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...
Deer Damage vs Rabbit Damage to Stems
Q: I have two pots of Gerber daisies in my backyard. One is located right next to my wooden deck and the other is located 15 feet away. I can only enjoy the blooms on the pot that is located...
Black Cherry – Identification
Q: Can you tell from the pictures attached whether or not this a cherry tree ?? I looked at several pictures on line but the leaves of this tree don’t appear to be exactly like the pictures that I looked...
Dobsonfly (Hellgramite) – Identification
Q: We found this insect on our property in Dawsonville. Any idea what it could be? A: Nice photo!! It’s a male dobsonfly, an unusual insect found near mountain streams. I can see one in your photo background. I know...
‘Limelight’ Hydrangea – Container
Q: I have two Limelight hydrangea trees on my patio that were purchased in April. After a heavy rain, one is drooping severely, like it’s still soaking wet, while the other one looks to be straightening back up. Have the...
Aspirin – To Combat Plant Disease
Q: You say on your website that aspirin can prevent disease on tomato plants. Where can I find more information about the process? A: Scientists have known for several years that certain compounds can signal a plant to defend itself...
Catalpa Worm – Identification
Q: The ugly Catalpa tree at our Nearly Native Nursery has always had the fish bait worms. We have several customers who have purchased trees from us but still no worms for them. How do they attract them? A: Catalpa...
Tomato – “Horns” and “Nose”
Over the years I have received several pictures of oddly-shaped tomatoes. They had “horns” and I couldn’t figure out why. Now Dr. Joe Kemble at Auburn University has finally laid it out for me: It is a physiological/genetic disorder. With...
Bee Fly – Identification
Q: I found a bee-looking creature in my garden It has a fuzzy black body with yellow at the top, all indications of a bee, but with strange wings and a long snout! A: It’s one of the bee flies....
Sprouts – Growing at Home Safely
With recent scares about the safety of alfalfa sprouts, some are wondering if it’s safer to grow them at home. This can easily be done….but remember that the process starts with certified disease-free seed. These tips will help you grow...
Roadrunner (bird) – Killing Hummingbird
When I posted photos of a kingsnake killing a copperhead, I had no idea how many responses I would get. From Scott W., here’s one of the most unusual! I really enjoyed the story of the Kingsnake but I have...
Woolly Beech Aphid – Identification
Q: My beech trees have a large bug infestation. You can see they completely cover a limb and leave a mess below. They do not fly away even if I remove a branch. What are they and what do I...
Root Knot Nematodes – On Melons
Q: I’ve seen these nodules on my cantaloupe and melon roots plus other plants I’ve pulled out of my raised beds. Is my garden infested with nematodes? My crop yield on the melons seems quite low. A: Yes, unfortunately you...
Kingsnake – Killing a Copperhead
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a description of a kingsnake eating another one. Now I’ve been sent something even more fascinating: a kingsnake killing a copperhead! I’ll let the gardener tell her story: The way the story unfolded...
Japanese Climbing Fern – Identification
Q: I found an odd vine growing in the neglected landscape of a small office building in Buckhead. Is this Japanese climbing fern? A: You’re exactly right! This invasive vine, Lygodium japonicum, can smother nearby perennials. I suspect it is...
Eco-Lawn – Not for Atlanta
Q: Not sure if you are aware of a grass called Eco-Lawn. It is a blend of seven fescue grasses that is very drought tolerant. It sounds perfect for Atlanta. I seeded my back lawn with Eco-Lawn last fall and...
Lightning Damage – To Oak
Q: This past July 4th our beautiful white oak was sideswiped by a lighting bolt. It did not penetrate the bark and get to the bare wood, just striped about 30 feet of bark. Do we need an arborist? We...
Khaki weed (Khakiweed, Matt Chafflower) – Identification
Q: Our lawn in the country has been invaded by this plant. It is rapidly spreading and it produces these stickers that become imbedded in the bottom of our shoes. What is it and what can we do to get...
Panicle Hydrangea – Identification and Pruning
Panicle hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata, is an excellent flowering shrub for late summer and fall. There is one particular variety of panicle hydrangea called Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’….which many gardeners abbreviate to PeeGee hydrangea in referring to all of the panicle hydrangeas....
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...
