There are many reasons to make your yard and garden more welcoming to birds. But here’s one more: pest control. Most backyard birds eat a combination of seeds, berries and insects. A rose-breasted grosbeak There are many reasons to make your yard and garden more welcoming to birds. But here’s one more: pest control. Most backyard birds eat a combination of seeds, berries and insects. But in late spring and early summer, birds a…
…ter. About 2,500 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever are reported each year; although it can make you feel very sick and complications can occur if left untreated, fewer than one in 200 cases are fatal. In contrast, almost 30,000 cases of Lyme disease were reported in 2010. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, sometimes called deer ticks. These ticks are tiny (between the…
…mal DNA. Many Americans are concerned about the negative effects of GMO use on the agricultural economy and small-scale and organic farming. Surveys show a wide majority of Americans support mandatory labeling. At least 21 countries and the European Union have established some form of mandatory labeling. Mandatory labeling will allow consumers to identify food products they want to avoid. So why not label? Well, here are some of the argu…
Organic Bed Bug Spray works with clove and peppermint oils. Also available: Organic Bed Bug Spray Travel Pack. Back when I was a kid, bedbugs were relegated to quaint good-night rituals. These nocturnal noshers were pretty much eradicated in the developed world by the 1940s. No one can say for sure why, but there’s been a rising incidence of bedbugs since the mid 1990s. Some people attribute it to an increase in international travel; othe…
If you want to attract butterflies, it’s important to think about caterpillars. My favorites, the moths, begin life as caterpillars, too. Start by choosing plants that will provide food for the hatching caterpillars. This is a promethea moth (woodland moth) that I raised from an egg. The caterpillar of the promethea moth. A luna moth that I raised from an egg. If you have gardening questions, we’ve got answers. Just fil…
A top-quality hose is a worthwhile investment. It ensures that you can get the job done efficiently and with ease. These sturdy hoses are made of rubber and have metal fittings. The hot weather this summer has meant lots of watering. I recently spent most of a day going to my landscape clients to make sure their gardens and new plantings were well-watered. Using timers, sprinklers, soakers and hundreds of feet of hose, I had four new garden…
When you go out to the garden, express your sense of style — and get the job done. The Real Deal Hat, made from recycled canvas truck tarps. Inside the hat, it says, ” … don’t take care of this hat; it will take care of you. There is nothing you can do to this hat that hasn’t been done before …” Me in my pinch-front hat. Detail on the Real Deal Hat Zombie-killer Woody Harrelson in the Real Deal Hat….
New residents fill contact center with excitement. One of the immature mantids. It was a frosty January morning when I arrived at my desk in the Gardener’s Supply call center to find a small box and a note. The box contained about 15 praying mantid egg cases; the note read: “These came in unsolicited; we thought of you. —Your friends in the Merchandising Department.” Thank goodness I had a net enclosure to put the cases…
…makes it easy to create a customized, efficient watering system. Water slowly, so it soaks in rather than running off. Soaker hoses and a water timer make it easy to apply a deep, thorough soaking. Apply mulch. A 2″ to 3″ layer of bark mulch, shredded leaves or pine straw helps conserve moisture and insulates the soil, keeping it cooler than exposed soil. Apply mulch to the soil in container plantings, too. Stop fertilizing. Feeding…
…e butcher may grind it for you, if you ask. 2. Heat the ground suet slowly in a heavy pan until it’s melted. You may want to do this outdoors to keep the greasy smell out of your house, or run the exhaust fan over the stove. 3. Strain the liquid fat through cheesecloth to remove all the solid bits and then allow it to cool. 4. Melt and strain it a second time. This step hardens the suet to the right consistency and improves its shelf life. 5. A…