As the Garden Grows

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Natural Alternatives To Weed Killers And Pesticides

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Weeds and bugs can destroy your yard, and if you worked hard on your landscaping—or if you simply can’t stand weeds and bugs—you’ll want to find ways to keep them away from your yard. Most people turn to pesticides and weed killers, but if you have pets or small children, or if you worry about the environment, most weed killers and pesticides are not a great option. Instead of buying and using products that are filled with harmful chemicals, you can always opt for one of the following natural remedies instead.

WEED KILLER

Hot Water

One of the easiest and safest remedies to killing weeds in your yard is to use hot water. Boil some water so that it’s as hot as possible and then pour it carefully onto the weeds. The hot water will instantly kill the weed and won’t harm you or the environment.

Vinegar

Another safe remedy to kill weeds in your yard is to simply spray them with vinegar. Place vinegar in a spray bottle and spray down the weeds that you don’t want in your yard. The vinegar will eventually kill the weeds. Note that you may need to buy a higher concentrated vinegar, so if the vinegar you purchase at the grocery store doesn’t work, ask your lawn care supply store if they have anything stronger. (Note: pickling vinegar has a higher amount of acid, so if it’s available at your grocery store, choose that one over regular vinegar.)

Newspaper

Newspaper is a great way to naturally kill and keep weeds at bay. If you have weeds already, smother them with newspaper and they will eventually die. If you’re about to plant a flower bed or garden, don’t spend money on the expensive weed screen and instead throw down a few layers of newspaper, as it will keep the weeds from growing in the first place.

PESTICIDE

Syrup

Put a small amount of syrup (or even honey) in a container and place it far away from your garden or flower bed. The sweetness of the honey will attract flies, bees and other insects and keep them away from your garden or flower bed. Plus, since the syrup is extremely sticky, most bugs will get stuck and eventually die.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural pesticide that can be found at most home and garden stores. It’s a chalky substance that you place around your garden or flower bed, and the chalky substance works as an abrasive to smaller insects, killing them by tearing open their stomach or dehydrating them from the inside out.

Soapy Water

Add a few drops of dish soap to some warm water and place it around your flower bed or garden. Although this mixture will not kill the insects that come near your flowers, it irritates them enough to keep them away.

Cayenne Pepper

If you have bugs that are eating your flowers or vegetables, you may want to invest in some cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes) and sprinkle it on your plants. The spiciness of the cayenne pepper will not kill the insects, but it will make it uncomfortable enough for them to keep them away from your garden or flowers. Using spices has also been known to keep away small animals such as rabbits and squirrels too.

Jessica Crouch is a landscape expert and avid gardener who loves writing about common plants and ways to deal with herbal pests.






5 Common But Dangerous Plants That You Could Have In Your Yard

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When it comes to your health and the health of your family and your pets, you tend to think of the obvious dangers that you need to stay away from. What most people don’t realize is that there could be harmful items located right in your backyard.

There are many plants that are dangerous to humans and/or animals, and it’s possible that you have some of the following dangerous plants lurking in your backyard.

1. Rhubarb

Yes, it’s true that rhubarb is used as a food in many tasty desserts, but only the stem of the plant is safe. The leaves of rhubarb are actually very poisonous, and if you consume them, whether cooked or uncooked, you could experience burning of the throat or mouth. After the burning is over, you could experience internal bleeding, convulsions, coma or even death. If you want to grow rhubarb, it’s best done in an area that is safe from pets or other animals.

2. Oleander

Oleander is a very beautiful flower that looks and smells great, and it’s one of the most popular choices when it comes to gardens and flower beds. However, Oleander is one of the most poisonous plants, especially when it comes to children. What makes Oleander so dangerous is that it’s not just poisonous to consume, but it’s also poisonous to the touch. Symptoms of poison from an Oleander plant include vomiting and diarrhea, cramping, seizures, coma and death.

3. Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are another popular plant when it comes to yard décor. They can grow to be very tall, and they are available in an assortment of colors. If you were to consume a hydrangea, you would experience massive stomach pain, sweating, itchy skin and even vomiting. In most cases, vomiting is the worst of the symptoms, but some cases of coma have been reported from hydrangea consumption.

4. Chrysanthemum

Many people plant chrysanthemums (or mums) in their yards or near their gardens because they’re known to keep rabbits away. But chrysanthemums are also poisonous to humans. Touching the head of a chrysanthemum could make you experience red and itchy skin along with some minor swelling. Although that’s the worst that will happen, it can still be a nuisance.

5. Rhododendron

Rhododendrons are popular flowers to decorate a lawn due to their bell-like shape, but rhododendron leaves and the honey nectar they produce are very toxic. If you were to eat either the leaves or the honey, you could experience a burning mouth, vomiting, diarrhea or a tingling feeling in your body. Some people have also experienced convulsions and fallen into a coma, and others have experienced a slower heartbeat and difficulty breathing.

Even though most adults know not to consume a flower, young children and animals are often curious and put things into their mouth. It’s very important that you know which plants in your yard are poisonous and keep them out of the reach of children and animals in order to keep them safe.

4 Common Compost Problems And How To Fix Them

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Compost is essential for fertile soil. Compost benefits the soil in various ways including encouraging the soil to hold nutrients, attracting much needed soil insect activity and encouraging a more conducive environment for plant growth. There are some common problems that you may encounter when preparing compost. Below are some solutions on how you can address the problems.

Not All Items Are Decomposing

You may have a varied plant matter to create your compost. However, sometimes the materials in the compost do not decompose at the same rate. This is especially the case if you have included whole plant or animal matter in the compost. To address this, ensures that you chop all the matter in the compost to small pieces. This ensures that all matter is exposed equally to the environment and will therefore decompose at the same rate.

Stink

Compost is made up of decomposing matter and the stench is inevitable. Nevertheless, you may want to manage stink if you want to avoid lawsuits of nuisance from your neighbors or you have a sensitive nose. Compost stink can either be caused by wetness or nitrogen rich matter in your compost material. To address this, you should remake your compost by adding some dry leaves or grass. This will help to take care of the nitrogen content in your compost material. The stink is usually caused by bacteria that usually thrive in wet, damp, and dark conditions. Address this by turning your compost regularly to help manage the wet condition.

Dry and Dusty Compost

While compost that is wet may lead to bacteria breeding, you do not want to have compost that is too dry. Damp conditions are ideal to create a good compost material. If the material gets too dry, the compost will not break down sufficiently and this will compromise the quality of your compost. You will experience the problem of dry compost during summer or if you live in a hot environment. Correct this problem by adding some water to the compost. This should be done with care as you do not want to make the compost wet and soggy. Pour the water in bits and keep mixing the compost as you do this. As the compost gets wet, mix properly to ensure that it is damp but not soggy. Stop adding water when you are sure that the compost is damp enough.

My Compost is Attracting Animals and Insects

At time, your compost may even attract some wild animals that are foraging for food. This is normal considering the amount of possible feed available for these animals. You should be able to prevent this by putting protective mesh around your compost site. This should safely keep away any animals that want to eat your compost. It is also very natural that you will find lots of bugs within your compost material. While this sounds disgusting, bugs will help the compost material decompose. They are therefore good for your compost as they assist in the process.

Denis is a freelance writer that loves to share tips on gardening. You can have a look at his site on wall fireplace if you want to learn more on him.

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