Chloe Deike

1 month ago | gardengatemagazine.com | Chloe Deike

Rose curculio (Merhynchites bicolor)If you grow roses, be on the lookout for these beetles with red or black bodies and black heads with a long snout. The beetles measure about ¼ inch long. The miniscule eggs are difficult to spot hidden in the buds and hips. Pudgy, creamy white larvae hatch and feed on the buds and hips before dropping to the ground and pupating. They seem to prefer light-colored roses and can be found in most of the United States and in southern Canada.

1 month ago | gardengatemagazine.com | Chloe Deike

An upside down idea for seed-startingAfter nurturing your new seedlings indoors, the last thing you want is to take them outdoors and accidentally damage them at planting time. But, the standard seed starting trays don’t exactly make it easy to pry new seedlings out of the standard seed starting tray without damaging the fragile roots or leaves.

Nov 6, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Chloe Deike

Easy upcycled plant supportDon't toss those political signs into the trash after campaign season wraps up; instead, consider upcycling them into a practical solution for your garden. Edwin found a smart use for these metal frames when he planted a red banana trees (Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’) in his entry container. With a few simple steps, Edwin transformed the discarded yard sign into an effective plant support system.

Sep 16, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Chloe Deike

Use thorny rose canes to deter pests in the gardenDuring the winter months, Lucille found herself dealing with a pesky problem in her garden. Raccoons and opossums seemed to have made a habit of trampling right through her carefully tended perennial beds. Determined to find a solution, Lucille decided to take matters into her own hands. After pruning her shrub roses, Lucy developed a clever strategy. She carefully removed the leaves and allowed the canes to dry out.

Jun 16, 2024 | gardengatemagazine.com | Chloe Deike

Create a unique garden ornament with a repurposed gan bladeAre you looking for a project to work on during the winter months while your garden is resting? Try out this cute craft idea from Donna. She repurposed an old box fan into a spinning flower ornament for the garden. She removed the blades, which were attached to a center disc, from the box fan. It already resembled a flower, but it needed some colorful paint. She spray painted it all black first, and then used acrylic paint for the blades.