Pest & Disease Tracker

Identify, track, and manage garden pests and diseases, log treatments, monitor effectiveness, and get tailored control recommendations for home gardeners and...

Track and manage garden pests and diseases with treatment tracking.

Quick Start

Add a pest or disease

bash

pest_tracker.py add --type "pest" --name "aphids" --plants "tomatoes,peppers"

Record treatment

bash

pest_tracker.py treat "<id>" --method "<method>" --product "<product>" --notes "<notes>"

List all issues

bash

pest_tracker.py list

Show problem details

bash

pest_tracker.py show "<id>"

Search issues

bash

pest_tracker.py search "<query>"

Get treatment recommendations

bash

pest_tracker.py recommend "<problem>"

Export data

bash

pest_tracker.py export "<output_file>"

Usage Patterns

For pest identification and tracking

bash

# Add pest sightings
pest_tracker.py add --type "pest" --name "aphids" --plants "tomatoes" --severity "moderate"
pest_tracker.py add --type "pest" --name "slugs" --plants "lettuce,hostas" --severity "high"

# Get treatment recommendations
pest_tracker.py recommend "aphids"
# Output: Neem oil, insecticidal soap, ladybugs

# Record treatments
pest_tracker.py treat <id> --method "spray" --product "neem oil" --notes "Apply in evening, reapply in 7 days"
pest_tracker.py treat <id> --method "natural" --product "ladybugs" --notes "Released 100 ladybugs"

For disease management

bash

# Add diseases
pest_tracker.py add --type "disease" --name "early blight" --plants "tomatoes" --severity "critical"
pest_tracker.py add --type "disease" --name "powdery mildew" --plants "squash" --severity "moderate"

# Get treatment options
pest_tracker.py recommend "early blight"
# Output: Copper fungicide, remove affected leaves, improve air circulation

# Track treatment effectiveness
pest_tracker.py treat <id> --method "remove" --product "fungicide" --status "effective"

For preventive planning

bash

# Document common issues in your garden
pest_tracker.py add --type "pest" --name "cucumber beetles" --plants "cucumbers,melons" --severity "low" --notes "Prevent with row covers"

# Set up prevention schedule
pest_tracker.py recommend "cucumber beetles"
# Output: Row covers, beneficial nematodes, crop rotation

Problem Types

Common Pests

• Aphids - Small sap-suckers, distort new growth
• Slugs - Eat leaves, leave slime trails
• Caterpillars - Eat foliage and fruit
• Cucumber Beetles - Chew leaves, spread wilt disease
• Japanese Beetles - Skeletonize leaves
• Squash Bugs - Pierce stems, cause wilting
• Spider Mites - Webbing, yellow stippling
• Thrips - Scarring, distorted growth
• Whiteflies - Yellow leaves, sticky honeydew

Common Diseases

• Early Blight - Dark spots on tomatoes
• Late Blight - White fuzzy growth
• Powdery Mildew - White powdery coating
• Downy Mildew - Yellow patches, purple growth
• Blossom End Rot - Blossoms fall off
• Verticillium Wilt - Plants wilt and die
• Bacterial Spot - Water-soaked spots
• Anthracnose - Sunken lesions

Treatment Recommendations

Organic/Natural Treatments

• Neem Oil - Broad-spectrum insecticide, safe for beneficials
• Insecticidal Soap - Kills soft-bodied insects on contact
• Diatomaceous Earth - Mechanical insect control
• Bacillus thuringiensis - Bt for caterpillars
• Copper Fungicide - Organic disease control
• Sulfur Fungicide - Powdery mildew control
• Compost Tea - Boosts plant immunity
• Beneficial Insects - Ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps
• Barriers - Row covers, collars, netting

Chemical Treatments

• Pyrethrin - Synthetic insecticide
• Imidacloprid - Systemic insecticide
• Chlorothalonil - Broad-spectrum fungicide
• Mancozeb - Multi-site fungicide
• Captan - Seed treatment and fungicide

Always follow label directions and safety precautions.

