Gardening Q and A
Rattlebox (Crotalaria) – Identification
Q: What is this plant with brown seed pods that look like English pea pods? A: Native plant expert Theresa Schrum says this is showy rattlebox, Crotalaria spectabilis. If you shake the dry pods you’ll immediately hear why it got...
Panicle Hydrangea – Identification
Q: I have a house with this hydrangea looking tree. The flower looks like a hydrangea’s flower. Do you know what it is? A: It is indeed a hydrangea: Hydrangea paniculata. There is one particular variety of panicle hydrangea called...
Monstera – Identification
Q: A couple of years ago, I cut this plant down so as to be able to handle it in the winter. It grew back bigger than ever. I don’t want to cut any more off of the trunks. Could...
Flying Aphids – In Fall
Q: I have gnat-type flying insect swarming in my backyard. What type of insect would be flying this late in the year? A: My bet, based on experience from previous years, is that the things are the winged form of...
Tomato – Grafting
Q: What do you know about grafting tomatoes? I hear you can graft an heirloom variety to a disease-resistant modern variety and get good results. A: You are exactly correct on the good results from grafting. The process has been...
Sasanqua Camellia and Japanese Camellia – Identification
Q: What is the difference between sasanqua camellia and Japanese camellia? A: Sasanqua camellia, Camellia sasanqua and Japanese camellia, Camellia japonica, are the two camellia species most often cultivated in the South. There are more than 200 species of camellia,...
Dogfennel – Identification
Q: Please identify this 3 – 4’ tall stuff. How do you get rid of a lot of it? A: It’s dogfennel, Eupatorium capillifolium. Don’t confuse it with Anthemis cotula, which is also known as dog fennel or Mayweed. I...
Bird’s Nest Fungi
Q:There are little white cones things that come up in my garden. Then four little dots seems to just appear in the cone. Any suggestions? A: These are called birds nest fungi. The cup-like structure contains “eggs” that have fungal...
Raccoon Damage – To Dead Sod
Q: We had fescue sod laid last year in a small garden area in our back yard but it died during the drought. In the past week or so some nocturnal animal has been ‘”unrolling” the sod looking for something....
Fescue – Killed by Overwatering
Q: The fescue at our subdivision entryway has suffered greatly, even though the sprinkler system waters every Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, for 10 minutes and fertilize it. I see similar damage to fescue lawns throughout our area. Have you any thoughts...
Crabgrass – Dying in Fall
Q: Look at what happened to my crabgrass: couple of weeks ago it just died. Whataya think happened? A: This is a natural phenomenon. Crabgrass is sensitive to day length, so as days get shorter after June the plants set...
Bacterial Leaf Scorch – On Oak
Q: My oak is turning brown and dropping leaves earlier than normal (late September). What could cause this beside drought? A: Art Morrist, a certified Arborist with Bartlett Tree Experts, says: “It’s possible that late-season browning on oaks could be...
Hebe – Growing in Georgia
Q: I saw a plant in Germany which I would like to grow here. The label from the plant named it “Hebe buxifolia”. Is it locally available? A: Hebe is native to New Zealand, where it is grown as an...
Japanese Beetle – Plants Resistant to Them
Q: Are there any plants that Japanese beetles DON’T eat? A: Sure – I never see them on pine, lamb’s ear, lantana or holly! On the other hand, the list of plants they DO eat is quite long. Here’s a...
Sugarcane – In Georgia
Q: Can I grow sugarcane in Georgia? A: My Dad tried to grow it in Fayette county one year. It grew tall but wasn’t very sweet…..my guess is there were not enough sunshine or hot days. It needs a LONG...
Sumac Gall – Identification
Q: I noticed a “gall” on a sumac sapling today. As I looked closer, I saw that several branches (leaflet clusters) had a number of the things on them, and the leaves were turning yellow and then red. I pulled...
