Gardening Q and A
Fire Ants – Control Near Pond
Q: We have a small pond with fish and frogs. Fire ants have taken up residence in the soil surrounding it. Since this area is close to the water, is there any control product that can be safely used? A:...
African Violet – Rooting
Q: My sister just gave me an African violet. It has two long stalks that the leaves grow from. Can these be cut off and rooted in water? A: It’s common for the lower leaves on an African violet to...
Apple, Crabapple, Pear Trees – Care
Q: I have a quick question about the apple, crabapple and pear trees that I planted last year. They did well through the summer and have grown by leaps and bounds. Now that it is almost a year later, what...
Jack-In-The-Pulpit – Raising
Q: A friend found a jack-in-the-pulpit that produced fruit this fall. I would like to know how to gather the seeds and raise more of these flowers. A: The red berries covering the end of a short stalk are typical...
Onions – Transplanting
Q: A local store is selling onions for transplanting into the garden. It’s too early isn’t it? A: I drive past green-spotted bermudagrass lawns every day that prove that onions are perfectly happy in cold weather. Indeed, you can plant...
Well – Super-Chlorinating
Q: Do you know of a web site that gives instructions for super-chlorinating a new well before having the water tested? A: Chlorinating a well is a method of sanitizing the water before it’s used by a household. Chlorine bleach...
Grape Vines – Pruning ‘Concord’
Q: Please tell me how to prune my ‘Concord’ grape vines. I read that you have to remove most of the plant. A: It’s a whole different process from muscadine pruning, in which you prune new growth back to permanent...
Peonies – Planting
Q: I am about to move to Monroe but I have a lot of peonies that my grandmother and mother gave me many years ago. What do I do to create the best new environment for the peonies? A: Because...
Mushrooms – Composting
Q: I know that mushrooms are a fungus. Is it a good idea to take mushrooms that grow in my yard and put them into the compost pile? It seems logical that the mushrooms would be good organic matter. A:...
Catawba Tree – Growing
Q: My dad had a big tree in the back yard he called his catawba tree. Twice each summer it was loaded with yellow and black worms. Boy, did we catch the fish with them! Can you tell me the...
Plant and Tree ID – Reference Book
Q: Can you recommend a good reference book for plant and tree identification? It doesn’t have to be exclusively for Georgia. A: I really like “A Field Guide to Woody Plants of the Southeast” by Rex Bishop ” (Tea Olive...
Bird Houses – Plans
Q: Do you know where I might get some ideas on how to build bird houses? What birds are most common around this area? A: Building a birdhouse is a great winter time activity. The whole process of attracting birds...
Bird Feeders – Weed killer Underneath
Q: I have an area in my back yard with four bird feeders. The area under the feeders is rock, mulch and seed hulls with black plastic under it all. Weeds and some of the dropped seeds have sprouted under...
Soil – Replacement
Q: I have a lot of red clay soil. I’m thinking about replacing my fescue with zoysiagrass. What do you know about a grass called Amazoy? A: No matter what grass you choose, you’ll have problems if your soil is...
Mole – Pest Control
Q: I have had a mole problem for two years. I have tried a mole trap without success. I’ve also tried to control insects my yard to eliminate their source of food. Do you have any suggestions? A: Mole tunnels...
Pomegranate – Growing
Q: I’ve heard wonderful things about the anti-oxidants in pomegranate juice. It tastes wonderful but is expensive. Is it a tree or a bush? Can I grow one here? A: Pomegranates grow fine in the lower two-thirds of Georgia. The...
Fruit Garden – For School
Q: I’m in charge of planning a fruit tree garden for elementary school students. Can you give me some ideas on fruits that will ripen before the end of May or after August? A: Not many fruit ripen in late...
Fig Trees – Blossoms
Q: I was told by a friend that fig trees have no blossoms from which the fruit comes and it is the only fruit of which that is so. Is this true? A: Figs certainly have flowers, but their method...
