Every year there are 136 million pounds of pesticides used on North American gardens and lawns. Surprisingly, homeowners are reported to use about three times the amount of pesticides as farmers. In fact, the majority of wildlife poisoning and water contamination is not from farms or other large organizations — it’s from single-family homes.
When new plants are uprooted and introduced to new areas, many of them become invasive, crowding out native species, which in turn affect native insect pollinators and other animal populations dependant on them.
Polly put the kettle on…but not for tea. Boiled water is an excellent asset in your garden and around your landscape. Did you know that when you use commercial pesticides and herbicides, you expose yourself, your family, and your pets to dangerous and even deadly chemicals? Why not go a safer route with something you drink every day – water? Let’s take a closer look at how to use plain ol’ hot water to end weeds and ants for good.
Some say that weeds are just plants out of place, but, at their root, weeds are plants whose undesirable characteristics outweigh their desirable characteristics. Some of these undesirable characteristics can be fatal to both humans and animals. Here are the most dangerous common weeds to be on the lookout for in your yard.
July and August are months when you should be enjoying the fruits of your labor in your flower garden. Unfortunately, high summer temperatures and drought conditions sometimes bring a premature end to your garden’s beauty. Fortunately, there are some key things that you can do now, in the heat of summer to renew your flower garden’s vigor.
Wood chips are a versatile material that you can often get for free. They have many uses for your yard and garden, from the aesthetic to the practical. Read on for some creative ways to use wood chips to improve your property.
If you’re like me, you eagerly await the arrival of spring so that you can escape the house and start gardening again. You probably work hard on your garden like I do – with one of the biggest chores, of course, being weeding. Until recently, I had a serious vendetta against weeds. But then I found out that by obsessively removing all the weeds from the garden, I was actually throwing away valuable produce!
If you have a garden, you will also have weeds. In reality, weeds are just plants out of place. This does not change the fact that these plants will steal nutrients and water from the plants that you are growing. Ultimately, weeds will take over unless you employ a full-on weed management plan. Here are six easy steps to help you get your weeds under control so that you can enjoy your garden.
The way we construct and care for our gardens really matters. Of course, it matters to those of us who will enjoy watching the garden grow and reaping the benefits of a well-tended space. However, a well-constructed garden can also be of great benefit to the wild creatures who visit and even choose your garden as their home. Remember, a diverse garden loaded with native plants is the best place to start.
Any suburban dweller with a plot of grass in front of their home knows the status that comes with having a green, lush, weed-free lawn. Though it may seem like having a great lawn is a luxury for those with endless free time to spend on their precious grass, it is not as far out of reach as you may think. Follow these simple tricks and soon you’ll be basking in the glow of your “best lawn of the month” award…without spending four hours per day on yard work.
It is easy to look at gardeners in other gardening zones and wish that you had the ease of a tropical climate or the long growing season of southern gardens. However, there are ways that you can extend the growing season and increase your vegtable harvest with the following tips and tricks.
Sign up for gardening advice
delivered straight to your inbox!
