Pest Control Tips

Preventing the damage wintertime deer can bring to the landscape is a high priority for many homeowners all around the country. Although deer can damage trees, shrubs and flowerbeds in the spring, summer and fall, it is often in the winter when they are most hungry. And, when they can cause the most serious of…

Is it even possible to stop stink bugs? Great question, right?! It seems that every single year, it gets harder to prevent the invasion of stink bugs. Especially when it comes to keeping them out of the house. The stink bug, or the brown marmorated stink bug as it is officially known, has become quite…

When it comes to controlling webworms from damaging the foliage on your trees and shrubs, it all about early detection and intervention. Webworms are the foliage-eating pest responsible for creating the silky, web-like nests often found in trees and shrubs. Although they are rarely fatal to healthy trees, they do create a lot of unsightly…

Late summer is here, and that means everyone is looking for a way to repel sweat bees. You know, those annoying, tiny little glowing-green bodied bees that seem to hover right in front of your face. Or worse, land on your arms and legs, only to pierce your skin with an occasional rousing sting! One…

Trying to get rid of the dreaded squash bugs from your garden can seem like a daunting task. Especially once they have arrived in full force! Squash bugs, which are often confused as stink bugs, are a devastating garden pest that can lay waste to otherwise healthy crops. And they attack much more than just…

So just how can you stop grasshoppers from devouring your vegetable plants, flowers and perennials? An invasion of grasshoppers can spell serious problems for a home garden and landscape. The voracious plant-eaters can quickly decimate crops, perennials and annual flowers. Grasshoppers can devour a plant's foliage with amazing speed. Left unchecked, they can destroy an…

Garden season is here, and that means in addition to finding ways to use all of that fresh garden produce, everyone is also searching for the best methods for eliminating fruit flies from their kitchen! Nothing is more annoying than a kitchen full of pesky fruit flies. It seems that within minutes, they can find…

Without a way to stop Japanese beetles, they can quickly decimate an entire landscape in just a few days. Japanese beetles are voracious eaters. And unlike many pests that attack only specific plants, they chew and devour foliage from nearly any species. That includes vegetable plants, flowers, bushes, trees - and even ornamental grasses and…

"What can I do to help eliminate mosquitoes naturally from ruining my evening outdoor activities at my house?" That recent question is one we receive quite regularly to the blog. Especially as the heat and humidity of summer bring on these annoying and harmful pests in record numbers. Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, but…

Nothing can destroy an otherwise healthy crop of cucumber plants like a battle with powdery mildew disease. Cucumbers are one of the most popular vegetables grown in home gardens. Prized not only for fresh eating, they also are the star of the show when it comes to making delicious pickles. But growing them can be…

If you are looking for an all-natural method to deter rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks and more - it might be time to try your hand using homemade hot pepper spray! Hot pepper spray has been used for decades by organic gardeners as a natural solution for repelling pests. Whether keeping deer from devouring apples from an…

When it comes to adding an explosion of color to the landscape, its hard to beat growing marigolds. From giant blooming "puff-ball" styles to dainty miniatures, and everything in between, there are well over 50 varieties of marigolds available. And with their high tolerance to both sunlight, drought and heat, it's easy to see why…

Looking for a natural way for stop ants in your landscape and garden? Ants can cause all sorts of issues throughout the landscape. In addition, ant colonies that thrive in the yard can easily make their way indoors. And that is where they can really wreak havoc. Although there are many commercial insecticides available to…

Looking for a way to control aphids without spraying harsh chemicals? You might be surprised just how effective natural and organic methods can work when battling aphids. And at little to no cost! Aphids cause major damage to vegetable gardens, flower beds, and perennial plants. And in quick fashion. Of the thousands of aphid types,…

It is amazing what a few beneficial insects and critters can do for the health of a garden! [caption id="attachment_1963" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The lady bug has a big appetite for aphids, mites,and even fleas[/caption] When gardeners start talking insects, it’s usually not a good thing. Thoughts instantly turn to crop-killing invasions by slugs, or attacks…

How do I control slugs? It is a question so many gardeners ask year after year. Slugs can cause some serious damage to home gardens and flowerbeds. For starters, they can wipe out an entire row of young seedlings in a single night. They also can chew holes in everything from hosta, to tulips, greens,…