As the year draws to a close, Environmental Services is taking a look back at our best posts of 2024. From native plant features and home landscape care to mosquito-proofing tips, there’s a host of wonderful resources that have piqued our readers’ interest. Read on to learn which posts garnered the most attention this year and see if your favorite made the list!
Top Posts from 2024
1. White Prickly Poppy: Everything You Need to Know About this Stunning Native Plant
The white prickly poppy, a native Texas plant, boasts large white flowers and thorny stems. It’s a valuable food source for wildlife and supports local pollinators. Thriving in sandy, gravely soil, it’s drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. Embrace this beautiful native plant in your garden and create valuable habitat at home!
2. Master the Art of Native Tree Care with these Essential Resources
Learn how to care for your trees and ensure they thrive with these resources. Discover tips for planting bare-root trees, mulching, pruning, and choosing the right tree for the right place. Explore the 12 tree varieties featured at the 48th Annual Arbor Day Tree Giveaway, some of which will return in 2025.
3. From Scraps to Soil: Turning Kitchen Waste into Nutrient-Rich Compost with Red Wiggler Worms
Worm composting, or vermicomposting, is an indoor method using red wiggler worms to break down kitchen food scraps, producing compost in weeks instead of months. It’s an inexpensive, space-saving, and eco-friendly way to turn food waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Explore this post to learn how easy it is to get started!
4. Trees on the Trail: Beautiful Bloomers
Flowering trees are often considered “ornamentals,” leaving many to question their purpose beyond just “looking pretty.” Don’t let these beautiful blooms fool you – these trees offer many upsides for your landscape like creating shade, enticing pollinators and feeding wildlife. Take advantage of beauty with benefits and plant a native flowering tree this year!
5. How Floodwater Mosquitoes Lay Eggs and Grow Up: A Bug’s Life
Floodwater mosquitoes in Texas strategically lay their eggs in damp areas and can remain dormant for 2-4 years until the next flood. The larvae quickly mature by scavenging on decaying matter, emerging as adults in just 5-7 days. While these “pop-up” mosquitoes can be difficult for county and city programs to control, insect repellents still work wonders to deter them, and we can learn a thing or two about resilience from their tenacity.
All-Time Top Posts
1. A Better Way to Keep Mosquitoes at Bay
Looking for a natural way to repel mosquitos in your backyard? Learn how garlic barrier can get rid of mosquitos and other pests without harming pollinators in just 3 easy steps. See why this post went viral with over 13,000 views and counting!
2. Think Like A Plant: How To Water Effectively With Deep Watering
Here’s a deep thought for you: how a plant is watered is just as important as how much it’s watered. Start watering deeply for more robust and rugged root systems and thriving, happy plants.
The relative virtues and problems associated with tropical milkweed continue to be a hot topic within the monarch conservation community. Scientific research suggests that tropical milkweed’s link to the spread of the Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) disease, which leads to deformed wings among other issues, far outweighs its virtues by impacting the health and sustainability of the monarch butterfly species. If you have tropical milkweed in your landscape, learn why it’s important to cut it back in October or remove it completely in favor of our native varieties.
Share your favorite post with us in the comments below! If there’s a topic you’re eager to hear more about in 2025, let us know! Thank you for reading and, as always, Environmental Services is here to answer any questions you may have. Have a bright and prosperous New Year!
