Gardening Q and A
Birch – Planting
Q: I am new to the Atlanta area and will be starting a garden from scratch. The lot where we are building has no trees and I need some assistance as to the best species and varieties to plant. Is...
Reel Mower – Choosing
Q: I just bought a new home on 1/3 acre and it is all new bermudagrass sod. I would rather use a high quality reel mower. Can you make a recommendation? A: My main concern with using a reel mower...
Sabal Palmetto Scale – Control
Q: I have scale insects on my sabal palm trees. I have tried spraying insecticide on them but I wonder if you could give me any more tips? A: Sabal palms, which are more correctly called sabal palmettoes, are well...
Aerator – Hand-powered
Q: How can I find a lawn aerator that’s small enough for home use that also removes plugs from the yard when aerating? I’ve seen the rental-type aerators but they are too big for my lawn. A: You are smart...
Caterpillar – Determining Sex
Q: I found a caterpillar in the back yard. I asked my Mom if it was a boy or a girl caterpillar and she didn’t know. I asked my neighbor if was a boy or girl and he didn’t know....
Amazing Bat Plant
Q: Are you familiar with The Amazing Bat Plant? Someone from FLA was asking me if I had any info on the plant. She said it comes from Mississippi and Missouri. I had never heard of it. She said the...
Gladiolus – Moving
Q: First, is it too late to move my gladiolii? I have some that got moved around by nature and I want them elsewhere. Should I transplant or lift the bulbs and wait until spring to replant? Second, my grandmother...
Boric Acid – Where to Buy
Q: Where do I buy boric acid? I want to make up a batch of ant bait and can’t figure out whereto buy the stuff. The ants have taken over my kitchen and have begun to colonize the bathroom so...
Fireplace ashes – for roses
Q: Can I use fireplace ashes as a source of potassium for my roses? A: Ashes do provide a slight amount of potassium for plants. They also counteract the natural acidity of soil, so they are a substitute for garden...
Citron – Growing
Q: We used to grow a thing called a citron, a watermelon-type fruit. It looks exactly like a watermelon but the darn thing is harder than a rock. Can you tell me where I might acquire some seeds? My younger...
Pear and Violets- Control
Q: I have two problems that really bother me. First, the vestiges of a departed ‘Bradford’ pear tree valiantly cling to life by continuously sending up insidious suckers from the roots. Second, I’m exasperated with the vigorous proliferation of wild...
Mimosa Weed – Control
Q: I looked up the mimosa-like weed that was mentioned in your newspaper column and found it to be chamberbitter. It is all in my lawn and flower beds. Now that I know what it is, how do I kill...
Impatiens – Winter Care
Q: When it’s time in the late summer to replace my impatiens with pansies, could I just clip the tops off the impatiens (leaving the roots intact), cover them with dirt, and plant the pansies on top? Would the impatiens...
Plants – For Damp Areas
Q: How do I get rid of mold and mildew from the area where my air conditioner drains into my yard? A: Why not make lemonade out of the “lemony” wet spot and install plants that like wet feet? There...
JaMur (Jammer) Zoysiagrass
Q: What do you know about ‘Jammer’ zoysiagrass? A: Not much…but we’re about to hear lots more. Dr. Clint Waltz visited an old research plot of this grass and he says “…….after 4 years of neglect (e.g. no or minimal...
Bottle Tree (Bottle Bush) – In Garden
Q: At the end of your radio show, you said ” You will never see a bottle tree in Buckhead!”. Attached you will find pictures of my bottle tree. I live in Loring Heights which is just north of Atlantic...
Health Effects of Using Manure on a Garden
Q: This summer I added quite a bit of composted horse manure (from a local stable) to the soil of my vegetable garden. With the concerns about E. coli in the soil, do you think that it is safe to...
Boxwood – Leaf Miner
Q: I have boxwoods that are about four feet tall and have never pruned them extensively. Last year’s growth is mottled looking. I know how to prune them by reaching deep inside the shrub with hand clippers. Can I do...
