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...
Secrets for Beginner Gardeners
Warm weather the last couple of weekends really brought out the gardening masses! I visited three different garden centers one weekend and found all of them packed. I was in line behind a young couple one Saturday and overheard their...
Powdery Mildew – Control
Powdery mildew is a common disease of summer. It begins when we have cool nighttime temperatures coupled with warm, humid days. Symptoms continue even when days are warmer. Powdery mildew is a “parasitic” fungus. It rests on the leaf surface...
IPM – Discussed and Defined
I value the opinion of Dr. Paul Guillebeau, entomologist and pesticide specialist at the University of Georgia. He tries his best to see both sides of the pesticide question without preaching too loudly. Below are his thoughts on Integrated Pest...
Drought – Watering Rules – Current June, 2012
Starting on June 1, 2010, the following watering rules became law: Persons may irrigate outdoors daily for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants only from 4 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. The following...
Rain Barrels – Downspout Diverter
One of the puzzles of connecting a rain barrel to your gutter system is how to divert water from the barrel when it is full. Some barrels have overflow pipes that take water to the ground in a safe manner....
Rain Barrel – Homemade #3
Grant P. went all out with his design: I thought I’d send you a refined rain barrel design I worked out. I looked at your web site, and a few more, and then I made some changes and came up...
Rain Barrel – Homemade #2
Bob R. got inventive! “When I moved into my home four years ago I had the roof drains piped to the downsloped edge of the woods. I have attached catch basins to two of them and connected them to each...
Rain Barrel – Homemade #1
Dru C. Contributes this: Because of the severe drought in Georgia, I have struggled with guilt all summer watching my hydrangeas, perennials, and potted plants wilt from thirst and I decided I HAD to do something about it NOW! I...
Rain Barrels – Commercial Rain Harvesting Systems
The money- and water-saving potential for rainwater harvesting has caught the eye of companies in Atlanta. Water Reclamation Systems of Georgia will install an underground tank and pump to store and then distribute rainwater. Rainwater Collection Solutions installs a large...
Drought – Graywater Legal Issues
Gray Water – It’s a Gray Areaby Ben EmanuelThe FlagpoleAthens, GA originally published October 17, 2007http://flagpole.com/News/CityPages/GrayWater/2007-10-17 It’s in a time of severe drought that people start looking into fundamental ways to change water use habits, and Athens is no exception....
Graywater – Using
The use of graywater is a gray subject. Graywater is water from your bathtub, laundry or bathroom sink. Plants are not harmed by normal amounts of detergent in graywater if you apply it immediately. Storing graywater, though, is not a...
Freeze Damage – Observations from Gardeners
Gardener notes on April 2007 freeze damageWhat Does Freeze Damage Look Like High and Low Temperatures for Mar. 8 – Apr 7 Daryl Pulis: 27 degrees Figs and Perennial Salvias black. Phlox, Sedum, Baptisia not happy, but not gone Baptisia...
What to Expect After a Freeze
An extremely warm March in 2007 was followed by a two-day dip to 27 degrees on April 6 & 7.Chart of High and Low Temperatures Many plants had made substantial new growth before the cold snap. After the cold, many...
Freeze Damage – Identifying
The damage from cold weather sometimes doesn’t show up for several days or even weeks. Diagnosing the problem is part memory and part detective work. Suspect cold damage when branch tips do not leaf out but lower parts of the...
Protecting Plants from a Spring Cold Snap
Georgia is famous for spells of warm weather in early spring that are followed by a couple of days below freezing. The average last freeze is March 27 but a frost can occur as late as April 23. (Brrrr!!) If...
Daryl Pulis’ Comments on Hardiness Zones
Daryl Pulis’ Comments on Hardiness Zones If I remember correctly, the proposed 2003 AHS Zone map was such a mess that it was recalled before the USDA would put its stamp on it. Tony Avent is on the committee for...
Mary Kay Woodworth’s Comments on Hardiness Zones
Mary Kay Woodworth’s Comments on Hardiness Zones For the cautious and new gardener, I stick with 7b, but also suggest to try what you will. At some point gardeners will have that “come to Jesus” moment and acknowledge that pushing...
Theresa Schrum’s Comments on Hardiness Zones
Theresa Schrum’s Comments on Hardiness Zones I currently tell people that if they live inside the perimeter or in south metro Atlanta, they can consider themselves 8a and those north of line running across Cobb to Gwinnett Counties are in...
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...
