Recipes for Attracting Beneficial Insects to Your Garden

Aphids, mites, thrips, and other insect pests can do some serious damage to plants in your garden. But don't worry, you don't need to reach for the pesticides to combat these tiny bugs. Try these recipes for attracting beneficial insects to your garden. Ladybugs, lacewings, and other good bugs will arrive for the free meal, and stay to munch on the bad bugs.
Homemade Wheast:

Wheast, a combination of whey and yeast, is used by commercial insectaries to feed ladybugs, lacewings, and other insects. You can buy this bug food from organic gardening suppliers, or you can make a homemade version, minus the whey.

Ingredients:
1 part sugar
1 part yeast

Directions: Add water to the sugar and yeast, mixing until it becomes the consistency of a paste.

Application: Apply the Wheast paste to small wooden stakes, and place them in the soil around your plants. Or, dilute the Wheast in water and apply it directly to your plants using a spray bottle.
Sugar Spray:

A sugar-water solution applied to plants can dramatically increase your ladybug population in just a few days.

Ingredients:
10 tablespoons sugar
1 quart of warm water

Directions: Dissolve sugar in water.

Application: Use a spray bottle to apply solution directly to plants infested with aphids or other soft-bodied insects.
Beneficial Bug Food:

This recipe uses a little honey (made by bees!) to attract good bugs to your garden. You'll need to store it in your refrigerator, and don't keep it longer than a week.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. honey
4 tbsp. brewer's yeast
2/3 cup of warm water

Directions: Mix all ingredients together well.

Application: Dilute two spoonfuls of the mixture in a quart of warm water. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution to your plants.

Source: http://insects.about.com/od/insectpests/p/recipes-attract-good-bugs.htm

Netting Protects Veggies from Insects and Animals

Netting Protects Veggies from Insects and Animals

You'll like how this insect netting comes ready to use in your garden — complete with support hoops. Just position the finely-woven mesh tunnel over vulnerable plants to prevent damage from cucumber beetles, squash bugs, potato beetles — even deer, birds and bunnies. Nearly instant pest control!

-Finely-woven mesh protects plants from insect damage
-Silver ribbons reflect the sun, keeping birds away
-Discourages deer and rabbits, too
-Folds flat for storage

-Reusable

Plant Health Care For Seedlings

Start your seedlings off right, with a healthy diet of Plant Health Care. This balanced formula contains a 6-12-6 fertilizer, plus humus, amino acids, and vitamins to make seedlings stocky and disease-resistant.

Easy to apply using a sprayer or a watering can

Fiskars Kangaroo 30-Gallon Gardening Container

Fiskars Kangaroo 30-Gallon Gardening Container tips.

Attractive Gardening Gloves

Anyone who gardens can benefit from these comfortable, well designed and attractive gardening gloves.

Detachable Ergonomic Gardening Tool Set

Detachable Ergonomic Gardening Tool Set, his ergonomic garden tool is actually four tools in one. Includes a trowel, rake, hoe and saw attachment.

Plant Terrace Set Home Garden Tips

Plant Terrace Set Home Garden Tips

Vegetable Garden Tips

TIPS FOR VEGETABLES:

Mulch rosemary, sage and thyme plants and give celery plants a final earthing.

Cut down faded asparagus foliage and compost or burn it. Mulch beds with chopped leaves to protect crowns over the winter.

Mulch late-maturing carrots to continue harvesting them into the winter months.

Feed Rhubarb plants with one inch of organic compost. Remove leaves after they are killed by frost then mulch roots with straw.

Dig up winter cabbages. Cut off stumps and place their heads on shelves in a dry, airy shed.

Clear old runner bean stems and leaves and place on a compost heap.

Protect late cauliflower from frost by bending one or two leaves over the curds.

Harvest leeks using a garden fork to dig them up. Trim off roots and remove soil.

Continue to harvest brussels sprouts as buttons become firm.

Don't be tempted to retain potato tubers for replanting next year. They are very likely to be infected by viruses and will not produce a good crop.

Sharpening Hoes, Shovels, and Edgers

Sharpening Hoes, Shovels, and Edgers :

1. Secure the hoe or shovel to your workbench with bungee cords or clamps.
2. Attach the rotary sharpener to the drill, start it spinning, then lower it gently against the edge of the tool. Move the sharpener slowly back and forth along the edge until the desired sharpness is reached.

Alternatively, use a bastard file, the traditional tool used for sharpening shovels, edgers, and hoes. Use the flat side of the file, and keep it tilted at the same angle as the tool's beveled edge as you work. Grind the edge with long, sweeping strokes, always moving in only one direction, away from the edge. File shovels and edgers on both the front and back faces; file hoes on one side only.