Jennifer Kodros

2 weeks ago | thecooldown.com | Jennifer Kodros

When it comes to gardening, not all visitors are welcome, but every once in a while, you get the kind that makes you smile. A video on r/NativePlantGardening showed an adorable ruby-throated hummingbird flying around, taking breaks, and being its cute little self. Reason to plant Eastern Columbine: magical visitors early in the season! byu/LobeliaTheCardinalis inNativePlantGardeningThe OP shared that a woodland wildflower lures these "magical visitors" with its early blooms.

2 weeks ago | thecooldown.com | Jennifer Kodros

An invasive species has invaded Bangladesh, causing catastrophic consequences for agriculture and threatening further damage. Whiteflies — tiny sap-sucking insects — were identified in Bangladesh in 2019 and are believed to have found their way there between 2014 and 2015, according to Mongabay. A 2022 study identified and assessed the damage of whiteflies.

3 weeks ago | thecooldown.com | Jennifer Kodros

A Northeasterner shared what they dug up in their yard amid a seemingly endless battle with an invasive species. The photo on the r/invasivespecies subreddit revealed what the massive problem looked like. A person held the gnarled wooden root of oriental bittersweet, and it's taller than they are. Their first year of the fight was spent cutting through the growth of vines and brambles. Now in their second year, they are fighting the root system.

3 weeks ago | thecooldown.com | Jennifer Kodros

Nobody likes a price gouger, and they're showing up everywhere nowadays — even in thrift stores. A post shared on r/ThriftGrift subreddit is a prime example of just how outrageous it's become. One shopper found a pair of mid-century modern floor lamps at Savers with a sticker price of $1,999.99 for the set. "This has to be a typo –- but it's not," the OP wrote, sharing what was going through their head when they saw the egregious number.

3 weeks ago | thecooldown.com | Jennifer Kodros

An Iowa resident sent out a public service announcement for fellow gardeners to stay far away from commonly sold plants. After coming across Japanese barberry, dame's rocket, and Bradford pears while shopping locally, a gardener shared photos along with native alternatives. "Beware of buying invasive species," the original poster wrote in Reddit's r/Iowa. Japanese barberry is a dense-growing shrub with "nasty" thorns as described in the post.