Outdoor Flowers and Foliage
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...
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...
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...
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...
Daylily – Dividing
Few garden tasks are as enjoyable as dividing overgrown flowering plants. Where once there was a single clump, you might have the potential for a half-dozen. Daylilies are among the easiest to divide. Simply slide the point of you shovel...
Ornamental Kale/Ornamental Cabbage
Ornamental kale and cabbage are some of the most popular (behind the pansy) winter annual plants. They lend a completely different texture to a winter landscape bed. The scientific name is Brassica oleracea The following plant description was written by...
Jewels of Opar – Identification
Q: Can you identify this plant? A: Garden coach Daryl Pulis says Jewels of Opar: Talinum paniculatum. Generally considered a nasty weed unfortunately sold as an ornamental. Jewels of...
Wildflowers
Many readers have noticed the beautiful wildflowers in the median strips of Ga. 400 and Ga. 316. They are so striking now that dreams of repeating the process enter the thoughts of the gardener/motor traveler. Will Corley, Extension Specialist at...
Using Chrysanthemums
Gardeners have two sources of chrysanthemum flowers: from plants that have grown large in their landscape during the summer and from potted specimens that can be planted now. An eight inch potted mum will have hundreds of buds on it,...
Tulip
A mass of red tulips behind a bed of blooming pansies can be a real traffic-stopper in March. Apartment and office complexes use hybrid tulips to showcase their landscapes as spring begins. The tall tulips have been hybridized for centuries...
Tropical Hibiscus – Bringing Indoors
Though several members of the hibiscus family are perfectly content outdoors in an Atlanta winter, the tropical hibiscus is not. If yours has grown vigorously outdoors, you’ll have to prune it back somewhat to a smaller, more manageable size. Preserve...
The Earth-Kind® Rose Program
Roses are one of the most desired of garden flowers. Yet today’s hurried lifestyles often prevent gardeners from tending their roses as they should. The Earth-Kind® Rose Program has been very successful in identifying and promoting low-care roses. The program...
Roses – Varieties for the South
The rose is known as “The Queen of Flowers”. For this reason, every gardener attempts to grow a rose or two. Some gardeners succeed, some gardeners fail. Why? One factor is that they failed to choose the correct variety for...
Roses – Black Spot Resistant
Georgia rose growers know all too well the devastation that black spot can wreak on roses. Planting roses resistant to black spot is the best way to avoid problems. The following article lists some of the most disease-resistant roses for...
Rose – Pruning Climbing Types
Most climbing roses bloom on old growth, that is, the growth from previous years. The best time to prune these roses is right after they finish blooming (typically in May). If they are repeat bloomers, then prune them right after...
Rose – General Care
No flower in the world is as popular as the rose. Gardeners can choose from hundreds, perhaps thousands of different types of roses. For this discussion, roses will be simply divided into bush roses and climbing roses. General culture is...
Rose – Fungicides for Black Spot Control
It’s important to switch fungicides each month to keep rose black spot disease at bay. Swap between chlorothalonil (Daconil), myclobutanil (Spectracide Immunox), triforine (Ortho Orthenex Rose Spray, and propiconazole (Bonide Infuse) every four weeks. Read the label to know the...
