Generated by All in One SEO Pro v4.9.10, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener Gardening tips and advice from the most respected garden guru in the Southeast. ## Posts ### [Gardening Q&A](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-qa/) **Published:** February 18, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves --- ### [Two Steps For Controlling Weeds In a Flower Garden](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/two-steps-for-controlling-weeds-in-a-flower-garden/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Could you recommend a safe herbicide to control grasses and weeds in established flower beds?** **A:** Controlling weeds in a flower garden involves two steps: preventing weed seeds from coming up and killing weeds that have emerged. Both steps have particular shortcomings. Preventing seeds from coming up may damage the roots of nearby plants*,* and may also affect the seed of self-sowing flowers. The number of chemicals that are labeled for flowers is limited. The most common homeowner products are Preen and Preen Extended Control. The main active ingredient, triflurilan, has limits on where it can be applied. Wheat germ meal is sometimes recommended as an organic weed preventer, but it’s not very effective. Chemically controlling the ones that have sprouted can harm the upper parts of nearby plants because microdroplets from spray are impossible to control fully. Landscape fabric is hard to install, and it must be maintained by clearing and restoring all the mulch on it yearly. Otherwise, weed seeds that blow in will germinate in decomposing mulch. All this said, I think the best control for weeds in flower beds is hand-pulling and mulching. There is no way to avoid these chores. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [What To Do About Camellia Leaf Gall](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/what-to-do-about-camellia-leaf-gall/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am a landscape professional, and I’ve seen an influx of camellia leaf gall and more azalea leaf gall starting to show up. It is appearing on multiple properties that I maintain from Stone Mountain to Loganville. Is there a cause that I’m missing? What can I do, if anything, to treat for this? I have sprayed fungicide many times but it hasn’t helped.** **A:** I noticed some diseased leaves on my camellias today. I’ve had these plants for the past 10 years, and I don’t remember them ever having camellia leaf gall before. Sometimes it takes a random combination of temperature, moisture, and host plant presence to provide the exact conditions for a fungus to grow. We must have had that this year. The swollen leaves on [camellias](https://www.ajc.com/life/home-garden/healthy-camellias-dont-require-much-fertilizer/QVC7ZS3JSVFRFCIL3FSTUWU3EU/) as well as [azaleas](https://www.ajc.com/life/home-garden/how-to-determine-if-its-too-late-to-prune-azaleas/VMUQXCGQOVHBHLJ37CPV3G64OY/) are truly noticeable. The best treatment is to pick off all the affected leaves before they turn white and spread spores to healthy plants. The diseased leaves must be removed from the garden and not dropped to the ground. Research on chemical control is sparse. Copper fungicides, thiophanate methyl and mancozeb are somewhat effective, but it is extremely difficult to get the fungicide into the leaf bud. The spray must be done in early spring. Frankly, it’s not worth your time to spray. The disfigured leaves are only ugly for a month. They will dry up and fall off the plant. Pro tip: Lace your belt through the handle of a small bucket. It will hang just right to put the diseased leaves in it with two hands. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Weed Chemicals Aren’t Mind Readers](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/weed-chemicals-arent-mind-readers/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a centipede lawn with a healthy row of variegated liriope bordering a mulched island. I have been battling yellow wood sorrel (oxalis, I think) in my lawn. I have been spot treating with atrazine. The oxalis has started invading the liriope. I am afraid the atrazine will kill my liriope if I use it to control oxalis. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!** **A:** Controlling unwanted plants in groundcovers is tough. Weed chemicals aren’t mind readers; they kill what they are designed to kill. In your case, atrazine is designed to kill broadleaf plants. Liriope is considered a broadleaf plant, but atrazine can be used around it with great caution. Oxalis behaves as a perennial and an annual. It readily sprouts from roots and ejects seeds up to 15 feet away. The best advice I can offer is a three-way action: post-emergence, pre-emergence, and manual removal. Atrazine can control oxalis as both a pre-emergent and post-emergent, but you must not get it on the liriope plants. I have an idea for controlling the atrazine spray. Cut off the bottom of a gallon milk jug. Use duct tape to tape the nozzle of a sprayer into the neck of the jug, pointing downward. You can place the jug where you want to use atrazine. This will shield the liriope from microdroplets. But remember, hand-pulling must accompany the spraying. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Groundcovers, Lawn Care, Pest Plants **Tags:** Liriope --- ### [Do Strawberries Ripen Off the Vine?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/do-strawberries-ripen-off-the-vine/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I know I can pick tomatoes right when they start to turn red and then let them continue to ripen indoors. Can I do the same thing with strawberries? I’m trying to level the playing field with the birds because right now they are winning.** **A:** There are two types of ripening processes for fruit: climacteric and non-climacteric. Climacteric fruit includes tomatoes, bananas and peaches. These fruits all use ethylene gas to help trigger the ripening process. Non-climacteric fruits include watermelons, grapes, and, yes, strawberries. Climacteric fruits are ones that can be picked in a slightly ripened state, shipped to the store*,* and ripened there. Non-climacteric fruits need to be picked at the peak of ripeness to taste good. These fruits may soften as they age, but this is from deterioration — not ripening. The only way I’ve found to keep birds off strawberries is to cover the row or bed with lightweight netting, and even this may not prove bird-proof. The birds will land on the netting, and their weight will bring the netting down close to the fruit where they can peck it. In this case, you’ll have to cover the area with stiff welded wire fencing or concrete reinforcement panels held six inches off the ground by bricks or anything else you can find. **Categories:** Fruits --- ### [Tips for Pruning Rhododendrons](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/tips-for-pruning-rhododendrons/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’m getting a new roof and need to prune two rhododendrons back from the driveway to keep the trucks from damaging them. I wonder if you might have any tips?** **A:** Before I do any pruning on a shrub, I follow the three D’s: removing Dead, Diseased*,* and Damaged branches. Dead limbs are obvious removal candidates. Look also for weak branches ― those that have just a few small leaves. Remove them too because they won’t be much help in re-foliating the growing area. Then decide how far the rhododendron needs to be pruned back. I like to use colored yarn, strung between branches, to show what to cut. There are two major *‘*cuts*’* that are used when pruning: the heading cut and the thinning cut. A heading cut is when you cut straight across a branch. This cut should be done just beyond small buds which will sprout new growth and thicken the foliage. A thinning cut is when you remove a whole branch, which reduces foliage. You’ll need to do both with your rhododendron. First, examine the existing limbs in the area to be cut back. Are there some whose greenery extends partially into the removal area? Keep them because they will assist in the fast refoliation of the shrub. Make a heading cut a foot inside the removal line. Are there some limbs that are so long that they thrust all of their foliage out of the shrub? Make a heading cut 18 inches inside the removal line. When you are finished, you will have a mixture of fast-growing limbs just inside the removal line plus secondary limbs which will provide interior leaves. Fertilize lightly with extended release fertilizer like Osmocote. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Post-Planting Droop](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/post-planting-droop/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted a gorgeous Rising Sun redbud two weeks ago. The leaves are going partially limp***,* **and I’m worried about my expensive tree.** **A:** I agree that this tree, whose real name is The Rising Sun redbud, is gorgeous! It is intriguing that such pretty leaf colors come from a native tree whose nondescript seedlings I commonly pull from my garden. It’s normal for a tree full of leaves to droop a little bit after planting. It’s inevitable that some of the water-supplying roots were damaged when you planted it. Keep the tree well-watered for a couple of weeks and the leaves will lose their droop as new roots grow. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees **Tags:** rising sun redbud --- ### [Christmas Fern Is a Tough Cookie](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/groundcovers/christmas-fern-is-a-tough-cookie/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I just noticed my Christmas fern has developed bumps on some of the fronds. Would that be caused by a bug, a fungus***,* **or something else?