This Cute Little Yellow Ball Took Care of our Fruit Fly Problem

This cute little yellow ball took care of our fruit fly problem. All natural! It is very rewarding to watch the fruit flies enjoying their banana while we enjoy ours without being bothered!

Initially I didn't think The eek-o Fruit Fly Trap was going to work. I was kind of thinking it wouldn't after the packaging was talking about taking the fruit flies out to release them. To my amazement I had killed about 10 after the first night. I would recommend this product.

I’ve tried numerous fly traps and this is hands down the best.

You can get The eek-o you-bait-it Kitchen Fruit Fly Trap from HERE

• WORKS WITH: With banana, apple cider vinegar, or your own concoction; your bait attracts them, eek-o captures them.
• ATTRACTIVE: An alternative for those who prefer not to have an ugly plastic wrapped jar hanging around the kitchen all summer.
• ECONOMICAL: Save 20% by buying the 5-pack.
• EFFECTIVE: eek-o's patented double chamber design makes it virtually impossible for bugs to escape.
• DISPOSABLE: Designed for responsible recycling after up to three or more uses. Made from 100% recyclable PET plastic (recycle code No.1).

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The Best Way to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

These Fruit Fly Traps are AWESOME. They solved my kitchen fruit fly problem in under 24 hours. Even with a flat of tomatoes and two ripe cantaloupes on the counter, the fruit flies still went right for the trap. Best of all, they fell in and stayed in. I've made many homemade traps that attracted tons of flies, but allowed probably 85% to still escape again. Not so with this design. This is the fruit fly trap of DOOM.

The traps are empty, dry, little plastic containers, and you add liquid attractant to them--it comes in a separate dropper bottle in the kit. I suspect it's apple cider vinegar, but fairly pale and weak. Technically you can add whatever liquid you wanted into the trap, so I saw an opportunity for an experiment.

The first night I got these, I made two traps - one with the liquid attractant, and one with apple cider vinegar from my pantry. In this case, it was a fancy organic unfiltered variety from Whole Foods that had been in my pantry for at least three years. "Spectrum" brand.

Next morning: Trap with the manufacturer's attractant: 4 flies. Trap with apple cider vinegar: 19.


How long can you use them?

The design isn't exactly easy to rinse out. I guess the idea is that they last until the liquid is so full of flies that the trap ceases to be effective, and then you toss them and use another. But if you're willing to put a few minutes of messy work into it, it's possible to re-use them. Take a full trap, top it off with water, and shake it until most of the liquid (and flies) are out. Refill and repeat until all the flies are gone. Finally, shake as much water as you can out of it and then re-fill carefully with drops of fresh apple cider vinegar.

UPDATE: I've used these again and again for 2 years now.

Definitely get different apple cider vinegar though because it was MUCH more effective than the attractant liquid. I tried a couple of brands, and darker-colored apple cider seemed to work better than lighter. Throw out the attractant - it's uselessness is probably the reason for the 1-star reviews.

I also ran tests later with wine, balsamic vinegar, and fruit juice. Those baits worked a little bit, but didn't come close to how well apple cider vinegar performed. These work so well that I actually give them as gifts to chef friends.

You can get these Fruit Fly Traps from HERE.

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The Best Ant Killer Ever!

I have been using Terro Liquid drops for about a year now, and it is absolutely the best ant killer ever. This product comes in various forms like clear ant trap trays, outdoor stakes, and my favorite - no-frills drops from a clear plastic bottle.

I like the clear drops best because it gives me the flexibility to put the bait right in the middle of an active ant trail. For indoor ant problems, I just put a piece of painter's tape across the and trail, and drop a couple of drops where the ants will find it. The stuff works instantly. Ants find the bait, eat it, and sound the alarm at the mound that a delicious meal has been found. Within a few minutes the bait is surrounded by dozens of ants, these ants take the bait back to the queen, and the mound is neutralized after a single treatment. Once the ants are gone, I peel up the painter's tape with any remaining bait, and clean the area with a household cleaner.

I uploaded a couple of pictures from the bait I set out today in my kitchen. You can see the circles of ants around a couple of drops of this bait on painter's tape. In one picture you can see tiny bits of debris around the bait. Believe it or not, this is food that the ants were carrying back to the mound that was dropped when they encountered the bait. In other words, the ants love the Terro so much, they drop the crumbs they found under my oven!

I have never seen this bait fail. Buy it, try it, you will not be disappointed!


Hints:

1. When ants find the clear liquid bait, they will immediately begin their feast. They will stick their heads into the bait and lie motionless while they eat their fill. Often this lasts for 5-15 minutes. Once they are full, they will return to the mound and signal that food has been found. Within about 30 minutes of the initial discovery, hundreds of ants will be eating the bait.

