Outsmart Squash Vine Borers This Season – Featured Video

Do your squash plants look wilted in the summer? There could be an invisible enemy larva eating your plant stems from the inside out. And worse yet, typically there is more than one miner inside!

This troubling pest, squash vine borer, seems to hit everyone’s garden in the eastern United States! The borer pest is very hard to control since targeting the egg-laying clearwing moth is like throwing darts in the night. Honestly, it is best to plant squash plants at different time intervals to increase your chance of missing the egg-laying time. Early transplant squash can beat out the egg layers and then late season squash can miss them.

Plan your garden accordingly this year, and you may be able to avoid most of the vine borer problems!

HGIC Website: Squash Vine Borers

Joyce Browning Horticulturist, Master Gardener Coordinator Video credit: Bethany Evans Longwood Gardens Professional Gardener Program Alumni; CPH

How to Avoid 5 Landscaping Blunders: Tips for new and experienced gardeners

Leyland cypress planted too close to structure
Leyland cypress can grow up to 70’ in height and 15’ in width. They should be planted at least 15’ away from each other and 8’ away from any structure. This was taken in June 2013.

Creating a beautiful landscape takes time and resources. Invest in careful planning and research before you begin to establish or renovate a landscape. It will pay off in the long run!

Here are a few common blunders that occur in landscaping and, more importantly, how to avoid them. Continue reading