We spend all winter dreaming about summer and the balmy days and nights gathered in the yard around the grill or chilling by the pool. But we forget about the underfoot pests that no one invited to the party. While our mild winters are a blessing, they make it easy […]
When you live in a city with a warm climate like Jacksonville, it’s easy to get the outdoor itch, especially as spring approaches. In addition to anticipating blooms and blossoms, you can count on pests showing up – all kinds of them. The trend today is to seek eco-friendly remedies: […]
So, we already talked about the good, now let’s talk about the BAD and the UGLY. While I am a fan of those good old spaghetti Westerns, I’m not talking movies today. I’m talking about the worst trees to plant in Washington, D.C.! As I mentioned in my article on […]
Training trees? You may have read that and had a sinking feeling because it’s one more project to add to your to-do list. Hear me out, though. Training a young tree significantly improves limb strength while encouraging vigorous growth and increased longevity. Which is well worth a little extra work […]
When we put together verdant, complex and beautiful landscapes in our backyards, we’re trying to imitate our own little slice of the natural world. But for wild animals like deer, there’s little difference. To them, that tree-lined lawn is a little meadow where they can grab a quick bite. And […]
Phoenix is a lovely city, but as you probably know, it gets hot. In fact, high temps can average as much as 104 degrees in the summer months. Despite the heat and the dry climate, many plants and trees thrive here. But there are a few that don’t – or […]
In other parts of the country, people look for the return of a particular bird or leaves on a certain tree to signal the arrival of spring. Here in Fort Worth, the signal is the first sighting of shorts and flip-flops. The end of our short winters also means the […]
There was a time when bed bugs were almost eliminated in this country. By the end of World War II, it looked like these household pests that had bugged humans for centuries were on their way out. But bed bugs made a comeback. Now they’re everywhere. Pesticides such as DDT […]
While planting trees may seem simple, choosing the best trees for your Minneapolis home can be a challenge. Southeast Minnesota contains numerous ecological regions and different soil types that favor different trees. Most of Hennepin County is considered part of the Big Woods region, whose thick soil consists mainly of crushed […]
If you’re a gardening enthusiast in Denver, the presence of bugs may raise an eyebrow. But experienced gardeners know that while many insects are garden destroyers, others are actually helpful. Denver is home to several garden-friendly insects that keep your garden free of unwanted pests. But they’re usually unappreciated and […]