Naturally Controlling Bugs In Your Garden

Naturally Controlling Bugs In Your Garden

Bugs can eat up a garden and your hard work. However, there are some natural ways that you can reduce the bugs in your garden. One way of course is to squish them yourself or knock them into a cup of water with some soap or oil.

One of my favorite ways to get rid of bad bugs is with good bugs. Ladybugs and Praying Mantis bugs eat bad bugs in your garden. You can actually order these bugs for your garden. We are planning on order Praying Mantis bugs this year to help control our bug problems.

A quick note about lady bugs. Make sure that your ladybug is a ladybug. There are bean beetles that look a lot like ladybugs when you see them in their adult stage. If you are growing beans and think that you see ladybugs on them, take a look around your plants. Make sure that you don’t see bright yellow baby beetle bugs. The bean beetle goes through several stages. You will see bright yellow eggs on the bottom of your leaves. Then it will form a tiny yellow slug looking bug. Then it will turn into a bright yellow beetle before turning into a bean beetle that looks like a ladybug.

We made this mistake last year and thought that the bean beetles were ladybugs and let them live. They quickly took over. We won’t make that mistake again though. You can tell a difference between them after you have seen thousands of them. (-:

Also, if you can attract toads to your garden; they can be very beneficial. Toads eat lots of insects and will even eat slugs.

Slugs hide during the day under pieces of wood. If you have a slug problem, you can turn over pieces of wood that you might have in your garden during the day, and kill the slugs on the bottom of the wood.

For more gardening tips, click here.

How To Grow Green Beans

Green beans are so yummy fresh out of a garden. We usually grow a lot of greens beans each year because we can quite a few to last us through the year. Green beans can be planted until after the danger of frost is past. In our area locally this means after April 30th. This is why these can be planted where your sugar snap peas , cabbages, or other cool weather plants were planted. Green beans can make a lot of beans per plant. I only had a couple of plants at my house last year, but I still had enough to get a mess of beans most nights for supper. There are many different varieties of greens beans. However, the two main types are bush beans and beans that grow up trellises. Bush beans can produce a lot of beans and are good for smaller gardens. Our favorite type of bush beans are tenderettes.

Beans that grow up trellises and be easier to pick because a lot of the beans are at your height, however, you still have to bend down to get the beans at the bottom. My personal favorite green beans that grow up trellises are Greasy Grits and Granny Pluma beans. Greasy Grits are a mountain type of bean, so they will only do well in my area. Even in the Raleigh area they don’t do too well. Obviously in the mountains they do even better. My most favorite green bean though is my great grandmother’s green bean. She cultivated it and gave us the seeds. They are the yummiest green bean ever. I wish there was a way I could share them with all of you, but unfortunately they can’t be bought she just grew them. We have tried about every kind of green bean to see if we could find others like hers, but we can’t, . We just keep saving her beans each year.

Green beans are picked before they get too full. They should be picked about every 3 days. You want them to be tender and snap easily. If you do have some that you leave too long and the pods are really full, you can shell them.

For more budget saving gardening tips, click here.

How To Plant Lima/Butter Beans

How To Plant Lima/Butter Beans

These are my mother’s favorite beans. Lots of people love them. I personally don’t love them enough to plant them in my personal garden. (Makes me sound like I am not a true southerner.) Lima beans can be grown in bush form or they can run up trellises.

If you are planting a bush variety in a traditional garden they need about 3 feet between the rows just because the bushes get bigger than your typical green bean bush.

Pole limas grow up trellises. These need to be picked or they will stop producing. Also, they need plenty of water and healthy soil that is full of nutrients. The slight advantage of these limas as opposed to the bush limas is that they are less likely to touch the ground and rot from being too wet.

You can plant the seeds directly in the ground about 4 inches apart. I usually plant a couple of seeds every 4 inches just to make sure they come up. When they come up, if there are 2 in one place just pinch off the smaller one at the soil and let the healthier plant live.

You can also start these seeds inside. This will allow you to have a longer growing season and produce more lima beans.

Typically you begin to get lima beans about 12 weeks after you planted the seeds.

