Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Spring Bulbs
It is time to order your spring flowering bulbs. Early birds have already taken advantage of summer sales and free shipping, but it is not too late!
For the best quality bulbs, order from catalogs specially geared toward flowering bulbs. Local hardware stores and garden centers, as well as the big box retailers will sell some bulbs, and they might be cheap, but they …
Organic Ant Control
Ants are part of the garden. They help decompose organic material. They can also bite, sting and devour a wood frame house. If you have a couple ant colonies and they are doing no harm, leave them be. Think of them as nature’s cleaning maids. However, if ants take control of the garden and raid your kitchen, or …
Garden Insects In Winter.
Many people ask me how do most insects manage to live through the winter in cold or freezing sections of the country?
A few garden bugs are able to migrate to warmer climates, but most of these cold-bloodied creatures must adjust to freezing temperatures -or die. Specially endowed insects like the cinch bug produce an anti-freeze chemical that keeps their insides from turning to ice. Others calmly freeze without injury and await …
Insect Repellents
I will list some of the Insect Repellents that may help you to ward them off when they are active..
All-Purpose Repellants.
Anise.
Anise is a good insect repellant for a variety of pests Many gardeners report less of a problem with aphids, fleas,and cabbage pests when Anise is planted nearby.
Catnip
Catnip deters many pests , such as Colorado potato beetles darkling beetles,flea beetles, japanese beetles, squash bugs,
weevils and the biggest pest of all ANTS!
You will only have …
Animal Pests
Four- footed creatures and birds can cause more damage in many gardens in rural areas, than insects. They can ruin your garden or landscape overnight, eating anything from apples to zinnias. Most animal pests feed at night, so you may have to search for signs such as destroyed plants,tracks, tunnels, or any other signs that would tell you who the culprits might be.
Try and identify the pest. Tracks are often a good clue to their …
Deer Repellant.
Try these organic methods for repelling deer.
For minor deer-damage problems ,buy soap bars in bulk and hang them from strings in the trees. Or nail each bar to a 4″ stake and drive the stakes at 15′ intervals along the perimeter of the area.
Some gardeners report that human hair is an effective repellent. Ask your hairdresser to save hair for you to collect each week. Put a handful of hair in a net or mesh …
