Pests, Weeds & Problems

Pesky little gnats flying around your plants? Are there tiny, narrow slime trails crisscrossing your plant's soil? If so, fungus gnats have taken up residence in your potted plants. Fungus gnats...

Weeds are a problem in almost everyone's lawn. Getting rid of them can be as tedious and difficult as pulling out the weeds by hand. A lot of weedkillers also can kill nearby plants and other...

Bahia grass is a warm season grass that is resistant to drought, insects, disease and various types of fertile and infertile soils. This grass is not an aggressive plant, but its roots can go...

For the most part raccoons prefer to live their lives in the wild, but the ever encroaching human presence has caused these otherwise solitary animals to search for food in many people's...

Thistle and its subspecies are found throughout the North America. Though some species are native, non-native Eurasian species such as Canada thistle are considered weeds. It is an opportunistic,...

Powdery mildew looks like someone sprinkled flour or talcum powder on your lawn. It tends to attack Kentucky bluegrass, particularly in areas of the lawn that are wet or get very little sun. It's...

Snakes elicit different emotions in different people--fear, fascination or even disgust. Some land owners enjoy having one or two snakes take up residence in their barn to help keep out rodents...

When dealing with weeds forming in newly established sod, it is important to consider what type of turfgrass you are trying to establish, along with what type of weeds that you want to eradicate....

Poison ivy can be difficult to get rid of, but you don't have to use chemicals. Here is a way to safely remove poison ivy that protects you and the environment.

A stink bug invasion can be controlled in various ways. These little insects are found across the United States and often within garden settings. They can be quite a nuisance however when they...

Carpenter bees are large, black and yellow bees often observed hovering around the eaves of houses, as well as the weathered or bare wood on decks and porches, where they make little round...

Getting rid of unwanted grass can be a difficult proposition. Digging up the grass can work temporarily, but unless every root is removed, grass can grow back. Killing grass from the roots up is...

After a winter of family pets using the garden or backyard as a porta-potty, the yard may be quite odorous by spring. Skunks that are attracted to gardens may also leave their scent behind. This...

Spruce trees are coniferous trees with whorled branches. They are very dense and hardy, which is what makes them difficult to kill. They flourish in cool to cold temperatures and can grow to be 60...

Mice rarely build their nests in places that can be accessed easily; in some cases they build them in areas that can be potentially dangerous to the health of homeowners. Mouse nests in a furnace...

The black walnut tree can grow up to 150 feet high and 5 feet in diameter. Its wood is highly prized among carpenters. In fact, it would be wise to place an ad in your local paper to sell the wood...

Parramatta grass is a clumping grass that invades pastures and chokes out other more productive grasses. It flourishes in swampy areas and land occupied by vehicles or machinery. Parramatta grass...

Cockroaches are a difficult to kill insect that can infect your home and your food. While cockroaches aren't incredibly destructive or aggressive, they are incredibly intelligent, for insects....

Weeds are unsightly, hard to kill and just plain stubborn most of the time. Weed killer can be expensive and pulling the weeds by hand is hard on the back and knees. Many people do not know this,...

Termites are among the most hated of household pests. They nest in homes, chew through wood and are extremely difficult to remove. In the past, strong chemicals were used to deter and control...

Although domesticated rats actually make great pets, don't confuse them with the wild ones scurrying around your backyard. Rats pose immediate health threats to your family and pets. They--and the...

Wild onion is a tall, green plant that grows naturally in most landscapes and it can be bothersome due to its pungent order, its tendency to choke out the existing plant life nearby and its fast...

For best results for your garden, soil testing is recommended. Soil testing can provide useful information such as pH and nutrient content. These measurements can guide plant selection decisions....

Ants have plagued humanity for centuries. Evolving from small, winged insects over 100 million years ago, ants now inhabit nearly every country on earth. Entomologists have identified more than...

Caterpillars attack and inhabit many trees, including fruit trees, producing webs and eating foliage. A serious infestation will stunt the growth of the tree and make it susceptible to disease....

