BUSINESS

In my garden, the celandines are popping, the blackthorn buds are breaking, and the bees are beginning to bumble. These, to my mind, are all solid seasonal omens, and I for one can feel my sap beginning to rise: time to venture outside. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you … Read more

The problemMealybugs are the clingy exes of the pest world, wedging themselves into leaf joints, hiding in roots and coating everything in white fluff. Left untreated, they suck sap, stunt growth and spread quickly from plant to plant. Once you notice them, they’re usually everywhere. The hackNeem oil is a natural pesticide that coats soft-bodied … Read more

There is an insect circus in our sink. My wife is in the kitchen preparing our homegrown apricots for drying. But there are grubs, lots of them, dropping from the fruit into the sink, then leaping like acrobats from one bowl to the other and back again. “I’m not eating another one,” my wife says. … Read more