The Fly That Attacks Japanese Beetles
Ever since the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) first showed up in New Jersey in 1912, apparently brought over from JapanContinue Reading
Author: Larry Hodgson
Garden writer and blogger, author of 65 gardening books, lecturer and communicator, the Laidback Gardener, Larry Hodgson, passed away in October 2022. Known for his great generosity, his thoroughness and his sense of humor, he reached several generations of amateur and professional gardeners over his 40-year career.
Thanks to his son, Mathieu Hodgson, and a team of contributors, laidbackgardener.blog will continue its mission of demystifying gardening and making it more accessible to all.
Milkweed Sap to Treat Poison Ivy? A Truly Bad Idea!
Yes, I know you have read this in all sorts of blogs as well as in home remedy guides, butContinue Reading
Stop Mowing During a Heat Wave
When the weatherman announces a heat wave or an upcoming drought, put away your mower for the moment. Longer grass will shadeContinue Reading
The Rose: The US Floral Emblem
The other day, in honor of Canada Day, I listed (and described) the floral emblems for Canada’s 13 provinces andContinue Reading
Hand-Picking Pests: Often the Easiest Solution
When there are hundreds of insects attacking a plant at the same time, using some sort of insecticidal spray mayContinue Reading
Body-Snatching Wasps Help Control Pests
There’s a whole range of tiny insects called parasitoid wasps (some 700,000 species worldwide) that are helping to control insectContinue Reading
Growing Canada’s Floral Emblems
Canada celebrates its national day every July 1st, since the country was officially constituted on that day in 1867. CanadaContinue Reading
Living Plant Sculptures Back in Gatineau, Quebec
Last summer was Canada’s 150th anniversary and was celebrated across the country. One of the most intriguing and spectacular eventsContinue Reading
50 Disease-Resistant Crabapples
There are few temperate-climate ornamental trees that are as popular as crabapples … nor that cause their owners such aContinue Reading
Garden Myth: If You Grow Melons With Cucumbers, It Will Alter Their Taste
This is an old myth, but it keeps coming up. And it is indeed a myth. The concept is thatContinue Reading