Tag: pests
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How to Avoid a Skunk Problem Before It Happens
You’ll smell your neighborhood skunk before you see it. No matter how hard they try not to, these critters give off a pungent odor. Although skunks do just want to be left alone, they can cause a number of issues around your home, particularly if you have pets that spend time outdoors. The last thing…
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4 Ways to Solve Your Ant Problems
Ants are complicated. On the one hand, you want some of them in your garden, because they go after other insects. They protect their territory unless you’re an aphid. They’ll help aphids, which can be bad because those insects have the power to wipe out an entire garden. One of the other hand, you really…
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5 Great Uses for Cheesecloth in Your Garden
Cheesecloth is a very useful material. While it has its obvious uses in the kitchen, including cheese making and filtering various products, this fabric can also be used in your garden. One of the reasons why you can use it outdoors is the fact that it’s such a natural material that it can be composted.…
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3 Tips to Outsmart Backyard Critters
No matter where you live, you’re probably familiar with backyard critters. These squirrels, skunks, raccoons, and more tend to invade yards in both the city and the country. There’s nothing worse than having to defend your yard from these invasive pests, especially when you catch them trying to eat the crops growing in your garden.…
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Animal Trapping for Dummies
There are two main ways to get rid of those unwanted critters that are terrorizing your garden. You can either use a number of methods to repel them, or you can trap them. There are plenty of humane traps out there that will do the job nicely without harming the animal. These traps are a…
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The Good and Bad of Snakes on the Homestead
How do you feel about snakes? Many people have a fear of snakes, and for some people, it goes beyond just a healthy respect for the creatures and turns into full-blown hysterical fear. So, what should you do if you happen to see snakes on the farm or around your homestead? Are they good or…
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Tips and Tricks for Starting Seeds
Winter is on its last legs and it’s time to get ready for this year’s garden! If you’re in a zone with a shorter growing season or just want to stagger your crops for a richer harvest, check out these easy seed starting tricks. We already mentioned the first two in a post on frugal…
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Beer for the Garden
Beer isn’t just great for the gardener after a hard day’s work, it’s also great for the health of your garden. One way to put this beverage to work for you is to use it to attract and to kill slugs that can damage your crops and even spread disease. Here’s how to use household items…
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Protecting the Garden From Animals
After you have invested time, physical effort and money into creating a garden from which you plan to enjoy a variety of fresh vegetables, the last thing you want to see is an invasion of wildlife. In a single evening, devastation can occur as a result of unwanted four-legged visitors. A slower method of destruction…
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Getting Rid of Mice
Some people are horrified of mice. Some people think they are cute. When you are a homesteader, they are a problem that you need to solve quickly. If you are unable to get rid of the mice, they can destroy or contaminate your food supply faster than you might think. They breed quickly, and when…
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Tips to Keep Rodents OUT This Winter
As the temperature drops and food sources diminish, rodents are likely to want to relocate, and your home is going to be high on their list. They might start out in your garage, attic, or crawl space, but with the reproductive rate of rodents, they will soon be spreading out from there. Allowing these furry…
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Are Snakes Good for the Garden?
Snakes get a bad reputation, and that’s unfortunate. Too often, people kill them as soon as they see them. Many types of snakes are entirely harmless to humans, but they can be very good for your garden. In fact, garter snakes, rat snakes, and a number of species can be very beneficial. Let’s look at…
