On July 22nd, relax in the shade and enjoy National Hammock Day. These portable, comfortable slings create excellent napping spaces no matter where you are! Dating back thousands of years to Central America where hammocks protected people from creatures and dirt. The netted bed was introduced in Europe when explorers brought it back in the […]
Stretch Out in a Hammock! Read More »
Ever heard of kudzu vine? It’s often referred to as “the invasive vine that ate the south” and the “mile-a-minute” plant. Once established, kudzu grows at a rate of one foot per day with mature vines growing up to 100 feet long. We have a smaller, somewhat less aggressive type of weed – field bindweed.
Bindweed is a Really Nasty Weed Read More »
Admiring the new tender foliage on your potatoes or other edibles, you may notice pin point holes in the leaves. On closer inspection you see a tiny little black bug jump straight up! You may have some flea beetles in your veggie garden. Being less than 1/10 inch long, and jumping like fleas when disturbed,
Holes in your Vegetable Leaves? Read More »
Commonly called the tree of heaven, this invasive plant is anything but! Also referred to as Chinese sumac, Ailanthus altissima is a highly invasive tree in California. It can grow three feet a year, cloning itself via underground suckers or through the hundreds of thousands of seeds each tree produces every year. This notorious plant
Not really a Heavenly Tree Read More »
May 29 is National Learn About Composting Day! Composting converts kitchen and garden green waste into garden gold. It’s an environmentally safe fertilizer that can do SO MANY THINGS! Start your learning here ………. It’s pretty easy to compost these days. If you don’t have space to create your own compost bin, local sanitation companies
Learn about Composting Read More »
Those leaves with the striking green and yellow marbled pattern you spy on the branch of your neighbor’s apple tree may look like a cool new designer variety, but don’t be fooled. More than likely, it’s the result of a mosaic virus. Viruses cause many important plant diseases and are responsible for huge losses in
Mosaic Virus – Good or Bad? Read More »
Carpenter ants are among the largest ants in North America with workers of some species being up to one-half inch long. They don’t consume wood like termites but excavate it to make their nests, which in large colonies can consist of an extensive network of galleries and tunnels that often start in an area where
Is it a Carpenter Ant or Termite? Read More »
May is National Strawberry Month. Fresh strawberries are one of the most popular and refreshing treats anywhere. Healthy too! And perfect for everything from cheesecake to mojitos to jam. Grown in all fifty states, their peak season lasts from April through June. Just like growing your own tomatoes, there’s nothing quite like having your
It’s National Strawberry Month! Read More »
It’s spring, and your yard is bursting with new plant growth. Along with billowing flowers and new foliage on trees and shrubs come unwanted bugs that may multiply rapidly if not kept in check. One of the easiest ways to prevent significant damage is to use Mother Nature’s pest managers – the natural enemies! Also
Meet the Natural Enemies Read More »
Are your roses sporting new leaves that glisten in the sunlight and are slightly sticky to the touch? See a trail of ants crawling up the trunk of your plum tree? How about powdery black stuff on your camellia bush or the garden furniture next to it? All are indicators that sucking insects may have
Protect your Plants from Sucking Pests Read More »