** **A:** Christmas fern is one of the toughest cookies in the woodland landscape. It usually does not suffer from any pest, including deer. One disease that it does get is *Taphrina polystichi.* It causes bumps similar to the ones you described as well as leaf curl. I feel certain that’s what you’ve got. This disease loves shade and moisture so work to minimize both. Trim away any leaves that are affected by the fungus. Use sterilized scissors when trimming to prevent the disease from spreading. If you decide to move it, make sure the fern has good air circulation by spacing it out from other plants as well as walls or corners. If you do these things, the bumps and leaf curl will gradually disappear. **Categories:** Groundcovers --- ### [Sometimes Bubbles Can Be Useful](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/sometimes-bubbles-can-be-useful/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is this stuff on my Leyland cypress? It looks like someone spit all over it.** **A:** Have you ever blown through a straw into a glass or carton of milk? Remember the great bubbles that resulted? Your mother or teacher came by to tell you to stop being a nuisance. But sometimes bubbles can be useful. In your case, several spittlebugs hatched from eggs deposited last year on your Leyland cypress. Each one chose a good spot to begin sucking sap from your tree. But their soft bodies had no protection from enemies, so they began blowing air into the sap they were sucking. The bubbles were enough to cover them and protect them from predators like spiders, yellow jackets*,* and other wasps. They don’t really pose a problem to your Leyland cypress. You can wash them off with a strong stream of water from your hose **Categories:** Ornamental Trees **Tags:** Leyland Cypress, cypress --- ### [Getting Rid of Spurweed](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/getting-rid-of-spurweed/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have an infestation of spurweed. We would love to know how to get rid of the existing weed.** A: Spurweed, aka burweed, is a winter annual weed. It is a tiny plant with parsley-like leaves and grows close to the soil line. Spurweed seed germinates in the fall and winter months.. During the winter, spurweed remains small, low-growing and barely noticeable. In late winter, spurweed blooms are tiny white flowers. In the spring when temperatures begin to increase, the pollinated flowers of lawn spurweed begin to set fruit. As the fruit matures in mid to late spring, the seed in the fruiting structures develop spines, and when the fruit dries, the spines become sharp enough to penetrate bare skin You can prevent spurweed by keeping a healthy lawn. A healthy lawn competes for water, nutrients, and space. Fertilizing, irrigation, and mowing height can encourage a healthy lawn. If your lawn is bermudagrass or zoysiagrass, it may be helpful to adjust your mower to its highest cutting height for the last cut of the season in fall, to ensure the thickest canopy is present over winter. Spurweed can be easily controlled chemically during the winter months of December, January, and February with a preemergent herbicide that contains simazine or isoxaben. I think your best option now is to spray a postemergent herbicide that contains some combination of 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP, or quinclorac. The problem with spraying now is the weed may die, but it has flowered and set fruit already. The best month is March, before flowering **Categories:** Pest Plants --- ### [Birds, Bees, and Zucchini](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetables/birds-bees-and-zucchini/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is wrong with my zucchini plants? Every year I get many blooms, but the blooms fall off like they’ve been severed at the stem. I’m at a loss as to what’s going on.** **A:** What is going on is that zucchini has male and female flowers on the same plant. Typically the male flowers appear about two weeks before the females appear. You need to be able to distinguish between the boys and the girls. They are easy to tell apart. The male blooms are connected to the main stem of the plant by a simple, short green stem. Female blooms will have a tiny squash connecting them to the main stem. The solution to your problem is easy: just wait a while. The female blooms will appear soon. If the fruit that follows is misshapen, you’re getting incomplete pollination. Bees must visit the male and female blooms six to eight times before full pollination occurs. If bees are scarce, hand pollination can be done by gently jiggling a cotton swab alternately in male and female flowers. Humming “I’m in the Mood for Love” or “Some Enchanted Evening” while you work is said to help as well. **Categories:** Vegetables --- ### [Surprise, Blackberries!](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/surprise-blackberries/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have lived at my current residence for over 50 years and have never planted blackberries. None of my neighbors have planted them either. Now, I have blackberry vines in my backyard. Where did they come from?** **A:** Most likely the blackberries came from seeds deposited in the droppings of birds. Several bird species enjoy a ripe blackberry, which contains viable seeds. In my experience, blackberries spring up unexpectedly within five years on land that’s not maintained. Birds join many small animals that eat blackberries and deposit the seeds randomly. **Categories:** Fruits --- ### [Weekly Watering Is Too Much Water For Houseplants](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/weekly-watering-is-too-much-water-for-houseplants/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have had a little African violet for one year. A couple of blossoms opened around its birthday. Since then the leaves are curling under and very limp. Is there a cure? I water weekly by putting the pot in a container with water and leave it for a few minutes before removing. Any advice?** **A:** Sounds like there’s too little light and too much water. The plant needs to be in a window that’s bright but doesn’t get direct sunshine. Take a sheet of copy paper and put it where the African violet sits normally. Hold your hand 12 inches above the paper. Your hand’s shadow should be sharply distinct on the paper. If it’s not, you have too little light. If you don’t want to move it, you can shine a grow light on it. I have been very impressed with my SANSI LED grow light. It screws into a reflector fixture and replicates regular sunshine. Watering may be your major issue. African violets like well-drained soil and hate to have waterlogged roots. If roots stand in soggy soil, root rot ensues. You are smart to water from below because it keeps water off the leaves, which would cause leaf spotting. To fix the situation, gently take the plant out of the pot and examine the roots. Healthy roots are white and firm. If they are brown and mushy, remove all of them with sterilized scissors. If there are a few healthy roots, your plant may recover. To prevent root rot from happening in the first place, make sure to use a potting soil mix made for African violets. Regular indoor potting soil holds too much water. Don’t water your African violets if the soil is still moist from the previous watering. Touch the soil firmly with a finger. Don’t water until your finger comes up dry. In my experience, weekly watering is too much water for most houseplants. **Categories:** Houseplants **Tags:** Watering --- ### [Do insecticides expire?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/do-insecticides-expire/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Do insecticides expire?** **A:** A lot depends on how they were stored. If they were kept cool and in a dark place, I’d give liquid products at least three years, maybe five *years*, of effectiveness. The product form also is a factor. Dusts and wettable powders are much shorter-lived than liquid emulsifiable concentrates. I’d give dusts and wettable powders only two years before disposing of them. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals, General Q & A --- ### [Bamboo All Dead: Gregarious Blooming](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bamboo-all-dead-gregarious-blooming/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When I moved to Georgia four years ago, I had a beautiful stand of bamboo in my backyard. This spring they started to die off, and the stand is now completely dead. What caused this? Is there a chance for new growth?** **A:** The most likely explanation is that your bamboo is all the same age and only one species. One of the characteristics of many species of bamboo is that after most members of a species flower, the plants die. This is called gregarious blooming. One theory is that this die-off gives a good environment for new seedlings. Here’s what you should do: Chop all of the dead bamboo to the ground, then take a pair of long handled loppers to cut the shallow rhizomes, which you see running along the ground, into 12-inch lengths. Cover them with soil. Hopefully, the rhizomes will make roots and sprout new bamboo for you. More details: [bit.ly/GAbambooflowers](https://bit.ly/GAbambooflowers) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Wet Grass Blades Are the Devil’s Playground for Lawn Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/wet-grass-blades-are-the-devils-playground-for-lawn-disease/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I follow your watering recommendations to a T. This year it hasn’t gone more than four days without raining, so I have run the sprinklers exactly once. My Bermuda lawn looks great. I’ve also seen where you advise against preventative application of fungicides as proper watering and cutting are all you need. Is a year like this an exception with so much rain?