Green Living by Janet Marchant: Dealing with Pesky Bugs and Weeds in the Garden

Here in Alameda we are graced with wonderful weather, and one of the advantages of our temperate climate is that it's a perfect place to have a little garden in your back yard. Of course I wouldn't dare eat any home-grown vegetables or fruits—I'll leave that to the professionals to put dinner on my table, thank you very much—but it's a great place for decorative flowers and bushes to show off your "green" thumb.

Alas, there's always a dark lining around every silver cloud: Our climate also makes it a haven for weeds and insects. These are definitely not part of the plan that God wrote down in the Bible! Did you read about bugs and weeds infesting the Garden of Eden? Of course not!

My least favorite weeds are those little grasses that look like clover—even though they most assuredly are not clover. And my least favorite insects are spiders and, even though they are popular in children's stories, ladybugs. They just give me the creeps.

But this column wouldn't be here unless there was a solution! Now with new eco-friendly pest control from Raid—"kills bugs dead"—and the ever-popular Roundup, you can destroy all weeds and bugs in your garden—in fact, in your entire yard—for generations to come.

So stop by your local nursery or hardware store to stock up on the new "Green" varieties of Raid and Roundup. I recommend one spray can of Raid and one extra-large bottle of Roundup per square yard. Be sure to apply to your entire yard (including any trees) and if you don't mind sneaking into your neighbor's back yard while they are on summer vacation, you can do them a favor by a thorough application there as well!