What's Bugging You Today?
By Sandra Nelson Technically not a spider or an insect, the spider mite is a member of the arachnid family. (In case you’ve forgotten your grade school science, arachnids are invertebrates with exoskeletons, segmented bodies and at least three pairs of jointed legs.) World wide there are literally thousands of varieties of …
What's Bugging You Today?
By Sandra Nelson Hanging like little Christmas ornaments from their host plants, these benign looking sacs are home to one of the more formidable insect enemies of the summer. BAGWORMS Bagworms, or more precisely Thyridopteryx ephemeraformis, feed on over 128 different species of common landscaping plants. Among their …
What's Bugging You Today?
By Sandra Nelson Here in the Midwest, July seems to be the time when the insects take over the garden. Just this morning I found this critter hanging out in my carrot patch. I was about to send him to the great caterpillar resting spot in the sky when a little voice …
Designing For Bees
By Sandra Nelson
The more I read about bees and their relatives, wasps and flies, the more fascinated I become with these tiny powerhouses and the more I understand why people are so passionate about providing for them and protecting them. As we mentioned in last week’s blog, honeybees may be the most well-known bee, …
Patience is the Key
By Sandra Nelson One of my favorite things to do this summer is to quietly sit on my deck, watching dozens of bees and butterflies flitting through the yard enjoying the nectar buffet I’ve planted. This is the first year that I’ve had a steady stream of visitors and it feels like the …
Preparing For Pollinators
With all the Buzz about pollinators in the news lately (sorry, just couldn’t resist it), I thought that this might be a good time to think about adding a pollinator garden to the landscape. For the past few years, flower and gardening magazines, websites and even home improvement television shows have …
Penstemon cobea: A Must Have For Your Garden
By Sandra Nelson
Penstemon cobea Spectacular displays of vivid color…. An almost perfect specimen, this native penstemon deserves a place of honor in the early summer garden. At home in hot, dry and sunny glades, this penstemon does not need to be pampered. It withstands drought conditions and will grow well …
Great Companions
By Sandra Nelson My daughter FaceTimed me the other day. She wanted me to see a plant and tell her what would look good with it in her garden. I gave her a few suggestions, but the conversation really got me thinking. I don’t know how many times I have stood in a garden …
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