** **A:** I think you’re right. Wet grass blades are the devil’s playground when it comes to lawn disease. As you note, grass hasn’t had much of a chance to dry recently. A preventative fungicide is called for. Now let’s check the depth of your pockets. Heritage, Armada, and Headway G all cost more than $100, but the high cost delivers superior fungicidal action. BioAdvanced Fungus Control for Lawns, Spectracide Immunox Multipurpose Fungicide, and Scotts DiseaseEx Lawn Fungicide are all less concentrated and perhaps more suited for homeowner use. In the lawn disease game, you pay your money and you takes your chances. Research each product, decide what you want, and follow all label directions. **Categories:** General Q & A, Lawn Care, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Watering, Moisture --- ### [Lost Lower Limbs of Leland Cypress](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/lost-lower-limbs-of-leland-cypress/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Any recommendations for dealing with dead lower branches on Leland cypresses that are over 20 years old?** **A:** The most common reason for lower limbs of cypress to die is simple: lack of light. On an old tree like yours, the lower limbs have gradually been shaded out. Leland cypress grows new foliage only from the tip. Once a limb is dead, it doesn’t have a growing tip. There is nothing you can do to make new lower limbs grow. Right now your best shot is to hide the lower trunk with shrubbery. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees **Tags:** Shade --- ### [Vengeance on a Vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/vines/vengeance-on-a-vine/) **Published:** January 17, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Can you identify this vine and tell me how to brutally and vengefully destroy it? It’s currently winning in my back yard.** **A:** You have catchweed bedstraw. It’s an annual weed that comes up from seed each year. The seed can remain dormant in the soil for several years, so that’s why it never disappears. If you pull it conscientiously every year it will eventually go away. This plant is considered medicinal by some, so research its effects and decide whether you want to use it. Or use a landscape pre-emergent applied in early winter, before the seeds germinate. If it is away from your “good” plants, you could give it a short squirt of glyphosate. **Categories:** Vines **Tags:** catchweed, bedstraw --- ### [The Longevity of Hosta Cultivars](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/the-longevity-of-hosta-cultivars/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a question about cultivars for a project I am working on. Will some of the plant varieties with really unique names like Jurassic begonia or “New York Night” hellebore be available to consumers indefinitely, or do new cultivars like that have a limited life span in stores or online?** **A:** For fun, I went to the Plant Delights catalog to look for the longevity of hosta cultivars. The owner, Tony Avent, hybridized and named “Out House Delight” hosta, “Fried Green Tomatoes” hosta, and “Little Redneck” hosta. These outre named hosta have enjoyed varying life in the marketplace. “Fried Green Tomatoes” is still available, but “Out House Delight” has faded into obscurity. On the other hand, “Sum and Substance” hosta has been around for 20 years. My point is that the varying names for plants do not guarantee success. It’s their behavior in the garden that guarantees longevity. The thick leaves, remarkable size*,* and outstanding flowers made “Sum and Substance” a keeper for many gardeners. My guess is some marketer chose the name Jurassic to apply to some of the many hybrids of big-leafed, strong-stemmed begonias. I don’t know who the breeder was, but I’ll bet they’re big. “New York Night” hellebore originated at Walters Gardens which is comparatively small. The black flower color or some other characteristic *may* carry it for a long while, but no one can predict how long. **Categories:** General Q & A, General Garden Info --- ### [Don't Prematurely Cut Back Azaleas](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/dont-prematurely-cut-back-azaleas/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What do I do about the warm winter we are experiencing? My azaleas are in bloom. Do I cut them back after blooming as I usually do in April?** **A:** Don’t cut them back now. They haven’t finished blooming. Damage to azalea flowers all depends on how far out of dormancy the early blooming shrubs are when it freezes. I recently walked past a group of three rhododendrons. One of them was different from the other two. On it, every flower bud had opened and the flower petals had pushed halfway out before the recent freeze. The emerged flower petals were frozen, brown*,* and ugly. In contrast, the other two shrubs had tight green buds that will bloom at the right time this spring. This goes to show that varieties of the same species of plant can differ in their response to cold weather. Your azaleas, which are members of the rhododendron family, may differ as well. My crystal ball is out for repair, so I can’t predict what will happen. You will just have to wait and see. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Crossing Your Fingers for Hawthorn Revival](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/crossing-your-fingers-for-hawthorn-revival/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have Eleanor Tabor Indian hawthorn that were freeze-damaged two years ago. They were pruned to take off damaged foliage at that time, and then again from this past winter’s ice storm. Now the plants are coming back, but very slowly. Are the roots choking out any new growth?** **A:** No, I don’t think the roots have anything to do with choking your hawthorn. It’s more likely that removing lots of top growth more than once has weakened the plants and they’re having a hard time recovering. The best things you can do for them are fertilizing lightly and making sure they are watered when they’re dry. Crossing your fingers is also acceptable. Good luck! **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Are the Deer Done Yet?](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/are-the-deer-done-yet/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My husband and I fence our younger trees to protect them from deer damage when they rub velvet off their antlers. Are the deer done yet? I would like to take the fencing down but don’t want to do it prematurely.** **A:** Male deer rub trees with their antlers each fall (September through December) to mark territory and to attract females. The rubbing is vigorous enough to remove bark and break branches. Young trees that are “thrashed” might be killed. At the very least, the lower branches will show damage for a long time. That said, I think it’s safe to remove your deer fence by February each year. All the “starch in his pants” the deer had in November has dissipated. The male deer will go back to nibbling the tips of your rose branches like they did previously. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Succumb to a Moss Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/succumb-to-a-moss-lawn/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My grass lawn is becoming a moss lawn of its own accord. What can I do to help it become a moss lawn? Eliminate weeds and sparse grass?** **A:** Grass to moss is the direction of a lot of lawns. As trees grow larger, their shadow encroaches on what were formerly sunny lawns. Aristotle observed, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” Your thinning lawn is a vacuum that attracts plants that enjoy a shady environment. My colleague, Theresa Schrum, noted that “Nature always bats last.” You have wisely chosen to go in the direction nature wants to go anyway. Moss is not hard to grow as long as it’s moist continuously, even in summer. I would buy two or three lawn sprinklers and put them in the largest areas of your lawn and turn them on. The moisture footprint of the sprinklers tells you where to concentrate your moss lawn. It could be square, full circle or a half-circle — whatever your sprinkler’s pattern is. Connect them all to a hose manifold and connect the manifold to your faucet. Now all you have to do is turn on that one faucet to water your entire moss lawn multiple times a day when it’s hot. I have found that a very, very light spritz of glyphosate will kill weeds and grasses without much harm to the moss. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Burford Holly's Bountiful Berries](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/burford-hollys-bountiful-berries-2/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My neighbors and I have seen several beautiful trees around Atlanta that look like they are approximately 30 feet to 40 feet tall with berries, and we are curious if they make berries like this every year. I know the bushes do, but I am not sure about trees like this.** **A:** I have been astounded this year to see the number of berries on most hollies, but particularly the Burford hollies, which can be pruned to tree form. This holly has the ability to produce berries without needing pollination. This is called parthenogenesis, and Burford hollies aren’t the only plant that can do this. Burford holly combines three characteristics that make it outstanding: fast growth, parthenogenesis, and hardiness. When the plant was discovered in Westview Cemetery in southwest Atlanta, it immediately stood out. Every Burford holly in the world came from here. I don’t know what causes bountiful berry years for Burford as well as hollies that need pollination, but I have some guesses. If there’s a hard rain when the flowers are open, it harms the pollen and pollen receptors in holly flowers. Warm weather is a must because cold-blooded insects slow down when it’s cool. The summer should be mild with no extreme dry periods. Given a good growing environment, hollies can amaze viewers driving past at 60 miles an hour. