Beautiful Beneficials: Crab Spiders
Spiders…Yikes! When I was a child I became terrified of spiders after having one run down my face in the bathtub. Still gives me the creeps. However, I have come to not fear spiders so much and revel in their existence more. In the house, they still bother me, I usually end up killing them […]
Insects: Pests, Pollinators, & Beneficials
Almost every day in our amazing world, I come across an insect I have not seen before. Usually, this is followed by excitement and the snapping of multiple photos with my camera. When I first started into horticulture, years ago, I had no idea the impact insects would have on my work and career. I […]
Slugs and Snails in the Garden
One of my biggest nemeses in the garden are slugs and snails. These land roving mollusks are distant cousins to octopi and squids. But unlike them, slugs and snails are a problem in our gardens, instead of being beautiful sea creatures. But, just like the rest of God’s creatures, they play a role in the […]
Gardening for Bumblebees
Bumblebees may not be the most favorite bee of gardeners, but they are important. They are one of the first bees I see each spring (along with honeybees) and they are the largest. My kids like to ask if they can go and pet the bumblebees. And of course, I say no, because I want […]
Planting for Pollinators – August and September
We gardeners do not typically think as much about flowers for pollinators in late summer. Once August hits, its time to be a lazy gardener, resting in the hammock or taking the family on vacation. But the insects never get to take a break. They are always working. Therefore, we need to remember to plant […]
Wasps – Friend or Foe?
Wasps are often regarded as the terror of the landscape. Now that summer has officially arrived, and the 4th of July is over, gardeners are spending less time outdoors, and more time resting. But when they are outdoors, they do not want to be bothered by wasps. However, this is also the time when our […]
The Lazy Gardener
Have you wanted more from your garden with less work? If yes, then you are a lazy gardener. But do not feel bad, most of us are that way. We want our gardens to be beautiful, productive, and provide us with joy, all without us laying our hands upon it. Because we are lazy gardeners. […]
Herbs in the Garden
Did you you know that many of our flowers are both medicinal and culinary herbs? What comes to mind when you hear the word herb? Sage? Lavender? The study and growing of herbs has been going on for centuries, back to the Garden of Eden. Plants were given for man to eat and grow, and […]
Garden Maintenance – Spring Cleanups
Spring cleanups are starting. Even though spring is my favorite time of the year, cleanups are not my favorite thing to do. Especially as I get older, cutting back grasses, perennials, and shrubs, and leaf pick ups just do not sound as inviting as they once did. I still love working here, but more and […]
