Eco Gardeners

Moles can be such a problem for homeowners. They create mounds and tunnels throughout the lawn and devour plant and flower roots and bulbs.

The first step to getting rid of your moles is to understand why they are choosing your garden as their home. Moles feed on the grubs, insects and earthworms living in your garden. The good news is that your soil is inviting to these beneficial micro organisms. However, the bad news is that the moles are crashing the party.

There are several non-toxic, effective ways to get rid of moles.

• Your first consideration should be to control the grub population in your lawn. You can purchase beneficial nematodes to control the grubs. These are microscopic organisms that you spread on the lawn. They infect and kill grubs but are safe for animals and people.
• Another tactic is to flush the mole tunnels with water (best done in the spring).
• You can protect your garden by burying a fencing of tightly woven hardware cloth.
• There are several non-toxic mole repellents available at your local garden center. We recommend The Happy Gardener’s Mole Repellent which is made from 100% vegetable-based, organic certified ingredients and is safe to use around children and pets. It comes in a ready-to-use hose end sprayer and will treat 2500 square feet. The technique is to start applying on 1/3 of the area farthest from the point you are trying to get the moles to exit at. The next day, you do the middle 1/3. The next day you do the last 1/3 and drive them off your property.

The Center of Disease Control reports this week’s outbreak of salmonella food poisoning linked to uncooked tomatoes in nine states.

At least 17 people in Texas and New Mexico have been hospitalized. Fortunately nobody has died, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Another 30 people have become sick with the same Salmonella infection in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Illinois and Indiana.

“In Texas and New Mexico, raw large tomatoes- including Roma and red round tomatoes- were found to be a common factor in the 40 illnesses. But no farm, distributor or grocery chain has been identified as the main source,” said Casey Barton Behravesh, a CDC epidemiologist working on the investigation.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that lives in the intestinal tract of animals and is usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.

Tomatoes are such an easy plant to grow organically in our backyards. In the garden or in containers these abundant summer fruits can be grown and harvested without using products containing animal by-products and chemicals.

The Happy Gardener’s line of Happy Naturals plant foods are made from certified organic vegetables and grains. To learn more about their vegan line of Happy Naturals, go to www.thehappygardener.info

For Immediate Release

ASHLAND, VA, June 1/PR News Release/ – As the prices of gas and food continue to rise, Americans are finding themselves and their families in need of extra income to help support their daily living expenses. However, how does the working mom fit a part-time job into her already hectic schedule? And how does the full-time professional find extra work in addition to his/her current fifty-hour work week?

Home-based businesses offer people the flexibility to choose when and how much they want to work based on their personal and family schedules and financial needs. Jennifer Martin of Medina, Ohio is able to supplement her family income by starting a home-based business with The Happy Gardener, an organic garden and lawn care company. She explains how “in the busy corporate world where daily stress is the norm, The Happy Gardener brings enjoyment to my work life. As a Mom who works full time, I can set my own pace and direction.”

The Green Movement has arrived, and families and communities throughout the United States are taking responsibility for the future health of our environment. Jeffrey Pollock, president of Global Strategy Group, explains the results from a recent poll. Continue Reading »