Common Garden Pests

A lot of homeowners have a love-hate relationship with the insects in their garden. There are bugs that are great and beneficial for the garden since they defend plants against harmful pests, enhance soil quality, improve pollination, and much more.   

However, other pests can taint produce, stunt growth, and damage foliage. So, which insects are good for your garden and which ones are bad?  

Though the exact pests that invade any garden will differ on the season, weather patterns, plants, climate, and region, there are a couple of pests that are common and troublesome to homeowners in a lot of various regions. Today, we’re going to share with you some of the most common garden pests. If you’re having trouble with these pests, contact a professional garden landscaping Albuquerque company for help. 

Armyworms 

These greenish or brown larvae march throughout plants like an army. They skeletonize plants and chew through leaves. They will also gnaw into fruits. They’re typically active during the night. Luckily, you can control minor infestation with a simple hand-picking method. If more armyworms are present, you might require insecticides. 

Grasshoppers 

You can instantly recognize these leaping pests with their strong jaws, large heads, and long legs. Their jaws can defoliate the stems and leaves of a huge range of plants and crops. If you use row covers on young garden plants, you can discourage these pests.  

Other ideal control methods include rototilling in the spring or fall to destroy their eggs and allowing birds in the garden to eat the insects.  

Tomato Hornworms 

Tomato hornworms are big caterpillars. Typically, they’re difficult to detect due to their diagonal stripes and amazing green camouflage. However, you cannot miss the damage they can do to your garden. These pests can chew through fruit, stems, and leaves. The easiest way to get rid of them is to hand-pick them. You can also get rid of their larvae if you till the soil in early spring or late fall. You can also prevent hornworms with the help of ladybugs.  

Snails 

These shelled and slow-moving mollusks can do serious damage to your garden. Snails can chew on the foliage. They will also leave behind gross trails. However, hand-picking is a great method of control since they are slow. You can also allow birds to eat these snails.  

You can prevent snails from infesting your garden if you lower watering after dark. You should also try applying diatomaceous earth around your plants.  

Scales 

Scales look like white pale lumps that infest both outdoor and indoor plants. They usually suck the plant’s sap. Because of this, it stunts the growth of your plant and causes wilting. If the infestation is severe, it can kill the plant.  

If you want to prevent this type of infestation, make sure you’ve got praying mantises and ladybugs in your garden.  

Aphids 

Aphids are pear-shaped, pale green, and small bugs that appear in big groups. They suck the plant’s sap. This can lead to slow growth and wilting. If you’ve got a severe aphid infestation, you might have to hire a professional to get rid of them.  

How to Choose a Patio Door?

Signs That You Have to Remove a Tree

For a lot of people, the trees in their properties have been around for a long time. Some of them might have planted and tended the trees from the start and are now big. Either way, it is known that a lot of homeowners form unique bonds with their trees and do not want to consider having them removed.

Aside from the sentimental problem, getting rid of a tree is a hassle. It can be extremely overwhelming to consider a tree removal service.

Naturally, trees have a life cycle and face a lot of threats that can compromise their stability and health. A lot of services are designed to maintain trees, such as tree pruning and tree trimming Greeley. However, there are still occasions where getting rid of a tree is inevitable. Today, we’re going to share some indications that you have to remove a tree.

The Tree is Close to Another Structure

People love their long-standing and large trees. However, the consequences can be serious if they’re getting a bit too close to another structure. Nothing will damage the relationship with a neighbor faster than having a huge branch of tree fall on their roof and causing damage. If this occurs, you won’t only find yourself spending a lot of money on repairs, you will also have to spend money to get rid of the tree.

Hollow Tree Trunk

It can be fascinating to look inside a hollow tree trunk, especially when you were a kid. While it is indeed magical, having a hollow tree trunk can affect the tree’s structural integrity. It might be time for tree removal if you notice a hollow tree trunk.

The Tree is Leaning

It can indicate serious structural issues that you have to tackle if you notice that the tree is leaning to one side. You should immediately contact a professional tree service company if you notice this problem. This is particularly true if the tree is leaning next to your property.

The Tree is a Runt

There are a lot of reasons why a particular tree does not appear as healthy as the other trees surrounding it. You have to take action if the tree is displaying thin leaf cover or discolored foliage or if it has stopped growing. There might still be ways to save it. However, only a professional arborist will be able to help you.

You See Huge Dead Branches in the Tree Crown

This can present a severe risk to the safety of a person near the tree. It’s only a matter of time before a branch falls if dead branches start to gather in the tree crown. This is particularly true if you’re living in a region with a windy climate. This is a threat you cannot afford. Hire a professional right away.

The Tree is Infected

Trees are prone to infections that can severely damage their structural integrity and health. A tree might be infected if you notice that the wood is soft or if there are deep cracks or splits in the bark. Call an arborist right away.

Stamped Concrete Improves the Look of Homes

Stamped concrete mimics the look of real stone, which is why they are highly attractive. Buying stones, brick, or pavers and then installing them one by one can be a very painstaking task. With stamped concrete, you can achieve whatever design and look you want at half the original cost.

Most concrete contractors, if not all of them, are experts in handling stamped concrete jobs. If you want to make sure, ask for the portfolio of your service provider. When it comes to stamped concrete, your imagination is the only limit. You just say what kind of look you want, and the skilled contractors will definitely create it for you.

The Best Uses of Stamped Concrete

Stamped concrete is best used for patios, garage doors, and even concrete walls. Very experienced concrete contractors can even duplicate the look of marbles and wood using concrete. That’s why this service is highly preferred. Stamped concrete makes it easier for homeowners to improve the look of their homes without breaking the bank.

If you install stamped concrete instead of patio pavers, you can save as much as half of the budget. The look you’ll achieve is almost the same but the time, effort, and money invested won’t be as much. Stamped concrete can also resemble the patterns of slate, brick, stone, and tile. As you can see, the possibility is practically endless.

Stamped Concrete Contractors

If you live in the Fort Wayne area and you need qualified contractors, don’t hesitate to call some of the concrete companies near you. Many of the concrete contractors in Fort Wayne are licensed, bonded, and insured. These are the type of professionals whom you should hire because only through them you can be sure that you’re getting the best value for your money.

So if you need to replace your patio pavers because it got damaged by the last hurricane, consider switching to stamped concrete instead. The latter’s more durable and it doesn’t require a meticulous installation process. Stamped patios are quite popular these days and it’s because they’re sturdier than most other options.

Sidewalks and Driveways

Aside from patios, you can use stamped concrete on your sidewalks and driveways as well. Many homeowners had done so and they were glad that they did. The result was a more attractive curb compared to simply laying down plain concrete on it. So don’t just repair your sidewalk or driveway. Give it a full renovation because your home deserves to have that modern look.

Concrete is the material of choice for most outdoor installations because of the pressure, traffic, and element they are usually subjected to. If you were to install real stones, then there will be higher instances of cracking. This is especially true if the surface is uneven as the weight is not distributed in the same way.

With a highly qualified concrete contractor in Fort Wayne helping you, making your property stand out from the crowd becomes an easy feat. This will best benefit you if you’re looking to sell your home in the near future.