insects

The apples are dropping, the squash is ripening, and its tomato harvest time! If you are one who enjoys putting up your fresh food for winter, your kitchen may be a busy place this time of year.

Bats often get a rep for being scary creatures of the night. But bats are actually super beneficial to your garden! Not to mention they play an important role in the ecosystem and are considered pollinators. Here's how and why you should build a bat house and welcome bats into your garden. 

Have a garden but hate dealing with pests? Birds can help out! Not only are these adorable creatures fun to watch and look at, they're also great for getting rid of insects and vermin that can damage your plants.

Ladybugs are a gardener’s best friend. On top of being considered lucky, ladybugs are also great for getting rid of destructive pests like mites, scale, and aphids. Here's how to keep those cute little helpers around. 

For many gardeners, summer is the most rewarding part of their work.

Gloriosa daisy is a member of the family Asteraceae or Aster family of the genus Rudbeckia L. or coneflower P containing the species Rudbeckia hirta L. or black-eyed Susan P. The plant  is native to several regions of lower North America and was used by several tribes as a medicinal herb.

All year-long, my husband and I wait for the day it’s warm enough to leave our doors and windows open and enjoy the summer sunshine. Without screens, however, our house quickly becomes mosquito-infested. Rather than spraying ourselves down in toxic bug spray or lighting noxious insect-repellant candles, we opt for a more natural method around our home: bats and birds.

Did you know the flowers and vegetation you're growing might be invasive species? Native plants often get overlooked when people design their gardens and lawns, instead opting for popular plants from other regions. This is unfortunate, considering native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions which means they require far less water.

I once lived on a magical little farm and had a fairy godmother landlord. It was a great place to be an herbalist. But…the house I lived in also housed a small country’s worth  of moths. Some of them hitchhiked with me to my new place, as evidenced by the occasional moth fluttering around the bedroom and holes I sometimes find in my shirts.

Summer is finally here! Unfortunately, that also means you need to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Here are three completely natural bug repellent DIYs that will save you a buck and keep the bugs away. Bonus points: They smell good to you, not the bugs!