Pests, Weeds & Problems

Iron bacteria are not unhealthy to humans, but they secrete a sludge that impairs water flow by narrowing water pipe diameter. The rust-colored sludge in your toilet's water chamber comes from...

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...

Dursban granules are a wide spectrum insecticide used to control many different species of outdoor pests. The chemical makeup of Dursban is toxic and should never be used on food bearing plants...

Mosquitoes are six-legged flying insects that feed on blood, both from animals and humans. No one wants to deal with these pesky insects. Even though they inject a numbing agent when they bite,...

Mold thrives in areas of grass that receive lots of water and not enough sunlight. Mold comes in many different varieties and colors. The first step to getting rid of mold in grass it to create an...

Paper wasps are predators and help rid a garden and home of pests. When wasps build their nests too close to a home, though, it can lead to stings. These are not only painful but potentially...

An all natural insecticide that works on veggie gardens or flowers and bushes and trees.

Stop mosquitoes before they become biting adults.

Garden ponds add interest and charm to landscapes, but without proper care they can become breeding places for mosquitoes.

When you think about the safety of your family, pets and surroundings, going green is almost always the best option. It's possible to have a nontoxic and inexpensive way to rid your environment of...

I have 3 small children, so I worry about using chemicals in my house. I particularly worry about pesticides, because of both their toxicity and lingering odor. My grandpa tipped me off to his...

Boric acid is a naturally occurring compound found in fruits, vegetables, water and soil. Another form of boric acid is boric acid crystals, which come from dried salt lake beds. Boric acid has...

Japanese beetles can be the source of disdain and utter disgust to an avid gardener. Nothing is more irksome than to wander out into a garden or flowerbed to admire the plants you work so hard to...

Pond plants provide many useful benefits for a healthy natural pond. Many fish and wildlife rely on those plants for food, habitat, cover and nesting areas. Pond plants also consume nitrogen...

Cottony aphids are a fuzzy member of the aphid family, commonly known as the woolly aphid. These small creatures can multiply quickly, and feed off of plant leaves. A group of cottony aphids can...

Ponds can provide any yard or garden with beauty and serenity. Some even provide habitats for aquatic plant life and fish. Soil particles and algae, however, can make water muddy and unclear,...

Treating pond algae is not nearly as difficult as you may believe and does not require the use of potentially harmful chemicals. Algae are basically just phytoplankton that multiply very quickly...

Algae thrive in water that is warm, stagnant and nutritious. Small, still ponds and fountains that are not shaded and contain decaying matter, such as dead leaves, are the perfect environment for...

Pesticides are often necessary in order to keep plants and flowers from being completely destroyed. If the pests bothering your plants include flies, ticks, mosquitoes and aphids, you need to make...

Spider mites are little bugs that cause big problems. The mites hang onto the underside of leaves by thin silk and feed on the plant cells. This causes dead splotches in the leaves, weakening, and...

Pure potassium is seldom found in a natural state. This element commonly combines with other elements resulting in the formation of various salts. Although the names potassium bicarbonate and...

Hummingbird food is a sweet mixture of sugar and water with a ratio of four parts water and one part sugar. Hummingbirds are very attracted to the color red, and their feeders often look like red...

Pond algae are microscopic plants that live on the pond's surface. While some pond algae benefit the pond by providing nourishment to the fish and oxygen to the water, too much of it is harmful...

Water lilies typically come in two colors, white or yellow. These flowering plants thrive in freshwater locations, which makes them ideal for ponds. However, if the conditions are right, they can...

Is the pH level high or low? It's a question you would get about your swimming pool, aquarium, or garden, where a constant pH is crucial. Water has a neutral standard of seven pH. Raise pH with...

The pond is a common breeding ground for algae. Pond algae feed on the decaying matter at the bottom of the pond, and proliferate in dirty water. They thrive in the warmer water in the shallow...

Wasps are natural pest killers. They eat other insects around your house, helping you to have less of a problem with other crawlies. The only time they are difficult to manage is if they are...

Crabgrass is a type of perennial weed common throughout North America. The Digitaria sanguinalis, or hairy crabgrass, is one of the most common species encountered by gardeners. The weed is often...

Ants can be a big pain if they enter your home and spot a small crumb of food. That one crumb of food is all it takes for the scouts to go back and tell the rest of their colony to come and join...

Wasps are beneficial to any garden. Their diets consist mainly of other insects and pests such as aphids. However, they are aggressive insects and can become very defensive when disturbed. For...

Spring days and warmer weather are often a delight to behold, especially after the harsh conditions of winter. While walking outside, enjoying the new growth and birth of the season, you may...

Insect repellents and traps can be a pesky business, requiring a delicate balance of exterminating the insect infestation without damaging the ecological surroundings. Some effective traps use...

Caterpillars can be very destructive to garden plants. They have ferocious appetites. Caterpillars can disfigure and kill your plants. If you hate to use harsh chemical pesticides to control your...

Buzzing insects flying around your ears in the backyard is annoying. Whether reading the paper and suddenly being assaulted by flies, lanced by mosquitoes under a starry night or smacked in the...

It is easy to kill wasps cheap. Several effective non-toxic methods are available that use common household ingredients. When you are exterminating wasps, follow standard safety precautions. Plan...

Aphids are approximately 1/8-inch long with oval shaped body. Adult aphids are typically wingless and they can be white, green, yellow, red or black. Aphids are found in groups on the leaves of...

There are several ways to kill fire ants, but not all of them are non-toxic and kid-friendly. When you have kids running around your lawn, you don't want them getting badly burned by a chemical...

In general, few people like wasps. Most people's instincts when they come into contact with a wasp is to either run far away (and fast) or to stand perfectly still and hope to avoid a painful...

Slugs are a fascinating but problematic creature for many gardeners, particularly those who cultivate hostas. Hostas grow in rich, moist environments, and their crowns are an ideal place for slugs...

Ponds and containers of standing water can quickly attract mosquitoes, which can fill the water with mosquito larvae in no time. It can be difficult to deter such pests, especially if the...

The best method for getting rid of algae in your pond will depend on the type of pond you have and what kind of algae is growing. If your pond is in a natural setting and filled with plants you...

Aspirin is used to treat pain, fever and inflammation. While used as a drug for treating humans, it is also a tool for gardeners to fight off diseases and insects on their plants. Aspirin water...

Water bugs are also known as the American cockroach. These roaches can quickly infest a house if a homeowner is not careful. They are most often found in the dark moist places of a home, but they...

Floating pond weeds grow both unattached or rooted to the bottom of the pond with leaves that float on the surface of the pond water. Pond weeds can take over an entire pond blocking light and...

If your plant leaves look like they have raggedy edges, you most likely have bugs chewing on the leaves. Even if you can’t identify the insect that are doing the damage you can stop them. Here are...

Merriam-Websters Dictionary defines water bugs as, "any of various small arthropods and especially insects that frequent damp or wet places." Swimming pools are no exception for water bugs....

Wild violets (most commonly Viola papilionacea) are native to North America and considered one of the most persistent perennial weeds in lawns and gardens. Identified by the blue, heart-shaped...

Mosquitoes are not only a pesky annoyance, they also carry disease. There are many products available to control an outside mosquito problem. They range from harsh chemicals to candles to the type...

Ants are annoying little bugs which can be found anywhere in your house. The kitchen seems to be the place where they are found most often. It makes sense though because there, the ants can find...

Weeds can be harmful to your garden plants and lawn because they absorb nutrients from the soil. Most weedkillers from home and garden stores contain chemicals, so many gardeners choose to use...