Live traps can be used for smaller rodents and rabbits. Bait traps with a small amount of peanut butter, check them regularly, and transport any captured animals to another location immediately. Wear plastic gloves when handling live traps to prevent exposure to diseases carried by rodents and their parasites. Sticky insect traps and lures are another good pest control. Paint a thick piece of cardboard a bright color to attract pest, and coat with a sticky substance such as Stick-em or Tanglefoot.

Electronic Pest Control

There are several electronic pest control devices available on market as well, including electric fences, motion detecting water sprayers, and ultrasonic noisemakers that humans can’t hear, but that garden pests find annoying. There are some units on market that allow you to adjust unit to pest you are trying to drive away, without bothering other critters you would like to have around.

Electric fencing can be installed around perimeter of yard. Some of these products claim to be strong enough to deter deer from entering garden, but weak enough that they do not hurt family pets.

Moles feed on earthworms and grubs, not plants, which can make them a benefit to gardens, but as part of their natural activity, moles tunnel through soil, causing damage to delicate plant roots. Battery or solar operated devices can be placed in ground to help deter moles from burrowing in your garden. Place a few around garden to prevent these pests from making paths in a new area.

Beneficial Bugs

Insects that prey upon garden pests are called beneficial insects. In nature these insects keep garden pests under control. Encourage beneficial bugs by avoiding use of commercial pesticides as these are usually non-discriminatory and will kill good and bad bugs alike. A small number of pests in garden will encourage those beneficial bugs to stick around and multiply, making your work easier.

Ladybugs are natural enemies of aphids. Green lacewing in larvae stage feeds on thrips, mites, aphids, and various other insect eggs. Trichogramma wasps are effective against corn earworm, tomato hornworm, and loopers. The tiny wasps are also a parasite to many kinds of caterpillars.

Sprays and Soaps

There are many organic pest control sprays you can make at home, as well as purchasing less harmful insecticidal soaps. Many of homemade sprays include ingredients such as garlic, onion, or cayenne pepper. A word of caution when using sprays intended to go directly on plants. Never apply sprays in heat of afternoon sun. The water can heat up very quickly and cause brown spots to appear on leaves.

Most gardeners have a connection with earth and enjoy wildlife and insects nature has provided…just not in garden! For those who prefer to practice organic pest control, there are many options. They may not work as well as pesticides in some cases, but they are a lot less harmful and can even add fun and beauty to your garden.

The variety and type of rose will determine its life span, but most will typically live between four and seven days after cutting. Due to their delicate nature, stems should be placed in vase very gingerly. In order to reduce build-up of bacteria, any foliage that is apparent immediately above water line should be removed. For maximum life expectancy, stems should be re-cut every two to three days.

Lilies may also be referred to by variety, such as in case of Asiatic Lily or Oriental Lily. These flower types can be recognized by their trumpet-shaped petals and can reach six inches in diameter. The height of their stems can reach up to three feet and may sport four to eight blossoms. Their color varieties include white, yellow, pink, red and orange.

Due to their poisonous nature – specifically concerning members of feline family - National Animal Poison Control Center recommends keeping all forms of lilies out of reach of your household pets.

Tulips – known by no specific variety names – grow as single blossoms, containing six petals each. Variations include those of lily-flowering, double flowering, fringe-petaled and ruffled parrot genres. The color array includes white, yellow, pink, peach, orange, red, lavender and purple, as well as a bi-color variety.

The orchid, also known as cymbidium, dendrobium, oncidium, cattleya and phalaenopsis, are available in a variety of shapes and sizes – largest of these being cymbidiums. Including all varieties, there are currently over 17,000 species which span globe.

Personal preference will dictate which flower, color and/or arrangement is most suitable for that special someone in your life, as well as which room of house in which to display arrangement.

The Growing Popularity of Wildflowers

While these were once seen as mere weeds, misunderstood wildflower has recently gained popularity, as a result of botanical education that’s been offered by a variety of gardening experts. Wildflowers serve a purpose beyond that of simple beauty, as evidenced by fact that small country gardens containing these types of flowers are known to attract birds and caterpillars. Growing such a garden is beneficial, both to senses and to area wildlife.

Among more popular wild flowers are honeysuckle, foxglove, red campion, lesser celandine, herb Robert and forget-me-not. Certain areas of world have developed such an appreciation for wildflowers that uprooting of them is illegal. Many people agree with this, since they tend to think of it in terms of preventing removal of landscape’s natural beauty.