Problems you can solve in your warm-season vegetable garden Story and Photos by Kate Musso Every vegetable gardener starts the growing season with starry-eyed hopes for a bountiful, blemish-free harvest. It doesn’t take long, however, for reality to set in. Perhaps it’s a failure of seed to germinate or the sudden death of a healthy-looking …
Are they our friends? Story by Rick Snyder, Ph.D. We often hear that every creature was put on Earth for a purpose. Really? What about those pesky mosquitoes? I’m sure I remember from many years ago that mosquitoes were only a problem during the heat of summer. Then, at some point, they were troublesome in …
Invasive insect pests in home gardens and landscapes Story and Photos by Dr. Blake Layton When the first Americans arrived in North America, they brought non-native insect pests with them. Head lice and body lice were among the first of hundreds of species of non-native insect pests to invade our country and make it their …
Tips for getting rid of squash bugs Story and Photos by Kristi Cook It happens every year. Carefully tended squash seedlings slowly mature into dark green, leafy bushes loaded with yellow blossoms, causing my mouth to water in anticipation of the summer’s first squash. And much to my dismay, I am never alone in my …
Beat the garden bug blues this growing season Story and Photos by Dr. Blake Layton Looking forward to this year’s vegetable garden? So are many insect pests. Much like people, insects have strong preferences about which vegetables they like best. Tobacco hornworms love tomatoes but can’t stand cabbage or broccoli, while cross-striped cabbageworms’ preferences are …
A non-chemical option for alleviating some insect pressure Story and Photos Courtesy of Bob Westerfield As an avid vegetable gardener for more than 30 years, I have grown virtually everything that can be planted in winter and summer gardens. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like things have gotten more complicated when it comes …
Attracting pest-devouring beneficials to your garden Story and Photos by Kristi Cook I don’t know about where you live, but in my neck of the woods fall brings swarms of Asian lady bugs, clinging desperately to my home, vehicles, trees, kids, and even pets. They creep their way into my windows, nestle deep inside every …