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, General Q & A --- ### [Lacebugs Lurking On Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/lacebugs-lurking-on-plants/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Last year my azaleas were attacked by lace bugs. Now, after the winter cold, I don’t see any bugs or evidence. I would prefer to use a systemic solution and be proactive. When do I start and with what?** **A:** Despite the cold earlier this year, there are still plenty of lacebugs lurking on the plants. Lacebugs have a very high reproductive rate. A few will become many before you know it. One of the best systemic insecticides is Imidacloprid. It is sold by several online purveyors as Dominion. A small amount of Dominion goes a long way. Be careful when you mix it and follow the label instructions carefully. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Canna and Banana Allergies](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/canna-and-banana-allergies/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I read your post about people reacting to canna lilies. It sure seems similar to what I experienced after pruning my canna lilies. Any time I’m working with them, I get blisters and bumps on my arms/hands. I am allergic to bananas, but I’m unsure of a connection between cannas and bananas. I want to be better educated on cannas, so I can safely interact with them. I know of the banana-latex allergy connection, as I’m violently allergic to latex and react to any latex adhesive or medical items made of latex.** **A:** Someone slipping on a banana peel is sometimes funny but an allergic reaction to bananas is not a laughing matter. Your banana allergy is not common but is linked to cannas because they, as well as ginger and bird-of-paradise, all belong to Order *Zingiberales*. It is usually the juice of the plant that causes the reaction. This leads us to another fact: People who are allergic to bananas are usually also allergic to latex products derived from the rubber tree, which is totally unrelated to the previously mentioned plants. Bottom line: Canna and banana allergies are not unheard of. When working with these plants, wear non-latex gloves and a plastic raincoat. As you know, washing thoroughly with soap and water shortly after working with cannas is important. **Categories:** Fruits, Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, General Q & A --- ### [How to Prevent Window Casualties](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/how-to-prevent-window-casualties/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Of late I have had several birds fly into my windows. Can you give me some insight into how I can correct this problem?** **A:** Glass windows that reflect shrubs and trees around them look to a bird like good places to fly through. Then “bang!” you have a stunned bird which may seem to recover and fly away but may die later from brain injuries. So how can you make windows not be reflective? There is a DIY solution called Acopian BirdSavers that uses thin paracord to make a barely noticeable curtain in front of windows. There are stickers and reflective items that can be applied to the outside window surface that also alert the bird to the glass surface. Remember, anything you do must be outside the window rather than inside. Consider your comfort on a ladder when you purchase materials. Most house painters, gutter repair people*,* and window installers can do the project quickly if you should happen to know one in your neighborhood. There are all manner of similar solutions at [abcbirds.org/glass-collisions](https://abcbirds.org/glass-collisions/). **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Q & A --- ### [A Sunny Bed For Irises](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/a-sunny-bed-for-irises/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We brought iris bulbs from our family home in Michigan to plant in our Georgia flower beds. They are presently in our garage. How, and when, should we plant them here?** **A:** Unlike in Michigan, in Georgia the soil rarely — if ever — freezes so hard that you can’t plant. That said, the soil is a little chilly to suit irises now. When it warms up this spring, prepare a sunny bed by thoroughly spading the soil to a depth of eight inches. If it’s our typical clay soil, you can add compost to improve drainage. Remove three inches of soil from the bed. Now you have five inches of loose soil onto which you can lay the iris roots. Examine each of the roots that you brought. If any are rotten, soft*,* or appear unhealthy, do not plant them. Use a paring knife to cut out the unhealthy parts. You may see vestigial roots or hard stem bumps that tell how to orient the roots. Place the roots about 10 inches apart and cover with the soil you previously removed. Over the bed sprinkle slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote, Holly-tone, etc.) according to label directions. If the irises were growing strongly in Michigan, they should burst forth with color this spring. If not, they may take two years to have good flowering. Observe the flowers closely. If you see a tiny, typically yellow*,* “beard” coming from the center of the flower, you have a bearded iris, the most common classification of this beautiful flower. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, General Garden Info --- ### [Can St. Augustine Grass Survive an Atlanta Winter?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/can-st-augustine-grass-survive-an-atlanta-winter/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: After reading about your success with St. Augustine grass in your own yard, I decided to gamble and sod my yard with Palmetto St. Augustine last June. By August, I had the most beautiful grass in the entire neighborhood and arguably the entire city. It’s now January and there is still unmelted snow all over the place. Should I expect an autopsy report this spring that says “the house always wins”?** **A:** St. Augustine grass in Atlanta is always a gamble due to winter cold. My lawn was started from sprigs taken from a lawn in Candler Park that had been a St. Augustine lawn for 20 years. I figured the plants that were most cold-hardy had survived cold winters and thrived were therefore good candidates for my lawn. I took a 5-gallon plastic bucket and, with the owners’ permission, I pulled runners that were about 2 *two* feet long that were on the sidewalk, under shrubbery and invading their parking area. I stuffed them in the bucket, covered the ends of the runners with water, and headed home for more work. There, I cut each long sprig in half and used a short mattock to cut a divot in my existing lightly *–*shaded lawn and shoved half of a 6-inch sprig into it. The butt end of the mattock firmed the soil around the sprig. I then moved 12 inches away and did the same thing again. I was exhausted that night. I watered the site heavily every other day for two weeks*a fortnight* and lo and behold, most of the sprigs took root and started sprouting more greenery. Your Palmetto St. Augustine is an excellent variety, very shade tolerant and deep green. Everybody who has Augustine grass should learn about chinch bugs. Eventually they will get to your St. Augustine as they eventually got to mine. In some areas my grass leaves turned yellow and appeared to be drought-stressed. But close examination revealed tiny black and white insects chewing on my grass. I treated for them several years in a row, but eventually they, and deepening shade, caused the St. Augustine to thin, so I moved to mondo grass. This plant is not a grass, but a lily that looks like grass. It is thriving in deep shade. Mondo grass would not look right for large areas in front of a house in partial sun, but in the shadiest spots it sure looks nice. So we’ll just have to see what survives this winter’s cold in your lawn. In May, parts may be dead and parts may be alive. Take sprigs from live areas and plant in the dead areas. This will give you the best chance of “beating the house.” **Categories:** St. Augustine, Lawn Care --- ### [Finding Pesticide-Free Wheat Straw](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/finding-pesticide-free-wheat-straw/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Do you have any resources for pesticide-free wheat straw near Atlanta?** **A:** Just like you can’t *know* *that* the food you buy at the organic grocery is truly organic unless you know everyone down the line to the farm from which it came, you can’t *know that* your straw is pesticide free unless you know everyone in the chain of production all the way back to the farm. You may choose to work with a person due to their good reputation, but every step of production is as important as the last, much like the links of a chain. If you have the time and the storage area, you could conduct a bioassay. Put a couple of bean or tomato seedlings in a paper cup that has been filled with a mixture of your chopped straw and potting soil. If these plants grow weirdly within a couple of weeks, that straw should not be used near garden plants. