Cucumber beetles look similar to ladybugs. They can either be spotted or striped with yellow and black coloring. The adults feed on stems, foliage, and flowers. The larvae weaken the plant by feeding on the roots. They also spread bacterial wilt and squash mosaic virus.
Ants are one of the few critters that can be listed on both the “good” and “bad” list. Generally ants are considered beneficial, but they can truly be a pest as well! Not only can they bite you if you get too close, but they also keep aphids alive and protect them in order to collect their honeydew!
Squash bugs are one of our biggests pests in the summer. A minor infestation can get out of hand in a hurry if you don’t stay on top of it. The adults are a dark, triangular insect with a flat back. You can find their tiny copper-colored eggs in clusters on the undersides of leaves. You want to make sure to get them under control as soon as you spot them, or else they can cause mass destruction!
Cabbage worms are the caterpillar of a white butterfly with black wing tips and black spots. You can distinguish them from the cabbage looper by looking for faint yellow stripes on its back. The eggs are cone shaped, whitish-yellow, and laid on the underside of the leaves.
Basil is one of our favorite herbs to cook with in the kitchen. It flourishes in warm weather and is one of the best things to plant alongside your tomatoes. Many people mix various types of basil in their gardens. It is also great for container gardening. Some of our favorite varieties are sweet, thai, lemon, cinnamon, and lettuce leaf.
Beans are a staple in our house. It’s something that we always have on-hand in our fridge to eat on with our meals. Dried beans are so much more cost efficient for us than canned and we don’t have to worry about all the preservatives! I used to cook these beans on the stove after soaking them overnight and then boiling them on the stove for several hours. It was so time consuming and I am not one to plan ahead that well! The Instant Pot changed my life in this area! I can now take completely dried beans and cook them in the Instant Pot and they are ready within the hour. These black beans not only taste great, but are just so simple to make!
When we make a whole chicken we always save all the bones and use them to create our own chicken bone broth!
Cook a whole chicken from raw to ready to eat in 40 minutes!
Homemade pizza dough tastes incredible! You can adjust the thickness of the crust to your liking by adjusting ingredients slightly or by how large you roll out the dough.
These vegetable/fruit juices are incredible because you can continue to switch it up to get different tastes and keep staying healthy! Try all sorts of combinations!
