General Garden Info
Extension Offices – Odd Questions
University of Georgia Extension offices are sometimes the place of last resort for people with odd questions. Extension agents and their assistants sometimes, however, get questions just a bit beyond the pale. Aaron Lancaster, Extension agent in Bibb county, posed...
CD’s Yield 3.5% – Plants Yield 400%
My mother explained it to me carefully: I should give her my newly earned $5.00 and we would open a savings account for me. In nine years (double my age at that time!) it would “grow” and I could use...
Mysterious Clay Particles Conclusion
I LOVE IT when science and personal observation prevail! Initially I theorized that cicada killer wasps were dropping the mysterious dirt balls. They certainly excavate holes in the ground in July! But when I presented the situation to University of...
Mysterious Clay Particles – Reader Theories
Reader theories on the origin of clay particles from the sky. Scroll to the bottom to find an answer.—————– Dirt rain. Gotta be. Amelia P.————– * red dust from comet/meteor tail, red due to charged particles of iron oxide -occurring...
Best Management Practices to Protect Water
Georgia will have to make some hard choices about water management in the next several years. We have plenty of water – it’s just the location and distribution that gives fits to water planners and water system operators in the...
Mysterious Clay Particles
This garden mystery started innocently enough. In July, I got an email from M. D. in Hall county: “We are totally stumped by something that’s happening at our house and hope you can help us understand what’s going on. “We...
Drought – Summary of Current Information
Currently there is no central website to address water restrictions and drought-coping information for Georgia. This is my attempt to rectify that. Current Georgia Watering Restrictions Georgia Drought Map Watering Trees Watering Shrubs Watering Flowers Watering Lawns Planting During a...
Horse Manure – In Dekalb County
Free Horse Manure! Little Creek Farm is a horse park off of Lawrenceville Highway which is owned by DeKalb county government as part of their GreenSpace initiative. With horses comes plenty of manure! The conservancy group is trying mightily to...
Starting Plants from Seed
Starting seed indoors is a great way to save money when you need lots of plants for your landscape. With a sunny window, a sunroom or an artificial light set-up you can raise hundreds of dollars worth of plants for...
Pressure-treated Wood – Safety
Pressure-treated lumber (sold prior to 2004) has come under fire as dangerous to those who use it in the landscape. There are extremely intense arguments on both sides of the question. I can not judge which side is correct but...
Pike’s Pick (Cool Plant)
Each weekend, longtime Pike Nursery garden expert Mickey Gazaway describes a particularly noteworthy plant which Pike Nursery has chosen to stock and to offer at a 20% discount. Click here for the current Pike’s Pick. In addition, we feature a...
Lime – Different kinds
Quicklime (calcium oxide) is a white solid having a crystalline structure. Quicklime is highly reactive with water, generating considerable heat in the hydration process. It can be bought at masonry supply stores. CAUTION: HIGHLY CAUSTIC Hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) is...
DeKalb County Free Compost Sites
DeKalb County composts yard waste and makes it available to citizens at four sites. The county gives instructions and hours at this website: Despite the words on the website, only the Central transfer station is closed to the public. DeKalb...
Holiday Gifts
My family has a terrible time giving me gifts. I have a mental condition called “See – Want – Buy” which strikes me every time I go into a garden center or hardware store. So I give myself gifts of...
Fall Planting – When is Too Late
It has long been known that it is beneficial to plant trees and shrubs in fall. Warm soil stimulates roots to grow but cool above-ground temperatures mean the leaves are not demanding much moisture. That said, when is it too...
Water Drops Do Not Burn Foliage
I have been asked many times if it is true that water drops on plant leaves can lead to burning of the leaf tissue in strong sunshine. It is true that a water drop can act as a lens…… but...
Pollination – In Your Garden
One of the most delightfully informative garden books I’ve ever read is “Sex in Your Garden” by Angela Overy . Ms. Overy (yup, that’s her real name!) describes how plants use false advertisements, bribes, perfume and sometimes pseudo-copulation to accomplish...
Sinkholes in the Landscape
Sinkholes in the yard are an unfortunate but common problem that may arise five to ten years after a home is constructed. These holes, or underground cavities, form gradually but can appear in your lawn overnight. In Florida, where some...
