Earth Day is April 22, with this year’s theme, Invest in our Planet. Since the first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, it has generated public support for the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Check out […]
Earth Day 2022 – Take Action! Read More »
You’ve got weeds taking over your yard, and you’re about to pull out the weed killer spray to knock them down. Before you do: Stop. Before taking any action. Think. What do you know, and should you know about this product? Before using any pesticide it’s a good idea to understand the product and any
Managing weeds safely Read More »
You don’t need a calendar to know that it’s spring. Signs of the season abound as bulbs pierce the ground with vibrant bouquets and trees and shrubs begin to flower. New foliage erupts from the bare branches and slender stems of prized fruit trees creating visions of bountiful crops, fresh peach pie, baked pears, or
Curly foliage is not what you want on your peach tree! Read More »
What in the world is garden sanitation? It’s simply the removal of plant material that can harbor pests and disease. By removing debris from your garden, you reduce the ability for pests and pathogens to negatively impact your garden next spring. Remove all badly diseased or pest infested plants, trash, weeds, and dying plant parts.
Clean up to Prevent Garden Problems Read More »
It’s cold and wet out there, and just as we want to stay dry and cozy indoors, so do rats! When temperatures get low and food gets scarce, rats need to find a way to stay warm and survive the winter. They are excellent at digging. They’ll look for a structure like a rock, wall,
Outsmart those Smart Rats! Read More »
Birds, bees, and butterflies as important pollinators. Did you know there are lots of other pollinators, like ants, beetles, moths, and even the wind? While often considered the ugly cousin of the butterfly, moths are not only beneficial pollinators, they’re often equally gorgeous! There are more species of moths in the U.S. than all the
Moths are Pollinators Too! Read More »
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) occurs December 14 to January 5 every year. The CBC is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society, with over 100 years of community science involvement. It is an early-winter bird census, where thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere go out
Christmas Bird Count Week Read More »
Neonicotinoids (commonly referred to as neonics) are the most widely used insecticides in the world, commonly used on farms, in our gardens, schools, and city landscapes. They are systemic insecticides – they are absorbed into plants and can be present in pollen and nectar, making them toxic to bees and many other beneficial insects. These
It’s National Fig Week – time to recognize this popular fruit that’s actually a little bundle of tiny flowers inside a small, thin sac. Most figs grown in home gardens are called common figs with varieties like ‘Brown Turkey’ and ‘Celeste’, and they’re self-pollinators. Figs lose their leaves each year and are easy to grow.
Keep Pests Away from your Figs Read More »
October 29 is National Cat Day. It was created by Colleen Paige in 2005 with a goal “To help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year and also to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their lives for the unconditional love and companionship they
What is National Cat Day? Read More »
