Venomous (Poisonous) Caterpillars – Photos
Several kinds of venomous caterpillars are commonly seen in late summer – early fall. They are usually inconspicuous, so when one is encountered it’s “OUCH – what stung me???!!“. Below are photos of those you might find in the Southeast. Because they are so uncommon and because they feed on...
Azalea Lacebug – Control
You may have seen the damage lace bugs do to azaleas without knowing who did the dirty deed. Lace bugs suck the juice out of individual leaf cells. Since they hide underneath azalea leaves, you’ll never notice the bugs but it’s easy to see their damage. Since the bugs slurp...
Rose – Black Spot Control
I have never found a rose that was one hundred percent resistant to black spot, the most common rose disease. The tell-tale yellow leaves adorn roses throughout Atlanta to one extent or another. The best way to avoid black spot is to plant disease-resistant roses. Earth-kind(tm) roses, promoted by...
Azalea and Camellia – Leaf Gall
Q: The leaves on the ends of some of my camellia branches are swollen and thicker than the rest of the leaves. They are also lighter green. I’ve seen this on azaleas but not on camellias. Is it the same thing? A: It is indeed the same disease: camellia (or...
Diagnosing (Identifying) Holes in the Yard
Sometimes many heads are better than one when it comes to solving a problem. Wade Hutcheson, my Extension colleague in Spalding county, gets plenty of calls from the citizens of his area asking his help in identifying various holes in their landscapes. Wade is certainly familiar with several of the...
-
Glyphosate (Roundup) damage to several shrubs
Q: Can plants other than roses get rose rosette disease? I have nandina, geranium, boxwood, hibiscus, rhododendron and other plants that are showing symptoms of rosette disease. A: Because I see this so often, I believe it is glyphosate damage...
-
How to prune an overgrown apple tree
Q: My new house has a huge overgrown apple tree in the backyard. I have no idea how to care for it or what kind of apples it is producing. It needs to be pruned but am not sure how...
-
Carissa holly has sprouts of different holly
Q: I have several Carissa hollies that have shoots of a common holly, that I assume were the base plant which the Carissa holly was grafted onto. Is there any way to prevent the common holly sprouts? The spines are...
-
How to prune crapemyrtle to tree form
Q: We planted a crapemyrtle that has blazing red flowers and black leaves three ears ago and I want to trim it into a tree. This variety grows ten feet tall. I need details about trimming it in fall. A:...
-
Why is mysterious dirt dropping from the sky?
What could this be?? I received on Sept 25 a note that reads as follows: “I am a project manager for the City of San Diego and we have a construction site at a water treatment plant. In the neighborhood...
-
What happens if I don’t mow Emerald zoysia?
Q: What would happen if I let my emerald zoysia grass grow on a steep bank without mowing? A: It will be “tufty” but could be somewhat attractive. Plant three-inch diameter plugs of grass six inches apart in May. Try...
-
Can Verry Cherry Plums grow in Georgia?
Q: I recently bought some Verry Cherry Plums from the grocery. They were delicious! Can I grow them here? Where can I buy the trees? A: This plum/cherry hybrid could grow in Georgia but you won’t be able to find...
-
Raccoon scat (droppings) identified
Q: Our family recently purchased some acreage near Jefferson and we are beginning to build a horse farm. We found this scat and we were wondering what creature left it? It was about 6-8 inches long and about 1 ½...
-
Why redbud tree has bumps on trunk
Q: What would cause these bumps on the trunk of a redbud tree? A: My friend Bill Blum is a tree connoisseur. He notes that: “the tree is a fairly significant size for an Eastern redbud. So it must be...
-
Magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves
Q: My magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves at the ends of several branches. A: I believe you have an infestation of black twig borer. UGA horticulturist Matthew Chappell says: “The borer will enter the stem 6″ to a...
-
Holly flowers black in fall
Q: Can you identify this black muck on the stems of my hollies? It is loose and falls off when touched. A: Great pix and sharp eyes! I think you’re seeing the decomposing holly flowers. You can wash them off...
-
Blue mold identification
Q: I’ve never seen blue mold before. Have you? A: I think it’s cobalt crust, Terana caerulea. It is a type of white rot fungus, because it can break down all components of the plant cell wall, including brown lignins,...
-
Diagnosing (Identifying) Holes in the Yard
Sometimes many heads are better than one when it comes to solving a problem. Wade Hutcheson, my Extension colleague in Spalding county, gets plenty of calls from the citizens of his area asking his help in identifying various holes in...
-
Weeds – Identification with Pictures
Weed control in the landscape is a tough business. You have to know a lot about the weed in question just to get started! As in most situations, a picture is worth a thousand words. Go through the sites below,...
-
Bermuda Grass – Disease – Brown Patch
Brown patch is most prevalent on bermudagrass which has been heavily fertilized when night temperatures are above 68 degrees and day temperature are above 80 degrees. Dead patches of grass may start small but can grow and join together to...
-
Bermuda – Weed Control
BASIC INFORMATION: Weed Identification Pictures General Turf and Weed Info Lawn Care Calendars THREE METHODS There are three primary methods of controlling weeds. Any one method, when used alone, will not usually control all of your weeds. To consistently control...
-
Timing Spring Pre-emergent Herbicide Application on Lawn
One of the sourest phrases that can be directed at a child or adult is “I told you so!” Whether you touch a hot match, leave tools out in the rain, or lift cinder blocks all afternoon, someone is usually...
-
Lawn – Growing in Shade
OK. I admit it. I have given up. I came to the conclusion that grass just would not grow in the corner of my lawn near the ornamental cherry trees. The shade there is so dense that my grass, no...
