Garden Pests

Neem Oil

There is a “new” product making its way to the garden shelves called Neem oil or Neem oil extract. Actually, Neem oil has been around for thousands of years, however, is entering the garden area. It comes from the Neem tree (Azadirachta) which grows in Southeast Asia and India. The tree’s seeds hold the highest concentration of oil.

Neem Oil pic

It is non-toxic to bees, butterflies, ladybugs, fish, and birds. A soil drench or foliage spray which is taken in by the plant causes the feeding bugs to stop eating. It works well for aphids, mites, scale, cabbage worms, and mealybugs. As a fungicide, it is useful for controlling and preventing mildews, rusts, black spot on roses, and mold on fruit. Read the directions carefully because you do not want to apply it too heavily.

Home Improvement

Wallpaper of Your Grandmothers

Remember the wallpaper of your grandmothers, the vivid floral prints, or paisley prints. Wallpaper grew out of favor during the 1990s, however, is now coming back into style. Geometric designs are big now along with textured prints. Wallpaper now mimics the look of metal, marble, brick, and fabrics such as leather and satin.

It goes up easy and some have peel-off backing and is much easier to remove. I remember spending days applying a toxic solution to the paper and scraping it off.

The use of wallpaper has changed from doing the entire room in the same color and design to doing an accent wall or lower half of the walls. A textured paper removes the flaws in the room which paint can not do.

Garden Pests

Two Shrub Pests

Honeysuckle Aphids

Last year there were two shrub pests and now is the time to control them. One is the honeysuckle aphid, a small black and white aphid that attacks the plant early and leaves twisted leaves and dead twigs. The damage will not kill the plant but leaves the plant unsightly with dead tips. Spray when the leaves just come out with Neom oil or a systemic insecticide.

Cotoneaster Mites

The other is the cotoneaster mites. They are small, around .02 inches long, and cause the leaves to curl in a knot with tiny spider webs around a group of leaves. The leaves blacken with a sappy substance on them from the secretions of the mites. Shrubs will die back after a few years of infestation. As with honeysuckle, spray early with Neom oil or a systemic insecticide. Now is the time!