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...
New Zealand Spinach
Tetragonia tetragonioides There are few leafy greens that do well in the South in our summer heat; like Malabar spinach, New Zealand spinach is not a true spinach, but fills the bill neatly. Its leaves and shoot tips taste like...
Tomato Viruses
Virus Diseases of Tomato Cornell: Important New York Vegetable DiseasesPhoto Gallery of Tomato Diseases Kansas State: Virus Diseases of Tomato Texas AMU: Photo Gallery of Tomato DiseasesTomato Mosaic VirusCucumber Mosaic...
Sweet Potato
Sweet Potato Ipomoea batatas Because of their need for long, warm growing conditions, sweet potatoes are often thought of as an exclusive Southern crop – in fact, most of the tropical world depends heavily on the sugary, easy-to-grow member of...
Heirloom Tomatoes – Sources
Georgia regulations make it tough for growers outside the state to ship live tomato plants into our state. You can grow tomatoes from seed, but many gardeners don’t want to go through the hassle of planning and caretaking. Fortunately, there...
Jerusalem Artichoke (sunchoke)
Helianthus tuberosus This tall, fall-flowering perennial sunflower is native to the United States, and was used by native Americans used it as a staple food. It grows into a somewhat invasive mass of stalks up to ten feet tall, with...
Swiss Chard
Beta vulgaris var. cicla Chard, more commonly called Swiss chard, is actually a beet that has been bred for leaves at the expense of the bulbous roots. Grown as a summer green, it is prepared like spinach. • More detailed...
Corn, Sweet
Zea mays var. rugosa Who can resist a steaming hot ear of fresh-grown corn on the cob? Being a native crop, it is more American as apple pie. Sweet corn was developed from common field corn. Field corn is harvested...
Cucumber
Cucumis sativus Cucumbers are vine crops that are closely related to squashes, pumpkins, and melons. They are warm-season plants known for their refreshingly mild fruits. Many kinds of cucumbers have been developed to satisfy the demands of different cuisines. Some...
Collards
Brassica oleracea var. acephala Collards are a mainstay of Southern vegetable gardens. The cool-season leafy vegetable is a super cold-hardy member of the cabbage family. Collards tolerate both warm and cold temperatures better than cabbage – in fact, collards are...
Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis A member of the mustard family, cauliflower and its close relatives are different varieties of Brassica oleracea, commonly called the cole crops. • More detailed information can be found in The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book...
Black Walnut
Juglans nigraBlack Walnut is native to North America and does well in the South in well-drained soil. Few gardeners plant them purposely but many may find one growing on property they purchase or inherit. • More detailed information can be...
Peanut
Arachis hypogaeaPeanuts, sometimes called goober peas, pindars, earth nuts, and ground nuts, are among the richest vegetables for oil content. They grow in a most unique way: When the single-stem, bushy plants are mature, their low-growing branches produce yellow pea-like...
Pecan
Carya illinoensis The Pecan is a member of the Walnut genus but is more closely related to Hickories than Walnuts. Pecans were used by Native Americans at least 8000 years ago in Texas. • More detailed information can be found...
Black Walnut – Cracking
Q: I have a black walnut tree in my yard that has dropped copious amounts of nuts this fall. Is there an easy way to get the nut meats out of the hard shells? A: There is a small depression...
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citrates taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Tender perennial. A native of India, Lemongrass grows in clumps 4 to 6 feet high. Leaves have a fragrance resembling the scent of lemons....
Mint
Mentha spp. taken from The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Mints are easily grown perennial ground covers that are valued as flavorings in teas, ice cream, candies and gum. There are many varieties, each...
Angelica
Angelica archangelica Angelica is a tall biennial plant that acquired the name from its supposed ability to prevent or cure plague. People considered it a “guardian angel.” All parts of the plant are aromatic. Use the leaves in salads, add...
Anise
Pimpinella anisum Many herbs, including anise, are members of the Umbelliferae family. Anise is a native of the Mediterranean area and has been used as a flavoring and as a medicinal there for centuries. It has a flavor similar to...
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...