2. If you are not a bug person, be forewarned: This bait is going to attract hundreds of ants. The best thing to do is to leave them alone and let them eat. The goal here is to let the workers carry the bait back to the mound to kill the queen. Depending on the size of the mound, I have seen this bait work in as little as 2 hours, and as long as 12 hours. For big ant problems you will have to replenish the bait as the ants consume it. Eventually no ants will be eating and you know that you are done with treatment.

You can this Liquid Ant Killer from HERE.

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The Best Raised Garden Bed in the Market

Bought three of these for our first ever raised garden beds. I was able to assemble both of them, singlehandedly, in less than 10 minutes. The only tools I used for the beds' assembly were a power screwdriver for the post caps and a rubber mallet to help get everything together sound & square.

We put chicken wire & weed guard on the ground before filling them with soil to ward against digging critters.

We've had the beds set up for a little over 4 months now with no problems whatsoever! I was concerned that the soil was going to seep out the sides with a good rain, but after several downpours, the soil has stayed put & drains down through the ground properly. They look great, veggies are growing beautifully and the critters haven't gotten to them :) We plan on buying another ywo for next season. Great buy!

You can get it from HERE.

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The Best Hose Nozzles and Sprayers in the Market

Taking care of your lawn and garden requires a lot of thought. One simple thing that means success is making sure what you grow has the right amount of water. Since we don’t live in the dark ages anymore, hauling buckets of water to plants is not something we have to do. It’s important to find a good nozzle for your hose since this tool will do the bulk of your watering.

We’ve compiled a list of the best nozzles to make your decision easier and get you back out to your garden where you belong.

1. Heavy Duty 10 Pattern Metal Watering Nozzle


The best overall nozzle is one that offers both the ease of choosing the spray type, and the durability of metal. It gives you the flexibility of many different types of spray patterns to ensure that whatever your watering needs are, you are covered.

Heavy Duty 10 Pattern Spray Nozzle will cover any job you might have in your garden. It is made of durable metal and baked enamel, and features a front pull trigger with a clip to hold steady watering. The grip is rubber covered for comfort and to protect your skin against changes in temperature.

A huge plus for this nozzle is not only do you have control over the spray pattern, but a knob directly on the nozzle gives you control over the water pressure itself. When you need super gentle watering or to spray a blast of water to clean, you can adjust the type of spray and change the pressure of water itself directly.

You can get this Product from HERE.

2. Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Aluminum Hose Nozzle


Fireman nozzles are versatile and can put out a large amount of water in a very short time. They are great for large watering jobs, and for people who have difficulty with traditional pistol style nozzles.

Though Bon Aire is a company you’ve likely never heard of, they make one particular nozzle so well that they don’t need any other type. The Bon Aire fireman nozzle is sold at most hardware stores and is a solidly built choice.

The spray strength is achieved by twisting the nozzle. The Bon Aire features 5 different spray patterns, a gentle pour, a soft spray, a diffuse spray, a more forceful stream, and a needle jet. It is easy to hold, and the twisting action makes this a great choice for those who find pulling the pistol style grip difficult.

It is also possible to disassemble and clean with a hex wrench.

A downside is that you must cycle through many spray patterns before being able to turn off the spray of water, though it is great for those who need to set and hold a spray pattern for a longer time.

You can get this Product from HERE.

3. Orbit Metal Fan Spray With On/Off Hose Spray Nozzle


Fan nozzles have widened mouths that spray a wide, gentle spray of water shaped like a fan. They offer only one type of spray.

When you have gentle watering needs, such as a newly seeded lawn, the Orbit Metal fan sprayer with an on/off lever is a great choice. It puts out a large amount of water, cutting down on the time it takes to finish watering, but remains gentle. It features an insulated grip to protect against hot or cold handle temperatures, and has a flow control lever.

Aluminum constructions ensures that the parts are durable. It has a wide spray area, making it great for watering lawns or vegetable gardens, and the flow control lever is built into the handle reducing the chance of breakage.

You can get this Product from HERE.

4. Dramm One Touch Rain Wand with One Touch Valve


Watering wand style nozzles extend your reach by placing the nozzle at the end of a longer wand that can reach up to 30 inches. They are good if you have watering tasks that are difficult to reach, such as deep garden beds or hanging baskets.

The Dramm 14 inch one touch rain wand is an excellent watering wand style nozzle. Although watering wands do not come in different spray patterns, this particular nozzle has 400 holes and a steady, gentle pressure that allows you to dispense a large amount of water in a shorter time without damaging more fragile plants.

It also features the one-touch on/off valve. Most wands require you to hold a lever to dispense water, or they have an on/off valve that is difficult to open, but for this particular style, you can simply slide the valve button in place and relax.

The wand comes in different lengths up to 30 inches, allowing you to reach plants from various distances, and all wands are well balanced making them easy to hold and wield.

You can get this Product from HERE.

