AboutLong Island Gardener Expertise There is NO EXCUSE today for a gardener to use chemicals. Perfect Lawns? Pristine Roses? Immaculate Flowers all Summer long? If you live in the Northeast/Atlantic Coast, I'll guide you down the non-toxic road to Organica - and you will not believe how easy it can be. Yes, it can be complicated, but backing off from Ortho and Scotts is not as hard as you think. Your neighbors won't believe their eyes. I have intelligent answers on soil care, bug killing, weed control and fungus-freedom!
Experience I have college credits in horticulture and botany, and 30 years of gardening for personal pleasure. Plus I am a volunteer docent at the local botanical gardens. But a person's real gardening skills are learned from trial and error. I am strict about not using chemicals in the garden. Always have been. Always will be.
Question We have a huge bug problem in our backyard. I can hardly send my kids out to play because when they come in they are covered in bug bites. I am trying to use as little chemicals as possible since they are still young and seem to be sensitive to chemicals. I know there are plants that I can use to help repel the bugs. However all the ones I have heard about require full sunlight. We have a massive oak tree in our backyard that is right over the play area. We planned the area that way so the kids would be shaded when they played. Our biggest problem is the biting insects, but we also have a gnat problem in the grass as well. The kids play area is mulched in with playground mulch.
Answer Any idea what bugs these are?
There are a lot of things you can do right now, but only chemicals would be broad spectrum -- and that spectrum would include the kids.
Birds love bugs. Get yourself some Birdbaths. Birdfeeders are not necessary in the summer; you want carniverous birds to eat breakfast at your house every morning.
Bats get a bad rap, but they are quite benign most of the time and they debour mosquitoes like there's no tomorrow. But they have special needs, too.
At this point, hatched insect larvae would be maturing and exploding into your yard. It's too late to get them before they hatch, but think of the future.
Please define "bug" and I will be able to help you.
