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...
Fruit-Bearing Cherry Trees – Viability in Atlanta area
Q: I am looking for fruit-bearing cherry trees. What is your advice? A: I don’t know of anyone who has successfully grown sweet cherry fruit in the Atlanta area. Temperature swings in winter cause freeze damage to the trunk and...
Pyracantha – Pruning
Q: How should I prune the pyracantha that’s climbing the wall of my garage? A: Pyracantha blooms in April or May on twigs that grew the previous year. If you prune severely now, you won’t have flowers or the bright...
Winter King Hawthorn – Propagation from Seeds/Berries
Q: There is a stand of ‘Winter King’ hawthorn on Ronald Regan Parkway near the Webb Gin House exit. They are beautiful now. Can I use the seeds/berries to make new trees? A: It will be tough to get the...
Bedding Plants – Relocating
Q: We’re going to have major construction at our home. I need advice on relocating some bedding plants to keep them out of harm’s way until the work is completed next fall The plants include bearded iris, daylily, cone flower,...
Blueberries – Cross Pollination
Q: I’m very confused about which varieties of blueberries I must plant together to achieve cross-pollination. I bought ‘O’Neal’ and ‘Chippewa’ from big box stores. Will they cross-pollinate? A: My smartphone is my best resource when I see a plant...
Carolina Allspice – Fragrance
Q: We purchased five Carolina allspice bushes and they have thrived, loaded with blooms. But none of them has the aroma I bought them for. Is there anything I can do to get them to smell like they do in...
Mulching Leaves with Mower
Q: I am tired of raking! Is there any reason I can’t shred lawn leaves with my mower and not rake them into piles for removal? A: There are two good reasons to let your mower do the work. One...
Seed Cane – Viability in South Georgia
Q: My husband gave me a stalk of something called seed cane from south Georgia. Can I plant it in my garden? A: Seed cane is a mature stalk of sugar cane that has buds from which more plants can...
Long Stemmed Pansies
Q: The pansies I bought the last week of September for a pot on the deck have extra-long stems. Are these a new variety? A: Average temperatures since September have been in the mid-70′s, which caused the pansies to stretch...
Fruit Trees – Pruning
Q: I have two apple, two peach, and three cherry trees. I have never pruned any of them. I didn’t realize I had to cut them down so much. Now that they’ve grown big, what should I do? A: While...
Birch Trees – Aphids
Q: We have two birch trees on the side of our house. My neighbor’s driveway is under them. They are dripping something on their cars. Does this mean they are diseased? A: Birch trees sometimes become infested with a big...
Seed Suppliers – Reliability
Q: Is it a good idea to purchase non-hybrid vegetable seeds from an Internet supplier? How do you know if it is reliable? A: Local nurseries have many heirloom seed varieties. Look for displays from Seeds of Change, Johnnies Selected...
Ryegrass – Use as Garden Cover Crop
Q: I sowed annual ryegrass in my vegetable garden in early October. The grass is thick and plush. How do I manage it in winter? A: The purpose of a garden cover crop such as ryegrass, clover, or winter pea...
Growing Dawrf Citrus in Containers
Q: I am interested in growing a dwarf citrus in a container. Do you have any suggestions? I really would like an orange. A: Meyer lemon is the most popular citrus plant grown in containers but I don’t know anyone...
Squirrel Licking Mortar
Q: Yesterday I saw a fat little squirrel licking the brick and mortar on my front steps over a two square foot area. It was quite moist with saliva. If he had kept going I wouldn’t have to pressure wash...
Bradford Pears – Winter Pruning
Q: Can Bradford pears be safely trimmed in November? These are 20-year-old trees which were trimmed three years ago. A: Pruning Bradford pear trees is a great winter job. You can see the limb structure of the tree after leaves...
Chinese Privet – Rooting
Q: While attending a UGA football game, a groundskeeper gave my grandson parts of the hedge that grows around the field. I have it in water now. What is the best way to root this? A: The Sanford Stadium hedge...
Trucker’s Favorite Corn Seed – Sources to Purchase
Q: Is the Trucker’s Favorite corn seed I buy from a garden center the same as what I can buy online from an heirloom seed dealer? A: You can get the seed at either place. ‘Truckers Favorite’ has been around...
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...
