Pests, Weeds & Problems

Chiggers are active during the warm season from spring to early fall. They can be found living in berry patches and bushes, tall grass and weeds, straw, leaves, fences, bark, and dense foliage and...

Common burdock (Arctium minus) is a weed that can take an economic toll on farmers. Damage caused by its burrs can reduce the value of sheep wool. Cattle that eat it produce bitter-tasting milk....

Agricultural pest control is time-consuming and expensive, and depending on the product used, can also be polluting. While chemical pesticides can be very effective at reducing agricultural pests,...

Deer tracks and nibbled plants in the garden can cause even the most patient gardener to to throw up his hands in exasperation. Deer browsing in a small garden plot can cause considerable damage,...

Plantago rugelii, or blackseed plantain as it is commonly called, is a perennial weed that is often found in turfgrass. It survives repeated mowing by growing as ground-hugging rosettes. There are...

Oak trees are very hardy. There are more 400 kinds of oaks, and the wood is used to make furniture, corks, and a multitude of other products. However, oaks are toxic to animals such as horses...

Honeysuckle is a shrub or vine plant with over 180 species. Unfortunately some species are susceptible to a powdery mildew growing on the leaves. This will not usually injure the plant but may...

Ticks are tiny arachnids that live on the blood of mammals and birds. They are often found in grass, shrubs and small trees, and can be a great nuisance to domestic pets. Unfortunately, ticks...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

Galls are abnormal growths that may be found on nearly every part of quaking aspen trees, from the roots to the leaves. Reactions between the plant's hormones and chemical signals from certain...

Birds are beautiful creatures that are fun to watch and feed. Unfortunately, some birds are also very fond of the fruits and vegetables that we plant in our gardens. While a bird grabbing a berry...

Shrubs are perennial plants. If they were planted in areas with proper soil conditions and within the correct hardiness zone, they should be hardy. However, if a shrub is stressed due to dry...

Overseeding a lawn is common practice and can be done with some simple materials, a small amount of time and care. It is important to get rid of all weeds in the lawn before overseeding, and...

No one wants rats running around the yard at night, or even during the day. A rodent problem can be difficult to control because rats multiply at an incredible rate. Prevention is key, and the...

Many factors go into determining what to charge for a tree removal. Among them are the type and size of tree, the expected removal time, whether the stump is to be ground up, and the tree's...

Dandelions can be the bane of your landscape because these weeds can get out of control in no time. The seeds of these yellow flowers can travel from your neighbors' houses via the wind and they...

Poison sumac trees grow only in wet areas, such as along riverbanks and in marshes and wetlands, and are not usually found in yards, gardens, or play areas. However, if you do have poison sumac...

Tree stumps can be eyesores and obstacles on an otherwise attractive, well-maintained piece of property. Grinding, burning, digging or chopping out tree stumps are all somewhat effective, but...

The signs of stress or disease in pine trees will often go unnoticed for a time. When a pine tree starts losing needles, it is in serious stress. The stress can have environmental causes or may be...

Burning poison oak is not recommended due to the effects on the environment and surrounding people. Those who are allergic to poison oak can be affected by the smoke, causing greater health risks...

Though many people fear snakes, they are extremely beneficial creatures. Snakes help to manage the populations of many pest animals, including rats, mice, moles and insects. Though most snakes...

If you've noticed a charcoal-gray or black moldy coating on the leaves, needles, branches or fruits of your plants, they may be infected with a fungus known as sooty mold. While sooty mold rarely...

Earthworms are considered beneficial to lawns because they help decompose organic matter. Some species, however, make mounds that detract from a lawn's appearance. This can be a special problem on...

Woodlice, also known as roly-poly bugs, sow bugs, potato bugs, and pill bugs, are a particularly harmless variety of bugs that are not considered dangerous. They do not act as carriers for any...

Blackberry plants are a flowerless perennial that produces a large black berry, which may or may not be edible. If left unmanaged, these plants will develop dense trunks and spread exponentially....

Electric fences are affordable and easy to construct solutions for gardens requiring protection from animals. Despite the name, electric fencing does not provide lethal shocks to animals, only a...

You're out in your yard, enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of nature. Then you look up and see a large hornet nest hanging from the roofline of your house or from a tree branch. This nest...

Thistle is a large plant with round purple blooms and sharp needle-like thorns. There over 50 different types of thistles. Thistle is often found growing in empty lots and alongside roads. It is...

Lemon trees are affected by a variety of pests, including Asian citrus leafminers, citrus rust mites, mealybugs, spider mites, scale insects and blackflies. According to Julian W. Sauls, most...

Mosquitoes can be a huge problem for any garden, especially gardens that have tomatoes. Several methods exist to get rid of mosquito problems such as with repellents, different varieties of...

Unwanted insects are a nuisance in the garden, and can quickly make short work of healthy plants, but many of us elect not to use strong chemicals. Homemade hot pepper spray is a good alternative...

Voles, also called field mice, orchard mice, or meadow mice are controlled using steps similar to ordinary house mice. They are ground dwellers who often damage small trees. Their habit of using...

In addition to catch-and-release and gassing, there are several options for killing moles and shrews with traps. Shrews are smaller, so one trap option is preferable for them than others. ...

Wild onions, also called field garlic, have long, green stems that grow high above regular lawn grass. The bulbs are tiny and white, separating and producing new bulbs at a very swift rate. It is...

Rust plagues many flowers and trees besides pear trees. It is a fungal disorder that is spread by spores and is airborne. Rust appears as orange powdery pimples on the undersides of leaves. Each...

Carpenter ants can be a big problem in the homes and gardens of millions of Americans. They can chew up wood and become a nuisance. It is not effective to simply kill a few ants with some spray...

Gardens provide fresh produce and a sense of connectivity to the earth. Unfortunately, of all the pests to which a garden is vulnerable, deer are doubly destructive: They can trample plants as...