Category: Gardening

Secrets From The Insect World That'll Make You Want To Hug A Bug

If you’re one of those people who thinks that insects and worms are nothing but icky, we’re about to blow your mind. 1. When you get up close, you learn that bugs are downright cuddly. Cutest bug ever 2. And that we should spend less time being scared of them and more time being jealous. Take caterpillars for example: their only job in life is to eat. Cute Caterpillar! 3. Oh yeah, and they’re more beautiful than we can even perceive. Insect wings appear transparent to us, but they’re actually full of colors that our eyes can’t detect . Beautiful Wings of Color 4. Some bugs are all about giving. Like ants. They have two stomachs, one for them and one to feed others. c’ANT’ u leave me alone?! 5. They even take care of other species of insects. They’ll sometimes shuttle aphids from plant to plant, and they’re so caring that leafhoppers will often leave their offspring to be raised by ants. Ants and Aphids 6. Then there are some bugs that just want to dance. cute insects 7. Or hang out with a buddy. Sepasang Lantern Bug 8. Or hold hands with their beloved. cute insects 9. Did you know that honey bees are the ultimate team players? They make all of their decisions collaboratively! Bumblebee 10. And that worms communicate via snuggles. 11. Insects are also our helpers, especially when it comes to doing the dirty work. Take dung beetles for example. When vast herds of cattle started ruining the land in Australia with their droppings, dung beetles were called in to manage the problem. Dung Beetle Have Right of Way sign 12. We’re not making this up: Hello Kitty caterpillars exist. cute insects 13. And so does this beetle with a smiling human face on […]

Conserve Water & Control Pests with Barrel Gardens

GOSHEN >> Approaching the Ortlieb’s Goshen home, even the mailbox sits in a barrel. Husband and wife, both master gardeners, have filled their backyard with a massive vegetable garden all grown out of barrels. Adorning the backyard of the five-acre property are roughly 800 barrels, by Grant Ortlieb’s count. Filled to the brim with compost, the 40-inch polyethylene barrels stand about four feet apart and cover the yard, the various vegetables poking from the tops. A few houses down the street, a neighbor referred to Ortlieb as simply, “the barrel guy.” Grant Ortlieb had the idea 10 years ago. He’d been gardening for years but altered his approach as a way to control water. Grant Ortlieb initially had ten barrels catching water off the roof. He took a few of those barrels, filled them with compost and used them to grow tomatoes. “It was real easy,” Grant Ortlieb said. “They’re high and dry, the mice don’t eat them, they’re easy to find at the end of the year.” Grant Ortlieb said that he started off with a couple of barrels and it was so successful that he just kept adding more. Now, the sprawling garden has overtaken the Ortlieb’s backyard, with three types of vegetables in each barrel. This is called companion planting, placing romaine lettuce with cucumber and tomato, sunflowers with tomato and basil. Grant Ortlieb said he grows plants from “A to Z.” “Asparagus to zucchini,” he said. Despite the amount of food in their backyard, the Ortlieb’s do not sell or bring their crops to farmer’s markets. “We just give it away,” Pam Ortlieb said. “We could sell it. If people wanted to come here and buy it, it’s here.” She said they usually wind up giving the vegetables away, giving them to friends or trading […]

How to build a strawberry tower | HowToSpecialist

Mr. HowToSpecialist May 22, 2013 Comments Off This step by step diy woodworking project is about how to build a strawberry tower . Building a tower planter for strawberries is a simple project with a powerful impact on the appearance of your garden. Check out all the alternatives before starting the actual construction, as to choose the right plans for your needs. In addition, take a look over the rest of our garden projects, as there are many things that you could add to your property.   There are several ways in which you can make a strawberry planter, including a pyramid-shaped tower or a basic multi-layered planter. While the first alternatives may look more intriguing, the second option is easier to build, even by persons with virtually no experience in the woodworking field. After choosing the design, we recommend you to adjust the size of the tower to your needs and budget. From our own experience, we recommend you to invest in high-quality materials, such as pine, cedar or redwood, as the components will be durable and have a nice appearance. After making the square planters, we recommend you to check if the corners are square and to fill them with soil. Make sure the layers are centered properly, as it is essential to build a strawberry tower with a symmetrical look.     Building a strawberry tower Building a strawberry tower   A  – 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 60” long, 2 pieces – 57″ long  FRAME B  – 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 47” long, 2 pieces – 44″ long  FRAME C  – 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 34” long, 2 pieces – 31″ long  FRAME D  – 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 21” long, 2 pieces – 18″ long  FRAME E […]

How to Make Insect Spray for a Lawn

eHow Home & Garden Garden & Lawn Pests, Weeds & Problems How to Make Insect Spray for a Lawn Although bugs and insects are an essential part of our ecosystem, some of them can be harmful to plants, trees and bushes in our yards. But there is no need to use toxic insecticides to eliminate bugs from the lawn area; you can make a homemade bug spray that will get rid of the bugs without using such chemicals. Commercial bug sprays can get expensive, so you also will save some money by making a homemade bug spray for your yard. There are a variety of different recipes to make a homemade insecticide. Does this Spark an idea? Instructions 1 Place two hot peppers into a blender. Cayenne or habanero peppers both work well. Add 1 cup of water into the blender. 2 Puree the peppers and water in the blender. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a gallon bucket. This will be your concentrated pepper juice. 3 Combine ¼ cup of the pepper concentrate with 1 gallon of water. Add 1 tbsp. of liquid dish soap. Pour the contents into a spray bottle and apply to the lawn and landscaping. 4 Chop 2 garlic bulbs into small pieces. Put them in a quart-size jar that is equipped with a lid. 5 Boil about 1 qt. of water in a pot and pour the boiling water into the jar of garlic. Seal the lid of the jar and allow it to sit overnight. 6 Pour the mixture through a strainer the next day. Transfer the mixture to a spray bottle and add about 3 drops of liquid dish soap. Apply the mixture to your lawn and garden. 7 Remove the peels, skins and ends from several onions. Use roughly […]