The Strader's Blog

Concerned about pesticides, GMOs, and food safety? Growing your own produce gives you complete control over what you eat. Discover the benefits of homegrown food including personal satisfaction, cost savings, guaranteed freshness, and reduced carbon footprint. Get essential tips for soil testing, plant sourcing, and harvest timing.

Create a deer-resistant landscape with shrubs that naturally deter browsing! Learn why plants with strong scents, fuzzy leaves, or bitter tastes repel deer. Explore top native options like elderberry, spicebush, and winterberry holly, plus non-native choices like boxwood and lilac for beautiful, protected gardens.

Japanese beetles can devastate gardens, feeding on 200+ plant varieties after emerging from underground grubs. Learn their life cycle from root-eating larvae to destructive adults. Discover effective control methods including beneficial nematodes, natural predators, chemical treatments, and hand-picking techniques to protect your landscape.

Discover the art of combining mulch and decorative stone in landscaping! Learn professional design strategies for tree rings, walkways, and flower bed borders. Get expert tips on material placement, color coordination, and maintenance to create stunning contrast, improve functionality, and boost curb appeal year-round.

Create your own herbal tea garden for fresh, organic teas! Discover easy-to-grow plants like chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm, and lavender. Learn the benefits of homegrown over store-bought teas, plus get complete guidance on planting, harvesting, drying, and brewing your own therapeutic herbal blends.

Stop deer from devouring your flower garden! Learn the difference between deer-resistant and deer-proof plants, plus discover top annual varieties like marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, and begonias that deer typically avoid. Get proven protection strategies including repellents, barriers, and smart planting techniques for both garden beds and containers.

Heat stress above 90°F can devastate vegetable gardens, causing wilting, blossom drop, and reduced yields. Learn how high temperatures affect plant health and discover proven protection strategies including proper watering techniques, mulching, shade cloth installation, and soil management to keep your crops thriving during scorching summer weather.

Create a thriving, low-maintenance landscape by selecting the right plants for your conditions. Learn to assess sunlight exposure, soil types, pH levels, and moisture needs. Discover which plants work best in sunny dry spots, shady areas, clay soils, and wet conditions for healthier growth and reduced upkeep.

Choosing between mulch and decorative stone for your landscape beds? Discover the pros and cons of each ground cover option. Mulch enriches soil and retains moisture but needs regular replacement. Stone offers low-maintenance durability but doesn't improve soil. Learn which works best for your climate, plants, budget, and style preferences.

Transform your outdoor entertaining with insect-repellent container gardens! Learn which plants like basil, lavender, citronella, and marigolds naturally repel mosquitoes, flies, and wasps. Get strategic placement tips for patios, dining areas, and seating zones to create bug-free outdoor spaces that are both functional and beautiful.