Landscaping
Lesser celandine (Fig Buttercup) – Control
Q: Can someone identify this? It’s everywhere this year. A: It is lesser celandine (fig buttercup), Ficaria verna. Although the yellow flowers are attractive, it grows so quickly that it chokes out other plans. Ferns, trillium, and other spring ephemerals...
Holly dying in same spot
Q: Two hollies have died in the same spot over the last couple of years.. The first one was replaced and now this one has died. I watered in absence of rain for a week. A: It looks to me...
Sky Pencil holly has dead branches
Q: Any ideas why these branches died? A: I don’t know why ‘Sky Pencil’ holly does this but I have seen it before. Clip the dead branches at a spot below the brown leaves. Use a knife to gently scrape...
Big white splotch on pine bark
Q: Can you help me identify what might be going on with my tree? It isn’t a mushroom; the white splotches are up about five feet on the trunk. It also has a large hole/crack nearby. A: The white stuff...
Is dogfennel an ornamental or a weed?
Q: What is this. Should I cut the canes to get it to grow back this year? A: It is common dogfennel,Eupatorium capillifolium. I cannot decide whether it is a weed or an ornamental plant. I love the feathery stems...
White roots in dead pine needles
Q: I’ve dug up some strange white organic material while planting a hedge row in my back yard. The ground was neglected for several years and is covered with a thick layer of pine needles and pine cones. Should I...
Caring for tree after machinery damage
Q: I had my front yard dug up due to a collapsed sewer line. The backhoe damaged a six inch square of bark on one side of my mature dogwood tree. Is there anything I should do to ensure better...
Poorly planted tree in decline
Q: I have a tree in my front yard that is already changing leaf color in early September and has some black ooze coming out of spots on the trunk. A: The root system is in decline, either from poor...
Separating and planting sago palm pups
Q: My prized sago palm bloomed last summer and died. I kept the stump and now I have eight saplings sprouting up from around the base . When and how should I separate them ? A: Those little pups are...
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...
Are Zeon zoysia and Geo (BK-9) zoysia the same?
Q: I’ve been told Zeon zoysia and Geo zoysia are the same grass. Do you know if this is true? A: Both grasses are patented. You can read the patents here: Geo zoysia Zeon zoysia They are therefore genetically and...
Chinese Elm (Lacebark Elm) Varieties
Q: I had to take down a big oak and I want to replace it. A friend mentioned Chinese elm. What are your thoughts? A: Chinese elm, Ulmus parvifolia, also known as lacebark elm, is an excellent tree. The bark...
Broadleaf Weeds of Summer
The sun comes up, the sun goes down. These we can reliably predict. You know what I can predict? The appearance of these common weeds of mid-summer! Check out my pictures and control tips. mimosa weed (chamberbitter) control mulberry weed...
Hydrangea – Identification and Pruning
Q: I have hydrangeas on some new property. I would like to prune them but am unsure which hydrangeas I have, and therefore when to prune them. How do I tell them apart? A: In my garden, the color and...
Tree Pruning
Pruning a tree sometimes invokes more worry than it should. You wonder if removing a tree limb is analogous to cutting off your leg (does it hurt? will I kill it?). Fortunately, if you take your time, pruning can be easily done,...
English Ivy – Control
I accompanied my son’s class on an overnight Environmental Education trip to Rock Eagle one year. One of his classmates was a great source of fascination to me. Whenever I stood next to him he was a model of decorum:...
Kudzu Covering Things
I’m not ashamed to admit that I sometimes find kudzu attractive. Like snow, the vine covers everything in a monochromatic moonscape. Below are some of my favorites. Also see: Kudzu Control Email me your interesting kudzu...
History of TifBlair Certified Centipede Grass
Copied from http://www.tifblair.com/advantages-of-tifblair-centipede/history-tifblair-certified-centipedegrass Centipede is a popular turfgrass selection for southernmost coastal plains and Florida because of some appealing features. It’s more shade-tolerant than bermuda. It’s also easy to maintain because it grows an even three to six inches without...