Having moles in your yard and garden can be quite frustrating. They leave unsightly mounds of dirt and surface tunnels in your lawn, and can cause damage to your garden. There are several ways to...

The seasonal protection of landscape plants from deer feeding and rubbing can be easily handled using inexpensive netting, fence posts and zip (sometimes called "cable") ties. The zip or cable...

Barring building a fortress around your house, or your kiddie pool, keeping mosquitoes at bay during the summer months could be a challenge. The key to successfully eliminating mosquitoes from...

Broadleaf plantain is a type of weed found frequently in yards and gardens all over America. As the name implies, this weed has a broadleaf, which distinguishes it from the narrow-leaved version...

"Green mold" is a term used for mold that is green or that has green spores. Green mold can kill a plant if it is not attacked in its early stages. It thrives in areas that are damp and that get...

Nematodes are slender, translucent, unsegmented roundworms measuring roughly 1/50 of an inch or less. Nematodes can be beneficial by attacking troublesome garden insects, or they can damage...

Reports of birds being persistent pests in urban and rural areas are quite common. One of the biggest issues is the droppings they leave behind. Cleaning up after them can be a real hassle....

Pine beetles are mainly found in forests in Western North America. They can, however, also be found all the way from Canada down to Mexico. Pine beetles won't hurt humans or animals, but they will...

Bed bugs have somewhat of a mythical status. Most people seem to think that once you have bed bugs you have to throw everything associated with them away and pay an exterminator to spray expensive...

Four hundred annual, perennial, and biennial species of ranunculus (buttercups) exist in tuberous or rhizome bulb form. Most people recognize the yellow, saucer-like flower, but pink, red, orange,...

The sycamore, also known as the buttonwood or plane tree, is an iconic tree of the Midwest. The sycamore's wood is used for making furniture, are sycamores are also often planted for ornamental...

Once a colony of ants finds its way in to your home, you have a battle on your hands. All it takes is for the ants to find one crumb or drop of syrup on your kitchen floor, and they are on their...

Mice can be cute if you are keeping them as pets. If, however, you discover that mice are entering your home without permission, you will want to get rid of them. Wooden traps are not expensive,...

Thistle is a creeping perennial, meaning its complex root system spreads and sprouts new plants quite frequently, and it is quite hardy during winter temperatures. For these reasons, thistle can...

Remove moss from a roof and concrete by physically removing the existing moss and creating future environmental conditions prohibitive to moss growth. Moss is a small, primitive, opportunist plant...

Hookworms are a parasite that infects mostly dogs, but sometimes cats and very infrequently humans. The hookworms move into the animal's intestine and cause blood loss, infection and possibly...

Nematodes are commonly called roundworms and are multicellular animals. Some are parasitic and others are free-living. Nematodes are highly adaptable and can harm the root system of plants and crops.

Edmund Circle, a pecan grower from Kansas, created a cheap, easy-to-manage method of monitoring and trapping pecan weevils. According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service,...

Carpenter bees are large bees, approximately one inch long. They are yellow and black, closely resembling bumblebees. Unlike bumblebees, however, the abdomen of a carpenter bee is usually a shiny...

Roundup is one of the most popular herbicides for controlling weeds. When used properly, Roundup is safe and effective. But like any product that has strong chemicals, Roundup should only be used...

Although a shrew looks like a mouse, it is not a rodent. A shrew is a carnivore, a voracious little eater that consumes seven times its weight in food every day. With that kind of appetite, shrews...

Roosting pigeons can be both an annoyance and a health hazard. Pigeons are notorious for leaving excessive droppings wherever they congregate, but they can also spread dangerous diseases. There...

Spider Mites are the bane of any grower. Nicknamed "The Borg", these little arachnids will lay waste to months of hard work in several short days. This guide will show you how to get rid...

Devil grass has earned its name for a reason. Also known as wire grass, dogs tooth grass, and Bermuda grass, devil grass can steal nutrients from the soil that would otherwise be used by your...

Milk thistle also goes by the name blessed milk thistle and Silybum marianum. It is harmful to the touch and chokes out other plant life. Milk thistle flower heads are very large, spiny, and...