Planning some house parties this summer? As you compile your guest list, give some thought to those who will not be welcome—notably mosquitos, ants, wasps, and other nasty pests.
04.06.2024 - 16:25 / theprovince.com / Helen Chesnut
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Q. This spring, some of my daffodil bulbs produced only spindly leaves and no flowers. I dug a few up and found the bulbs to be mushy. What might have caused this? The soil is well drained.
A. You were wise to check out the flagging plants. Whenever you find daffodil bulbs that have softened, and especially if there is a hole in a bulb base, the cause is the narcissus bulb fly. Remove infested bulbs and do not compost them.
Adult flies emerge from pupation around the time of temperatures rising to 20 C in the spring. They lay eggs in the soil by declining daffodil foliage. Larvae that hatch from the eggs bore into the bulb bases, feed, and overwinter there. The adult flies look like bumble bees. There is usually one large grub in a bulb.
Another pest, the lesser bulb fly, is small and black. It leaves many small larvae in a bulb. Feeding by larvae of both pests makes the bulbs able to produce only a few thin leaves.
Bulbs can be protected from the flies by floating row cover fabric placed over narcissus plants after flowering and leaving it in place until July. Bulbs planted at least 25 cm deep and those growing in dense ground cover will have some protection.
Q. Because it is always severely winter damaged and has required constant pruning, we are removing an evergreen clematis from a wire trellis. Can you suggest a replacement clematis that is not evergreen, has more delicate leaves, and will grow well on the wire support?
A. For their ease of care and prolific bloom, I’ve very fond of the small-flowered clematis types, in particular the
Planning some house parties this summer? As you compile your guest list, give some thought to those who will not be welcome—notably mosquitos, ants, wasps, and other nasty pests.
There’s no question that people love Trader Joe’s, and while you might be popping in for the current end-cap display of Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix or Pizza Party Potato Chips, I’m taking full advantage of the springtime buffet of blooms. For me, there is no greater pleasure (or budget-friendly flower shopping) than building your own bouquets out of TJ’s flowers and fillers. Whether you’re looking to make an arrangement for someone you love, or just to add a little splash of seasonal style to your tabletop, here are a few tips and tricks to take your springtime stems to the next level.
Ceiling fans can make a stuffy room feel pleasantly cool, but unlike air conditioners, they don’t actually lower the temperature of a room. Instead, fans generate a breeze, creating a wind-chill-like effect as the moving air helps you eliminate body heat. But if your ceiling fan only pushes around hot air, this phenomenon won’t be nearly as effective. To keep your home cool (and comfortably warm in the winter), learn how to change your ceiling fan direction for summer and winter.
Looking at your latest bountiful harvest, you may realize that you need to learn how to freeze broccoli. This is a great problem to have! When your garden efforts pay off with a bumper crop, you can preserve your vegetables to enjoy year-round. There are several steps required to freeze broccoli, but it’s pretty easy. All you need is a good knife and cutting board, along with a large pot and a large bowl. In this article, you’ll read tips for harvesting broccoli, all you need to know to prep broccoli, and finally, how to freeze broccoli that you grew yourself. Why freeze broccoli from the garden Eating “local”—meaning from the garden—is an aspiration for many of us. While season-extensio
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If you’re short on space, you often have to get creative with your layout. In the kitchen of a small apartment, an island might not fit or feel the most practical. However, many designers and decor influencers have opted for a different choice: modular kitchen islands.
The inclusion of gardening as part of the school curriculum is on the rise. This creative activity lets the students interact with nature. Gardening increases knowledge in the field of biology. It also enhances important life skills. Mutual cooperation and accountability are enhanced. Gardening is a good concept that schools can include in their teaching approaches. This will assist in the accomplishment of students academic dreams. Cultivating a green future is a goal that will be realized. Let us see about the inclusion of gardening into the curriculum of the school. This is a step in the right direction. It leads to environmental education and improved quality of education.
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The garden shed is a part of a home garden that can have multiple purposes. Besides storing gardening tools, it can also be used as a place to relax and enjoy the garden. In case you also want to utilize your garden shed as a place to relax, it’s a good idea to enhance it with some additions, such as adding some garden furniture and installing wood wall panels. The following are 3 tips on how to enhance your garden shed that you can follow to make it better.
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