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Ultrasonic Repellers Don’t Repel Animals—Unless You Throw Them](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/ultrasonic-repellers-dont-repel-animals-unless-you-throw-them/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Several dogs with unknown owners have been pooping and peeing on my front lawn. Is there some ultrasonic gadget that would keep them away?** **A:** Sound repellers have been tested almost invariably on rodents and insects — which are not analogous to dogs. The first issue, of course, is that these repellers are making only sound. The theory is that dogs will be surprised and irritated, and therefore will avoid the area. Rural dogs might try to avoid ultrasonic sound, but canines in urban areas hear extremely high sound frequencies all the time and can become conditioned to them. It’s not the frequency of the sound that makes a difference to a dog: it is how unusual and threatening it is to them. If he finds the sound frightening, a dog will theoretically stay away. The second problem is that, the higher the sound frequency, the smaller its beam width, so it covers only a limited area. So it’s not particularly useful if you are trying to cover a large area. Ultrasonic repellers do not work to repel any animal unless you throw it at them. **Categories:** General Q & A, Lawn Care --- ### [You Can Layer Mulch Over Pine Straw](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/you-can-layer-mulch-over-pine-straw/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We currently have pine straw as a ground cover. We are going to replace that with mulch. Do we need to remove the pine straw or can we place the mulch directly over the pine straw?** **A:** One of the greatest benefits of mulch is its contribution of organic matter to the soil beneath. The pine straw that you have now will eventually decompose, but I know it’s a slow process. There’s no reason to remove it. The mulch on top will press the pine straw closer to the earth where moisture and insects can more readily break it down. Eventually, your beautiful mulch on top will begin to break down as well. You’ll have to replenish it with fresh mulch. I think organic mulch is the best thing for trees and shrubs in the landscape. The constant addition of organic matter feeds microorganisms, makes the soil hold water*,* and allows pore space to form. That’s why I’m not often in favor of using rocks, slate chips*,* or marble chips for mulch. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Neighbors Crossing The Line](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/neighbors-crossing-the-line/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A neighbor cut down a tree on the property line without consent. It was a mature 75-foot hardwood with a 6-foot trunk at the base. Can you recommend someone who can provide an appraisal of the value of the tree?** **A:** You won’t find a bigger group of tree huggers in one place than the regular meetings of the Georgia Arborist Association. They sponsor regular trainings in English and Spanish and hold an annual tree climbing contest. They are your best source for professional tree experts. When you hire someone, make sure they are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture *(ISA)*. Anyone who has ISA certification knows lots more than you and me about trees, including tree disease identification, limb weight determination*,* and tree valuation. Most don’t practice the latter as a profession, but there are members of GAA who specialize. You can find a list of members and their specialties at [georgiaarborist.org](http://georgiaarborist.org). **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Sap Suckers Strike Again](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/sap-suckers-strike-again/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Something is destroying the foliage of my baptisia, and now the rosemary and pyracantha as well. It appears to be a sucking insect that removes the chlorophyll from the leaves. The back of the leaves are dirty looking. What do you think this is?** **A:** This sounds like whitefly damage because they are a common pest of pyracantha and baptisia. They congregate on the back side of leaves sucking sap from the cells. When there are a lot of them, many cells are sucked dry of chlorophyll. The sap they don’t digest is secreted as sticky honeydew. This coats leaves beneath the infested leaves and quickly turns black when the honeydew is colonized by sooty mold. Whiteflies are not big and they fly quickly when disturbed, but if you’re real slow about moving the leaves, you’ll see them underneath. Neem oil is a good spray because it suffocates the pests but leaves beneficial insects alone. The key is to cover the underside of the leaves with it. This can be difficult with a spray bottle that wants to spray upward in your face, but with deft usage of a short stick, you can fold the leaves over and the whiteflies will be exposed to the spray. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Staked, Shaken, but Still Rooting](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/staked-shaken-but-still-rooting/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted eight shrubs in my backyard in August. In late September, they blew over and broke the low-quality stakes that I had put in to hold them up. I righted them and put better stakes in, but the roots were damaged when they blew down. Could I have prevented them from blowing down?** **A:** I have good news and reassurance. You chose the perfect time to plant shrubs this year. There haven’t been any extended dry periods, and the soil has been warm up to December. Even though they may have been damaged by being uprooted, the warm soil and adequate moisture points to success. One of the best things to do for a shrub is to plant it properly to begin with. You should always dig a planting hole big enough to spread the root system out. Many times I see roots that are wound around inside a pot. They should always be unwound. If you neglect to do this, the roots will be very slow to explore surrounding soil as they should. In your case if you had spread the roots originally, they would have been less likely to topple. It would be difficult to correct them now without a lot of work, so I think you’re better off leaving the shrubs alone to establish on their own. **Categories:** Shrubs, General Q & A, Lawn Care --- ### [River Birch Is a Trashy Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/river-birch-is-a-trashy-tree/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Can you help me figure out what’s likely going on with this river birch tree? The tree has been dropping leaves incessantly since about April/May, hundreds per day. Should this tree be dropping its leaves year-round?** **A:** River birches all lose leaves in the summer, some more than others. River birch is known as a “trashy” tree in that it drops twigs and leaves year-round. I don’t know which varieties are more prone to dropping things, but I’d bet the newer ones, like Heritage and Dura Heat, are less messy. Try watering more and see if that helps. For more information, see [bit.ly/GAbirch](http://bit.ly/GAbirch) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, General Q & A --- ### [Brown Flowers Without Spots](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/brown-flowers-without-spots/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: The flowers on my mini rose are all turning brown. There are no spots on the leaves. Can you tell what might cause this?** **A:** Your roses have botrytis blight. It’s a common fungus, the same one that causes the white mold on strawberries. It loves fresh tissue like the petals on a flower or on a wound after pruning. Control of the disease is pretty simple. Prune all brown flowers off the bushes, being careful not to shake any spores on the leaves below. Remove all debris immediately. Spray with a copper-based fungicide or an organic spray that contains *Bacillus amyloliquefaciens,* such as in Arber Bio Fungicide and Bonide Revitalize. It is important to have a fungicide on the rose before you prune and also when the flower buds just begin to swell. With attention to detail, cleanliness and using the correct product, the next flowers will be perfect. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Read the Seed Label Before You Purchase Lawn Seed](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/read-the-seed-label-before-you-purchase-lawn-seed/) **Published:** January 8, 2026 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a terrible weed in my fescue. The leaves are shiny and bluish, with a purple base. I’ve tried Nutsedge Killer and Weed B Gone to no effect, and it’s taken over my** **back yard! There is no longer any visible fescue in the back***,* **and now it’s taking over my front yard, too.** **A:** Your weed is orchardgrass. Unfortunately, there is not a chemical that will selectively kill orchardgrass in fescue. They are both cool season perennial grasses. The only thing that is effective selectively is a pair of eyeballs: yours! If you can tell the two apart, you can control scattered clumps of orchardgrass with a directed spray of glyphosate. To that end, make a shield for your sprayer by trimming the neck of a plastic funnel to fit your sprayer nozzle. You can put the funnel over a clump of orchard grass and give it a squirt. If you have solid orchardgrass, you can spray the whole lawn with glyphosate in August and reseed with fescue in September. The orchardgrass likely came in as a contaminant of the fescue seed you purchased. That’s why it is important to read the seed label before you purchase lawn seed. The label will list the names and percentage of weeds. Obviously, grass seed with a lower percentage of weeds is a better buy. **Categories:** Pest Plants --- ### [Your Own Indoor Lettuce Patch](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/your-own-indoor-lettuce-patch/) **Published:** December 23, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: You once shared plans for making and assembling a PVC stand to hold a shop light with grow light. I’ve misplaced my copy of those plans. Could you share them again?