Simple ways to save money while you garden
A striking insect with polka-dotted wings has turned from curiosity to crisis across much of the South. Gardeners from Georgia to Tennessee have started spotting clusters of unfamiliar bugs on trees, fences, and patio furniture, and the damage has followed quickly behind. This is not a minor nuisance or a one-season fluke. The spotted lanternfly…
A successful garden does not need a chemical arsenal to stay protected. The right plants can stand guard, release powerful scents, and send many common pests searching for an easier target. Instead of fighting nature at every turn, smart gardeners recruit it. Certain herbs and flowers contain compounds that insects simply dislike, and when these…
The battle for a thriving garden begins the moment the first leaf pushes through the soil. Lush beds and tidy rows may look peaceful, but a quiet army of insects and critters waits for tender stems, juicy foliage, and ripening fruit. Ignore them, and they take over with astonishing speed. Understand them, and the balance…
A fence looks like control. It tells the world where your space begins and ends. But to a fox, a hedgehog, or a deer moving through its nightly route, that fence can feel like a wall that suddenly blocks a path used for generations. In some cases, it does more than block. It traps, injures,…
Spring should feel joyful. Fresh air, brighter mornings, and those bold pops of color pushing up from the soil. But one of the season’s most beloved flowers carries a hidden punch that veterinarians see far too often. Tulip bulbs can send dogs to the emergency clinic fast, and the damage can turn serious before many…
You can nurture your tomato plants like prized pets, water them with care, stake them upright, feed them rich compost—and still watch them twist, yellow, and collapse. Sometimes the threat doesn’t arrive in a storm or crawl in on six legs. Sometimes it waits quietly in the weeds. One of the most overlooked dangers in…
A strange, foamy growth has started turning up in mulch beds across Georgia, and it doesn’t exactly blend in with the azaleas. In some yards, it looks like scrambled eggs dumped on the ground. In others, it forms bright yellow patches that seem to swell overnight. The sight alone can make anyone stop in their…
One tiny egg mass can unleash a full-blown infestation. That’s not drama. That’s the reality of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that continues to expand its footprint across the United States. This striking, polka-dotted planthopper looks almost artistic at first glance, but it can hammer trees, vines, and ornamental plants with relentless feeding. And…
The idea that you can’t just set a barrel under your gutter and collect rain sounds almost rebellious. Water falls from the sky, lands on your roof, and somehow the government wants paperwork involved? It feels counterintuitive at first glance. Yet in three states — Colorado, Utah, and Washington — lawmakers created specific rules that…