It’s National Strawberry month – get ready to celebrate with some strawberry shortcake! One of the delights of spring is filling a bowl with vibrant red, juicy strawberries from the garden. These easy to grow delicious fruits can sometimes be bothered by pests, though most are easy to manage. As fruit develops, watch for signs […]
It’s strawberry time! Read More »
It’s National Animal Poison Prevention Week. You may not think twice about it since you don’t use any poisons. Or do you? Spray ant killer in the kitchen when you see ants? Feed your roses with an All In One product that kills aphids while fertilizing the plant? Put out bait to knock out those
Help Prevent Poisoning of Wildlife Read More »
Spring is nearly here, and flowers are blooming – bulbs, fruit trees, vines and more. National Plant a Flower Day, March 12, is a good time to get some plants in the ground, and especially those that can attract and support beneficial insects in the yard. Planting a Healthy Garden includes types of plants to
Plant Some Flowers Read More »
Visions of plump, juicy peaches dance in your head as you tend your fruit trees in the early days of spring; you’re already dreaming of peach pie, ice cream, or fruit plucked warm off the tree. But your daydreams might be squelched by seeing instead, blistered, bumpy, puckered, twisted leaves – not exactly what you’re
Time to Protect your Peach Tree Read More »
Your image of weeds may be the dandelions growing in a lawn, the clover nudging your vegetables aside, or poison oak displaying its fall colors. Weeds can be any plant type – tree, shrub, vine, grass, perennial, or annual plants. Marin has some BIG weed plants – blue eucalyptus and black acacia, Scotch broom and
Don’t Plant a Pest! Read More »
It’s yard clean-up time – removing any remaining fruits and vegetables from the ground and trimming trees and shrubs that have dropped their leaves. Don’t remove everything – keep in mind what the natural enemies in the garden need, even during the winter: food, water, and shelter. Who are the natural enemies? They are the
Meet Some Natural Enemies Read More »
Have some houseplants that seem to be looking a little pale or notice some sticky stuff on your orchid? Take a closer look at your indoor greens and you may find something more than dust. If you see fluffy white material like tiny pieces of cotton nestled in the cracks and crevices of plant stems
Bugs on your houseplants? Read More »
Ticks are sucking insects that can live all year round in our mild climate. If you’re planning to do some hiking around the holidays, learn how to protect yourself from having one hitch a ride on you. If you do get bitten, here’s how to properly remove the tick. These insects are not only a
Avoid ticks when taking a hike Read More »
It’s National Spinach Month, and a good time to consider growing your own little crop of greens. This easy to grow plant is generally seeded directly into the ground, and not transplanted. Check out this video on planting and harvesting spinach. While the featured yard is in zone 5 versus our Marin zone 9, all
Snails and slugs can mow down your spinach Read More »
In our mild climate, fleas can be indoor and outdoor pests all year long. Find out if spot-on products are safe for your dogs and cats, and even your children. Keeping our furry friends free from itch-inducing fleas takes some planning and diligence. Learn more about Nontoxic Ways to Protect Your Pet.
Fleas got you or your pets down? Read More »