** **A:** I have had a lot of fun with my plant stand, but I’ve made changes since I first built one. Having just one level was too few, so I moved to a premade wire storage rack with three shelves. For lighting, I went to LED lights that are designed for a home greenhouse. I can match the intensity and color of sunlight exactly with these units. Now I have my own indoor lettuce patch. Plans for the original PVC shelf: [bit.ly/GAPVCstand](http://bit.ly/GAPVCstand). **Categories:** How-To --- ### [There's Really No Time That Camellias Can’t Be Planted](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/theres-really-no-time-that-camellias-cant-be-planted/) **Published:** December 23, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I understand that the optimal time of year to plant camellias in Georgia is the fall. With that said, my wife and I perform an act of service for families who have a child that dies. We give the bereaved families a camellia bush to plant in their yard in memory of their loved one. We give this gift at various times of the year. Do you have any advice for planting a camellia at times other than the optimal time?** **A:** There is really no time that camellias can’t be planted except when the ground is frozen, and that rarely happens. Experts agree that hydrangeas should not be transplanted in summer yet I transplanted 20 hydrangeas in boiling July heat, and I didn’t lose any of them. The key is not to let them dry out. You should dig a wide hole — four times the size of the root ball. Then carefully unwind the root(s) around the root ball and spread them in your wide hole. Carefully backfill with the soil you remove. There is no need to add amendments as long as the soil you put in is thoroughly broken apart. After the plant is in place, be sure to mulch with a two-inch layer of mini bark chips. When you water, check to make sure it trickles into the whole root area, not just at the stem of the plant. If you are attentive to watering, I doubt a leaf will fall. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [American Grapevines Are Resistant to Invasive Insects](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/vines/american-grapevines-are-resistant-to-invasive-insects/) **Published:** December 23, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Do you know what these three hard “knots” are on this muscadine leaf? Since this is the only leaf I’ve noticed that has them, I’m not worried — just curious.** **A:** These knots are caused by phylloxera, a tiny insect that damages roots as well as leaves on muscadine vines. It sucks sap out of a susceptible grape vine and weakens it by perforating the roots and infecting them with a poisonous secretion that stops them from healing. This poison eventually kills the vine. In the late 1800s, European grapes suffered a devastating invasion of phylloxera insects, which are native to North America. Fortunately, American grapes had evolved to be resistant to phylloxera. The roots of American grapes produce a sticky substance that repels the nymphs. If the nymph is successful in wounding the root, American vines generate a layer of tissue to seal the wound. European winemakers grafted European grape vines to American grape rootstock, thus making these vines resistant to phylloxera. There is really no need to control them on your muscadines since they can resist phylloxera on their own. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Vines --- ### [Impressive Crape Myrtles Result From Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/impressive-crape-myrtles-result-from-pruning/) **Published:** December 23, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a crape myrtle in my back yard that is about 60 years old. It consists of five or six trunks 4-6 inches in diameter. It is healthy but doesn’t seem to be blooming these days. I want to prune it and maybe cut all but one or two trunks. How far back should I prune it?** **A:** If you prune a crape myrtle severely, as you describe, you’ll have dozens of sprouts come up from its roots each year. I wouldn’t remove any trunks; instead remove all small limbs on the lower third of the tree. Then take out crossing branches and eliminate those that grow through the middle. Think about the structure of the plant. I’ve seen some very impressive crape myrtles that resulted from pruning this way. Crape myrtles bloom on new growth so do your pruning in late winter or early spring. For more information, visit [bit.ly/GAcrape](http://bit.ly/GAcrape). **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, General Q & A --- ### [With Crape Roundup Comes Great Responsibility: How to Treat Crape Myrtle Suckers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/with-crape-roundup-comes-great-responsibility-how-to-treat-crape-myrtle-suckers/) **Published:** December 23, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two large, mature crape myrtle trees in mulched beds in my front yard. Unfortunately, they sucker mercilessly. Stems come up at the base of the trunks and several feet away. If I spray the suckers with Roundup, will I damage the trees?** **A:** Once upon a time, there was a beautiful allée of crape myrtle trees at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The limbs curved over the long brick walkway wonderfully. Many a bride and groom were photographed at the entrance to the allée with the majestic crape myrtles framing them. However, the Garden had a similar situation to yours: Unwanted suckers were emerging through the loose-laid brick pathway beneath the trees. One of the workers there, knowing how effective Roundup was at controlling vegetation, sprayed them with the herbicide. One by one, the beautiful white crape myrtles nearby turned brown and died. They were replaced at great expense. I predict the same thing will happen to your crape myrtles if you spray the suckers. I have a huge crape myrtle in my front yard. It has rarely sent out root suckers, and it has never had trunk suckers in 35 years. NOTE: I have never pruned it. In my experience, pruning a crape myrtle can cause it to produce suckers as it attempts to balance the existing root mass with the reduced limb mass resulting from pruning. The only thing you can do now is dig around the root suckers with a mattock to find the place where it attaches to a tree root. When found, prune as close to the root as you can without damaging it. Suckers attached at the base of the trunk should be cut out cleanly, as close to the trunk as possible. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [No Need to Trim Vine "Beard"](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/vines/no-need-to-trim-vine-beard/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When pruning a scuppernong or muscadine vine, is it OK to cut off the “beards?” They look like potential roots, but they hang from up high instead of growing near the base.** **A:** The “beard,” as you call it, is a mass of aerial adventitious roots. Instead of coming out of a stem or root, like normal roots do, adventitious roots emerge from bark tissue or leaves. I have seen the phenomenon on willow trees, boxwood shrubs and tomatoes. They are not thought to harm a grapevine, but they may be an indicator of a stressor, like waterlogged soil. In my experience, the most common cause of aerial adventitious root formation on grapevines is cold injury. In the season after a severe winter, adventitious roots come cascading from grape bark cracks. Other than correcting obvious sources of stress, you are not called to do anything about the “beard” now. **Categories:** Vines --- ### [Artificial Turf for a Small and Shady Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/artificial-turf-for-a-small-and-shady-lawn/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Should I install artificial grass in my backyard? I’m 76 years old and I don’t have a green thumb. My yard is small, measuring about 16 feet square.** **A:** Artificial turf is sometimes the best option if your backyard is very small and shady. The only plant I recommend for shady lawns is mondo grass, but you’d have to find it, transplant it and wait three years for it to spread. That would be too big a job for you, so let’s consider artificial turf. You will need to perform some maintenance on it. Leaves will have to be removed regularly because if any of them decay, they will make an organic layer in which weed seeds can sprout. If some weeds do grow, you will need to pull them out immediately. If the roots penetrate the turf and spread beneath it, you will have a heck of a time pulling them out. Of course, before the turf is installed, correct any drainage problems that could result in water standing on the turf after rain. **Categories:** General Q & A, Lawn Care, General Garden Info --- ### [Beating a Dead Houseplant: Surrender to Scale](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/beating-a-dead-houseplant-surrender-to-scale/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a real old Christmas Cactus that has a problem, and I don’t know what to do for it to get healthy again. Any suggestions?