Just a bunch of cowboy stories.
Wasps begin scouting for new homes in early spring. They like sheltered places with easy access to food, like under a branch of a mature tree, or—unfortunately for them and you—the eaves of your house. Paper wasps build their nests from plant fibers supplemented with mud and secretions from their bodies or other plants. Wasps Read more…
The intermediate area between forest and yard, called an edge habitat, is typically infected with invasive vines and shrubs. This type of environment harbors disease carrying pests like fleas and ticks. Barberry, wild raspberry, poison ivy, grapevines, and other invasive plant species quickly overwhelm trees and make the ground impassable for us. Mice, which carry Read more…
We recently had the opportunity to remove poison ivy and perform woodland restoration at Glenwood Lake Park in the City of New Rochelle. Background Keeping the park green and healthy for residents is a major priority for the community. It’s a mini-nature preserve covering about six acres, and the 60-foot deep lake serves as a Read more…
Persicaria perfoliata, or more commonly known by its catchier name, “Mile-a-Minute”, is an aggressively invasive annual vine that has recently been dominating the New York-New Jersey area, specifically in the Hudson Valley. The Basics Originally native to eastern Asia, Mile-a-Minute was accidentally introduced to the United States in the early 20th century via contaminated soil Read more…
The average American spends 70 hours a year on lawn and garden care. It’s a labor of love: 75% of homeowners think it’s important to spend time enjoying their yards, and a well-manicured lawn can also do wonders for the enjoyment and curb appeal of your home. For most people, this means doing some mowing, Read more…
For 10,000 years, plants insects and animals here in the Hudson Valley region evolved together. They had an intricate interdependence. A few hundred years ago the first invaders, (Europeans) introduced new plants from other areas of the world, either purposely or as stowaway’s on ships. Indigenous insects, caterpillars and other wildlife did not evolve with Read more…
In our last post, I mentioned that we pulled out over 7 tons of Poison Ivy in the 2015 season. That’s not including all the other invasives that we took out. What does 7 tons of PI look like? And what did we do with it all? First, let’s see what 7 tons gets you. Read more…
We haven’t had much of a winter till recently with this cold snap. Snow? Our driveway wasn’t plowed once all winter, and March is right around the corner. What does that mean for the spring and summer growing season? Will tiny red Poison Ivy sprouts start popping up early? Will that extra couple of weeks Read more…