With cooler damper weather comes the potential for disease in the garden. Are you seeing spots or brown soggy patches on petals of your favorite camellia blooms? It may be camellia petal blight, a fungal disease that affects all cultivars of Camellia japonica. Infection initially causes small, brown, irregularly shaped blotches in petals that enlarge […]
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Fall is for planting! And no better time to add some native plants to your garden. Why natives? There are lots of reasons including conserving water, reducing chemical usage (no pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers are needed with natives) and encouraging wildlife. Want a colorful garden and don’t think you can do it with mostly natives?
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October is Bat Appreciation Month. So, why would a whole month be devoted to these odd-looking creatures? It has nothing to do with Halloween or vampires. It’s more about getting to know these mysterious flying superheroes that help our environment, and aren’t as scary as you might think. Often having the undeserved reputation of nighttime
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Thursday, September 22 is the autumnal equinox, astronomically the day when the sun crosses the celestial equator heading south. From this point until the first day of winter, days will get shorter. The time of the year usually ushers in cooler weather, which is a good reminder to start cleaning up the garden. Referred to
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Think you might have a rat problem? The pitter-patter of little feet across the roof at dusk or dawn, birdseed that disappears overnight, holes in food packaging, chewed electrical wires, or trails of large comma-shaped droppings – all are indicators of rats. As they’re generally creatures of the night, staying hidden to avoid predators, if
Want to kick the chemicals? One BIG way to reduce the use of insecticides through biological control. Simply put, it’s a pest management strategy that enhances the role of natural enemies, reduces reliance on pesticides, and helps to protect the environment, people, pets, and wildlife. One of the key steps is to encourage natural enemies,
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National Water Quality Month in August reminds us that it takes much more than just turning on the tap to guarantee clean, drinkable water. Depending on where we live, the amount of water, usage, population and treatment facilities available vary. Protecting our water resources and educating ourselves about water quality is an important goal of
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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
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National Pollinator Week this year is June 17 – 23. It’s an annual event celebrated internationally in support of pollinator health, to celebrate pollinators, and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. Pollinator Week was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership, and fourteen years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval
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It’s summertime, a busy time for travel. One thing you don’t want to experience on your trip is bedbugs – those small, wingless insects that feed on blood, causing itchy bites, and generally irritating their human hosts. While the EPA, CDC, and the USDA all consider bed bugs a public health pest, bed bugs are
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