** **A:** You’d have to have a prayer meeting, a foot washing, and an all-night sing to resurrect your plant. It is eaten up with scale! In fact, I’ll give your plant a prize for the worst scale infestation I’ve ever seen. I hate to break it to you, but to *maybe* (and I make no promises*)* get it healthy again, you’ll have to cut every stem down to 1 inch high and thoroughly check nearby plants for the insects. You’ll also have to repot the plant and discard the existing pot and soil. The reason for this hard work is that scales are small and extremely reproductive. They are hard to control on houseplants. Examine the remaining 1-inch stems for little brown ovals about 1/8 inch long. If any scales are found, dab each one with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Frankly, it makes me tired writing this, so I actually think you should discard the whole plant, the pot, and anything it rested on. If you find other houseplants that have scale but aren’t at death’s door like this one, you could treat them with a swab and alcohol or Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew. The active ingredient, spinosad, is produced by a bacterium found in soil at an abandoned rum distillery and is safe for use on houseplants. **Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Fight Yellow Jackets with a Glass Bowl](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/fight-yellow-jackets-with-a-glass-bowl/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I had been fighting yellow jackets for weeks. They had built a nest in my hugelkultur (a method of composting). I tried various methods, including insecticides, but only your glass bowl method worked. You need to get this info out!** **A:** It is remarkable how effective it is. I first heard of it from Dr. Paul Guillebeau, extension entomologist. To do it, first find the exit hole for the yellow jackets. At dusk or later, using a flashlight held away from your body so as not to attract the insects, go back to the exit hole and invert a clear glass bowl over it. Seal the edges of the bowl to the ground with dirt (this is important). When you come out the next day to observe, you’ll find a crowd of very irritated yellow jackets under the bowl*,* unable to escape to forage for food. They are not smart enough to tunnel under the edge of the bowl if it’s sealed. After a couple of days, the nest dies from starvation. If the nest is under pine straw or wood chips, you’ll need to carefully rake the mulch until you find the hole*,* then seal the glass bowl to the ground. I’ve done this twice, and I’ve gotten several successful stories from people who have tried it. And now, thanks to Julie, I have another. For more details, see [*https://*bit.ly/GAyjbowl](https://bit.ly/GAyjbowl). **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Eternally Unripe Figs](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/eternally-unripe-figs/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My wife has a beautiful fig tree that she has grown for several years. It came from a flea market and bears tons of figs each year, but none ever ripen to be enjoyed. Are the birds getting to them first or do you think it’s a different issue?** **A:** There are several reasons why a fig might not have ripe fruit: One is that it might be a variety that requires a fig wasp to pollinate it, but these varieties are very uncommon in Georgia. Almost all of our figs do not require pollination. Birds can be aggressive culprits in stealing fruit, but they usually target nearly ripe fruit, and they commonly drop pieces on the ground. It would be great to know the variety, but there are dozens of varieties in gardens in the South. To help identify figs, I’ve put together a list of identification references with pictures: [www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/figs-identifying/](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/figs-identifying/) **Categories:** Fruits --- ### [Best Shovel for Moving Mondo Grass and Liriope](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/best-shovel-for-moving-mondo-grass-and-liriope/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is your tool of choice for moving mondo grass and liriope? I am thinking about a spearhead shovel. Would a 32-inch or 40-inch work better?** **A:** Spear Head Spades are a patented shovel blade that is more pointed than a standard flat blade or round blade shovel. It looks handy for digging clumps of bulbs and displacing rocks. I use a narrow-blade plumber’s shovel, and it can perform some of the same tasks quite well. Either would be good for moving mondo grass and liriope, which have tough fibrous root balls. I think the 40-inch would give you more leverage. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Lawn Care --- ### [Arborvitae Too Big to Be Saved](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/arborvitae-too-big-to-be-saved/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We had four arborvitae, now 40 feet tall, planted between our driveway and our house years ago as a privacy screen. Can they be topped and saved, or can they be trimmed so as not to hang over our home?** **A:** I don’t see a chance of pruning or saving the arborvitae. If you cut them down, even just by half, the root system will be huge compared to the remaining foliage. The interior dead, brown foliage will not sprout at all, and the green foliage left will turn yellow and die. My suggestion is to pull up and remove the arborvitae, being very careful to see that no roots are under the foundation to avoid damaging it. Then decide what your screening needs are presently — either plants or fencing. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, General Garden Info --- ### [Drying Onions Can Attract Bugs](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetables/drying-onions-can-attract-bugs/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a vegetable garden, and my husband is drying small onions in the house. We don’t have a shed or carport, and the garage is too hot right now. Will this attract mice or bugs?** **A:** Yes, drying onions can attract bugs. The curing is necessary to make the onion form a hard “*‘*shell*’*” around the interior of the onion. This minimizes spoilage. This process takes two to four weeks, until the top of each onion is brown and the outer leaves are dry and papery. If you judge that they are sufficiently cured, you can alert your husband, and he can move them to cool, dry winter storage … hopefully, where you don’t smell them all the time. **Categories:** Vegetables, General Q & A --- ### [How to Keep Pine Beetles From Other Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/how-to-keep-pine-beetles-from-other-trees/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I had several large pine trees removed last fall due to beetle infestations. I still have seven pine trees in the wooded part of my backyard. They are maybe 12-15 feet from each other at the closest. Not close to any neighbor’s pine trees. How do I keep the beetles from the remaining trees?** **A:** Those are healthy insects in the stump, but I don’t think they are the same insects that attacked your pine trees. The sawdust (frass) probably came from the southern pine sawyer, who delights in boring under the bark and through the heartwood of newly killed pine trees. They are large grubs that produce substantial frass at the base of pine tree stumps. Your original pines were probably attacked by the southern pine beetle. Once they invade a pine tree, they put out pheromones to attract other pine beetles, which then go into adjacent pine trees. It is not practical to spray insecticide on the remaining seven trees. The best thing is to keep them watered so they can drown the invaders with sap. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals --- ### [Kudzu Bugs Don't Bite but Still Irritate](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/kudzu-bugs-dont-bite-but-still-irritate/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve seen a bunch of kudzu bugs flying about my townhome and landing on my door, windows, and siding. I could see them on my neighbor’s siding, too.** **A:** Looking like a brown English pea with legs, kudzu bugs appear in different numbers every year. They don’t bite, but they may accumulate under the siding of buildings in winter. They have a distinctive smell. When I drive past a particular patch of kudzu on Briarcliff Road and detect their odor, I know they will be a nuisance the following winter. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Goldfinches Enjoy Hummingbird Nectar Too](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/goldfinches-enjoy-hummingbird-nectar-too/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have not seen goldfinches in my yard for the last few years. This weekend, a beautiful one flew to my hummingbird feeder, landed on the perch, and tried to drink out of the feeder hole. Have you ever seen goldfinches at a sugar water feeder before?** **A:** I’ve never seen a goldfinch drinking from a hummingbird feeder, but apparently it’s common. Since their body size is similar to a hummingbird’s they can perch on most hummingbird perches, and their beaks are small enough to fit through the holes. Goldfinches enjoy hummingbird nectar, and when they see other small birds feeding there, they’re attracted to it. If, for some reason, you don’t want the goldfinches to drink the hummingbird nectar, you can discourage them with a hummingbird feeder with small perches, or you can try a saucer feeder. If these don’t work, put a cage around the hummingbird feeder that the goldfinches can’t get through. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Garden Info --- ### [Spiderlings Travel by Catching a Ride on the Wind](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/spiderlings-travel-by-catching-a-ride-on-the-wind/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is it just my little acre that is infested with small spiders? The webs are so thin you don’t even see them until they wrap around your face, and they reach the ground from limbs 25 feet up. I got bitten between my fingers, and my hand swelled for two days.