This spring when I’m placing and planting ornamentals in the garden, I will be strategic about the flowers I place around my veggie gardens. I had such a problem with Colorado potato beetles last year (they attacked both my tomatillos and my potatoes), I’ve been doing a lot of research on natural pest control. One thing I haven’t really paid much attention to in the past is the idea of planting flowers that will attract beneficial insects that can help control the bad insect populations and others that repel them completely. Certain flowers can also be ground up and stewed in water to create a pest-repelling “tea” that can be used to spray infested areas.
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Insects and climate change: The study of phenology
It turns out that life is more predictable than you might think — well, at least plant and insect life at any rate. Phenology is a jaw-dropping science that examines recurring plant and animal lifecycle events and their connection to the weather. Plants and insects don’t use clocks. Instead they use the conditions of their environment to keep time. The growth and development of both plants and insects is intimately connected to temperature. Phenological events like the blooming of a maple tree, a songbird’s spring arrival, the migration of a monarch, and the egg hatch of Eastern tent caterpillars are all tied to environmental conditions. Nearly all natural phenomena are.
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Spring vegetable gardening tip; get a jump on the garden with cloches!
Want a vegetable gardening tip that will give you a head start on the planting season AND save you money? Try using simple cloches to shelter your plants from inclement weather, encourage quick germination for just-planted seeds, or even extend the autumn harvest for weeks. Cloches act as miniature greenhouses and can be purchased or made from common household items like milk jugs or water bottles.
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The onslaught of introduced insects – And why it will change EVERYTHING
We’ve got a problem. And by “we,” I don’t just mean you and me; I mean every single human being living on this planet. It is a problem of epic proportions, a tidal wave of sorts. And it’s only going to get worse.
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Plant fast-growing vegetables for a homegrown harvest in six weeks or less
In my vegetable garden, I want to grow as much food as possible. Planting fast growing vegetables like arugula, leaf lettuce, radishes, Asian greens, and turnips allows me to do just that by succession planting from early spring through late summer. Who says fast food can’t be healthy? I like to call these my super speedy superstars and they’re ready mere days or weeks from seeding.
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How we met
The seed for Savvy Gardening was sown in Quebec City in August 2013 when Jessica, Tara, and Niki connected at the annual Garden Writers Association symposium. This event brings together garden writers from the US, Canada and the UK and is a great chance to brush up on writing, speaking and photography skills, but also offers the opportunity to explore both public and private gardens in the host city.
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