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Gardening Article Updates

Hi - this is the place where I post all my new articles for this website, the results of garden trials and simply having fun in the garden.  This website started a few years ago, when I had my nursery (hence the name) and I still report on plants and the techniques I'm learning to grow them.  

I've also expanded the site to focus more on herbs and garden design.  

So, If you're interested in getting the latest articles, sign up for the feed or the newsletter on the left hand nav bar (or both because they're different).  

If you have a question, you can ask it here.

In answer to the question, "What have you done for me lately?" :-)   Here it is.

Doug


All the new articles fit to print.



Nov 6, 2009, Cross of Yellow/Orange -7mm (Euonymus Leaf Notcher)

Flying insect that is yellow to orange in color with black in tail. Fuzzy. ~7mm in length. Flies around evergreen bush and other bushes. Clings to

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Nov 6, 2009, brown with orange markings (Leaffooted seed bug)

found on my doorknob when i went home. never saw it before. seemed pretty big,

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Nov 6, 2009, brownish spiked crest

2 1/2-3 long. found in Central Illinois near woody/wet area. Did not see it fly or crawl. Back area golden and glittery. Kind of a horn closer to

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Nov 2, 2009, Black with white markings bee-like insect (Baldfaced hornet)

The insect is shown on a brick wall in downtown Toronto on August 7, 2009. It looks somewhat like a bee or wasp. There were 2 identical ones but one

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Nov 2, 2009, Flying creature (Giant ichneumon wasp female)

Black body, yellow head and feelers, long black stinger, about 3 inches (body only) stinger was about 5 inches, black wings, black legs. It was on my

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Oct 30, 2009, Brown Spider (Cross orbweaver spider)

My daughter saw this spider outside her bedroom window and I had to go out and take a picture of it. There is a picture of it from the top. If you

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Oct 30, 2009, Pink fuzzy caterpillar (Lycaenid butterfly caterpillar)

Hello. We found this pretty pink caterpillar on our sidewalk today in San Diego, CA. It's about 3/4 of an inch long and has a short fuzz, almost

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Oct 30, 2009, deterring cats

is there any plants that will deter cats from coming into my garden and making a mess thank you Doug says there are a ton of marketers who would

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Oct 28, 2009, Worried about pond in winter

My koi pond has been great all summer now fall is here and winter is coming. I have read numerous differnt things about leaving pump on and some say

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Oct 28, 2009, small black beetle (Southern Green stink bug)

small black beetle with green spots. Looks like a lady bug only wrong color. In the picture the spots look white. There are about 20+ on one plant.

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Oct 28, 2009, Fuzzy Black Fly with White Wing Tips (Bee Fly)

Can you tell me what kind of fly this is? I found it on the side of our garage while we were painting it. It is fuzzy and black with white wing tips.

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Oct 28, 2009, Tiny wasp or ant? (Subterranean Ants)

I keep finding these in my basement.(they've all been dead) Thought carpenter ants, but these are tiny and everything I read says they get big. Put a

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Oct 28, 2009, green-hairless-golden stripe (Mottled Prominent moth caterpillar)

about 1.5 long, green, hairless, red-golden stripe down back, split

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Oct 28, 2009, brown long insect (Striped walkingstick pair)

not sure what this is hangs around my porch with backs up to a wooded creek area. carries it's young on it's back

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Oct 28, 2009, Brown, approx 3 inches, flying (Giant water bug)

I saw this guy in Ottawa. It's about 3 inches long, brownish-grey coloured, with large wings that cover the top of its body. It was by itself. At

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Oct 28, 2009, Purple winged long tail (Giant ichneumon wasp female)

Looks like a grasshopper with purple wings and a long tail.

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Oct 28, 2009, 1 inch green caterpillar (Looper Caterpillar)

I thought these were Hornworms infesting my garden again, but these were making a cocoon and are only an inch or smaller. I found them among my

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Oct 28, 2009, Big Green with Orange Headdress (Hickory Horned Devil)

About 4 inches long. Southeast Georgia (about 30 miles west of Brunswick). Photo from 10/17. Crawling up a

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Oct 28, 2009, orange fuzzy caterpillar (Salt marsh caterpillar)

Found on a sunny wooden fence next to mixed gardens at a Harvest Festival in Southern Rhode Island in

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Oct 28, 2009, Round & Green, lots of fuzzy protuberances (Crowned Slug caterpillar)

I can't even tell what family this bug might be in. Sorry, don't know where he was except found on a hike in the 'wilds of the Catskills'. There are

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Oct 28, 2009, Big fat green caterpillar with orange spots (Polyphemus Moth caterpillar)

I found this in South Carolina in the grass beneath an oak tree in late October. It's about 4 inches long, with faint whiskers sparsely spread

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Oct 23, 2009, weeds in an alpine garden

Hello Doug, Maybe this question has been answered already with your experiementation of vinegar , salt and dish soap. I have tried everything to rid

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Oct 23, 2009, Virginia Creeper is wilting

My Virginia Creeper does well in the spring but come summer the leaves start wilting, turning an orange/red and brown on the edges. It is hot here,

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Oct 22, 2009, winged borer insect with long antenna-like tail (Ichneumon wasp)

A maple tree in our yard has extensive damage to the trunk. There are holes around the circumferance of trunk from the base to about 5 feet from the

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Oct 22, 2009, Large Black Bug (Whipscorpion)

large black bug with brown legs and very long feelers on either side of the body. flat bodied. crawls sideways and very fast.

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Oct 22, 2009, Long Orange, Yellow & Black Flying 4inch Insect (Giant ichneumon wasp)

4 inches long, patterned body in orange yellow & black, resembling a huge mosquito or

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Oct 22, 2009, large brown caterpillar with green spots (Imperial moth caterpillar)

4 inch caterpillar on my crepe myrtle bush. brown with yellow spots and both ends have yellow thing that look like

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Oct 22, 2009, Tiny Red Bugs (Scentless plant bug nymphs)

These tiny little critters are on a sedum plant. Could they be baby

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Oct 19, 2009, New Guinas stop blooming

It has been very hot and I've tried to keep our plants watered. However, I've noticed that the New guinas have stopped blooming. The foliage is

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Oct 16, 2009, Birch trees

I moved into a new house that has a birch tree which hangs over my driveway. In the fall I notice what looks like misty rain on my car windows, it

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