Category: General

by Kelsey Vance Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Before I begin, I want to start this article by saying that I am not writing it from a place of judgment. If you have used a mosquito fogging company, I know it’s because you are completely fed up with not being able to be outside on […] Continue reading "Wild Ones 101: Mosquito fogging: an effective way to kill butterflies, lightning bugs and other pollinators in your yard"

by Carla Blackmar A friend’s recent post read: “Winter Creeper and English Ivy are my new archenemies” and ended with “F- – –  both of them!” It unleashed a chorus of assent, with one poster commiserating: “WHY DO PEOPLE PLANT THIS STUFF?!” and others cursing the specific introduced plants that overrun their yards, like Vinca […] Continue reading "Introducing Wild Ones"

Rock garden irises, Chionodoxa and Siberian squill in a loose Stinze planting in the author’s yard. Photo provided by Kelsey Vance. By Kelsey Vance Unless you live in a new development, I’m sure you have some daffodils that were planted decades ago and reliably emerge every spring. They didn’t get there on their own, someone […] Continue reading "Spring Bulbs: A Gift to your Future Self"

By Kesley Vance Originally Published in the Oxford Free Press November 7, 2025 Leave the leaves campaigns are becoming more popular every year as we learn more about declining animal  (including insects) populations due to habitat loss and overly-maintained landscapes.  If you are unfamiliar with this research, here’s a primer on what leaves have to […] Continue reading "Skip (or Skimp) Your Fall Clean-Up This Year"