The tobacco hornworm is a voracious eater that can do a great deal of damage in a flower or vegetable garden. It is a pest in the family Solanaceae. The tobacco hornworm is quite commonly seen in the southern United States, especially the Gulf Coast States. Its range extends northward as far as New York. Caterpillars …
Trying to control squash bugs can seem like an insurmountable task when you find them in your vegetable garden. If you grow zucchini or squash, you may be familiar with trying to deal with a squash bug infestation. These bugs can do a huge amount of damage, particularly to new plants. Young seedlings and plants …
It is easy to clean a cement bird bath to make it a safe and fun place for birds to enjoy. All you need are a few common supplies and minutes of your time. After a long summer of use, a bird bath can be getting pretty grimy this time of the year. Algae grows …
If ants are invading your home and you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, home made Borax Ant Killers may be the answer, but how effective are they? I decided to test five of them to find out! Using more organic ant killer remedies is something that many environmentally conscious homemakers have an interest in. …
Would you like tips for attracting monarch butterflies to your yard this year? I’ve been seeing them in my garden for a few weeks now. The first Saturday in May is marked National Start Seeing Monarchs Day. What an appropriate national day for this time of the year! This day was chosen to raise people’s …
Do you have a problem with squirrels? If so, these natural squirrel repellent ideas may prove useful to you. Dealing with squirrels has been an ongoing problem for me in one way or another for several years. If you read my blog often, you may remember reading about the squirrels in my vegetable garden a few …
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens has something special in store for both animal lovers and those interested in botanical gardens. This 135 acre zoo and botanical garden was founded in 1966 and is home to more than 1,400 birds, amphibians, mammals and reptiles. Comfortable shoes are a must, since there is a lot …
Looking for things to do in Albuquerque, New Mexico? A day out at the Albuquerque Aquarium is sure to delight. It is part of the ABQ BioPark system. The Albuquerque Aquarium exhibits saltwater species from a variety of habitats in the Gulf of Mexico and South Pacific. One of the nice aspects of the entry …
April 14 is National Gardening Day. That means it is time to start thinking about ways to get your garden ready with these spring garden tips. Winter is hard on a garden and spring brings with it a host of tasks that need taking care of. With spring right around the corner and daylight savings soon …
How does a gardener go about attracting birds in winter? These bird feeding tips will make sure that your yard is a welcoming place for our feathered friends all year long. Many gardeners try to plant shrubs and flowers that attract birds during the spring and summer. But what about the winter months? It is …
One of the biggest pleasures that my garden gives me is its ability for attracting butterflies to it. With the right nectar plants, a garden can be swarming with these fluttering friends all season long. But it is not just the plants that attract butterflies. There are a few other things that you can do …
Touring a botanical garden with children in tow can be a challenge. But this is not so with Beech Creek Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve. This delightful garden center seems tailor made for kids and is the perfect way to introduce them to flowers and nature! My husband and I enjoy touring Botanical Gardens, especially …
Our summer vacation this year was a mainly tour of Historic Homes and Botanical Gardens in 7 Eastern and Midwest States. But while we were in Ohio, we stopped into the Cleveland Zoo and spent a few hours admiring the animals. This big zoo houses 3,000 animals of over 600 species on abut 180 acres …
If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden, there are a few things that you should keep in mind when planting. The right type of flowers and color are the key to attracting these beauties. There is nothing quite like the sight of hummingbirds around a feeder, fluttering their wings the way only hummingbirds …
These swallowtail nectar plants are great at attracting butterflies to your garden. They just can’t resist them! Nothing makes me smile more than going out into my garden and seeing swallowtail butterflies fluttering around. Did you know that planting certain plants will make sure that you have these pretty visitors to your yard? Swallowtail butterflies …
There are dozens of vinegar uses in the home. From soaking your sponges to keeping your counters free of ants, this product is a must have. Vinegar is a versatile and effective household product that is more useful than just for making salad dressing. There are many vinegar uses around the house and garden. One of the …
I, for one, and many of my gardening friends have noted the declining bee population. And those that do visit our yards are the bumble bees, rather than honey bees. With all the talk of GMOs, pesticides and large scale farming, one has to ask the question “How important are bees to our Food Supply and to …
Critters in the garden range from beneficial to invasive. Some actually are listed by the US Department of Agriculture as invasive pests that need to be controlled. See my tips for dealing with these unwanted bugs. This post was sponsored on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection …
With summer comes lots of outdoor living. Sadly, that can mean lots of mosquitoes. I don’t like to use chemical products but, thankfully, Mother Nature has the perfect answer – Mosquito Repelling Plants! We can grow annuals, perennials and herbs that will keep the bugs away naturally. With all the hype about West Nile Virus, …
It is ant season again! You can kill ants with various home remedies, but are there are lots of other things that you can do to keep ants out of the house? As soon as the weather starts to heat up, and particularly after a warm rainy day, ants decide that indoors is a good …
These natural ant killer remedies will help to control the ants in your home in a non toxic way. I am so looking forward to the return of warm weather. With the sunny days come flowers, gardening and time spent outdoors. Unfortunately, with the warm weather also come ants! It is fun for kids to …
The weather outside does not lend itself to gardening right now. We recently had a snow storm that dumped about three inches here in North Carolina. Looking over my snow soaked garden gave me the idea to have a share day on my Facebook page. I asked my Facebook fans to share their Winter Garden Views and …
These early spring garden projects will get a jump start on your garden and will get you outside too! From lawn care ideas to tips for growing perennials in the spring, i’ve got you covered. I know that in most parts of the country, the ground is still covered with snow, but as any good …
The birds that visit your backyard are a part of the whole ecosystem. The Importance of bird houses can’t be understated if you want to attract birds to your yard. Having a home for your feathered friends adds some interest to your yard and makes sure the birds will keep visiting. There are also many …
Join me for an early summer garden tour. Let’s discover my garden in June! Spring starts early here in North Carolina, so many of my plants have been flowering for a while. It’s been a long spring with a ton of work put into my gardens. So many of them were overgrown, and neglected last …
Facebook has so many great pages devoted to gardening, but the way the site now shows the content of pages, it is sometimes hard for them to get seen on news feeds. Facebook is one of the most popular of the social media channels. I thought it would be fun for the Garden Charmers (a …