You’ve been carefully tending your tomatoes dreaming of the day that you’ll be able to pick that plump red globe and savor the fruit. But alas, when you go to pick it, you see a big chunk missing, like someone took a bite out of it while on the vine. There are a few possibilities, …
Bats. Their mere mention evokes visions of silent, blood-sucking creatures that haunt the night skies or so the scary movies would have us believe. Centuries of superstition and misinformation have landed the furry, winged mammals with the undeserved reputation of nighttime villain. T’aint so. Overall, bats provide positive benefits to the environment – consuming huge …
Shy and misunderstood, bats are a benefit to the gardener Read More »
Hot, dry and dusty are pretty typical outdoor conditions for this time of year. The last rains were months ago; late summer and early fall often features toasty daytime temperatures with low relative humidity. Most people, plants and animals don’t prefer it, but it’s ideal for pesky spider mites. More than 200 different plant species, …
The pocket gopher is named for the external, fur-lined check pouches the little pests use to carry food to their storage area. These thick-bodied rodents range from six – twelve inches long and have small eyes and ears set back far on the head. Their exposed chisel-like teeth (that grow continuously nine to fourteen inches …
With the bounty of flowers blooming this time of year, you’re likely to spot one of the most helpful little critters in the garden, though you may not recognize her as such. What appears to be a small bee hovering like a tiny helicopter over Queen Anne’s Lace, but looks and may even sound like …
As we transition from spring to summer and temperatures climb, it’s mosquito season. Not only are these flying pests annoying, their bite can be anywhere from mildly irritating to seriously painful. AND they can transmit disease, so it’s a good idea to start with preventing them from breeding. Don’t let mosquitoes breed in your yard! …
Spiders get a bad rap; many people go to great lengths to get rid of them. Is it their other-worldly appearance? A concern about being bitten by a poisonous type or simply the idea of “creepy, crawling” things? Whatever the reason, before eliminating them, it’s good to understand the invaluable role they play keeping pest …
Snails and slugs love to eat plants with tender foliage and fruit. Favorites include seedlings and plants with succulent foliage; they seriously damage basil, beans, cabbage, lettuce, and many other vegetable plants along with dahlia, delphinium, hosta and marigold. Ripening fruits close to the ground like strawberries are easy targets. And they’ll climb trees to …
It’s the time of the year when roses, our national flower, put on a dazzling show, cloaking plants with brilliantly colored, sweet smelling blossoms. Are your plants bedecked with perfectly formed flowers, or by chance do you see what way too many gardeners do come June, roses with petals that resemble Swiss cheese, young buds …
Gorgeous roses are a wonderful addition to any garden. But throw in a few days of spring rain and voila, you might end up with nearly naked plants. This dramatic effect is likely a result of infection by either blackspot or rust, the gardener’s pestilence of wet spring or fall months. Effectively managing these invaders …
A dastardly duo of diseases that can plague your roses Read More »
