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name: pest-disease-tracker description: Track garden pests and diseases with treatments. Identify problems, track treatments, and monitor effectiveness. Use when dealing with garden pests, plant diseases, or treatment planning. Security: file exports restricted to safe directories. Perfect for home gardeners and small farmers managing plant health.

Pest & Disease Tracker

Track and manage garden pests and diseases with treatment tracking.

Quick Start

Add a pest or disease

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

Record treatment

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

List all issues

pest_tracker.py list

Show problem details

pest_tracker.py show "<id>"

Search issues

pest_tracker.py search "<query>"

Get treatment recommendations

pest_tracker.py recommend "<problem>"

Export data

pest_tracker.py export "<output_file>"

Usage Patterns

For pest identification and tracking

# 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

# 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

# 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

# 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

# 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

# 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!