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...
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...
Cicada Sounds
Q: What insect makes a loud, high-pitched, screeching sound? The body is 1.75 inches long; wings are 2.5 inches wide. It looks like a giant fly. A: I’m sure you’re hearing and seeing a cicada. There are several species...
Hydrangea Transplant
Q: I have a hydrangea plant that has been in one location for probably 10 years. It has really outgrown the area and needs to be moved. Is now the time to do that? If not when? . A: The...
Spaghetti Squash – Harvesting
Q: We planted spaghetti squash in the spring. We have eaten one and have five left on the vine. Can we just leave them on the vine until we want to eat them? A: Spaghetti squash is edible no matter...
Jade Plant – Rooting
Q: A huge branch broke off my neighbor’s jade plant. The base is three inches in diameter and I have it in water. Will it root? A: I doubt it will produce roots. There are too many leaves needing moisture...
Capers – Growing
Q: Can you grow capers in Georgia? A: I enjoy capers on my pasta but I’ve had no experience growing them. I consulted a friend who has lived and traveled in Italy. She says capers are the pickled buds of...
Bees Balm – Transplant
Q: My patch of bees balm has been especially beautiful this summer. However, it has taken over a large portion of my perennial bed. When and how I should transplant? A: Now that blooms have faded in August, cut the...
Cottonseed Meal – Available At Feed Stores
Q: Will cottonseed meal from a feed store work the same as the cottonseed meal I purchased from a garden center? It is much cheaper at the feed store. A: They are exactly the same thing. Products sold for fertilizer...
White Clover – Weed Control
Q: Our problem (or my husband’s problem) is the white clover in our two-acre fescue lawn. This is the first time in years that we haven’t fertilized our yard. This year clover is completely outta control. A: My guess is...
Vegetable Planting – Calendar
Q: Where can I get a vegetable planting calender? My husband and I are trying to start a small locally grown market garden and we need to plant fall crops. A: I’ve collected several links to publications from the University...
Irish Potato Plants – When To Harvest
Q: We are growing Irish potatoes in tires. What does it mean when the vine is blooming in June? A: Flowers on a potato plant mean the tubers are almost ready to harvest. The leaves and stems will start yellowing...
Hay – Aromas And Fragrances
Q: What kind of hay has a spicy fragrance when it’s cut? A: Oconee County Extension agent Henry Hibbs says there is a definite difference in the smell of alfalfa, bermudagrass and fescue hay. The alfalfa has a fuller, pungent,...
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...
