Yardiac We're more than a store! Our Web site also offers detailed product information, helpful and useful shopping services, and innovative merchandising. Customers can enjoy easy gift giving, timely garden tips, and more

Indoor Culinary Herb Garden Starter Kit- Start Growing Fresh Cooking Herbs & Spices- Great Gift Idea!- Seeds: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, SageZen GardenAeroGrow AeroGarden with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit, BlackThe Curious GardenFiskars 7067 3-Piece Softouch Garden Tool Set

Yardiac is the Ultimate Garden Center stocking over 20,000 items for the lawn, garden, patio and outdoor decor. Our conversion rate is the highest in the industry. In addition visitors can access timely tips, problem solvers, how-to-projects,

Yardiac.com the Holiday Garden Gift Store




and sign up to receive helpful garden reminders via e-mail! Yardiac combines the peaceful and informative environment of a traditional garden center with the value and selection found in the large discount stores. We have products for the novice as well as the professional and our easy to navigate site has won praises from gardeners everywhere.

Mosquito Facts & West Nile Virus Update

Mosquito Facts

Mosquito,
the name is Spanish for little fly. There are 3000
different kinds of mosquitoes and a worldwide population of 100
trillion!! Most are in tropical
climates, but there are mosquitoes in arctic and desert regions.

They can fly up to 10
mph, dart between raindrops and even fly backwards. Most live and
die close to where they hatch, but some are strong flyers that travel
many miles in search of a victim. 

Only female
mosquitoes bite. They require a blood meal in order
to develop eggs to make more mosquitoes. Most female
mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water.
Stagnant ponds, ditches and fresh or salt water wetlands are
favorites, but even a few tablespoons of water in a flower pot
or old auto tire will do. The eggs hatch, become swimming
larvae, then pupae and finally flying adults. Mosquito
larvae are an important source of food for certain fish, birds,
bats and other animals. To reduce Mosquito infestation we
recommend using the following products
 Mosquito
Bits or Mosquito
Dunks.  A
SkeeterVac
is a long term and highly effective solution for eliminating mosquitoes
.

SkeeterVac's 
patent pending scientifically proven technology  creates an atmosphere
biting mosquitoes can't resist: warmth, water vapor, carbon dioxide and
odorants. Then it finishes off the job by trapping and killing those
biting pests so your outdoor experiences are safer and more enjoyable.

What's
being done about Mosquitoes and what you can do.

In their quest for blood,
mosquitoes may bite birds, frogs, snakes, and mammals, including people.
Some, called peridomestic mosquitoes actually live and breed
around homes just to be near us.

24 hours or so after
hatching, a female mosquito flies off in search of a meal. She
homes in on body warmth, odor, moisture and the carbon dioxide we
exhale. When she bites, the mosquito
injects a bit of saliva that slows coagulation so blood flows freely. It's your body's allergic reaction to the saliva that caused the welt
and itching sensation.

Mosquitoes can
also transmit canine heartworm, which is fatal to dogs once
contracted. For protection, pet owners can purchase a
preventative medicine from their veterinarian.

Generally, the trend in
the U.S. is away from spraying adult mosquitoes with chemicals.
Whenever possible, government health authorities control large tracts of
mosquito breeding land by larviciding. They use low
toxicity biopesticides like
B.t.i. (Bacillius thuringiensis subspecies
israelensis), a live bacteria that's deadly to mosquito larvae,
harmless to other living things.

The mosquito that bit you
last night may have hatched in the birdbath right in your own back yard.
At home or with school or community groups, you can effectively reduce
mosquito problems using common sense and environmentally-conscious
methods.

Organize
a neighborhood cleanup. Its great community project that
will eliminate lots of potential mosquito breeding spots and
improve the view! Look for places where rainwater collects and
stands. Old car tires, drain flower pots, children's wading pools and tree
holes.

Goldfish
and fresh water minnows (Gambusia affinis) will
both eat mosquito larvae.
Microbe Lift is
an ideal supplement to protect pond areas for excessive mosquito hatchlings.
Check with your local mosquito control agency about availability and local
regulations. Flush birdbaths and fountains weekly. Clean clogged gutters and
drains, cover cesspools.

Let
Yardiac.com help you!

To
Humans and domestic animals, mosquitoes are a nuisance and a health
hazard since mosquitoes can transmit a variety of diseases.

Fortunately Yardiac.com
is there to help and protect you from the health risk mosquitoes
present. When you can't flush or drain stagnant pools, low-lying
wet areas, tree holes, unused swimming pools and rain barrels, use a
B.T.I. product like
Mosquito
Bits or
Mosquito
Dunks.

