When you have a backyard garden, one of the main things to look out for is that ants, particularly fire ants do not colonise your garden. Having ants in your garden has some benefits but too many of them can cause problems. For instance, fire ants can dig tunnels that aerate the soil. This helps your plants to get nutrients and water. At the same time, fire ants can feed on the tiny seedlings in your vegetable garden. Fire ant bites are very painful and can harm people who have sensitive skin. They can also expand their colonies which can be quite a nuisance. One of the main problems that…

You may have a garden that is properly maintained but rarely snakes can find their way to your gardens. Growing certain plants can help to repel snakes. Plants that repel snakes from your garden: 1. Lemongrass Lemongrass is a herb that belongs to the grass family. The stalks of lemongrass have the scent of lemons which snakes dislike. Planting them in your garden is a good way to repel snakes. Lemongrass is a perennial herb but it is not frost-tolerant. It grows fast when planted in a sunny location and it does not need much maintenance. Besides repelling snakes, lemongrass repels pests like aphids and mealy bugs. 2. Mother-in-laws tongue…

Here are a few reasons why your plants may be wilting and how you can fix them 1.Underwatering We all know that plants that do not receive proper water can dry up. Plants will look droopy and the leaves will start to dry up. Insert your finger check the moisture level of the soil. If the soil is too dry, water it gently and your plants will recover within an hour. Make sure you water only the first two inches of the soil. Plants grown in pots have less soil volume so they need lots of water. Water the plant until it drains through the pot. 2. Overwatering Overwatering your…

Ways to Improve Tomato Yields 1. Burying the stems deeper When transplanting young tomato seedlings to bigger pots or the ground, make sure you bury the stems deeper. Since the hairs in a tomato’s stem can form their roots, burying the stems deeper builds a stronger root system. Just remove the bottom leaves of the tomato plants and leave the top few leaves. Then transplant the plant in such a manner that the stems are buried deeper. 2. Providing nutrients regularly Tomatoes are heavy feeders and they will need nutrients regularly. If they are grown in pots, they should be fed once in two weeks. Like all plants, tomatoes need…

If you find white trails or pale blotches on the leaves of your plants, you probably have leaf miners. Leaf miners are one of the species of insects whose larva lives in plant tissues and feeds on them. The most common leaf-mining insects include moths (Lepidoptera), sawflies and flies(Diptera). Leaf miners emerge as adults in spring and find a suitable leaf to lay their eggs. Eggs are laid within the leaf or on the leaf’s surface. Once the eggs are hatched the larvae feed on the leaves for 2 to 3 weeks before they drop on the ground to become pupae. Leaf miners attack the vegetable plants grown in gardens.…

Aphids are pesky insects that drain the life out of your plants eventually killing them. They are also called greenfly and blackfly. There are about 5000 species of aphids among which 400 of them are found in food or fibre crops. Aphids reproduce rapidly and increase in large numbers within a few days. This is because aphids can reproduce without males. Young aphids mature rapidly and give birth to nymphs that are already pregnant. This way of reproducing is asexual and called as parthenogenesis. Aphids form a symbiotic relationship with ants. Aphids secrete honeydew which is consumed by ants. Ants in turn protect them from predators. Aphids must be controlled…

A garden cannot be kept completely pest-free, but pests can be controlled or reduced using pesticides. Making pesticides at home is easy and they can be quite effective in repelling insects and pests. Best organic pesticides for plants 1.Garlic Spray Take a few cloves of garlic and use a blender to grind it into a smooth paste. Then transfer the mix into a bowl and add 1 cup of warm water. Let it sit for 24 hours. Next, use a sieve to strain the juice and add 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap to it. Then transfer it to a spray bottle and use it on your plants.  2. Chilli…

Everyone loves to grow flowers in their garden during the summer season. Our garden looks more pretty when we have more flowers blooming. Besides that they also provide the habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects. Ways to increase flowering in plants 1. Sunlight Flowering plants require lots of sunlight to produce more blooms. Grow them in locations that get 6 to 8 hours of sunlight every day to get more blooms. When temperatures are too high, especially during summers make sure they get some afternoon shade too. 2. Water Regular watering is required to get more blooms. Make sure you water the soil till it becomes moist. 3. Deadhead old…