Brood X Cicadas in the Morning
For some cicadas, the molting process can be long and arduous, taking up to an hour or more.


For some cicadas, the molting process can be long and arduous, taking up to an hour or more.

The care of our lawns takes a heavy toll on our time and money as homeowners try to meet the unattainable goal of the perfect, unblemished expanse of green. The average household spends $1,200 and 70 hours annually on lawn care, although many individuals consider mowing to be an onerous chore. Learn about the number of actions that climate-conscious gardeners can take to make their lawns more environmentally friendly.
Protect yourself from ticks without destroying beneficial insects. Spraying pesticides to control ticks is ineffective because ticks reside primarily within leaf litter where the sprays cannot reach them, or they are brought in by animal hosts. The pesticides, however, are nonselective and will kill pollinators and other beneficial insects they come in contact with. There are much more effective ways to protect yourself, your family, and your pets and still enjoy the outdoors.

We are already seeing calls for spraying to control mosquitoes on neighborhood social media sites. Before you think of spraying, check out these better options for controlling mosquitoes that will not hurt beneficial insects.

If you are looking for planting strategies with the potential to improve the productivity of your vegetable garden, or if you have heard about “companion planting” and want to know what science supports, Plant Partners by Jessica Walliser is a good resource.

Lina Rodriguez has been keeping houseplants healthy for ten years and has over 50 in her home. Only four of them are succulents. Because here’s the secret: succulents are easy, low-maintenance houseplants if you have the perfect conditions for them. But a lot of people don’t.
