Gardening Q and A
Powder Post Beetle – Control
Q: I recently noticed some pin-sized holes in a wooden bed headboard in my house. There was a small pile of sawdust below the holes. Any idea of what it could be? If so, how do I eliminate the pest?...
Azalea – Leaf Drop
Q: I have several ‘George L. Taber’ azaleas. In winter, their leaves turn yellow, then slowly to brown, and then they drop off the plant. This is happening to all of the plants. I don’t think they need water as...
Tree – Guy Wire Still in Place
Q: I have a seven year old, fifteen foot tall Leyland cypress that still has the tie around the trunk where it was originally staked. The rope (with a plastic sleeve) has now grown into the tree trunk, preventing me...
Houseplants – Recommended
Q: I live in an apartment. I’ve never been particularly successful with plants. Can you recommend some nice indoor plants that are easy to take care of and that are neither heavy nor require heavy pots? A: Not all houseplants...
Leaflets versus Leaves
Q: I hate to quibble but shouldn’t you have said “leaflets of three” for poison ivy and “leaflets of five” for Virginia creeper in your recent article about the poisonous vine? A: I thought long and hard about the reaction...
Asian Ambrosia Beetle – in Cherry Tree
Q: On your radio show I heard you describe what the Asian ambrosia beetle does to ornamental trees. I have the ‘toothpicks’ sticking out of my ‘Kwanzan’ cherry tree. I heard you tell a listener who had the beetles in...
Lawn – Testing for Brown Patch
Q: I have a zoysiagrass lawn. Can I take a soil sample to the county Extension office and have them check for brown spot fungus? A: An Extension Service soil test only checks for nutrient levels in the soil. It...
Lawn – Too Much Fertilizer
Q: Help! It appears that I put too much fertilizer on my grass. I have bermudagrass in the front yard and zoysia in the back. Last week I put three forty pound bags of 34-0-0 on my five thousand square...
Emily Bruner Holly – Pollination
Q: We recently purchased an ‘Emily Bruner’ holly. It is about 8 ft tall and does not have any berries. After researching online, I’ve found that ‘James Swan’ is the recommended male pollinator. We have been unable to find ‘James...
Plants – Getting More Information
Q: Is there a website with a listing of flowers, trees, herbs, etc. with descriptions, growing habits and planting tips? A: There are several I use. The first is the University of Georgia horticulture website. The fact sheets on flowers,...
Composting – Lawn Clippings
Q: I find myself with lots of fescue clippings I would like to compost this summer. However, we have our lawn treated with fertilizer and weed killer by a national lawn maintenance company. Does this mean we shouldn’t use our...
Leafcutter Bee – In Mortar
Q: I have insects that are boring pencil-sized circular holes in the mortar where two brick walls meet. They appear to have a striped abdomen and they plug the holes with green leaf matter. How do I prevent them from...
Flea Control – Indoors
Q: What can I use in the house for flea control with a sixteen month old baby present? The dog is treated and the yard is going to be but I want to get ahead of them indoors before there...
Seashore Paspalum
Q: I am interested in a new grass developed by University of Georgia researcher Dr. Ronnie Duncan. It is called seashore paspalum and is relatively new. I am considering it for a front lawn with little shade. A: A great...
Scale – On Boxwood
Q: Down deep on my boxwood stems I have found white-looking things that are very rounded in shape. When I pull them off their underside is blood red. I can squash them between my fingers and they crunch a bit....
Broom Sedge Identification
Q: We are building a rural homestead display at Rock Eagle 4-H Center and using broom sedge for thatch and for brooms. Can you give me the scientific name of broom sedge? A: It’s a grass, not a sedge, but...
Amaryllis – Pollination
Q: My boss bought a dozen amaryllis for the office for Christmas. We now have six in a sunny window. My question has to do with pollination. Before the first flowers started to fade, I cut a stamen from a...
Watering – Before a Freeze
Q: When you know the temperature is going to be way below freezing one evening and your plants need watering (especially tender perennials), is it better to wait? Or does watering do more harm than good? Is dry soil a...
