Landscaping
Leyland Cypress – Diseases
Two diseases commonly cause brown branches on Leyland cypress: seiridium canker and botryosphaeria canker. Notes from Dr. Jean L. Williams-Woodward Extension Plant Pathologist – Ornamentals The best way to tell the difference, aside from examining the branches and looking for...
Leaf Drop – Maple, Poplar, Sweetgum
Rainy summer weather brings high humidity, which favors the development of leaf spot diseases. I commonly see the diseases affect sweetgum, poplar and maples in summer. Not all trees will be infested…even two trees standing side by side may be...
Leaf Drop – Crapemyrtle
I called into your radio show with a question about massive leaf drop on a section of a 15 to 20 feet Crepe Myrtle Tree. Before you wasted time on research, I wanted to let you know that the issue...
Japanese Maple – Moving
I recently received an urgent e-mail from Joe: “I need to immediately move an eight foot tall Japanese maple this week or lose it forever. How do I go about digging it up? What precautions should be taken?” I could...
Eucalyptus – Success Stories
When I replied to a newspaper reader about his chances of success with eucalyptus (low, in my opinion), I invited readers to share their eucalyptus stories. To my chagrin, at least a few folks have succeeded with this tree. Here...
Dogwood – Diseases
Nothing can panic a homeowner like the threat of disease to their prized dogwoods. Dogwood trees in Atlanta have had several problems this spring. Brown, distorted leaves and severe leaf drop are common complaints. Fortunately, the problems are probably not...
Crapemyrtle – Which is the Right Way to Prune
There are many opinions on which is the “correct” way to prune a crapemyrtle. A landscape owner may want a smaller tree, more blooms, or less work….all of which demand a different kind of pruning. Dr. Gary Knox at the...
Christmas Tree – Selecting
When the winter holidays approach, you want your tree to look its best. Here are my tips for choosing the best tree: 1. Choose a fresh tree. It is simple to say but hard to do! Most of the trees...
Cherry – Bleeding
Ah, what a beautiful thing is the marriage of intelligent minds! In early June, 2002 I received three questions in one week asking about cherry trees that were oozing sap. Sensing an incipient problem, I queried my Extension Service colleagues...
Categories of Tree Damage from Storms
Ice, snow and wind storms can cause extensive damage to trees. Snow and ice add tons of extra weight to individual trees. Stems and branches break, while some trees may be completely bent over. Storms may kill some trees, but...
Bradford Pear – Pruning
I recently received a query that has been repeated over and over this spring. A gardener in Roswell asks for my advice on the proper pruning of her Bradford pear tree in order to avoid limbs breaking as it gets...
Bleeding Cherry Tree – Gum on Bark
In the world of humans, bleeding is a serious and troubling thing. If something causes us to bleed we immediately take action because we understand that the loss of excessive amounts of blood can cause us great harm. Therefore, it’s...
Black Walnut – Allelopathy
Black Walnut trees have a chemical known as juglone in their roots, husks, leaves and bark. Juglone inhibits the growth of many plants which may be growing in your garden or landscape. This inhibition of plant growth is called allelopathy....
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...
