Of all the gall

On a walk this past weekend, I saw some oak galls. Sometimes called oak apples or oak potatoes, oak galls are abnormal growths on oak leaves, twigs, or stems that are made from the plant tissue itself by parasitic wasps.

Global warming = “meaner” poison ivy

An interesting story from HealthDay reveals that another consequence of global warming is that poison ivy is "getting meaner." A study conducted by researchers from the Marine Biological Institute in Woods Hole, Mass., suggests that the increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere makes poison ivy more abundant and more toxic.

Poison ivy season

Now that summer's here, it's officially poison ivy season. Outdoor enthusiasts have to be on the lookout as this stuff is everywhere — along hiking paths, in public parks, even in your own yard. Here's a few pictures and tips to help you recognize it.

Dutch elm disease

From today's Kent County Daily Times, an interesting article for anyone who loves elms or owns property with elm trees.

Seventy years ago, the American elm tree (Ulmus americana) was the most street popular tree in the eastern part of the country. In the first half of the twentieth century, stately American elms lined the streets of Rhode Island towns—as they did throughout most of New England and most other urban areas of the eastern North America.

Natural ways of repelling deer

It's been a crazy-busy today and I'm only finding the opportunity to blog at the end of the day. Kim at Carolina Purl once asked me a question about repelling deer in a natural way and I had a few random suggestions. But today I got my first monthly newsletter from Gardener's Supply and it contains advice on naturally repelling deer, so I decided to share.

IPM & the Colorado potato beetle

The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is one of North America's most ravenous and difficult to control garden pests. The most common potato beetle, it is serious pest to potato and eggplant crops and is often destructive to tomato crops. But it can be controlled sustainably using a combination of integrated pest management techniques and cultural, biological, chemical, and physical controls.