Lima beans are ready to pick when they are fat. These aren’t like green beans which are tough if you let them get too big and fat. Limas are shelled, so you want big limas inside the pod.

Just a side note: Butter beans are lima beans. A lot of southerners including my grandparents only call them butter beans, not lima beans . . . just so you’re not confused when you go to buy your seeds.

For more budget saving gardening tips, click here.

Walgreens 3/28 Budget Saving Deals

walgreens

Here are the best budget saving deals that I see at Walgreens this week. If you are new to Walgreens, make sure to check out my post here. If you are new to couponing, you will want to look at my post here.

Simply Saline Allergy & Sinus Relief Natural Mist 4.25 oz. $7
Get $7 Register Rewards
$1/1 Simply Saline Nasal Product, (SS 10/18/09) (SS 11/15/09) (01/24/10)
Final price FREE plus $1 moneymaker

Dove Shampoo or Conditioner 8 or 12 oz., Styling products 7 or 9.25 oz. $4
Get $4 Register Rewards
$2.50/2 Dove Hair Care Product, exp. 4-25-10 (RP 03/28/10)
$2/1 Dove Hair Care Products printable
$1.50/1 Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner, exp. 4-25-10 (RP 03/28/10)
Final price as low as FREE plus $2 moneymaker

Ducolax Balance 14 day 8.3 oz. $10
Get $10 Register Rewards
Final price FREE

DenTek 55 yds. $2
Get $2 Register Rewards
$1/1 DenTek Floss Pick or Floss, exp. 3-31-10 (SS 01/17/10)
Final price FREE plus $1

One Daily Multivitamins Walgreens 100 ct. $3
Get $3 Register Rewards
Final price FREE

12 pack Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper products 5 for $15 with in ad coupon
Final price $3 each

Lean Cuisine 9-11.5 oz., Stouffer’s 9.6-12 oz., 2 pack Hot or Lean pockets 2 for $5
Get $1 Register Rewards when you buy 2
Final price $2 each

Duracell Coppertop 16 pack AA or AAA 8 pack C or D 4 pack 9 volt $9.99
Get $2 Register Rewards
$1/1 Duracell Coppertop, exp. 3-31-10 (P&G 02/07/10)
Final price $6.99

Duracell Hearing Aid Batteries 16 pack 10, 13, or 312 $8.99
Get $1 Register Rewards
Final price $7.99

Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-A-Clean 25 oz. $7.99
Get $2 Register Rewards
$5 MIR Select SC Johnson & Co. Products printable (when you buy 3)
Final price as low as $5.99 before the rebate

Suavitel Fabric Softener 33.8 oz. $2.99 (B1G1; limit 4)
Final price $1.50 each

Buy $12 or more in participating Dove products and get $4 Register Rewards
6 pack Dove Bar soap; Clinical Protection antiperspirant/deodorant 1.7 oz., lotion 13.5 oz., body wash 24 oz. 2 for $12
$0.75/1 Dove Deodorant or Body Mist, exp. 4-25-10 (RP 03/28/10)
$1/1 Dove Bar Soap Multipack printable
$0.75/1 Dove Beauty Bar, exp. 4-25-10 (RP 03/28/10)
$1.25/1 Dove Body Wash printable
$1.25/1 Dove Body Wash, exp. 4-25-10 (RP 03/28/10)
Dove Ultimate Clear antiperspirant/deodorant 2.6 oz., body mist 3 oz., men’s body and face wash 13.5 oz., active clean shower tool 2 for $7
$1.75/1 Dove Men+Care Body and Face Bar, exp. 4-25-10 (RP 01/31/10)
$1.25/1 Dove Men+Care Body and Face Bar, exp. 6-20-10 (RP 03/28/10)
$1/1 Dove Men+Care Body Wash, exp. 6-20-10 (RP 03/28/10)
$1/1 Dove Men+Care Product printable
$1/1 Dove MEN+CARE Product, exp. 5-27-10 (ALL YOU Apr ’10)
$1.25/1 Dove Ultimate Deodorant printable
$3/2 Dove Ultimate Deodorants printable
$1.25/1 Select Dove Deodorants, exp. 4-25-10 (RP 03/28/10)
Final price varies

