To keep mosquitoes away naturally, put celery in a juicer and rub or spray the liquid on your skin. Another natural option that works even better are products made from lemon eucalyptus oil such as Repel plant based insect repellent.

The first time my lawn erupted into a sea of purple violets, I actually rather liked it – I tend to evaluate a plant’s beauty first before sealing its doom by calling it a “weed.” For the most part, however, gardeners prefer for their turf grass and their flowers to stay in their respective places and for weeds to stay out of the picture altogether.

Clover, while good for the soil, is a frequent lawn-invader.

Weed Prevention

While fighting weeds is a year-round job, weed prevention is best practiced in the fall and early spring to take advantage of the growing season of turf grasses. A healthy, thick lawn is your number one defense against weeds. In fact, a badly weed-infested lawn is usually a sign of nutrient imbalance or other soil problems.

For a nice, green lawn that is free of weeds, focus first on getting your grass healthy, then give it a couple of months to become strong before applying weed control products. Minimize turf areas, so that you’re only growing grass where grass easily grows. A small patch of healthy grass is far more attractive than a huge expanse of thin, weedy lawn.

My purchased potting-soil often includes “bonus” morning glories.

If you’re amending your soil or sowing new grass seed, buy high-quality seed and consider mixing your own soil amendments using only the best ingredients. Pre-mixed topsoil from landscape supply yards often contains weed seeds.

Weed Control

Small patches of weeds can be handled by pulling or digging. All-over lawn weed control is usually not necessary either, as a heavy infestation would be better handled by making the grass healthy. However, for those in-between situations, you may want to consider the use of a chemical or organic herbicide.

Smartweed (polygonum sp.) can take over poorly-drained, moist areas

To choose the correct herbicide, it’s helpful to understand some basic terms that appear on the labels of commercially-packaged weed control products.

• Pre-Emergent herbicides work by preventing seed germination, so they don’t do much good after the weeds are growing. They’re best used as a preventative spot-treatment in known weedy patches, during the winter or summer dormant season.
• Post-Emergent herbicides work by killing growing plants, usually by interrupting chemical processes such as photosynthesis, protein production, or root growth. They are best applied when the plant is actively growing and in the fall when plants are storing up nutrients in their roots. This allows the herbicide to be quickly sucked down into the roots where it is most effective. Post-emergent herbicides can work on contact (killing only the vegetation they touch) or systemic (absorbing into and killing the entire plant).
• Selective herbicides target only certain types of plants by identifying specific enzymes or other plant chemicals. Frequently you’ll see selective herbicides designed to target monocots (such as grasses or other strappy-leaved plants) or dicots (all other plants, often referred to as “broadleaf” plants).
• Nonselective herbicides kill any plant they contact and should be used for spot-treatment only.
• Total vegetation herbicides kill all plants and sterilize the ground for a certain period of time – they should be used very carefully.

So how do these terms work together when shopping for herbicide? Here are some common examples:

• Roundup (glyphosphate) is a post-emergent, nonselective, systemic herbicide. That means it kills any actively growing plants that it contacts. It’s good for spot-treatment but should be used carefully on windy days, especially around roses.
• “Weed & Feed” products such as Sta-Green Winterizer Weed & Feed usually contain 2,4-D or other post-emergent, selective herbicides. They’re designed to selectively kill broadleaf weeds without harming grass.
• Preen Garden Weed Preventer, on the other hand, contains trifluralin, a pre-emergent, nonselective herbicide that will kill grass seeds as well as weed seeds and is only for use in established gardens.

• Concern Weed Prevention Plus is a product that contains corn gluten, a natural substance produced by corn that prevents surrounding weeds from growing. It is packaged as an organic pre-emergent herbicide that selectively targets broadleaf weeds.
• Grass killers such as Ortho Grass-B-Gon are post-emergent, selective weed killers that target grasses. They are used in flower beds to kill weed grasses.
• Ortho Ground Clear is a combination of post-emergent nonselective herbicides (glyphosphate and imazapyr). Imazapyr is very slow to break down, so this product is designed to kill every plant it contacts and to keep the ground sterile for up to one year.

