Landscaping
Crapemyrtle – Pruning
One of the most confounding arguments I face is whether and how to prune crapemyrtles. They are mercilessly “murdered” by unaware landscapers and homeowners each winter… yet they still bloom in summer. Some people even believe a crapemyrtle won’t bloom...
Flowers – Cold-Hardiness
Frost resistance of annual flowers. * Very hardy flowers can withstand freezing temperatures and hard frosts for short periods without injury. They may be planted as soon as the ground can be prepared, usually 4 to 6 weeks before the...
UGA Plant Disease Publications
Following are useful plant disease publications from UGA: Azalea Diseases Camellia Diseases Cane Blight of Blackberry Centipedegrass Decline Christmas Tree Diseases Common Landscape Diseases in Georgia Common Tomato Diseases in Georgia Diagnostic Guide to Common Home Orchard Diseases Disease Control...
Acorns – Heavy Crop in 2011
Many gardeners have noted a heavier than normal acorn crop in 2011. They report a constant barrage of nuts falling from white oak, water oak and red oak trees. One even carries an umbrella to protect her head while walking...
Planting Pansies
Few plants create color in a winter landscape better than pansies. Given a mid-October planting, pansies laugh at temperatures in the ‘teens. They are even known to bloom after a winter snowstorm. Growers produce 50 million pansies each year for...
Flowers for Drying
Harvest when the flowers are not fully open and in good condition. Don’t wait too long, because flowers too far along will not dry satisfactorily. Select flowers or seed pods that are as close to perfect looking as possible because...
Hummingbirds – Plants For
Trumpet Vine Catalpa Coralberry Weigela Nicotiana Petunia Salvia Hollyhock Columbine Delphinium Foxglove Gladiolus Daylily Hibiscus Liatris Tiger Lily Penstemon Phlox Sweet William Snap Dragon...
Panicle Hydrangea – Identification and Pruning
Panicle hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata, is an excellent flowering shrub for late summer and fall. There is one particular variety of panicle hydrangea called Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’….which many gardeners abbreviate to PeeGee hydrangea in referring to all of the panicle hydrangeas....
White Mulberry vs Red Mulberry – Identification
I’m often asked to identify “that tree that has lots of blackberries hanging from it!”. Most often it is a white mulberry, Morus alba. The fruit is edible but not exactly dessert quality. The red mulberry, Morus rubra, is less...
Patriotic Plants
In very early July I posted a comment on Hometalk that in honor of the holidays gardeners could consider planting ‘Fireworks’ goldenrod, ‘Sparkler’ cleome, ‘Bottle Rocket’ ligularia and ‘Roman Candle’ tomato. Other experts quickly chimed in, adding ‘Fireworks’ pennisetum, ‘Route...
Hydrangea Summer Pruning – Step by Step
The recent summer rains filled the leaves and roots of my hydrangeas with water, making them strong. Now that the flowers have faded in late June I can prune them to the size I want for next year. Look at...
Girdling Tree Roots
When a root closely circles a tree trunk rather than growing outward, it is called a “girdling root”. The situation usually starts when the tree is young. Somehow a root begins circling the trunk. As it grows larger and the...
Espaliering
Espaliering is the art of training a plant to grow in a formal pattern, typically in a flat plane. Fans, double cordon, vertical cordon, palmetto, and Belgian Fence are common shapes but there is no reason to limit your imagination...
June Landscape Tips
Collect the seeds from foxglove stalks. Scratch the soil around the plant, scatter the seed and cover with a bit of earth. Water occasionally and the seedlings that sprout this year will bloom next year. Clip off all of the...
Trees – No Tap Roots
Driving to dinner with friends after a big storm, I came upon this. A big tree next to a driveway fell and flipped over the car on the driveway! Notice one particular point – trees growing in our clay soils...
Frost Tolerance – Vegetables and Flowers
When frost is forecast, whether in spring or fall, some vegetables and flowers are more or less likely to be damaged. Here is a list of plants and their tolerance of light frost: Vegetables Hardy Slightly Tolerant Tender Asparagus Beet...
Arum – Propagation
I just can’t figure out why a certain plant I have in my garden is not used more frequently. It is commonly called by its scientific name Arum italicum ‘Pictum’, but the Home and Garden Encyclopedia says another common name...
Planting Caladiums
Caladiums are old-fashioned bulbs that have become more popular in recent years. Plant breeders have developed varieties that can withstand much more sunshine than previous strains. Leaf colors from deep red to pink to mostly white allow for landscape color...
Protecting Plants from Snow and Ice
Every family has a medicine chest where emergency medical supplies are kept. If you have children, they demand special supplies. Adhesive bandages, kid-strength pain reliever and medicated ointment are all part of the preparations for those accidental events of childhood....
Tree Pruning
Pruning a tree sometimes invokes more worry than it should. You wonder if removing a tree limb is analogous to cutting off your leg (does it hurt? will I kill it?). Fortunately, if you take your time, pruning can be easily done,...
