We often start a vegetable garden because we have decided to eat organic produce and reduce our chemical exposure.

Inevitably, However, we are faced with pest and disease problems and with the dilemma of controlling them without poisoning ourselves in the process.

Sometimes our best effort at organic solutions simply doesn’t cut it and we might be tempted to turn to pesticides.

Pesticide is a generic term for any substance that interferes with the physical, chemical or biological mechanisms of the invading insects, weeds or fungus affecting the garden.

<< A SHOPPER’S GUIDE TO PESTICIDES IN PRODUCE

<< DDT – PERSISTENT PESTICIDE THAT IS STILL A THREAT

…read more of How Pesticides Work here

Summer is here and all manner of little pests are afoot, particularly ants looking for food or water. There are a number of inexpensive and ecologically sound ways to eliminate ants; however preventing these social creatures from coming in is the first step.

Prevention

1. Clean up crumbs and spills on the counters right away.  If your kitchen is a busy one, keeping more than one sponge by the sink means that no one has to wait to use the sponge.  Tuck a mini hand-broom and dustpan into your cleaning supplies cabinet for sweeping up …read more of Confused Ants here

It’s that time of year to begin gardening and we always seem to encounter a few hiccups after the winter.

In my landscaping business, we specialize in pet friendly yards and encourage others to use natural remedies to eliminate pests and other gardening problems that you may encounter.

7 helpful hints to combat common garden headaches:

• Aphids (plant lice):  Fill a water spritzer with water and two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid. Spray the plant, particularly on the underside of the leaves where mites hide. For large-scale infestations, …read more of 7 Non-Toxic Pet Friendly Garden Remedies here