Venomous (Poisonous) Caterpillars – Photos
Several kinds of venomous caterpillars are commonly seen in late summer – early fall. They are usually inconspicuous, so when one is encountered it’s “OUCH – what stung me???!!“. Below are photos of those you might find in the Southeast. Because they are so uncommon and because they feed on...
Azalea Lacebug – Control
You may have seen the damage lace bugs do to azaleas without knowing who did the dirty deed. Lace bugs suck the juice out of individual leaf cells. Since they hide underneath azalea leaves, you’ll never notice the bugs but it’s easy to see their damage. Since the bugs slurp...
Rose – Black Spot Control
I have never found a rose that was one hundred percent resistant to black spot, the most common rose disease. The tell-tale yellow leaves adorn roses throughout Atlanta to one extent or another. The best way to avoid black spot is to plant disease-resistant roses. Earth-kind(tm) roses, promoted by...
Azalea and Camellia – Leaf Gall
Q: The leaves on the ends of some of my camellia branches are swollen and thicker than the rest of the leaves. They are also lighter green. I’ve seen this on azaleas but not on camellias. Is it the same thing? A: It is indeed the same disease: camellia (or...
Diagnosing (Identifying) 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 their landscapes. Wade is certainly familiar with several of the...
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Raccoon scat (droppings) identified
Q: Our family recently purchased some acreage near Jefferson and we are beginning to build a horse farm. We found this scat and we were wondering what creature left it? It was about 6-8 inches long and about 1 ½...
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Why redbud tree has bumps on trunk
Q: What would cause these bumps on the trunk of a redbud tree? A: My friend Bill Blum is a tree connoisseur. He notes that: “the tree is a fairly significant size for an Eastern redbud. So it must be...
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Magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves
Q: My magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves at the ends of several branches. A: I believe you have an infestation of black twig borer. UGA horticulturist Matthew Chappell says: “The borer will enter the stem 6″ to a...
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Holly flowers black in fall
Q: Can you identify this black muck on the stems of my hollies? It is loose and falls off when touched. A: Great pix and sharp eyes! I think you’re seeing the decomposing holly flowers. You can wash them off...
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Blue mold identification
Q: I’ve never seen blue mold before. Have you? A: I think it’s cobalt crust, Terana caerulea. It is a type of white rot fungus, because it can break down all components of the plant cell wall, including brown lignins,...
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Why don’t identical hydrangeas grow the same?
Q: I planted three hydrangeas last year. One is thriving but the other two not so much. They are all planted in the same area with similar soil and mulched with pine straw. Can you advise as to why one...
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Iris borer identification and control
Q: I don’t know what happened to my iris’s but the leaves have a stripe on them and then they finally just die and fall over. The whole iris plant is loose from the crown. Some of the crowns are...
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Tomato fruitworm identification and control
Q: I found this in my tomatoes. How can I safely get rid of them? A: It is a fat and sassy tomato fruitworm. It would have continued devouring the inside of the tomato if you had not found him....
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Spanish Bluebells vs English Bluebells – Identification
Q: Should I plant Spanish or English bluebells in the woods behind my house this fall? Which will do better in my area? A: I think they both will do fine. I have had Spanish bluebells, Hyacinthoides hispanica, at my...
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Venomous (Poisonous) Caterpillars – Photos
Several kinds of venomous caterpillars are commonly seen in late summer – early fall. They are usually inconspicuous, so when one is encountered it’s “OUCH – what stung me???!!“. Below are photos of those you might find in the Southeast....
-
Slime mold on sweet potato stems
Q: What are these spongy growths on my sweet potato plant? They’re shaped kind of like eggs. A: This is a harmless slime mold growing on the plant stems. It is not really a mold or a fungus. Slime molds...
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Fuzzy orange galls on leaf
Q: I took these photos in Blairsville. In my 69 years I have never seen this on a leaf. A: It’s a group of woolly leaf galls. A tiny wasp laid eggs on the leaves a few weeks ago. The...
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Diagnosing (Identifying) 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...
