Plant Gardens 101

Insects can cause a lot of damage to your garden or lawn. They are one of the worst kinds of pest that exist. Fortunately, there are several methods that you can employ to protect your garden or lawn from the insects. These ways for insect pest control include use of chemicals or use of organic methods to drive away these insects. These insects may be beneficial in some way to nature, but they are surely harmful for your gardens and lawns on which you may have spent a lot of time and effort. You should implement these various methods to get rid of these insects as diligently as you have planted your garden.

There are several methods available to get rid of these pests. However, you should ensure that the methods that you employ for insect pest control do not harm you as well. The use of chemicals in the form of pesticides may result in various kinds of diseases in your family. They might be effective in removing the pests, but they will harm your family in the process as well. Boric acid is a good pesticide that is a chemical that is used to repel insects. It is not as harmful as the other chemical pesticides and it is quite effective in getting rid of insects too. (more…)

Pest control must be done with utmost consideration to safety; safety in terms of the plants, animals and humans. This holds especially true for those with vegetable and organic gardens.

The main purpose of growing vegetables organically will be defeated if they become tainted with pest control chemicals.

Here are a few long-term maintenance tips to make pest control less damaging and more environmentally friendly.

1. Use the physical pest control process.
This may be accomplished through picking grubs off by hand, creating barriers and traps and plugging holes. Snails can be found hiding in damp places under rocks and towrds the base of those plants with straplike foliage. (more…)

Have you ever gone out to admire your beautifully growing garden and found yourself horrified by holes covering the green leaves and a silver, tell-tale trail left behind? Of course, the silvery trail lets you know that your garden has been violated by the slimiest, most disgusting, plant-damaging pests around, slugs, and they will undoubtedly return now that they have found your amply set green table of garden foliage goodness to feed their repulsive bellies with. The question is, of course, how do you make sure the next visit is their very last? You are certainly not growing your beautiful garden for their benefit and need to make sure they do not continue wrecking havoc on your lovely green space.

Slugs do their worst at night, because their slimy wet skin is delicate and sunlight can dry them out easily. Because of this, waterings in the late evening, though assuring penetration into your garden by the water, are a “no-no” when it comes to slugs as it only attracts them more. Also, it is better that you attach a “soaker” hose nozzle to your hose reel as it allows you to have better control of exactly where your water goes. In this manner, you can be sure not to leave little puddles of water in unnoticed places where slugs tend to congregate. (more…)

Floods can be hazardous to human and animal lives and cause extensive, costly damage to land and property. As delightful as it to think that flooding at least rids us of unwanted pests in and around our homes, the opposite is true.

There are many pests that breed and thrive in flooded areas. They often use the excessive moisture provided by flooding along the banks of rivers and lakes and small pools of standing water to lay eggs in, and to incubate large colonies of larvae until they hatch.

Some pests don’t like living in flooded areas, but they are quite resilient, and even intelligent in their ability to mobilize in rapid fashion and move away from threats such as flooding. Ants for example can relocate a whole colony to a dryer area in mere hours. They are especially adept at making themselves at home- inside your home. (more…)

Pests are a problem in many gardens and can ruin your flower bed or a good crop of vegetables. When dealing with pests, and especially in vegetable gardens, you want to use methods that are safe for both plants and humans. Since avoiding the use of harsh chemicals for pest control is a good idea all around, here’s some tips on some gentler methods of getting rid of garden pests.

Physical Pest Control
Time consuming but very natural, this method consists of many things you can physically do to control bugs and other pests. Picking grubs off by hand, creating barriers and traps and plugging holes. If snails are a problem, look for them hiding in damp places under rocks and near the base of those plants with straplike foliage.

Biological Pest Control
Get rid of pests by inviting insects in that eat them! Encouraging predatory insects such as dragonflies and green lacewings into your garden can help in your pest control efforts as they eat aphids and other pests that attack your plants. So how do you attract them? Try simply placing a shallow bowl of water in the garden. Dragonflies especially love water and will hover around it. Bacterial insecticides such as B. thuringiensis can also be used against caterpillars. (more…)

The main reason for the bad rap is the same as the one in the medical field: over use. Just as it was over use of Penicillin by doctors in the U.S., people in general tend to think that “more is better” in the case of chemical pesticides too. So now the pendulum seems to be swinging to the other extreme in our society, and it’s all or nothing – so going 100% green and chemical free is the latest and greatest cure all to stop garden pests.

