PROTECTING YOUR GARDEN AND THE ENVIRONMENT Eco-Friendly Ways to Keep Pests Out of Your Garden
The summer months are ideal for working in the garden. Unfortunately, there are a lot of pests that think so, too. Aphids, spider mites, harlequin bugs, and glassy-winged sharpshooters will be out in full force, and they can turn your beautiful plants into a mess of brown leaves if you’re not proactive about pest prevention. Insecticide choices abound, but, if you’re looking for a more ecologically friendly
can prevent entry, while traps can lure in and kill the ones that try. If you have a problem with slugs, snails, grasshoppers, or earwigs, options to do away with these nasty critters exist in abundance. HORTICULTURAL OILS A relatively safe alternative to insecticides, horticultural oils are vegetable- or mineral-based oils that are nontoxic to people or animals but lethal for pests. Hort oils work best to protect plants just before they start to flower. Just be careful when you use the oils, however, as applying it to plants in temperatures near 100 degrees F can cause damage. BENEFICIALS “Beneficials” describes any natural predator of the pests that can harm your garden. Spiders, lizards, toads, and other friendlies can keep a watchful eye over your plants even when you can’t. Try incentivizing beneficials to stay in your garden with a source of water or plants that provide nectar or pollen, and reintroduce some natural order to protect your plants. You don’t have to choose between protecting your garden and the environment. Plenty of alternatives can do both effectively. Don’t let the introduction of pests into your garden get you down just as summer is about to begin.
means to protect your garden, you have a few options. ROW COVERS AND TRAPS There are all sorts of hardware options for your garden to make sure pests don’t get to your plants. Row covers
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SHRIMP SAUSAGE SKEWERS
ingredients
• 1/2 lb. raw shrimp,
peeled and deveined • 1/2 lb. cooked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces • 2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes Creole Seasoning Ingredients • 2 tbsp paprika • 1/2 tbsp garlic powder • 1/2 tbsp onion powder • 1/2 tbsp cayenne or chili powder
• 1/4 tbsp dried oregano • 1/4 tbsp dried thyme
instructions
1. Heat your grill to medium-high. 2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for creole seasoning. 3. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, zucchini pieces, and sausage pieces, and cover them with the olive oil. 4. Add creole seasoning and mix well until all ingredients are covered. 5. Load up skewers with alternating pieces of shrimp, sausage, and zucchini until they’re full. 6. Grill skewers until shrimp are well-cooked (6–8 minutes).
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