In the realm of vegetable gardening — or any type of gardening for that matter — we’ll do whatever it takes to keep our green babies growing. We’ll mulch, fertilize, and water our gardens, and practice weed and pest control.…
Ants serve many vital functions in the environment. They pollinate plants, redistribute seeds, aerate the soil, and clear away decaying debris, dead insects, and small mammals. But this isn’t much of a comfort when you find them all through your…
Picture the shock of finding your painstakingly tendered flowers and veggies, once the pride of your backyard, are now riddled with misshapen holes, thanks to the relentless onslaught of one of gardening’s most notorious enemies — slugs. These silent invaders…
A sandbox can add some flair to any backyard, especially during the warmer months of the year when you may spend more time in your garden. However, while it can be exciting to use, pesky bugs can sometimes worm their…
Finding a natural way to rid your home of pests is always preferred over using chemical pesticides where you, your family, and your pets breathe in the air. Spiders are household invaders that most people don’t want lurking around their…
Gardenia’s satiny white aromatic inflorescence has many wrapped around its petals. Unfortunately, like gardeners, pests find them irresistible, harboring in the flowers and foliage every chance they get, damaging and destroying them. Aphids, particularly their melon (Aphis gossypii) and green…
You may have come across online sources suggesting the use of citronella oil or candles to repel cockroaches. It’s an interesting proposition, especially when you delve into the scientific backing behind it. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Oil of Citronella fact sheet categorizes…
Japanese beetles are an invasive species of insect that occupy most of the eastern United States. These pests feed on over 300 types of plants, including basil, marigold, soybean, raspberry, rose, hollyhock, grape, and various fruit trees. While the adult…
While most quality supermarkets now carry fresh organic herbs, there’s something incredibly satisfying about eating plants that we’ve nurtured and grown at home. And, even though we love buying organic, any produce that’s been carefully cultivated to qualify as organic…
Chiggers are tiny red mites in the arachnid family, closely related to spiders and ticks. You may also hear chiggers referred to as berry bugs, bush-mites, or red bugs. Chiggers tend to be at their worst during the summer, when they…