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 – Transplanting 1-2-3
Most shrubs and trees should be transplanted when the demand for water is least, in late fall or winter. Since many roots will inevitably be lost, they need many weeks to regenerate themselves before the hot, dry blasts of summer arrive. If you are contemplating moving a plant that would...
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...
Smallflower Pawpaw – Identification
Q: Can you please tell me what this shrub is in Eatonton? It has pods 1″ – 2″ long; no pulp just large brown beans inside. It is over 25 years old but still only about 5 feet tall. I...
Lime Tree Success
Q: A radio caller asked about getting a lemon tree to bear fruit. I am attaching pictures of my Persian lime tree. It is about 10 years old and has had limes since it was two years old. We bring...
New Banana for Georgia Beats Cold
Bananas breaking barriers in Georgia By April Reese Sorrow University of Georgia When most people think of bananas hanging on a tree, they picture tropical places. A University of Georgia researcher wants them to start associating Georgia with the popular...
Trees – Fertilizing in Winter
Q: A tree company wants to fertilize my trees with 30-7-9 fertilizer. Wouldn’t I be better off waiting until March or April? A: If your tree hasn’t been fed in a while, I don’t have a problem with fertilizing, even...
Tools (Gifts) Recommended by Other Gardeners
A couple of weeks ago I listed several garden tools to which I am particularly partial when performing garden chores. I invited readers to tell me which tools they found especially useful. Jim Wallace responded “I am encouraged on two...
Planting a Living Christmas Tree – Songs
Sam Zamarripa is a parent, a financial advisor, and a former Georgia legislator. He began a tradition of planting living Christmas trees when his children were in grade school and led a group of neighbors who made this a tradition...
Eastern Redcedar – Identification
Q: I found this young tree growing right next to the house. I relocated to the spot shown. Can you tell me what type of evergreen it is? It’s planted 15-18 feet from the creek and will occasionally flood; do...
Liriope vs Mondo Grass
Q: I have variegated monkey grass growing in my yard. Near it there is some non-varigated variety of grass coming up. Is this monkey grass? A: You have two kissing cousins growing in the same spot. Variegated monkey grass is...
Viburnum tinus – Identification
Q: I have a large evergreen flowering shrub that is over 10 feet tall and has been blooming since November. It blooms through the winter. I have wondered if it is a viburnum. A: You’re right! Garden designer Shannon Pable...
Agricultural Heritage of Georgia
Georgia has always been a leader in agricultural production. We have a markedly varied climate, which allows for successful production of a wide range of fruits, nuts and vegetables. We have good transportation infrastructure, which permits shipping our produce easily...
Moss – Control on Walkway
Q: We have a beautiful walkway with steps of large Georgia creek rocks. They are getting moss on them and are slippery. What can I use to kill the moss without killing the plants that grow between the stones? A:...
Millet – Identification
Q: This plant voluntarily appeared in our back yard this summer. Can you ID it? A: It’s millet, a common component of birdseed because it is inexpensive In my experience it is not a good idea to feed millet mixtures...
Sinkhole – Repairing
Q: I built my home in 1986. The builder buried trash in my back yard and this created a continuous sink hole. I have had this fixed 3 times only to see it come back. In June of 2009 we...
Leopard Moth Caterpillar – Identification
Q: What is this fuzzy caterpillar? My Dad and I found it in some flowers. A: It’s the caterpillar form of a leopard moth, Ecpantheria scribonia. Despite its fierce name, the leopard moth does not bite…it just has beautiful spots...
Sycamore (also oak, sweetgum) – Bacterial Leaf Scorch
Q: My sycamore was losing leaves and I hired an arborist to look at it. He says I have bacterial leaf scorch and that he can only chop out the affected branches. Is there anything I can spray? A: Sadly,...
Paperwhite Narcissus – Make Sturdier Stems
I love the scent of paperwhite narcissus during the holidays! Too bad the stems usually grow so tall they flop over in my container. Now there is an easy way to keep them shorter…and it involves alcohol! A horticulture student...
Wildlife Sanctuary Certification
Q: We saw a TV show about wildlife sanctuaries. We have three acres of land with ponds, birdhouses, all sorts of flowers, vegetables, and a virtual forest in front of the house. How can we be certified as a wildlife...
Black-eyed Susan Vine – Annual
Q: Recently I bought a black-eyed Susan vine, Thunbergia alata. Is it an annual or a perennial? A: This beautiful cascading vine, covered in yellow flowers, is perennial in south Florida but it is not cold-hardy and so is grown...
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...
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...
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...
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...
