2023 Newsletter: Droopy Leaves vs Heat

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Flashback Episode: 266 Cucumber Basics

See You at Harvest Day, Saturday Aug. 5

Herbicide Damage of Boxwoods (U. of Minn)

Spittlebugs (UCANR)

Meet the Beneficial Insects poster

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