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European chafer beetle control

November 24, 2008 by Andrea Bellamy 15 Comments

Metro Vancouver has a European Chafer beetle problem. Actually, the beetles themselves aren’t too troublesome, but their grubs, which feed on the roots of turf grass, are wreaking havoc. As an introduced pest, the beetle has few natural competitors to control it. That’s where the urban wildlife steps in. Raccoons, skunks and crows enjoy tearing […]

Filed Under: Critters and wildlife, WTF? Tagged With: beetle, crow, european chafer, grub, lawn, organic, pest control, Vancouver

Ladybugs love aphids: using beneficial bugs to wipe out the bad

May 28, 2008 by Andrea Bellamy 13 Comments

Ladybugs: keep refrigerated. I have these euphorbias (E. amygdaloides) in my front garden bed that get crippled by aphids every spring. Despite their aphid problem, they’re quite lovely, which is why I’ve kept them this long.  (I’m not sure what variety of euphorbia they are; they are the developer’s last remaining contribution of my garden.) […]

Filed Under: Critters and wildlife, Green Gardening & Living Tagged With: aphid, beneficial insect, euphorbia, gardening, ladybug, organic

Soil pH and nutrients: amending your soil organically

April 15, 2008 by Andrea Bellamy 14 Comments

Ever wonder what these funky little kits are for? Before planting in the spring, I like to do a quick soil test for pH (soil acidity or alkalinity) and nutrients (your basic NPK, or, nitrogen, phosphorous and potash [potassium]). I just use an inexpensive testing kit from a local nursery, although if you want a […]

Filed Under: How To, My garden Tagged With: alfalfa meal, alternative, blood meal, bone meal, cottonseed, fertilizer, NPK, organic, ph, ph testing, rock phosphate, soil ph, substitute, vegetarian

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