Winter garden cleanup sounds boring, cold, and optional, which is exactly why so many people skip it. After all, plants are dormant, flowers are gone, and everything looks “dead” anyway, so what’s the harm in leaving it until spring? The problem is that your garden doesn’t go to sleep the way you do. Insects, rodents,…
garden pests
11 Ways to Stop Mice From Nesting in Mulch
Mice love a cozy, hidden spot, and a thick mulch layer can feel like a five-star winter rental. The good news is you don’t have to ditch mulch to make your beds less inviting. With a few small changes, you can keep moisture and weeds under control while making mice move on. Most fixes are…
Why Slugs Are Thriving in Oregon Right Now (And What You Can Do)
Slugs have slithered their way into headlines because they’re everywhere in Oregon, and their population is skyrocketing. These soft-bodied, slow-moving creatures might seem harmless at first glance, but they are creating a lot of attention in gardens, parks, and even urban landscapes. Gardeners are noticing leaves disappearing overnight, seedlings vanishing without a trace, and glistening…
10 Ways to Keep Squirrels From Digging Up Your Beds
Gardening should feel relaxing, but that calm evaporates the moment you spot tiny craters scattered across your carefully tended beds. One day everything looks perfect, and the next it seems like a miniature excavation crew clocked in overnight. Squirrels are clever, persistent, and oddly confident about their right to redecorate your soil. Instead of declaring…
Gardeners in Florida Are Reporting Early Aphid Surges—Here’s Why
If your Florida garden suddenly looks like it’s wearing a sticky, shiny coat, you’re not imagining things. Lots of growers notice colonies popping up “too soon,” especially on tender new growth, and it can feel like aphids skipped the usual schedule. The good news is that you can get ahead of the mess without spending…
Why Stink Bugs Are Suddenly Invading Homes in North Carolina
Autumn is rolling in across North Carolina, bringing cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and an unexpected army of tiny, shield-shaped invaders marching toward your windows. Yes, stink bugs are making themselves at home in places they normally wouldn’t—your living room, kitchen corners, and even the space behind your curtains. For many, it’s an unwelcome surprise: these…
7 Things You Should Never Compost in Winter—Even If You Do in Summer
Winter composting can feel like a free pass to toss anything into the pile and “let it sort itself out later.” The problem is that cold slows decomposition, which means the wrong scraps don’t break down—they just sit there and create pests, smells, and springtime headaches. If you want finished compost sooner (and less mess),…
This One Winter Gardening Habit Could Be Attracting Rats—Here’s How to Fix It Fast
Cold air, quiet beds, and a garden that finally gets a breather—winter feels calm and harmless. But beneath that peaceful surface, rats are actively apartment-hunting, and your garden may be flashing a giant “vacancy” sign. One common winter gardening habit creates warmth, shelter, and food all in one neat bundle, and rodents absolutely love it….
Why Your Raised Beds Might Be Harboring Pests Right Now—Even in Freezing Temps
Winter feels like a reset button for the garden, a clean slate where everything troublesome gets wiped out by cold. Yet raised beds often keep secrets through frost, snow, and ice, and some of them wriggle. While the surface looks quiet and frozen solid, life below can be surprisingly busy. Soil, wood, mulch, and compost…
Why You Shouldn’t Compost These 3 Things—Even If TikTok Says It’s Fine
Composting can feel like a magic trick: scraps disappear, and your garden seems to thank you with richer soil and healthier plants. But not all kitchen scraps belong in the compost pile. Those viral TikTok compost hacks might look convincing, but some of them could actually harm your compost, attract pests, or slow down the…