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It’s Huge, It’s Scary and It Wants Your Tomatoes!

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station

Once you’ve tasted fresh, home-grown tomatoes, you’ll scoff at the anemic, mass-produced ones available at grocery stores. Growing tomato plants is rewarding, but you may run into a few challenges. If the leaves and unripened tomatoes develop holes or disappear overnight, or you find dark green droppings around the base of your plant, it’s time to inspect it for one of the tomato grower’s greatest enemies.

Identifying the Tomato Hornworm

The tomato hornworm is a large, green caterpillar with a curled head and a sharp-looking red horn on its rear. A mature hornworm is between three and five inches long and its markings include white stripes and rows of false eyes on both sides. At first glance, it resembles a ghastly little alien and many new tomato growers are quite startled the first time they spot one. A closer inspection reveals that the little fellow is harmless. Its size is intimidating, but it’s soft, squishy and … Read Full Post »

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How to Create an Epic Pool in Your Own Backyard

. Posted by in , • Houston

If you own a backyard pool, you may have the typical oasis that many neighbors have. Wouldn’t you prefer to flaunt the same spectacular pool that famous hotels and resorts feature? You may not be able to match the extravagance of a five-star accommodation, but you can apply some similar design ideas and create an aquatic masterpiece in your yard.

You can customize your pool by pulling specific qualities from elaborate designs to give it epic appeal. Remodeling a pool may be as simple as adding some landscaping, or it can be a marathon renovation. The initial idea of a pool overhaul may seem overwhelming, but imagine diving into your new luxurious splash zone as a reward for your efforts.

Before you take the sledgehammer or ax to your backyard, consider how to avoid destruction. Sometimes small changes can make a big difference. Landscaping is ideal for making slight alterations that pack … Read Full Post »

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Rats in Hats

. Posted by in , • Orlando

Let’s be honest: rats don’t always have the best reputation. They’ve been unfairly linked to smelly alleyways and unwanted infestations, but that may be a hasty judgment that’s best reserved for rats of the un-fancy kind. Many consider these friendly and highly-intelligent rodents treasured pets, and in some instances, they can actually be quite stylish.

Although the idea of dressing up a rat may be challenging for some people to grasp (not unlike the idea of dying a miniature poodle pink), it’s not as uncommon as you would think. As pet fashion designer Ada Nieves explains, “The rats look very cute and seem to like wearing [outfits]. Rats are very popular these days and the owners love to dress them up.”

 

Sometimes, you have to let your rat put on a hat and strut down the runway.

Many people believe that rats are naturally dirty creatures, but these balls of fluff are exceptionally clean … Read Full Post »

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DIY Plumbing: Good Idea, Bad Idea

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Did you ever wake from a sound sleep because of an annoying drip coming from the next room? You probably know that if you don’t fix a leaky faucet, you won’t get a good night’s sleep until you stop the drip. Even if you have the tools and expertise to fix a minor plumbing problem, you may be too busy to tackle the job until the weekend, and by then, you’re likely to be exhausted from lack of sleep. A San Antonio plumber can take care of minor plumbing problems as well as major troubles quickly and efficiently and help get your life back to normal again.

If you’re handy with tools and have plenty of time, you may want to replace a faucet, repair a small leak or unclog a drain without getting help from an expert. If you’re confident about your ability, you may save money by doing those … Read Full Post »

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Five Ways a Hidden Rodent Infestation Can Impact Your Home—and Your Pocketbook!

. Posted by in , , • Houston
damage caused by rats

Pest control is often the most unwelcome of all the unexpected costs that homeowners face. Pests enter your property looking for food and shelter and can usually stay hidden for long periods. Rodents, in particular, are experts in squeezing through small openings, and just one female rat can have up to 15,000 babies in just one year! If you have an infestation, damage caused by rats and mice could cost you thousands of dollars or more to fix, not to mention the time and hassle of caring for the problem.

Damage Caused By Rats and Mice

Rodent dens that go unnoticed are more expensive and dangerous to remove than infestations that are uncovered quickly. Crawl spaces, attics, and voids surrounding water pipes are prime real estate for rodents seeking a new home. Places that homeowners don’t inspect often are more likely to harbor unnoticed residents. Here are a few costly problems that … Read Full Post »

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Mosquito Dangers: What You Need to Know

. Posted by in , , • Houston

Along with the enjoyment of warm weather comes the annoyance of mosquitoes. Although you may plan on just ignoring these pests, the frequency of mosquito bites may become irritating, and the potential for serious health concerns should keep you cautious. It may be wise this summer to be proactive about the mosquito problem.

Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Mosquitoes are carriers of an array of viruses. Although not every mosquito is a threat, there is no way to know before a mosquito bites you. The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) has a thorough list of mosquito-borne diseases. Still, the four diseases most likely to affect any family in the United States are the West Nile virus, malaria, dengue fever, and canine heartworm.

West Nile virus is a potentially fatal disease that causes brain inflammation and flu-like symptoms. Malaria involves a parasite attacking your red blood cells, causing a persistent fever. Dengue is a type of fever … Read Full Post »

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Air Conditioning History Timeline

. Posted by in • San Antonio
air conditioning history timeline

It’s hard to imagine a hot Texas summer with sweltering temperatures consistently topping 100 degrees without air conditioning. As citizens of a modern world, perhaps we’ve become spoiled in our expectations of daily amenities, and this got us thinking: who was the genius that invented the modern air conditioning system?

That question turned out to be a little more difficult to answer than we thought. The “invention” of air conditioning was not so much one single “Aha!” moment, but rather several ideas over a few hundred years that got us to the modern HVAC system that we all know and love. Below is a brief air conditioning history timeline to explain how the air conditioner parts and functions have evolved.

Ancient Egypt: Where It All Got Started?

Ancient Egyptians are vaguely credited as being the first to use evaporative cooling by hanging wet cloth or reeds in windows and doorways. As the wind blew … Read Full Post »

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Insects: Up Close and Personal!

. Posted by in • Orlando
why do bees swarm

Dealing with insects in and around your home can be frustrating, but they can be pretty fascinating when they’re not invading your home. Check out these interesting facts about some common insects we encounter daily In Orlando pest control exterminators.

The Honeybee

Honeybees prefer to live in colonies; some of them live in colonies with up to 80,000 bees. Unfortunately, these bees can build a hive right next to your home. The success of the hive largely depends on the queen bee’s health. A queen bee eats honey for strength and can lay nearly 2,000 eggs daily. Throughout her lifetime, the queen bee can lay one million eggs. The rest of the bees in the hive are worker bees. Most of them gather nectar, pollen, and water for the hive and protect the queen.

House Flies

Believe it or not, some house flies reach nearly a quarter of an inch in length. They have … Read Full Post »

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Use the Sun to Cool Your Home This Summer

. Posted by in • San Antonio

With another scorching San Antonio summer approaching, you’re probably not looking forward to seeing your electric bills escalate from using your air conditioner. We have a solution that can not only lower your power bills, but also use those sizzling rays to your advantage: a cooling system powered by solar panels.

How Solar Panels Work

Our cooling systems work with photovoltaic panels, also called PV panels, which consist of silicon and non-reflective glass. The PV panels harness and store photons from the sun’s rays and then convert these particles into electrical power. Similar to a battery, the PV panel first converts the photons into DC power, which is sent to an inverter that converts it to AC power that can be used to run an air conditioning unit, as well as other household devices.

How Solar-Powered Cooling Systems Work

Most of our residential customers choose a grid-tied PV system, which uses a combination of … Read Full Post »

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Deep Root Feeding: Do Your Trees Need It?

. Posted by in , • Houston

Deep root feeding, also known as deep root fertilization, is a treatment that delivers nutrients directly to the root zone of a tree or shrub. If a tree is not adequately nourished, the tree cannot flourish. In the worst-case scenario, tree removal may be necessary.

Is Deep Root Feeding Necessary?

Deep root feeding is not always necessary, but some trees require it. Trees in the Houston area grow in an environment that can make it difficult to fertilize trees adequately using traditional broadcasting fertilization methods. Here are some circumstances that require treatment:

  • If a tree grows in very compact soil, nutrients are less likely to penetrate the soil and reach the root zone.
  • Trees cannot gather adequate nutrients from the immediate environment in some urban and suburban areas.
  • If the branch and leaf growth of the tree appears to be stunted, this can be a serious sign that the tree is not obtaining adequate water … Read Full Post »
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