The good news for those who are frustrated or confused is that there are ways to use chemicals responsibly with minimal impact on ourselves and our environment.

The fact is Chinch bugs, Borers, Caterpillars and many other pests can and do wreak havoc in our lawn and garden environments. Go Green as we may, without some carefully applied pesticides, those pests can take a big bite out of not just your gardens and foliage, but the agricultural and flower industries as a whole. How about a plate of lettuce with worms or a bouquet of chewed flowers, a kitchen over run by ants and roaches! How about a favorite Live Oak that once shaded your home but now has to be taken down because borers have destroyed it? (more…)

The Carib Grackle is a member of the Oriole family and is commonly known as simply a “Blackbird”. It is also called the Lesser Antillean Grackle, while its Latin Name is Quiscalus lugubris. It is a glossy black bird with a long slender curved black bill. The iris of the eye is yellowish white and the tail is long and keel shaped (“V” shaped). Females are slightly larger and less glossy while juveniles are dull brown with dark brown eyes. The size of the adult is between 28-34 cm (11-13 in) and the weight is between 74-142 g (2.61-5.01 ounces). This grackle is found throughout the islands of the Lesser Antilles, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Brazil. It is closely related to, but smaller than, the Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger) that is found on the islands of the Greater Antilles. It is similar in appearance to the male Shiny Cowbird with the difference being the shape of the bill and the colour of the iris.

The Carib Grackle is common resident of all the countries in its range and is generally observed in groups. It is a noisy bold bird that spends a large amount of time strutting on the ground with its head held high. It is almost omnivorous eating fruits, insects, seeds, frogs, lizards, snails and discarded human food such as bread, beans, french fries and meat. The combination of its boldness and eating habits has resulted in this bird being very common around human habitation and is seen in household gardens, parks, open-air restaurants, shopping mall parking lots etc. (more…)

This is a timeless struggle between the Gardener and Nature’s creatures.

Rabbits, Deer, Chipmunks, Squirrels, Gophers, Moles, Voles and Ground Hogs are probably our biggest challenge in the vegetable and flower garden world. Following are a few easy tips on how to get rid of these pests:

There are all natural repellents such as ShakeAway, Liquid Fence, Deer Away and Critter Ridder. These all-natural repellents all work well and all work in different ways.

Shake Away is a granular Predator Urine product. This is a fantastic product. It creates the scent of predators such as fox, coyote and bobcat. They will not wash away in the rain and do not evaporate. They are not messy or highly stinky, like their liquid counterparts. They even have one for cats. (more…)

The following insects have made it to the Rose Garden’s Ten Most Wanted list. Read carefully so you can identify them and eradicate them from your garden.

1. Aphids

Aphids top this list because they are the most frequent rose pest. They love to nestle into the buds and shoots of rose bushes. While low to moderate levels of aphids will not do much harm to your roses, you need to keep an eye on how they spread. High numbers of aphids will produce a lot of honeydew. This substance encourages mold growth and will eventually cause your rose leaves to blacken. You may notice that your flowers shrink in size and the buds may even be killed. Lady beetles and syrphid flies are the natural enemies to aphids and will keep the population under control. You can also spray the plant with water or insecticidal soap. Aphids are usually a problem during spring and early summer. Unless you have a really heavy infestation, it is uncommon to have to use insecticides against them.

2. Spider Mites

If you notice your rose leaves are stippled or dried up and dropping to the ground, you may be infested with spider mites. These little insects are so tiny you may need a magnifying glass to see them. They like dry, dusty conditions. You can control spider mites by providing a little more water to your roses to cut down on dust. (more…)

It is not only important to get rid of pests from your garden, but it is also important to prevent them from destroying your garden. You can use chemicals in the form of pesticides to do this, but it may be as harmful to you as it is to the pests. It is also not good for the plants that grow in your garden. Using these chemicals has also been shown to be related to the cause of a number of diseases like Lymphoma, cancer, birth defects etc. These chemicals are also expensive. Hence using organic garden pest control strategies are beneficial for you and the plants.

One of the first steps you can take is using organic soil. Organic soil aids in the proper growth of plants and thus makes it better equipped to ward off the threats by your pests. You must use compost bins and compost pails, which is an integral part in organic garden pest control, which can be used to produce compost at home. There are several repellents that are good organic recipes for pest control like orange guard and organic insect killer repellent that can be used to kill or repel insects and bugs. These are non toxic in nature and provide effective results in killing or repelling the pests. (more…)

If your garden is not attacked by the pests, the gardening is easy. In fact, the gardening is not easy. There are a lot of factors that will harmful your garden. The most important factor is the pests.

