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 links below to check out what others...
Travel With Walter!
I have two garden trips coming up: Cuba in Oct. 2012 and Southern Italy in May, 2013. Both promise to be visually stunning, but most of all, fun! If you want to travel with a group of interesting people who love seeing new things and visiting the world, click these...
Lawn Fertilizing – Summary
The amount of fertilizer to apply to your lawn should be determined by a soil test (www.georgiasoiltest.com or by calling 1-800-ASKUGA-1. If you have not had your soil tested, or don’t have time to do the test, following are some rule-of-thumb recommendations for using lawn fertilizers found at garden centers....
Lawn Care Calendars and Factsheets
Knowing that a piece of paper in your hand is much more helpful than a computer screen in the house, I have compiled basic cultivation information and care calendars for each of the common lawn grasses. You can get and print the calendar for each lawn grass by clicking the...
Join Walter on Facebook
See that little blue Facebook icon over to the right? If you click on it you will be taken to the Facebook homepage. I’ve found Facebook to be a great way to send you quick garden tips during the week. I try to send one every day or so. If...
Removing Pinebeetles – No Diesel Fuel
Q: I was told by a tree removal company owner that diesel fuel poured around the base of a pine tree will be absorbed by the tree and kill the beetles. I am skeptical. Is this true? A: You’re right...
Zoysia – Not shade tolerant
Q: I am considering establishing a grass other than fescue, which has been a constant disappointment. I talked to the salesmen at a local nursery and they assure me that zoysia requires only two hours of sunlight. A: I hate...
Plasticulture – In your garden
Q: I have seen many watermelon and strawberry fields that are covered by black plastic film. Where might I be able to get that type of film? A: This technique is called plasticulture. It’s a great way to enhance vegetable...
Apple/Peach Tree Planting
Q: Would it be OK to plant apple and peach trees near each other? I worry the cross pollination would produce a weird fruit. A: You won’t get an appeach! An apple is in the genus Malus, while a peach...
Lawn ID for Zoysiagrass
Q: Could you tell me what kind of grass I have in my lawn? It is the first grass around to go dormant and it is the last one to come out in the spring. It feels thick and prickly....
Bermuda Lawns – Scalping
Q: I know you don’t recommend burning bermuda lawns but what do you think about scalping? I’ve already seen neighbors cutting theirs very short. A: Scalping is far safer than burning. I recommend doing it when you see the barest...
Bamboo – Used for Trellises and Stakes
Q: Some of our gardeners at Alpharetta Community Garden want to go out and cut bamboo for trellises and stakes. Will the bamboo will root in the ground if they do this? A: No, the freshly cut bamboo stems won’t...
Bermudagrass – Chemical Removal
Q: Bermuda grass has started growing in several small areas of my zoysia lawn. Is there a chemical that I can spray that will kill the bermuda and not harm the zoysia? A: There are a few chemicals available to...
Peach Tree – Pruning
Q: Is it too late to prune my peach tree? It has started to bud. A: Early- to mid-March is a fine time to prune peach trees. Your goal should be to have a three- to four-foot tall central trunk...
Plants with “Daniel” in the name
Q: Are there any plants with the name Daniel in them? Our children are named Daniel and Heather. We’ve always had heather plants but we’d like to find a plant for Daniel. A: Using Google, I only found ‘Daniel Ost’...
Salt Lick – Deer Attraction
Q: I am afraid I’ve created a monster by having a salt lick in my back yard. The deer love it. I recently counted eight there taking turns. I had hoped to put out impatiens to get some color. Do...
Queen Palms – Winter survival
Q: Last year I purchased 11 queen palms from a local store. During the winter they all turned brown; they look like they might be dead. Will they come back in the spring? A: Queen palm can survive 25 degrees...
Avoiding Tomato Disease
Q: I have kept a tomato garden in the same spot for five years. For two years, all of the plants have succumbed to various diseases. Is there anything I can clean the soil with? A: Once diseases have built...
Unreliable Magnolia Blooms
Q: My parents planted a store-bought magnolia tree ten years ago. It has never bloomed or even shown buds. My Mom is still around and would love to have blooms. A: Magnolias are famously recalcitrant in blooming. One may do...
Fir growth in Georgia
Q: I’m very anxious to try to grow fir trees. Will Frasier or balsam fir grow in upper north Georgia? A: Fraser fir is worth a try but your elevation is pretty low to be successful. Firs grow best at...
Eco-friendly Lawn – Plants and Grass
Q: I want to convert our backyard to a more eco-friendly lawn. I’d like to see a variety of colors and textures in the area. What do you recommend? A: I consulted native plant expert Shannon Pable (shannonpable.com). She suggests...
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 The University of Georgia...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Ultrasonic – Pest Repelling Devices
It seems ingrained in the genes of mankind to invent ways accomplish a useful task while expending very little physical effort. The TV remote control is the epitome of this enterprise in my home but microwave ovens, automatic ice makers...