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The Best Organic Fertilizers in the Market

If you’re new to gardening, it may come as a surprise that just putting a seed or plant in soil and having it grow beautifully is not exactly how it works. Plants require complex nutrients that are sometimes found in the soil, but it’s rare that you have the perfect combination in your backyard.

Most likely, the soil you are working with is missing some key things that your plants need to do their best. One way to supply these is to add fertilizer, preferably organic.

1. Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer


What can fish and seaweed fertilizer do for your garden? A whole lot!

This is a 2-3-1 fertilizer that will work to strengthen foliage, make blooms more colorful, increase the quantity of blooms and make them more fragrant.

You can use this on houseplants, lawns, to help germinate seeds, on outdoor plants (anything from the vegetable garden to the rose bushes).

If you have just a few plants to fertilize, this 18-ounce size will do, but those of you who want to cover the whole garden should opt for the 1-gallon or the 5-gallon size to help you fertilize it all!

You can get this Product from HERE.

2. Fox Farm Trio Soil Formula: Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom


This trio of products from Fox Farm is another great investment for the organic garden.

The Tiger Bloom liquid fertilizer is an extra strength formula with 2-8-4 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (respectively) that will help all of your flowering plants to produce large, healthy buds and blooms.

Grow Big is perfect for vegetable gardens with a 6-4-4 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (respectively) and finally, we see those rich earthworm castings back again along with some super bat guano that works as a general fertilizer for all other plants.

If you’re in need of a variety of organic fertilizers, Fox Farm has the perfect kit for you right here.

You can get this Product from HERE.

3. Unco Industries Wiggle Worm Soil Builder


Can you get any more organic than earthworm castings?

Worm waste – also known as castings – is so beneficial to plant soil since it is pH neutral and won’t burn your plants with an excessive amount of nutrients. The worm’s digestive system does amazing things to the food they eat and we are rewarded with a rich, organic fertilizer that we can use on vegetable gardens, houseplants, outdoor flowering plants and much more.

This is by far the best organic fertilizer on our list and a staple item to have in any gardening supply kit.

Plants respond so well to this and it is especially helpful to potted plants where worms are less likely to live!

You can get this Product from HERE.

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The Best Dandelion Killers in the Market

What makes dandelion removal from lawns so difficult? Well, dandelions enjoy the best of both worlds. Above-ground, their seeds ride the wind currents, poised to drop into the slightest opening in your lawn to propagate the species. Meanwhile, below-ground, they strike down a taproot up to 10 inches long. Pulling the taproot as a means of removal is problematic. Thick but brittle, the taproot easily fractures and any fraction of the taproot that remains in the ground will regenerate.

So here is three of the best Herbicides that can easily take care of your problem.

1. Southern Ag 2,4-D Amine Weed Killer


When you’re looking for the best dandelion killer, you’ll want to consider purchasing Southern Ag 2, 4-D. You can use this product on most types of lawn grass without fear of killing it off. It’s formulated to be safe to use on certain vegetation, but it’s powerful when it comes to eliminating broadleaf plants.

If you use it near vegetable plants, you’ll want to keep them covered, so you don’t accidentally spray them. Some vegetables or herbs may be sensitive to this product if enough of it is sprayed. Plus, when you’re growing food, it’s always a good idea to only use sprays made specifically for edible plants, just to be on the safe side.

This container will cover up to 1,000 square feet and it’s simple to spray onto your yard – you just need to mix a little bit of this product into water, and before you know it, your dandelion problem will be a thing of the past.

You can get this Product from HERE.

2. Roundup Weed and Grass Killer III

This herbicide is rainproof in just 10 minutes, which means you won’t have to worry about rain washing the spray away. Plus, you’ll get fast results with this product – dandelions will start to die in just three hours.

If you hate mixing your herbicide, you should love this brand because it’s ready to go – you don’t have to mix it with anything.

This kind of Roundup is safe to use in your vegetable gardens and flower beds – but you don’t want to get the spray directly on your vegetables or their plants because it will kill them as well.

If you have a backyard fence, using this product right on the fence line will eliminate the trimming you’ll have to do to keep the border of your yard dandelion free.

You can get this Product from HERE.

3. Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer


If your whole yard isn’t overrun with dandelions, but you need a super-fast acting herbicide to use on problem areas like cracks on your driveway or around your patio, this dandelion killer will solve your problem. If you have a yard filled with weeds, you can use this product and then re-seed your yard to keep a season’s worth of weeds away from your property.

Spectracide will kill off more than 200 broadleaf weeds, including dandelion, chickweed and other ones that can irritate allergies, like ragweed. It will knock out even the toughest weeds.

This one container will treat a maximum of 16,000 square feet, and it kills the roots of the plants, so they won’t be back for at least three months.

This stuff starts to work in just hours after you apply it. If you have plants that you want to keep, protect them with a piece of plastic before you spray. That will save all your favorite plants, but allow you to get rid of the nuisances.

You can get this Product from HERE.

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