The pests may be prevented by the garden cleanliness. Like the human, they will protect the illness by the healthful conditions.

You should to plan about “How to keeping the pests down?”. The earthworms will stir up the soil. This makes the soil to contact the water and air for all times. The insect is the best feed of the bird. Some insects will harmful the other insects, too. The toads are the wonderful insect hunter. They will eat a lot of small insects all day. They are the best friend of your garden. (more…)

Are you frustrated with deer defoliating your prized plants overnight? Are you ready to learn about some products that others have used that really do work ?

This summer we have tested some products that our local garden center and some catalogs offered to see which deer resistant products worked and which ones didn’t. The following are the deer deterrents that we tried and the results.

The first product we used was Liquid Fence. This is a natural deer and rabbit repellent. It is true what the cover states… “It really works.” Clark Kaskie , the inventor of Liquid Fence, developed this product out of frustration of having his plants eaten by all types of critters. After trying many different kinds of homemade remedies and expensive over the counter products, he decided to make his own repellent. Being a chemical engineer for over 60 years gave him a good idea of where to start. He knew he wanted it to be both environmentally safe and safe for the animals. After a few years of experimenting, he came up with this solution. His friends and wife tried it and told him that it worked “just like a liquid fence,” so that’s what he named it. All you do is spray the liquid liberally onto plants and their perimeter during a dry period. Repeat the process 1 week later and then approximately once per month thereafter. If areas where feeding pressure from deer and rabbits is intense, he suggests spraying it once a week for 3 weeks and then about once per month after that. You are really “training” the deer and rabbits to stay away. We found that this product smells pretty bad when you first apply it, but it really does work. We had some coneflowers that the rabbits where nipping at the stems. After applying this as directed, the nibbling stopped. We also had success with using it on our hibiscus trees and other annuals, perennials, as well as our gourds. (more…)

Many diseases that roses get are caused by fungus that attacks your roses. However, I do have some good news for you, no matter what kind of fungi is damaging your roses the treatments are all pretty much the same.

There are many things you can do to keep the fungi away from your roses and to make sure that your roses do not attracted the fungi. One way is to actually water the soil instead of the plant it self. Fungi are attracted to any water that is one the plant itself, which means the leaves, stems and petals should stay dry if at all possible. You should check your roses on a regular basis to be sure that the canes are not exposed because fungi can make an easy home of an exposed cane.

You should keep the area around the base of the plant clean from any fallen dead leaves and petals. If you suspect that any blooms, leaves or canes have been infected with fungi they should be removed promptly. Once they are removed they should be disposed of properly so no other plants are exposed to it. You can throw them away or you can burn them and never throw them in your compost pile, this can make matters worse. (more…)

Between January and July 2007 the confirmed cases of human infection with the West Nile Virus have only been confined to the province however the past 60 days have seen cases of the virus reaching most areas of Canada. However, confirmed cases of the virus have been documented across the many parts of the United States including North Dakota, Michigan, New York and Florida.

Symptoms are usually mild and include fever, headache, body aches, sometimes skin rash and swollen lymph glands. Severe infection is marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, with coma, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and occasionally death. If illness occurs, it usually happens within five to 15 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito. What are we doing as a society to stop this? The answer to that question is complex, the Canadian and US governments are monitoring birds and mosquitoes to prevent a major outbreak of the virus. Many states and provinces have implemented a mass spraying program in summer 2002 to control populations of the type of adult mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus. (more…)

Sunflowers have always been the target of disease. Even though some of them are most dominant in certain locations in the U.S., others manifest wherever the crop is grown. For example, head rot is prevalent throughout California, but downy mildew can be found on crops harvested across the entire country. Over the past few decades, more than 30 diseases have been found on crops (though most of them either won’t cause severe damage or can be controlled easily). Below, we’ll explore a few of the most important diseases and the type of damage they usually cause.

Rust

Rust is a constant thorn in the side of commercial growers because it evolves, making it difficult (though, not impossible) to cultivate resistant hybrids. It’s caused by a fungus called Puccinia helianthi and shows up on sunflower planted throughout the U.S. In mild cases, you’ll notice auburn-colored spots showing up on the leaves and stems. When an infestation has occurred, rust can show up on the backs of the heads. (more…)

Mildew is every gardener’s worst nightmare, especially those who have rose bushes. The most known and most common mildew that effects rose bushes is one known as sphaerotheca pannosa. This type of mildew is powdery. The mildew is usually a white or grey powder that is usually found on rose bush leaves, shoots, buds, and the petals. Once the mildew attacks the plant, it spreads very easily and a gardener will soon notice white patches on the rose bush. The fungus eventually sucks all of the nutrients and water from the leaves, which in turn kills the leaves. The leaves eventually shrivel up and fall off of the bush completely.

