Thoughts and opinions on the life and culture we have and need.
Fruit Tree Pest Control Pests in trees usually come and go. Seldom will a tree die from regular pest pressure. When they do, there is a reason: An introduced pest with no natural enemies, or a stressed tree suffering from something else. In fact, when someone has shown me a tree dying of a normal... Continue Reading →
Eupeodes americanus is a hoverfly species with a range from Alaska to Mexico - and maybe beyond and even in Europe. Hoverflies are often mistook for bees - or so I hear. They do have yellow/black or white/black markings, but unlike wasps or bees, they have short antenna, enormous fly-eyes, and only one pair... Continue Reading →
Harvesting early and managing summer pests
What to Grow and When Spring-Cleaning is impossible when you’re hands are in the dirt. That has been me (or at least my excuse) for a solid week now. Only a week? (You ask.) Yes, because on the weekend of March 9th I meant to work the soil (after doing a morning seminar at a... Continue Reading →
All this wet weather we’ve had has provided an opportunity for aphids to get a foothold in many local gardens - mine included. I have found black aphids on a sunflower and cabbage aphids on - well - my cabbages. As there is often a mid-summer push of aphids, I thought it was time to... Continue Reading →
How to use good bugs,
How to control aphids in your home garden No gardener exists that isn’t familiar with aphids. But few gardeners achieve effective control of these pests. I can help. Important information about aphids: Aphids do best when temperatures increase, but humidity remains high - most often in the spring. They are phloem-feeders, meaning they use mouth... Continue Reading →