-
Lawn – Leveling
A new home in my neighborhood had bermudagrass sod planted in March. By May, one area was a perfect checkerboard of straight lines, composed of weedy plants, surrounding the individual squares of sod. Evidently the sod installers were in such...
-
Brown Patch – Diagnosing
You have brown patches of dead grass in your lawn. Is it the common lawn disease ‘brown patch’ or is it something else? The answer is important: if it is brown patch you probably need to spray with a fungicide....
-
Lawn – Choosing the Best Grass
The first and most important question to ask is how much sun will be available to the grass. It is much better to use a grass that will grow in the conditions available rather than fighting the environment year after...
-
Fescue Planting – 1-2-3
September – October is the BEST time to plant a fescue lawn but March -April is also a possibility. I have tips on planting a new lawn or an existing lawn, whether with seed or sod. I also cover what...
Glyphosate (Roundup) damage to several shrubs
Q: Can plants other than roses get rose rosette disease? I have nandina, geranium, boxwood, hibiscus, rhododendron and other plants that are showing symptoms of rosette disease. A: Because I see this so often, I believe it is glyphosate damage...
How to prune an overgrown apple tree
Q: My new house has a huge overgrown apple tree in the backyard. I have no idea how to care for it or what kind of apples it is producing. It needs to be pruned but am not sure how...
Carissa holly has sprouts of different holly
Q: I have several Carissa hollies that have shoots of a common holly, that I assume were the base plant which the Carissa holly was grafted onto. Is there any way to prevent the common holly sprouts? The spines are...
How to prune crapemyrtle to tree form
Q: We planted a crapemyrtle that has blazing red flowers and black leaves three ears ago and I want to trim it into a tree. This variety grows ten feet tall. I need details about trimming it in fall. A:...
Why is mysterious dirt dropping from the sky?
What could this be?? I received on Sept 25 a note that reads as follows: “I am a project manager for the City of San Diego and we have a construction site at a water treatment plant. In the neighborhood...
What happens if I don’t mow Emerald zoysia?
Q: What would happen if I let my emerald zoysia grass grow on a steep bank without mowing? A: It will be “tufty” but could be somewhat attractive. Plant three-inch diameter plugs of grass six inches apart in May. Try...
Can Verry Cherry Plums grow in Georgia?
Q: I recently bought some Verry Cherry Plums from the grocery. They were delicious! Can I grow them here? Where can I buy the trees? A: This plum/cherry hybrid could grow in Georgia but you won’t be able to find...
Raccoon scat (droppings) identified
Q: Our family recently purchased some acreage near Jefferson and we are beginning to build a horse farm. We found this scat and we were wondering what creature left it? It was about 6-8 inches long and about 1 ½...
Why redbud tree has bumps on trunk
Q: What would cause these bumps on the trunk of a redbud tree? A: My friend Bill Blum is a tree connoisseur. He notes that: “the tree is a fairly significant size for an Eastern redbud. So it must be...
Magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves
Q: My magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves at the ends of several branches. A: I believe you have an infestation of black twig borer. UGA horticulturist Matthew Chappell says: “The borer will enter the stem 6″ to a...
Holly flowers black in fall
Q: Can you identify this black muck on the stems of my hollies? It is loose and falls off when touched. A: Great pix and sharp eyes! I think you’re seeing the decomposing holly flowers. You can wash them off...
Blue mold identification
Q: I’ve never seen blue mold before. Have you? A: I think it’s cobalt crust, Terana caerulea. It is a type of white rot fungus, because it can break down all components of the plant cell wall, including brown lignins,...
Diagnosing (Identifying) Holes in the Yard
Sometimes many heads are better than one when it comes to solving a problem. Wade Hutcheson, my Extension colleague in Spalding county, gets plenty of calls from the citizens of his area asking his help in identifying various holes in...
Weeds – Identification with Pictures
Weed control in the landscape is a tough business. You have to know a lot about the weed in question just to get started! As in most situations, a picture is worth a thousand words. Go through the sites below,...
Bermuda Grass – Disease – Brown Patch
Brown patch is most prevalent on bermudagrass which has been heavily fertilized when night temperatures are above 68 degrees and day temperature are above 80 degrees. Dead patches of grass may start small but can grow and join together to...
Bermuda – Weed Control
BASIC INFORMATION: Weed Identification Pictures General Turf and Weed Info Lawn Care Calendars THREE METHODS There are three primary methods of controlling weeds. Any one method, when used alone, will not usually control all of your weeds. To consistently control...
Timing Spring Pre-emergent Herbicide Application on Lawn
One of the sourest phrases that can be directed at a child or adult is “I told you so!” Whether you touch a hot match, leave tools out in the rain, or lift cinder blocks all afternoon, someone is usually...
Lawn – Growing in Shade
OK. I admit it. I have given up. I came to the conclusion that grass just would not grow in the corner of my lawn near the ornamental cherry trees. The shade there is so dense that my grass, no...
Lawn – Leveling
A new home in my neighborhood had bermudagrass sod planted in March. By May, one area was a perfect checkerboard of straight lines, composed of weedy plants, surrounding the individual squares of sod. Evidently the sod installers were in such...
Brown Patch – Diagnosing
You have brown patches of dead grass in your lawn. Is it the common lawn disease ‘brown patch’ or is it something else? The answer is important: if it is brown patch you probably need to spray with a fungicide....
Lawn – Choosing the Best Grass
The first and most important question to ask is how much sun will be available to the grass. It is much better to use a grass that will grow in the conditions available rather than fighting the environment year after...
Fescue Planting – 1-2-3
September – October is the BEST time to plant a fescue lawn but March -April is also a possibility. I have tips on planting a new lawn or an existing lawn, whether with seed or sod. I also cover what...
