It was a very mild winter. We had very few days below freezing and the only snow we got was a few flakes while the new roof was being put on. So it was predictable that we might see a few troublesome pests when spring came around.
The first sign was in the greenhouse where we saw more than a few aphids and the ants that tend to accompany them. It turns out that the ants are effectively ranching the aphids. They basically maintain them as a herd and can even control aspects of their reproductive process and suppress the development of wings. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071009212548.htm
I treated the non-edible plants that they were accumulating on and within a few days they were gone, However, I know how much aphids love cilantro and we have a bit of it in the greenhouse as well, so I am watching the situation.
Next, shortly after planting some radishes in a raised bed we had used last year, we noticed the leaves were being eaten off of them as soon as they emerged from the ground. I suspected snails because we have a *lot of snails. However, I went out to the garden after dark and didn’t see snails; instead, I found grubs eating the leaves.
This was a surprise. They are called cutworms, and they would grow into moths. I’ve been finding these guys in the yard whenever I weed or dig up sod. They live just a few inches below the soil. I managed to pull three of them from the bed over the course of two nights and the problem seems to have been stopped.
In addition to the animal pests, we have found nightshade in the raspberry patch as well as a little bit of Italian arum there as well. With any luck we got them before they established themselves.