Italy Trip Report – 2013
In May of 2013 I led a group of adventurous and inquisitive gardeners (and their spouses) to the southern coast of Italy and the island of Sicily. We had a wonderful time: lots of great food, beautiful gardens, historic sites and good companionship! Following is my report on the trip,...
UGA Vegetable Gardening Publications
With food prices high, folks have been thinking about growing some of their own food. Food gardening is not hard and it doesn’t have to take much room in your landscape. You can even do it in containers! These gardening publications are available on the Internet or ask for a...
Shrub – Pruning Calendar
The Home & Garden section of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution published a very nice pruning calendar several years ago. When viewed on a sheet of newsprint, it was gorgeous. When reduced to fit onto a sheet of typing paper it was impossible to read. I imagine you didn’t keep...
South Africa Adventure – 2014
As many of you know, I led a group of gardeners and spouses to South Africa in 2010. The memories of that vibrant, beautiful, surprising country still linger in my brain! We had such a good time I’ve decided to lead another group trip there in January, 2014. Want to...
New Gardening Books
I regularly receive interesting-looking gardening books from publishers. I don’t have time to read them all or give an intelligent review but I know they would appeal to many gardeners. These are some of the books I’ve gotten recently. You can click the link under the book cover images to...
Tomatoes – For High Heat
Q: Is there a tomato that tolerates high summer heat better than others? A: It’s true that some of the newer hybrids stop producing (probably due to lack of pollination) at temps above 90 degrees. Cindy Martin at The Tasteful...
Tomato – Fruitworm
Q: I have several of these on my tomato plants and have no idea what they are. They don’t look like cutworms and they only seem to be eating the leaves. Can you help? A: You have a tomato fruitworm....
New Shrubs/Trees – Watering
Q: I planted 5 Green Giant arborvitaes in my backyard along a fence to provide a hedge in the future. The space gets full sun. We mixed in soil conditioner with the red clay when planting them. The trees are...
Deodar Cedar – Growing Differently
Q: I have two deodara cedars that are growing at different rates. Both trees were planted six years ago by a landscape company. The non-growing deodar cedar was dug up and re-planted last fall hoping it would take off like...
Yellowjackets – Traps
Q: We have lots of yellowjackets on our patio. What is the best trap for them? A: I have tried the commercial trap with special baits but the most effective traps were inexpensive or home made. I had a thriving...
Rock Eagle Camp Song – Dem Bones Gonna Rise Again!
I worked as a counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Camp, near Eatonton GA, from 1969 to 1972. Quaint though it seems now, one of our most enjoyable activities was gathering in the dining hall and singing all sorts of doggerel...
Snails – In the Classroom
When I worked for the UGA Extension folks several years ago, I was a member of the National Science Teachers Association. In an article, they suggested that kids could learn a lot by keeping large snails in the classroom. We...
Crayfish – In the Classroom
When I worked for the UGA Extension folks several years ago, I was a member of the National Science Teachers Association. Their magazine, Science and Children, contained many good ideas for teaching science to my 4-H Club members. I saved...
Box Turtle (Terrapin) – In the Classroom
When I worked for the UGA Extension folks several years ago, I was a member of the National Science Teachers Association. Their magazine, Science and Children, contained many good ideas for teaching science to my 4-H Club members. I saved...
Japanese Beetle – Decline in Numbers
Q: We have always had a problem with Japanese beetles in summer. So far this year (2012), we have not seen any at all. None! What’s up with that? A: Just as the mild winter increased the number of ticks...
Antique Garden Tools
When a friend pointed out a New York Times article (digital subscription required) about a museum show of antique garden tools, I was intrigued. When I realized that the owner of the tools, Mark Morrison, lived near where I intended...
Dirt Can Make You Happy!
On my radio show, I exhort listeners to discover the happiness that gardening brings. Little did I know that certain bacteria in the soil are responsible! Following is a blog post by Naomi Sachs, of the Therapeutic Landscapes Network ...
Hornet Nest – Near Bee Hives
Q: My husband is a beekeeper. A hornet colony has built a sizable nest on the back of our house. What makes it unique is that the nest is flush on a window and you can see inside the nest....
Tree Roots – Exposed
Q: Could you please tell me what is going on with my oak tree? The roots are next to a driveway. It’s very interesting looking into all the little cubby holes. Is this normal? A: This looks completely normal to...
Citrus Pollination – Seedlessness
Q: Why do some oranges and citrus have seeds and other do not? A: I’m not sure I can explain it in simple terms but this paper has the details you want. Citrus Sex, Seedlessness and New...
Majesty Palm – Scale Insects
Q: We have a majesty palm at work that was purchased six months ago and it constantly gets brown leaves. It has new growth, but they always seem to die off fairly quickly. It gets watered 1 2 times a...
Mud Dauber (Dirt dauber) – Buzzing Sound
Q: How does the mud dauber make the buzzing sound when nest building? The wings do not appear to move. Paul Cain, email A: Mud daubers do indeed make a buzzing sound when they are working. I’ve noticed it when...
Tree – Where to Irrigate
Q: My husband and I argue so much about this subject that we might be headed to divorce court! We have grown a pin oak for 20 years, although it still has a small canopy. Should I irrigate further out...
Weeds – Identification with Pictures
Weed control in the landscape is a tough business. You have to know a lot about the weed in question just to get started! As in most situations, a picture is worth a thousand words. Websites Preen has terrific weed...
Diagnosing Holes in the Yard
Sometimes many heads are better than one when it comes to solving a problem. Wade Hutcheson, my Extension colleague in Spalding county, gets plenty of calls from the citizens of his area asking his help in identifying various holes in...
Brown Patch – Diagnosing
You have brown patches of dead grass in your lawn. Is it the common lawn disease ‘brown patch’ or is it something else? The answer is important: if it is brown patch you probably need to spray with a fungicide....
Bermuda – Weed Control
BASIC INFORMATION: Weed Identification Pictures General Turf and Weed Info Lawn Care Calendars THREE METHODS There are three primary methods of controlling weeds. Any one method, when used alone, will not usually control all of your weeds. To consistently control...
Lawn – Timing Pre-emergent Herbicide
One of the sourest phrases that can be directed at a child or adult is “I told you so!” Whether you touch a hot match, leave tools out in the rain or lift cinder blocks all afternoon, someone is usually...
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...
Bermuda Grass – Disease – Brown Patch
Brown patch is most prevalent on bermudagrass which has been heavily fertilized when night temperatures are above 68 degrees and day temperature are above 80 degrees. Dead patches of grass may start small but can grow and join together to...
Lawn – Growing in Shade
OK. I admit it. I have given up. I came to the conclusion that grass just would not grow in the corner of my lawn near the ornamental cherry trees. The shade there is so dense that my grass, no...
Lawn – Leveling
A new home in my neighborhood had bermudagrass sod planted in March. By May, one area was a perfect checkerboard of straight lines, composed of weedy plants, surrounding the individual squares of sod. Evidently the sod installers were in such...
St. Augustine Grass Seed – Where to Buy
Q: Please tell me where I can buy St. Augustine grass seeds. Our lawn has some now and we like it a lot, but we’re having trouble finding seeds. A: You can’t buy St. Augustinegrass seed. The plant is very...
