Gardening Q and A
Wax Myrtle – Flowers (catkins)
Q: What’s going on with my wax myrtle? There seems to be some kind of infestation on the stems. A: It’s not an infestation, it’s wax myrtle sex! The things on the branches are female catkins (flowers) which will get...
Vole – Damage to Oak
Q: Two years ago I planted 4 sawtooth oaks. A few weeks back I noticed the 2nd largest tree leaning over and something had gnawed it in half 3 or 4 inches below grade. I would assume from the marks...
Rose of Sharon – Seed Bugs
Q: I found these on our Rose of Sharon. Am kinda sure they are not aphids, yet they do not seem to have a ladybug shape. Could you advise as to what they are? A: They’re seed bugs, Niesthrea louisianica....
Bermudagrass (bermuda grass) – Control in Centipedegrass
Q: Four years ago I installed Tifblair centipede sod. Last summer I noticed bermuda grass in it. How do I eliminate the bermuda in the centipede? A: There are usually only two choices: dig out the offending bermudagrass or spray...
Chelsea Garden Show – Erica Glasener
Want to attend the storied Chelsea Garden Show….with local garden expert Erica Glasener? Check out this tour...
Hican – Identification
Q: What is a hican? A: According to Arty Schronce at the Georgia Department of Agriculture, pecans and hickories are closely related and they can hybridize. Both belong to the genus Carya. The nuts of pecan-hickory hybrids (at least...
Mouse – Bot Fly
Q: I am very curious about what the object protruding from this mouse might be. The mouse had been dead for not more than three days when the picture was taken. The strange object does not seem to be coming...
Sandhill Crane – Identification
Q: In early January I heard a very strange sound in the sky. Looking up there was a large (More than 50) flock of birds. In looking closer, I realized they were actually split into two groups, each of which...
Kiwi – Hardy Types
Q: I recently purchased a pair of hardy kiwi, that have a smooth skin, which appealed to me for my experiment in making jam from them. How are they grown? A: Hardy kiwi is different from the fuzzy kiwifruit, Actinidia...
Deer – Repelled by Pine Cones
Q: I have listened for some time to your listeners complaining that deer are chewing up their landscape. I believe I found the one thing that keeps deer from foraging on plants. Several years ago we built a house on...
Pepper – Fused Fruit
Q: I planted three banana pepper plants (grown from seeds) this spring. While harvesting the remaining peppers from the one surviving plant a couple of days ago, I found this little oddity. I found it so unusual, I thought I...
Holly – Swallowing Azalea
Q: I have some holly shrubs in front of my townhouse that are swallowing a blooming bush. My question is: should I cut back the holly bushes to stumps? Will they bud in the spring? A: I attended a lecture...
Juniper – Too Large for Pot
Q: My juniper is slowly turning brown and I’m not sure what to do for it. A: It looks like a juniper that became too dry after planting. The container is pretty small for that size plant (double the current...
Rose Rosette – On Floribunda Rose
Q: Our roses were installed four years ago. The floribunda roses have what we been told is rosette virus. We have been told to uproot these roses and discard. Would we have to do anything special to the soil before...
Brown Rot – On Peach
Q: My six year old peach trees had a devastating bout of brown rot last summer . Can you assist me with getting a better understanding of the general care these trees require? A:Brown rot can indeed be devastating. Its...
Muscadine – Pruning on an Arbor
Q: I was sick for two years and this arbor of muscadine and muscadine grapes is way out of control. When should I prune and what should I prune? A: You have some major jobs ahead: If you want a...
Golden Euonymus – Turning Green
Q: Do you have any idea why my Golden Euonymus is green, not yellow? It seems otherwise healthy. A:You are just seeing a reversion of the golden leaves back to their green parentage. First noticed many years ago, all golden...
Pieris – Lacebug Damage
Q: I have been losing some Mountain Fire pieris. They start off fine but then the color of the leaves change from a dark green to green with lighter “splotches”. A: Excellent pix of lacebug damage! Azaleas get these most...
Tree – How to Plant on Slope
Q: From the street to my house is a pretty steep slope. I want to plant a Yoshino cherry as a feature there. Rather than planting it on the hill, I wanted to do an island that has a small...
Marlberry (Ardisia) – Growing
Q: I am trying to find a local source for Chirimen Marlberry to use as a ground cover. I found two at a nursery several months ago but cannot find any more Any ideas? A: I haven’t grown marlberry but...
