Tagged: beneficials

Another monarch imposter in NorCal gardens

The gulf fritillary is often mistaken for a monarch butterfly. (Courtesy Dr. Shapiro via FreeClipartPictures.com) Gulf fritillary seeks its favorite plant: Passion flowers This butterfly has a passion for passion flowers. Just as monarchs...

With spring green comes aphids

Aphids are just starting to collect on the top of this bud on a McCartney rose. A blast of water will knock them off. (Photos: Kathy Morrison) How to cope with these pests without...

Praying mantid: Scary — if you’re an aphid

Praying mantid molts off its old exoskeleton and emerges as an adult. (Photos: Debbie Arrington) Love them or hate them, this critter ranks among the scariest-looking insects in the Sacramento garden — especially when...

Winter chill brings out spring lilacs

Lilacs are putting on a show right now, thanks to enough winter chill hours. (Photos: Debbie Arrington) More proof we had a chilly (if dry) winter: Lilacs. Throughout my Sacramento neighborhood, lilacs are putting...

Looking back at the blast-furnace summer of 2020

If there’s one photo that sums up the 2020 growing season, it’s this one: Tomato behind shade cloth in mid-August. (Photos: Kathy Morrison) Warning! Today I’m going to explore a sensitive topic: The tomato-growing...

Happy Earth Day! 5 easy ways to celebrate

It’s always nice to see a lady beetle at work in the garden. (Photo: Kathy Morrison) I like to think that the readers of this blog are planet-aware enough to already be using earth-friendly...