Severity Levels

Level	Description	Action Timeline
low	Minor annoyance, limited damage	Treat within 7 days
moderate	Noticeable damage, spreading	Treat within 3-5 days
high	Significant damage, severe impact	Treat within 1-2 days
critical	Plant death or total crop loss	Treat immediately

Examples

Aphid outbreak on tomatoes

bash

# Add the problem
pest_tracker.py add --type "pest" --name "aphids" --plants "tomatoes" --severity "high" \
  --notes "Found on new growth, honeydew present"

# Get treatment options
pest_tracker.py recommend "aphids"
# Output: Neem oil, insecticidal soap, ladybugs, strong water spray

# Apply treatment
pest_tracker.py treat <id> --method "spray" --product "neem oil" \
  --notes "Spray every 2-3 days for 2 weeks, apply in evening"

Early blight on tomatoes

bash

# Add disease
pest_tracker.py add --type "disease" --name "early blight" --plants "tomatoes" --severity "critical" \
  --notes "Found on lower leaves, rainy weather, needs immediate action"

# Get recommendations
pest_tracker.py recommend "early blight"
# Output: Copper fungicide, remove affected leaves, improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering

# Apply treatment
pest_tracker.py treat <id> --method "remove" --product "copper fungicide" \
  --notes "Applied fungicide, removed worst leaves, spaced plants for airflow"

Slug problem on lettuce

bash

# Add pest
pest_tracker.py add --type "pest" --name "slugs" --plants "lettuce,hostas" --severity "moderate" \
  --notes "Slime trails visible, holes in leaves"

# Get options
pest_tracker.py recommend "slugs"
# Output: Beer traps, diatomaceous earth, copper tape, beneficial nematodes

# Set up traps
pest_tracker.py treat <id> --method "traps" --product "beer traps" \
  --notes "Set up 5 beer traps around bed, check daily"

Search Features

• Search by problem name
• Filter by type (pest/disease)
• Search by affected plants
• View treatment history
• Track treatment effectiveness

Security

Path Validation

The export function validates output paths to prevent malicious writes:

• ✅ Allowed: ~/.openclaw/workspace/, /tmp/, and home directory
• ❌ Blocked: System paths (/etc/, /usr/, /var/, etc.)
• ❌ Blocked: Sensitive dotfiles (~/.bashrc, ~/.ssh, etc.)

Data Storage

• Pest data stored in: ~/.openclaw/workspace/pest_tracker_db.json
• Each problem tracks: type, name, affected plants, severity, treatments, status
• Treatment history includes: method, product, date, effectiveness, notes
• JSON format makes it easy to backup or migrate

Best Practices

1. Identify early - Treat problems before they spread
2. Monitor regularly - Check plants daily during growing season
3. Use IPM - Integrated Pest Management combines methods for best results
4. Document treatments - Track what worked and what didn't
5. Prevent first - Barriers and beneficials reduce need for treatments
6. Rotate treatments - Prevent pest resistance
7. Follow labels - Chemical treatments need proper application
8. Improve conditions - Many problems thrive in stressed plants

Prevention Tips

Prevent Pests

• Crop rotation - Breaks pest life cycles
• Barriers - Row covers, netting, collars
• Beneficial insects - Ladybugs, lacewings, praying mantises
• Clean garden - Remove debris that harbors pests
• Companion planting - Repel pests with specific plants

Prevent Diseases

• Water correctly - Avoid wetting foliage
• Improve airflow - Space plants properly, prune regularly
• Clean tools - Disinfect between plants
• Use disease-resistant varieties - When available
• Sanitize soil - Solarization, crop rotation

Related Skills

• plant-tracker - Track individual plants and care schedules
• seasonal-planting-guide - What to plant when, by zone
• garden-layout-planner - Design gardens with companion planting

Use together for complete garden management!