It’s yard clean-up time – removing any remaining fruits and vegetables from the ground and trimming trees and shrubs that have dropped their leaves. Don’t remove everything – keep in mind what the natural enemies in the garden need, even during the winter: food, water, and shelter. Who are the natural enemies? They are the […]
Meet Some Natural Enemies Read More »
Have some houseplants that seem to be looking a little pale or notice some sticky stuff on your orchid? Take a closer look at your indoor greens and you may find something more than dust. If you see fluffy white material like tiny pieces of cotton nestled in the cracks and crevices of plant stems
Bugs on your houseplants? Read More »
Ticks are sucking insects that can live all year round in our mild climate. If you’re planning to do some hiking around the holidays, learn how to protect yourself from having one hitch a ride on you. If you do get bitten, here’s how to properly remove the tick. These insects are not only a
Avoid ticks when taking a hike Read More »
It’s National Spinach Month, and a good time to consider growing your own little crop of greens. This easy to grow plant is generally seeded directly into the ground, and not transplanted. Check out this video on planting and harvesting spinach. While the featured yard is in zone 5 versus our Marin zone 9, all
Snails and slugs can mow down your spinach Read More »
In our mild climate, fleas can be indoor and outdoor pests all year long. Find out if spot-on products are safe for your dogs and cats, and even your children. Keeping our furry friends free from itch-inducing fleas takes some planning and diligence. Learn more about Nontoxic Ways to Protect Your Pet.
Fleas got you or your pets down? Read More »
Mice can live just about anywhere, and they love our homes. Since they are mostly active at night, and the first thing you might see are signs of chewing, nesting, or droppings. Although they only live for a year or so, mice reproduce quickly. Prevention and early detection can keep damage from getting out of
No matter how hard you try, it’s pretty hard to keep all flies away from your house or yard. They’re generally a nuisance but can also spread disease so it’s a good idea to try to reduce they’re populations. House flies are generally found in greatest numbers during the hotter summer months. House flies are
Flies in the house? Read More »
Summer brings the peak of yummy fruit – plums, peaches, berries, apples and of course, tomatoes. These are some of the favored foods of rats, so be sure to clean up the garden if you’ve got any falling to the ground. Learn more about controlling these pesky critters without poison!
Just as you bite into that big, juicy apple, fresh off your tree, you catch sight of something that shouldn’t be there; that worm in the apple is no cute cartoon. Most likely it’s the larvae of the codling moth, a serious pest of apples that also attacks pears and walnuts. This insect pest can
A Worm in the Apple Read More »
Easily recognized for their rather ethereal beauty, the “dragon” portion of their name comes from their fierce jaws that they use to catch their flying prey. The “fly” portion of their name is apt – they are the world’s fastest insects, capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 mph. Dragonflies and their smaller counterparts,
These ancient, elegant insects are a bane to mosquitos Read More »