Lysol Healthy Touch Hand Soap System 8.5 oz. $14.99
$5 instant coupon
$1/1 Lysol Healthy Touch Gentle Hand Sanitizer Foam printable
Final price $8.99

Buy $20 or more participating Garnier products and get $10 Register Rewards
Garnier Fructis shampoo or conditioner 25.4 oz., or Stylin products 5.1 or 8.5 oz., HerbaShine Hair Color $5.99
$1/1 Select Garnier Fructis Products printable (IE) or printable (FF)
$2/1 Garnier Herbashine Color Creme, exp. 4-15-10 (RP 03/07/10)
Final price varies

Got2b Styling Products 2 – 12 oz. 2 for $10
Get $5 Register Rewards
Final price $2.50 each

Rogaine 3 pack 2% for women, 5% for men $49.99
$10 instant coupon
$10/1 Rogaine Men’s Product printable
$10/1 Rogaine Product printable (IE) or printable (FF)
$10/1 Rogaine Women’s Product printable (IE) or printable (FF)
Final price $29.99

Motions Hair Care 3.5-13 oz. 3 for $10
Get $5 Register Rewards
Final price 3 for $5

Colgate Pro Clinical Toothpaste 4 oz. $3.99
Get $2 Register Rewards
Final price $1.99

3D White Dental Care Crest Toothpaste 5.8 oz. or Rinse 8 oz.; Oral-B Advantage toothbrush 3 for $9
Get $3 Register Rewards
$2/1 Crest Rinse, exp. 3-31-10 (P&G 02/07/10
$0.75/1 Crest Toothpaste, exp. 4-30-10 (P&G 03/07/10)  or exp. 3-31-10 (P&G 02/07/10)
$0.50/1 Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel, exp. 4-30-10 (RP 3/21/10)
B1G1 Oral-B Advantage Manual Toothbrush, exp. 4-30-10 (P&G 03/07/10)
$0.75/1 Select Oral-B Toothbrushes, exp. 3-31-10 (P&G 02/07/10)
Final price as low as $.25 for all 3
Buy 1 Crest Rinse and 2 Advantage Toothbrushes – $9
Use B1G1 toothbrush coupon – $6
Use $2 Crest Rinse coupon – $4
Use $.75 toothbrush coupon – $3.25
Get $3 RR – $.25 for all 3

BIC Hybrid Advance Disposable Razor System 3 to 8 pack disposable razors $4.99
$1 instant coupon
Final price $3.99

Prilosec OTC Acid Reducer 42 ct. $24.99
Get $5 Register Rewards
$1/1 Prilosec OTC, exp. 4-30-10 (P&G 03/07/10)
$3/1 Prilosec OTC, exp. 3-31-10 (P&G 02/07/10)
$7/2 Prilosec Product, exp. 4-30-10 (P&G 03/07/10)
Final price as low as $16.99

Playtex Tampons 18 pack GentleGlide or Sport $3.99
$1 instant coupon
$1/1 Playtex Gentle Glide, exp. 7-31-10 (ALL YOU Apr ’10)
$1/1 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons printable
$0.50/1 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons, exp. 5-9-10 (SS 03/14/10)
$0.50/1 Playtex Sport Tampons, exp. 5-9-10 (SS 03/14/10)
$1/1 Playtex Tampons printable
Final price $1.99

Zantac Heartburn Relief 65 or 80 ct. $18.99
Get $4 Register Rewards
$2/1 Zantac Product, exp. 5-31-10 (SS 01/31/10)
$1/1 Zantac Product, exp. 6-30-10 (SS 03/28/10)
Final price as low as $12.99

Tums 60-150 ct. $3.99
Get $1 Register Rewards
$1/2 Tums, exp. 6-30-10 (RP 03/28/10)
$1/1 Tums Product printable
Final price $1.99

