Hi friend, Galls! What are they? Should you be concerned if you see something like this on your plants? A gall is an abnormal growth on exterior plant tissue (leaves, branches, flowers, etc.). They may look like tumors, warts, balls, or lumps, and vary widely in shape, size, color, etc. They’re complex and highly organized structures, and science still has a lot to learn about them. Most galls are caused by insects and other invertebrates like wasps, midges, aphids, mites, etc. either feeding...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, Something that I don’t think is talked about enough is the fact that we’re living through one of the largest mass extinction events to ever happen on Earth. Our planet has lost 73% of wildlife biodiversity between 1970 and 2020, according to the World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report Right now, 40% of all insect species globally are in decline. And up to 1/3 of all insects are in the range to be endangered. Insects are the foundation of the food chain for both human and...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of turning your whole yard into an eco-garden? Well, you don’t need to do everything at once! It’s okay to go at your own pace. Adding a few native plants at a time to slowly replace your lawn is so much better than not doing it at all. Personally, I have chronic health problems that have made it hard over the past few years to garden for extended periods of time. So I converted my front lawn into a native garden just a patch at a time If everyone...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, A lot of people tell me they can't garden because they don't have a "green thumb." But having a naturally “green thumb” doesn’t dictate whether or not you can garden. Anyone can grow things, I promise. Especially in an eco-garden! The emphasis on working with nature instead of against it makes everything easier. Eco-gardens are low maintenance and sustainable When you set up a functioning ecosystem, you’re set up for success. Let the ecosystem do its thing, sit back, and enjoy!...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, Have you ever wondered about the history behind lawns? Where did they come from? Why do we have them? Well, lawns can be traced back directly to the colonization of America. There are no turf grasses that are native to North America, including “Kentucky” bluegrass. European settlers brought these grasses with them from Europe to feed their livestock. Manors owned by the upper class in England had large lawn-like areas of turf grass surrounding the buildings. These areas were used...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi friend, If you’ve been following me, you probably know that a lot of really common gardening practices can cause serious ecological harm. Gardeners have been taught to work against nature instead of working with it. And it’s hurting our planet. But what do those harmful traditional practices look like? And what should you do instead? Check out my free virtual training on Eco-Gardening Myths, Misconceptions, and Mistakes to learn about the most common mistakes I see from clients and what to...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, I get asked a lot about how to figure out what species are native to your area. So I wanted to share resources for folks in the USA and Canada! 🌻 🇺🇸 The National Wildlife Federation has an excellent tool called the Native Plant Finder. It shows you what native species support the most wildlife in your zip code - these are called “keystone” species. 🌻 🇺🇸 The NWF has another tool that tells you the best commercially available native host plant species based on your ecoregion. 🌻 🇺🇸 🇨🇦...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, There are few things I love in this world more than soil. It’s where all life starts and where we go when we die. What I don’t love is how poorly humans have treated soil. Why don’t we have more respect for something that grows our food? Something that we need to continue life on Earth? Soil science is an up-and-coming field with new findings happening all the time. When the legendary (and recently deceased 😞) Dr. Elaine Ingham started researching soil biology in the 1990s, she was...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, I’m guessing you follow me because you want to improve your yard’s impact on the planet. So I wanted to share 5 steps every gardener should take to make their yard more self-sufficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly. 1 - Compost 🍄 Not only does composting reduce your waste and improve your carbon footprint, but it’s also one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve soil health! Healthy soil is the secret to abundant, thriving, pest-free plants AND it helps sequester...
4 months ago • 1 min read