Pruning is a vital part of plant and tree care. This task can be confusing so we developed the following guide to help you prune properly.

Three basic tools suffice for most pruning jobs: shears, loppers, and a pruning
saw. Keep them sharp for clean cuts; disinfect after pruning diseased material.

1. When Do Roses Need To Be Pruned?

Prune in winter or early spring when plants are still dormant. Prune plants to maintain symmetrical
bushes and to encourage strong new growth. Cut back all
previous years growth as much as one-third its length. Remove branches that cross through center and remove plants understock.
Also prune weak and dead stems as needed. This will also encourage strong new growth.

2. When Do Crepe Myrtles Need To Be Pruned?

The best time to prune crepe myrtles is in February. Prune out twiggy stems and any dead wood. Thin out
crossing or crowding branches in the plants center. If tree form,
prune lower branches. Prune top to maintain symmetry. Each year
after flowering, cut 12 to 18 inches off the tips of branches that have bloomed.

3. When Do Hollies Need To Be Pruned?

Prune in winter or early spring mostly to shape plants. Cut back wayward branches and prune
out weak unproductive dead stems as needed.

4. When Do Butterfly Bushes Need To Be Pruned?

Butterfly bushes bloom in summer on new
spring growth. They can be pruned in late winter or early spring. By
pruning old blooms you will encourage new flowers. Also prune out old dead
and unproductive branches.

5. When Do Hydrangeas Need To Be Pruned?

Hydrangeas fall into two groups.
Some you prune in early spring and others after the flowers fade.

1. Early Spring Pruning
   
   Hydrangeas bloom on new growth. These plants are Climbing
   Hydrangea, Annabelle, Grandiflora, and PeeGees.
   
2. After-Bloom Pruning
   
   Hydrangeas bloom on last years stems. These include Bigleaf
   Hydrangeas, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Lacecaps, SummerBeauty, and Nikko
   Blue. Pruning should be done when the flower has faded. Cut back the flowering stems to the strongest pair of new shoots. As plants mature, begin to thin out the oldest woody stems. Remove crowded crossing, broken, or dead branches.

6. When Do Clematis Need To Be Pruned?

Clematis can be put in three categories: Spring-flowering, summer-flowering , and twice-flowering.

1. Spring-blooming
   
   Clematis produce flowers on stems that grew during the previous year.
   Prune when flowers are done blooming. Cut back the flowers that are
   now dead. Prune out any old dead stems as well.
   
2. Summer-blooming
   
   Plants bloom on new growth produced in the spring. Cut back stems before new growth begins. Late autumn or early spring is a good time to prune. Cut back about 12 inches of old growth. Each year the vine will grow larger and stronger.
   
3. Twice-blooming
   
   Plants first bloom in spring on stems produced the previous year.
   Late summer or fall will be the next bloom time. In late fall or very early spring, prune lightly to thin the stems. After the spring bloom, prune more heavily for more healthy stems to develop for the next bloom. After a second bloom, prune old flowers away.

7. When Do Fruit Trees Need To Be Pruned?

The most common fruit trees are apple, peach, pear and cherry.

1. Apple Trees
   
   Apple trees should be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth starts. Always remove all suckers (summer is a great time).
   Also remove dead and other unproductive branches as needed.
   
2. Peach Trees
   
   Peach trees are fast growing and need to be pruned in winter.
   Without pruning the peaches will grow farther away from the tree's center.
   This will put great strain on the branches, causing them to break. In winter, thin out upward-growing branches that cross in tree's center.
   
3. Pear Trees
   
   Prune back in early spring. Always prune dead and unproductive
   branches as needed.
   
4. Cherry Trees
   
   Prune in winter. Prune out branches that cross in center and dead unproductive branches as needed.

8. When Do Azaleas and Rhododendrons Need To Be Pruned?

They can be pruned in winter or early spring. However pruning at this time will prevent plants from producing many blooms. The best time to prune azaleas and rhododendrons is just after their blooming period in spring. If you prune at this time , no additional pruning will be necessary.

9 When Do Junipers Need To Be Pruned?

Junipers need very minimal pruning. They should be pruned to correct their shape, to accent their form, or to limit their size. This should be done during the juniper's growing stages in mid-summer.
10. When Do Flowering Trees Need To Be Pruned?
Flowering trees should be pruned after they have finished blooming. Prune as little as possible. Dead branches, branches that cross in the center, and branches that are unproductive should be pruned out.
Three basic tools suffice for most pruning jobs: shears, loppers, and a pruning saw. Keep them sharp for clean cuts; disinfect after pruning diseased material.