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, identify your weed, then choose your method of weed control....
Flowering Times Of Cherry Trees
Q: You were talking on radio about the different flowering times of cherry trees. Can I get a list? A: Flowering cherry trees can give us blooms for at least two months in spring. Their flowering times overlap so there are always blooms to enjoy on your daily commute. I...
I’m retiring from radio (mostly)
January 4, 2020 Three months ago somebody lightheartedly asked me “When are you ever going to retire from radio” I have been asked this many times before. You know that I already retired once from the University of GA after 30 years there. And I’ve always said “Why would I...
Birds – Attracting
To attract birds at any time of the year, select plants that provide nectar, fruits, berries or nuts. There are many trees and shrubs that offer fruit or berries long into fall and even through winter. The small apples of ‘Zumi’ crabapple are a favorite of purple finches and many...
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 kind of fescue is best. It is not as important...
-
Landscaper Chopped Off A Third Of My Encore Azaleas
Q: The community landscape crew used a hedge trimmer to chop off about a third of my healthy, newly-planted Encore azaleas. I presume the spring blooming will not happen but I’m wondering if they will survive this butchering? A: If...
-
How To Lower pH Of Soil?
Q: I’ve been amending my garden with compost for more than ten years. Soil tests every year show P, K, Mg, Ca, and Zn all in the excellent range. My problem is I can’t get the pH lower than 7.0....
-
Should I Paint The Wounds Of My Pin Oak Tree?
Q: I pruned some rather large limbs from a huge pin oak tree a few days ago. Today almost every cut is “weeping” heavily. Should I paint the wounds? A: There is no harm at all. The tree’s roots are...
-
Caring For Amaryllis
Q: I have amaryllis in pots that I have tried unsuccessfully to force into bloom during the holidays. They all sprout prolific leaves and look healthy but no flowers appear. Are they just too old? A: I think the bulbs...
-
Does English Ivy Damage A Cinder Block Wall?
Q: Can variegated English ivy do damage to a cinder block wall? My house has a tall concrete block foundation in the back. A: I don’t think the ivy will physically damage the cinderblock but it does provide a nice...
-
Which Plants In My Landscape Are Poisonous?
Q: I have young children and would like to know which plants in my landscape are poisonous. A: Many landscape plants and houseplants are “poisonous” to one degree or another. It is always important to remember that “The dose makes...
-
Mowing Two Different Lawns
Q: I have bermuda in the front yard and Geo zoysia in the backyard. Is there any issue mowing both and risking cross-contamination with their seed? A: If the front yard is common seed-producing bermudagrass, not a hybrid sodded bermuda,...
-
Getting Rid Of Black & Blue Salvia
Q: Several years ago, I planted ‘Black & Blue’ salvia. It has now spread across the entire back of my house and I want to get rid of it. Other than pull it up, a tough job due to the...
-
Hedge To Plant In Between Yards
Q: We are transplants from southern California. I want to landscape my grandson’s new home with a hedge in between his yard and his neighbors. He is twenty-one with no interest in gardening and I will not be around forever...
-
Should I Leave My Tropical Hibiscus Outside?
Q: Is there a alternative to leaving plants like tropical hibiscus outside instead of bringing inside? I recently moved and do not have the room I once had in the garage. A: Trying to get a tropical hibiscus to survive...
-
How To Speed Deterioration Of Leaves?
Q: My mother has big pecan and oak trees. This year I dumped the fallen leaves in a low part of her back yard in an effort to build it up. How can I speed their deterioration. A: If you...
-
Info On Fruiting Quince
Q: I have become interested in growing fruiting quince and have several plants (‘Le Page’, ‘Aromatnaya’, ‘Cookes Jumbo’, ‘Van Deamon’). Do they fruit on current year’s growth or last years? I need to prune them a bit. They are delicious...
-
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,...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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....
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
Landscaper Chopped Off A Third Of My Encore Azaleas
Q: The community landscape crew used a hedge trimmer to chop off about a third of my healthy, newly-planted Encore azaleas. I presume the spring blooming will not happen but I’m wondering if they will survive this butchering? A: If...
How To Lower pH Of Soil?
Q: I’ve been amending my garden with compost for more than ten years. Soil tests every year show P, K, Mg, Ca, and Zn all in the excellent range. My problem is I can’t get the pH lower than 7.0....
Should I Paint The Wounds Of My Pin Oak Tree?
Q: I pruned some rather large limbs from a huge pin oak tree a few days ago. Today almost every cut is “weeping” heavily. Should I paint the wounds? A: There is no harm at all. The tree’s roots are...
Caring For Amaryllis
Q: I have amaryllis in pots that I have tried unsuccessfully to force into bloom during the holidays. They all sprout prolific leaves and look healthy but no flowers appear. Are they just too old? A: I think the bulbs...
Does English Ivy Damage A Cinder Block Wall?
Q: Can variegated English ivy do damage to a cinder block wall? My house has a tall concrete block foundation in the back. A: I don’t think the ivy will physically damage the cinderblock but it does provide a nice...
Which Plants In My Landscape Are Poisonous?
Q: I have young children and would like to know which plants in my landscape are poisonous. A: Many landscape plants and houseplants are “poisonous” to one degree or another. It is always important to remember that “The dose makes...
Mowing Two Different Lawns
Q: I have bermuda in the front yard and Geo zoysia in the backyard. Is there any issue mowing both and risking cross-contamination with their seed? A: If the front yard is common seed-producing bermudagrass, not a hybrid sodded bermuda,...
Getting Rid Of Black & Blue Salvia
Q: Several years ago, I planted ‘Black & Blue’ salvia. It has now spread across the entire back of my house and I want to get rid of it. Other than pull it up, a tough job due to the...
Hedge To Plant In Between Yards
Q: We are transplants from southern California. I want to landscape my grandson’s new home with a hedge in between his yard and his neighbors. He is twenty-one with no interest in gardening and I will not be around forever...
Should I Leave My Tropical Hibiscus Outside?
Q: Is there a alternative to leaving plants like tropical hibiscus outside instead of bringing inside? I recently moved and do not have the room I once had in the garage. A: Trying to get a tropical hibiscus to survive...
How To Speed Deterioration Of Leaves?
Q: My mother has big pecan and oak trees. This year I dumped the fallen leaves in a low part of her back yard in an effort to build it up. How can I speed their deterioration. A: If you...
Info On Fruiting Quince
Q: I have become interested in growing fruiting quince and have several plants (‘Le Page’, ‘Aromatnaya’, ‘Cookes Jumbo’, ‘Van Deamon’). Do they fruit on current year’s growth or last years? I need to prune them a bit. They are delicious...
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,...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