Zyrtec Allergy Relief 40 or 45 ct. $26.99
Get $2 Register Rewards
$4/1 Zyrtec Adult Product, exp. 4-30-10 (SS 02/28/10)
$2/1 Zyrtec Product printable (IE) or printable (FF)
Final price $20.99

Buy 2 or more of the following products and get $5 Register Rewards
20 or 24 ct. Tylenol or Liquid 8 oz. Children’s Tylenol Plus, Benadryl or Sudafed PE 4 oz.$4.99
$1/1 Select Children’s Motrin or Tylenol, exp. 3-31 (RP #2 1/3/10)  or exp. 5-31-10 (RP 02/21/10)
$3/2 Select Children’s Motrin or Tylenol, exp. 3-31 (RP #2 1/3/10)
$3/2 Motrin/Tylenol, Infant or Children’s, exp. 5-31-10 (RP 02/21/10)
$1/1 Tylenol Extra Strength printable
$1/1 Tylenol Extra Strength Product, exp. 3-31-10 (RP 12/6/09)
18-24 ct. Sudafed PE or Nasal Mist .5 oz. $4.99
$1/1 Sudafed, Sudafed PE or OM printable
$2/1 Sudafed, Sudafed PE or Sudafed OM, exp. 9-30-10 (RP 03/14/10)
18-24 ct. or 10 pack Benadryl $4.99
$1/1 Benadryl Allergy, exp. 5-31-10 (RP 03/14/10)
$1.50/1 Benadryl Product printable (IE) or printable (FF)
$4/2 Benadryl Product printable (IE) or printable (FF)
Final price varies
Deal Scenario:
Buy 2 Benadryl  = $9.98
Use $4/2 coupon = $5.98
Get $5 Register Rewards = $.98
Final price $.49 each

Mucinex 14 or 20 ct. $9.99
Get $2 Register Rewards
$1/1 Mucinex Adult, exp. 4-11-10 (SS 01/17/10)
Final price $6.99

Bayer Contour USB Blood Glucose Monitor $74.99
Get $10 Register Rewards
$30 off Bayer Breeze 2 or Contour Meter, exp. 4-30-10 (RP 10/25/09)
Final price $34.99 (You can get glucose meters free quite often, so I wouldn’t pay for one.)

Accu-Chek Aviva or Compact Plus Blood Glucose Monitor $9.99
$9.99 mail in rebate in box
$5/1 Accu-Chek Aviva System, exp. 7-31-10 (SS 03/28/10 #2)
Final price FREE

Certainty Protective Undergarments Walgreens 52 pack guards for men, 14-20 pack underwear, 30 pack belted shields, 36-72 pack pads $7.99
$3 instant coupon
Final price $4.99

Pampers Twin Pack Dry Max Cruisers Diapers 46-62 pack $18.99
Get $3 Register Rewards
$2/1 Pampers Cruisers Diapers, exp. 3-31-10 (P&G 02/21/10)
Final price $13.99

Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue 12 rolls $5
$1 instant coupon
$0.50/2 Cottonelle Toilet Paper printable
$0.50/2 Cottonelle Toilet Paper printable
$0.50/1 Cottonelle Toilet Paper printable
$1/1 Cottonelle Toilet Paper, exp. 3-31-10 (ALL YOU Feb ’10)
Final price $4

For CVS deals, click here. For Rite Aid Deals, click here. For grocery store deals, click here. For national store deals, click here.
This post is part of BeCentsAble’s Grocery Gathering. If you don’t see your store listed on my blog, please check out BeCentsable’s Grocery Gathering for an extensive list of grocery stores and blogs that cover the best deals!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Pillsbury Moneymaker at Dillons

Pillsbury Grands biscuits are a money maker at Dillons this week! Here is how:

Buy Pillsbury Grands Biscuits at .88/1=5.28
Use 3 .30/2 coupons here or from 1/3 GM insert or 3/7 SS
Get $4 catalina back for purchasing 6
Final Price after coupons and catalina= $.52 OVERAGE!

Thanks, The Grocery Weekly!

Note: You can get a $2 catalina for purchasing 4, and $3 for purchasing 5