-
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. Go through the sites below,...
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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...
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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...
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Timing Spring Pre-emergent Herbicide Application on Lawn
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...
-
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...
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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...
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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....
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Lawn – Choosing the Best Grass
The first and most important question to ask is how much sun will be available to the grass. It is much better to use a grass that will grow in the conditions available rather than fighting the environment year after...
-
Squash/Pumpkin/Cucumber/Watermelon Cross-Pollination – Explanation
I frequently receive from gardeners pictures of crazy-looking squash, cucumbers and gourds. Typically the plants sprouted in a compost pile, from discarded fruit of the past year. The gardeners suspect cross-pollination is to blame for the odd shapes and they...
Raccoon scat (droppings) identified
Q: Our family recently purchased some acreage near Jefferson and we are beginning to build a horse farm. We found this scat and we were wondering what creature left it? It was about 6-8 inches long and about 1 ½...
Why redbud tree has bumps on trunk
Q: What would cause these bumps on the trunk of a redbud tree? A: My friend Bill Blum is a tree connoisseur. He notes that: “the tree is a fairly significant size for an Eastern redbud. So it must be...
Magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves
Q: My magnolia tree has tufts of brown leaves at the ends of several branches. A: I believe you have an infestation of black twig borer. UGA horticulturist Matthew Chappell says: “The borer will enter the stem 6″ to a...
Holly flowers black in fall
Q: Can you identify this black muck on the stems of my hollies? It is loose and falls off when touched. A: Great pix and sharp eyes! I think you’re seeing the decomposing holly flowers. You can wash them off...
Blue mold identification
Q: I’ve never seen blue mold before. Have you? A: I think it’s cobalt crust, Terana caerulea. It is a type of white rot fungus, because it can break down all components of the plant cell wall, including brown lignins,...
Why don’t identical hydrangeas grow the same?
Q: I planted three hydrangeas last year. One is thriving but the other two not so much. They are all planted in the same area with similar soil and mulched with pine straw. Can you advise as to why one...
Iris borer identification and control
Q: I don’t know what happened to my iris’s but the leaves have a stripe on them and then they finally just die and fall over. The whole iris plant is loose from the crown. Some of the crowns are...
Tomato fruitworm identification and control
Q: I found this in my tomatoes. How can I safely get rid of them? A: It is a fat and sassy tomato fruitworm. It would have continued devouring the inside of the tomato if you had not found him....
Spanish Bluebells vs English Bluebells – Identification
Q: Should I plant Spanish or English bluebells in the woods behind my house this fall? Which will do better in my area? A: I think they both will do fine. I have had Spanish bluebells, Hyacinthoides hispanica, at my...
Venomous (Poisonous) Caterpillars – Photos
Several kinds of venomous caterpillars are commonly seen in late summer – early fall. They are usually inconspicuous, so when one is encountered it’s “OUCH – what stung me???!!“. Below are photos of those you might find in the Southeast....
Slime mold on sweet potato stems
Q: What are these spongy growths on my sweet potato plant? They’re shaped kind of like eggs. A: This is a harmless slime mold growing on the plant stems. It is not really a mold or a fungus. Slime molds...
Fuzzy orange galls on leaf
Q: I took these photos in Blairsville. In my 69 years I have never seen this on a leaf. A: It’s a group of woolly leaf galls. A tiny wasp laid eggs on the leaves a few weeks ago. The...
Diagnosing (Identifying) 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...
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. Go through the sites below,...
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...
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...
Timing Spring Pre-emergent Herbicide Application on Lawn
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...
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...
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....
Lawn – Choosing the Best Grass
The first and most important question to ask is how much sun will be available to the grass. It is much better to use a grass that will grow in the conditions available rather than fighting the environment year after...
Squash/Pumpkin/Cucumber/Watermelon Cross-Pollination – Explanation
I frequently receive from gardeners pictures of crazy-looking squash, cucumbers and gourds. Typically the plants sprouted in a compost pile, from discarded fruit of the past year. The gardeners suspect cross-pollination is to blame for the odd shapes and they...
