With summer dawning, we're all spending lots of time outside, enjoying the fresh air and good weather. But we're not the only ones emerging from our cocoons; lots of bugs are also making an appearance. Here are our favorite tips, tricks and gadgets for keeping the pests away while you play. More

Porches are an summer house essential — they let you enjoy a sunny day in the shade, extend the seasons, and if you're lucky, they have screens to shield you from pestering bugs. Even if you don't have one, these images are a great way to imagine a relaxing summer's day... More

I was raised by gardeners to be a gardener but back when I was a kid, my parents had no idea about the 'down the road' repercussions of the poisons they frequently used to control garden pests. These days, armed with a little more knowledge of organic practices, I have a basic three pronged approach that covers off at least 90% of the troubles I encounter. More

Summer brings a lot of enjoyable things: barbeques, pool parties, farmer's markets and fresh flowers. But all those great outdoor activies have a not so enjoyable dark side: mosquitos. While it might seem that the only effective way to battle the bugs is with harsh chemicals, the Center for Disease Control recently determined that there's an all-natural alternative that can deter mosquitos just as well as DEET: lemon eucalyptus oil. More

We love finding interesting, enriching and free activities to do with your children. Public libraries are always a perfect resource for such activities, and this is no exception: More

Although we often talk about the good ol' days when people used simple, natural ingredients to clean a window or degrease a pan, let's not forget that there were also very toxic chemicals sold as 'miracle' products, most of which have since been banned. Even though you won't find these products on the shelves of your local hardware store, they may still be lurking in your basement or on those hard-to-see shelves in the garage. Fortunately, the folks at This Old House are helping to educate new homeowners about what they might find in their old homes. Find out what makes the top 10 list after the jump! More

I live in slug paradise (aka Portland, Oregon) and the slimy little creatures are having their way with my garden right now. The leaves of my hostas, cauliflower and lettuce are shot through with holes and I find slugs creeping their way across the patio whenever I step outdoors. This week I'm striking back with my organic arsenal of slug fighting tools. More

Ah, Summer. We love you, but we don't love all the critters that come with you. From mosquitoes and ants, to fruit flies and rodents, here's a roundup of our best posts on non-toxic bug and critter control —organized alphabetically by pest for your convenience! More

When a good friend told us how ladybugs saved one of her backyard trees, we were intrigued. We knew ladybugs were considered environmentally-friendly pest control, but we didn't really know what to use 'em for or how to go about fixing some of our own garden problems. So if you're in the dark on ladybugs in the garden, read on. More

TITLE: Soil Mates: Companion Planting for Your Vegetable Garden
AUTHOR: Sara Alway
PUBLISHER: Quirk Books

While I had a pretty successful season with my raised bed vegetable garden last year, a dedicated gardener knows there's always room for improvement. And though I had heard of companion planting before — and understood the basic concept — I knew it was something I was interested in putting to practice in my own garden. When I saw the book Soil Mates: Companion Planting for Your Vegetable Garden, with its cute and catchy cover, I thought it might be just what I was looking for. More