DIY

What’s Eating My Plant?

Are your plants being destroyed by creepy crawlies in the night? There is nothing more disheartening for a gardener than seeing their prize rose bush eaten to threads or their growing tomato plants die from bugs eating their leaves.
Even if you don’t want to use chemicals on your plants, you can keep the bugs away from destroying them with a few natural products. But first you need to figure out what kind of bug is doing the damage. Check out this infographic created by Safer Brand, a company that sells products for organic gardening, to figure out which bug is eating your plants.

4 Natural Ways to Stop Leaf-Eating Bugs

There are four main pest repelling or killing natural products: neem oil, insecticidal soap, diatomaceous earth, and B.T. You can also look up biological controls (other insects that eat the insects destroying your plants).

Neem Oil

Neem oil is derived from the seeds of the neem tree. The oil has many uses from cosmetics to treating arthritis and, of course, to pest control.

Neem oil will reduce an insects need to eat, hence stopping them from eating your leaves. It also impacts their hormone system, which makes it harder to lay eggs. Sprayed consistently this means adult insects will die from not eating and no larvae or eggs will be created.

Diatomaceous Earth

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is often found in cosmetics as well. It is formed from fossilized phytoplankton called diatoms that reside in water. Once dry, the fossils are ground up into a powder and can be used for pest control along with many other products.
Diatomaceous earth’s sharp miniscule edges are harmless to humans but are deadly to insects with an exoskeleton. The powder works its way into the insect’s outer layer and scratches their bodies enough that it kills them from dehydration.

Insecticidal Soap

Insecticidal soap is made from potassium fatty acids (often found in many soaps). Unlike diatomaceous
earth, insecticidal soap affects soft-bodied insects. The insecticidal soap has to make direct contact with
the insect in order to be effective. The soap is able to kill soft-bodied bugs through suffocation.

Bacillus Thuringiensis (B.T.)

B.T. (bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki) is a natural soil-borne bacteria used to kill caterpillars. When worms and caterpillars eat B.T. it rots their gut forces the worm to stop feeding and die from starvation. These naturally-derived pest control options should always be used with caution to make sure it doesn’t kill any beneficial insects while getting rid of your pest problem. The best way to do that is by only applying the pest control to the leaves, not the blooms, and surrounding area around the plant at night, when most insects come out to eat.

This Article Was Originally Posted on goodshomedesign.com Read The Original Article here

DIY

The Cutest WAFFLE MAKER – Car Waffle Maker

Love waffles? Why not take it to the next level with awesome cars and trucks! We’re all about inspiring creativity and re-imagining breakfast so you can start everyday with a smile. Find this Waffle Maker in the link below…

Find it HERE…

This Article Was Originally Posted on goodshomedesign.com Read The Original Article here

DIY

Australia is Dropping Vegetables From Choppers to Feed Wildlife Starved by Fires

Australia has been going through some tough time with forest fires spreading all over the country and causing a severe loss of wildlife. In areas where the fire has stopped burning, the remaining animals are still struggling to find food and survive. Luckily, Australians have found an ingenious way to help animals in these hard times and started a rescue program that involves food dropped from helicopters.
Among the most affected are the wallabies and since they are left without their natural habitat, finding food is extremely hard for them. So, now the wallabies are showered with carrots and sweet potatoes that are being dropped from helicopters, this way staying safe and undisturbed. Of course, this is only a temporary solution but one that solves a major issue and ensures the survival of this species.
A lot of other animals are in danger of going extinct in Australia, so there is still a lot of work to do and everyone can get help by donating to organizations such as The World Wildlife Federation – Bushfire Emergency Fund, World Animal Protection, Animals Australia or WIRES Wildlife Rescue.

In New South Wales, thousands of kilograms of carrots and sweet potatoes are being dropped by planes and helicopters in fire-affected areas to help wildlife. (EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

This Article Was Originally Posted on goodshomedesign.com Read The Original Article here

DIY

Life Finds A Way: Pictures After The Australian Bushfires

Humans don’t appreciate nature to its fullest, and in many cases, the beauty offered by Earth is taken for granted. Pollution and climate change are major issues in our times, and they have severe repercussions, but nature somehow always finds a way to recover.
The same thing applies to Australia’s forests, the might survivors of months of terrible bush fires that left the country mourning. Experts suspect that the bush won’t fully recover to its previous state, but signs of animals returning have been more than promising.
Thanks to years of evolution and arid climate, many Australian plants have adapted to the climate and learned how to protect their buds in case of high temperatures or even fire. This means that they will start to sprout soon and can even find nutrients in ash.
Pictures of green trees and plants among the ashes are circulating the Internet and they are once again proof that life is cyclic, and nature can recover after experiencing a traumatic event.
Hopefully, soon there will be more and more pictures like these, filled with hope and wildlife will return too to the Australian bush.