The common powdery mildew is not caused by free water on the rose bush’s leaves and other parts; instead the mildew lives and thrives on hot, arid weather. In fact, watering your rose bush in the afternoon will help rid of some of the powdery mildew because it will break up the spores that are released by the mildew during the daytime. If you can afford to purchase fungicides, they are also helpful in getting rid of mildew. However, the fungicide will only be effective if you apply it at the right time. (more…)

We call the Christmas rose, also known as the Lenten rose, one of the best deer-resistant plants for your garden. They are the best-known and best-loved of all the hellebores. These hellebores are the perfect plant for those areas in your garden where deer like to munch the night away. The deer steer clear of these plants because they are actually poisonous if eaten. They have a serrated leaf that would be very unpleasant to eat.We have thousands of them and I have never seen one eaten or munched on by a deer or a family pet. They are listed as being poisonous to animals.

Not actually in the rose family at all, but in the Ranunculus order, this perennial is a gift from nature that shows its glory in the dead of winter. They are a native of Southern Europe and grow well throughout the south

We like to call it the “plant it and forget it” plant because it is an evergreen plant that is virtually pest free, drought tolerant, and deer resistant. You absolutely need this plant in your garden as it can solve many of your problems and it reseeds readily which enables you to have knew plants to transplant once they get an inch or two tall and the ground is not frozen. Plant these gems in an area where you can see them easily in the winter because they will bloom for you from December through March (or Lent) and will cheer up the most dreary of days. They are also excellent for early color in shady herbaceous borders and areas between deciduous shrubs and under trees. None of the hellebores mind competition from tree roots. It grows into a wonderful clump about three feet wide and one foot tall and it makes a great ground cover. We love its pure white flowers (which turn to pink later in the season) and the fact that it is an evergreen. Each plant will have lots of flowers in a variety of colors from pure whites, primrose yellows, pure green, and dark midnight purples depending on which type you have. (more…)

Instead of automatically reaching for chemical pesticides when you see evidence of pests in your garden and on your plants think organic! Chemical pesticides will kill all the insects in your garden, even the beneficial ones and will contaminate the ground water. Find other ways to prevent pests from getting out of hand and reducing their number if they do.

Why should you use organic methods to combat pests rather than easily available pesticides? These chemical pesticides have been linked to many health problems and diseases including birth defects, cancer, infertility and many more. One of the problems is that pesticides sold for use at home are not tested as thoroughly as those used by commercial food growers as this is not a requirement of the law. As well as harming humans they also contaminate the soil in your garden and can be harmful to the beneficial visitors to your garden including honey bees, ladybugs, and butterflies which all eat pests. (more…)

Pests pose serious health risks to humans, animals and plants alike. While some feed on plants and stunt their growth or destroy them outright, others feast on animal and human blood and also destroy household and other articles. Some even act as disease carriers. Peaceful life can be a distant dream if pests go about unchecked. The importance of pesticides in our survival cannot be overemphasized.

Using natural remedies for pest infestation is in vogue these days. However, their effectiveness depends on the insect or animal or any other creature that is to be removed. Some natural repellents like citric oil can deter ants, cockroaches and mites cannot be exterminated by them. However, the situation is different if chemical compounds are used. They can wipe out all pests from a house if used extensively. However, larger scale usage of these poisons have resulted in lose of ecological balance and extensive injury to the environment. (more…)

Are you bothered by cats coming into your garden and doing their business, scaring your birds away, or getting up to other mischief?

Here is a list of 30 deterrents you could try:

1. If a Tom starts to mark his new territory you could mark over it yourself although it may surprise the neighbours!

2. You can buy repellent pellets from garden centres that smell like citrus fruits, which apparently cats don’t like.

3. Or you could use the real thing lemon or citrus peels work for a bit but you have to keep replacing them every three or four days. Not good for a big space unless you really really like lemonade.

4. You could try planting Coleus Canina which emits a foul odour when a cat rubs itself against it, but I’d imagine you’d have to cover quite a large area (depending on the size of your garden) for it to be effective.

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