As with any chemical product, follow package instructions carefully, and only use if absolutely necessary. Herbicides can affect surrounding plants and can pollute ground water when used improperly or in large quantities. By carefully selecting the correct product, you can get rid of those pesky weeds in no time.

Further Information

For more on dealing with weeds, watch these videos on:

• Weed Control
• Vinegar Weed Killer
• Target Weeds Without Harming Other Plants

For help identifying garden weeds, check out:

• Weed Identification Guide (Virginia Cooperative Extension)
• Landscape America Common Lawn and Landscape Weed Identification

For detailed information about specific weeds and control methods, go to:

• www.weedalert.com

As promised, I wanted to tell you about Danny’s use of celery juicing in an upcoming Thinking Green segment. Believe it or not, this really works. I know because I tested it. This is all based on a study done in Thailand using celery extract to deter mosquitoes. Nonetheless, I have to admit it was pretty funny watching Danny smear celery juice on his arm.

The thing is, these segments are limited to only 50 seconds in length, so it’s hard to get all the pertinent information out sometimes. I wanted to take a moment to clarify this process. The celery extract will work for a very short time. Certainly, you can juice the celery stalk and rub the liquid on yourself using a piece of cloth. If you use it in a spray bottle, though, do NOT just pour it directly into the bottle. You’ll need to strain the liquid at least two times to remove the excess pulp. Otherwise, it will clog the spray bottle and make it useless. I just used an old piece of cotton cloth from a torn tee shirt.

The lemon eucalyptus oil works a lot better. The product I have is called Repel, and I picked it up at a local Walgreen’s. Be aware, though, that it creates a tingling sensation on your skin, almost to the point that it feels like it’s burning. You’ll also have a very unique smell that others will comment on. Still, I’d much rather go through that than to rub a DEET infested treatment into my pores.

Considering their four-stage life cycle and the fact that one flea can produce a trillion offspring in less than a year, getting rid of a flea infestation can be quite a challenge! In the lawn and garden (and even indoors), one suggestion is pennyroyal– grow the mint-like plants for a natural flea repellent, or mist areas with a few drops of essential oil in water.

Another natural solution is diatomaceous earth. Available at your local garden center, this fine powder contains the microskeletons of fresh and saltwater diatoms (a form of algae). The tiny, sharp silicon particles destroy the exoskeletons of insects, including fleas. Be sure to buy garden-grade, rather than crystallized pool-grade, to reduce the potential health risks from inhalation. Wear an appropriate dusk mask when sprinkling it around your yard, and keep pets indoors until the powder has settled.

There is also a large selection of commercial insecticides on the market for lawn use. If you decide to go that route, be sure the product contains an Insect Growth Regulator, which will make any surviving fleas sterile.

With any repellent or insecticide product, whether natural or chemical, keep in mind that it will affect beneficial insects as well as pests – there is no way to target just fleas.

We had beautiful hostas for two years under our shade trees. For the most part, they are now nonexistent – the few that continue to come up have stunted leaves. I’ve wondered if they are intolerant of the heat, since I’m at the warmest end of the recommended planting zones (zone 10)? -BJ

It doesn’t sound like a problem of summer heat intolerance, particularly since you grew them beautifully for two years. Hostas normally go dormant during a heat wave – they just sit there and wait it out (like the rest of us). They can be sensitive to the sun, however, which is evident if the leaves look faded, burned, or are deteriorating from the edges inward. For your shade-tree hostas, your problem might be:

• Critter damage. Meadow mice and voles love to munch on hosta roots and stems, which can stunt growth.
• Hosta Virus X. This virus at first creates a mottled pattern in the leaf colors (often mistakenly purchased as a new variety) and can result in stunted leaves that look puckered or twisted.
• Other disease, although the primary diseases that affect hostas – crown rot and foliar nematodes, for instance – usually result in visible leaf damage and quick, tragic plant death, which is not quite what you’re experiencing.
• Unusually warm winters. Hostas require about 6 weeks of cold weather for winter dormancy, including several weeks between 30-35 degrees F.
• Damage by surprise late-spring freezes.

The Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) strikes fear in the hearts of homeowners, particularly residents of Hawaii and the southern United States. According to a report by the Department of Agriculture, it is one of the most destructive pests in the country. Each year over $1 billion is spent in the U.S. for preventative and remedial treatment and to repair damage caused by Formosan termites.

Despite persistent myths to the contrary, Formosan termites can’t chew through concrete and aren’t able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Even so, they’re often referred to as “super-termites” because they’re aggressive, able to build nests above ground, and form extremely large colonies. While native termite colonies often number in the hundreds of thousands, Formosan colonies include millions of individuals. One Formosan queen can live as long as 20 years and lay as many as 2,000 eggs a day.

Distribution

Formosan termites are native to China and migrated to North America on military transports returning from World War II. They are now found in at least 11 states, including Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Formosan termites are rarely found further north than 35° N latitude because their eggs can’t hatch below 68°F.

Prevention

The best way to prevent an infestation of Formosan termites is to make your home uninviting by cutting off their access to food and water. To accomplish this goal:

• Remove dead trees as well as scrap wood, paper, and cardboard from your yard.
• Prevent wood from coming into direct contact with bare ground around your home.
• Use pressure-treated wood for structures at or near ground level.
• Anchor wooden posts for fences, decks, porches, and sheds in cement.
• Eliminate wooden planters, tubs, trellises, and stakes.
• Keep plants and landscaping materials at least a foot away from buildings.
• Avoid using wood chips for mulch close to the house.
• Install and maintain rain gutters to direct water away from the walls and roof of the house.
• Add downspout extenders to deliver runoff at least a foot away from the foundation.
• Repair leaks in outdoor faucets, indoor fixtures, water lines, drains, and appliances immediately.

Detection

Early detection leads to early treatment, which is critical. Entomologists at the University of Hawaii have found that a colony of Formosan termites can do significant structural damage in as little as six months. If you live in or near affected areas, inspect your home and property at least once a year for the following signs:

• Shelter Tubes: Formosan termites don’t like to be exposed, so they build shelter tubes to travel between their nest and sources of food and water. Check the foundation, as well as any wood near the ground, for signs of tubes.
• Water Source: Examine areas surrounding outside faucets and water lines. Inside, inspect areas where moisture is found, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.
• Damage: Look for pinholes in drywall and evidence of damage to wood in any location, even the tack strips under carpeting.
• Nests: Formosan termites build large nests made of a rock-like mass. Most of these nests are built below ground, but not all nests have contact with soil. Probe any suspect areas with an awl or screwdriver, and check any wood that feels soft or hollow. Look for bulges or depressions, discolorations, and spongy wood. Check cracks in stucco or plaster, and knots in trees.

Identification

Should you discover an active colony of termites, try to gather several different looking specimens from the nest, since some members of the colony are easier to identify than others.

Another approach is to collect them when they swarm, which takes place at night from April through July. Like most insects, Formosan termites are attracted to light. To collect samples for identification, mix a little dishwashing soap in a container of water. Place it near a light source, and turn off all other lights in the area.

Put any suspect insects you find in small bottles filled with rubbing alcohol and take them to a trusted exterminator, county extension office, or university entomology department for identification.

Extermination

If the samples you collect are identified as Formosan termites, it’s time to call an exterminator, since eradication is best left to professionals. Before selecting a pest control company, get at least three bids and make sure the exterminator you choose has plenty of experience in dealing with Formosan termites.

There are two basic types of control available: soil termiticides and bait. A reliable exterminator should consult you and discuss all the options before making a decision about treatment.

For additional information on formosan termites visit:

• Orkin Termites 101
• USDA Agricultural Research Service
• University of Florida: Formosan Subterranean Termite
• LSU Agricultural Center

• Nesting boxes and food sources will keep birds nearby and they in turn will keep insects under control.
• Toads also perform the same function. You can give them a home by leaving partial clay pots at ground level.
• Tree frogs will rest in the top of a vertically oriented piece of bamboo and feed on damaging insects.
• Use pieces of cut potato (regular or sweet) placed in the garden to attract insects. This will provide a snapshot of exactly what bugs you have and how prevalent they are, so you can treat accordingly.