** **A:** It’s likely that you have a mix of spiders. Joro spiders are the ones that build their webs high up, with the strands stretching to the ground. This is the way spiderlings travel, by trailing silk and catching a ride on the wind. Their silk is quite strong and sticky, which is why it feels so weird when it wraps around your face. There are other spiders, like crab spiders and wolf spiders — one of which may have bitten you — in the mixture as well. August is a good time for spiders. The ones that hatched in early spring have had a couple of generations. The ones that hatched in warm weather might have had one or two. This means lots of little spiders are looking for a home. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [When to Propagate and How Much to Cut](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/when-to-propagate-and-how-much-to-cut/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a 25-year-old orange-flowered hibiscus that I left outside during a cold spell two years in a row. I thought I had killed it, but in February it came back to life with the tiniest sprouts possible. I babied it, and it is producing the most beautiful flowers again. The original plant is almost dead, and I can’t rely on it sprouting next spring. I’d like to propagate it. What is your advice on the best way and time to do this?** **A:** Rather than go over the basic steps of propagation, which you probably already know (rooting hormone, proper medium, humidity, etc.), let’s cover two other important considerations. One of the key things to know is when to take the cutting that you want to root, usually midsummer. Examine stems that have shown good growth this year. There is a section of green stem, which is the recent new growth. There is a section with smooth brown bark, then beneath it the rough bark of last year’s growth. The cuttings you take should be about halfway between the green growth and the rough barky, growth. The length of the cutting is equally important. It should be 6-10 inches long and have good green leaves at the end. Remove all but two or three, apply fresh rooting hormone to the cut end, stick it in well draining medium, and you’re good to go. You still have time to root hibiscus, so get a hurry on! **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Blame Nutrient Imbalance for Deformed Fruit](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/blame-nutrient-imbalance-for-deformed-fruit/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am in Zone 8b (South Carolina) — should I prune my 3-year-old Meyer lemon plant in January to stimulate more growth in spring? It has lots of lime green leaves, but it bore large deformed fruit last spring. How can I rectify this?** **A:** I think January is a bit early in Zone 8b to prune. You risk frost damage to new growth. Wait till February or March. A couple of factors cause deformed fruit. The major one is the nutrient balance in the soil. Too much nitrogen or too little phosphorus can cause malformed fruit. A disease called lemon scab is a common cause, too. Have the soil tested by the local extension office, and make it a habit to spray the tree with a homeowner copper fungicide after its fruit is gone each year. **Categories:** Fruits --- ### [Who to Consult About Loropetalum Size](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/who-to-consult-about-loropetalum-size/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I saw your page online about sizes of loropetalums. I looked up a plant that you said would grow to 6 to 8 feet, but other sources online say it grows anywhere from 8 to 18 feet. There is no consensus on sizes. I’m a** **semi-professional landscaper, and I can’t make a decision when the sizes given are so different. I have a client who wants a hedge of loropetalums, full sun, drought tolerant, 6 to 8 feet tall. Which one would you recommend? — Jeff B., email** **A:** In the late ’90s, when the only cultivars widely available were “Ruby,” “Blush” and Purple Diamond *(cq)*, gardeners commonly complained about missed predictions. I planted a new “Zhuzhou Fuchsia” in front of my soon-to-be-wife’s house, assuring her that it would only grow to be 4 feet tall. The fact that I had to use a chainsaw to remove it tells you my story. Now, 25 years later, the big growers have had enough experience to be pretty sure their predicted heights will come true. This is what I do if I want to know about a particular plant: I go to the websites of the four southeastern Extension Services that I trust (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina*,* and Florida) plus the Missouri Botanical Garden (MOBOT) which has a wonderful plant finder (links below). I would probably visit the website of a major grower (Proven Winners, Monrovia, McCorkle Nursery). From all this information, I draw a conclusion about the size of the plant. I might also run it by a small group of landscaper friends to get their experiences. This way, I get a true picture of the plant. For your situation, I recommend Ever Red loropetalum. I’ve collected links to all the sources referenced above at [bit.ly/GAgoodhort](http://bit.ly/GAgoodhort). **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Ivy Likes it Dry](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/vines/ivy-likes-it-dry/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We had beautiful swaths of ivy alongside our driveway and as ground cover on a slope in our backyard. About five years ago, we lost all of the ivy along our driveway. Now we are losing the ivy in the back. Is there anything we can do to prevent the ivy in the back from dying? Can we replace the ivy along the driveway, or will it die?** **A:** There are three common ivy diseases: Stem rot is caused by fungi, anthracnose is caused by fungi*,* and bacteria cause bacterial leaf spot. The bottom line to remember is that all three of these diseases are associated with too much water in the soil or on the leaves. This means that your very first effort should be to stop water from flowing under the ivy and cease any overhead irrigation, if present. The ivy will slowly recover if it is kept dry. For the fastest recovery, apply a pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer over 100 square feet of ivy bed, then spray the entire area with a liquid copper fungicide/bactericide. **Categories:** Vines --- ### [GroundClear Works When Directions are Followed](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/groundclear-works-when-directions-are-followed/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a big patch of weeds in the backyard that I have been fighting for years. I sprayed them with some weed killer and piled four inches of wood chips on top. They still came through. What do you think about using GroundClear?** **A:** I think you should read the GroundClear label very carefully. GroundClear is a good product when used according to directions. However, it’s easy to go wrong, particularly with the warning not to use over the root zone of trees or shrubs. The roots of shrubs can be 2 to 5 times the width of their canopy. Tree roots can extend 1-2 times their height. The chemical in GroundClear soaks several inches into the soil. If a shrub or tree has shallow roots in the area, the chemical can kill the shrub or tree. Do you have any shade trees in the backyard? The tiny feeder roots can extend 20 to 30 feet beyond the drip line. Similarly, for shrubs, your ancient azalea or prized fig could have roots 20 feet away. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Pest Plants --- ### [Dead but not Leafless Points to a Water Issue](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/dead-but-not-leafless-points-to-a-water-issue/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a dead Japanese maple in my back yard that I planted about 15 years ago. It looked great this spring, but then all the leaves suddenly turned brown and died. I have several other Japanese maples in the yard, and they’re all doing fine. Any thoughts?** **A:** For a Japanese maple to die like that with all the leaves still on the tree points to a possible water issue. Water is the only thing that can be cut off rapidly, causing leaves to stay on the tree. The water issue could be caused by a beetle infestation blocking water from reaching the branches. To confirm that, look for tiny toothpick-like projections on the trunk and/or branches. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Plum Curculio Burrows in Plum Fruits](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/plum-curculio-burrows-in-plum-fruits/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Why do all of the plums on my plum tree have bug holes in them? The tree was full, but the plums were no good.** **A:** Damage to the plum probably came from the plum curculio, a weevil-like insect. It sticks its nose into the young fruit and feeds, and then lays eggs in the wound. The young curculio changes to a grub that feeds on the plum. They can be controlled with a fruit tree insecticide. **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals --- ### [Needled Evergreens Hide Injury](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/needled-evergreens-hide-injury/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My dwarf Alberta spruce is growing in a plastic whiskey barrel, and it has recently developed brown patches of dead needles. I have shaken the limbs over white paper to check for mites, and none were apparent. It is growing on the roof of my carport. I wonder if I need to have it moved to the ground, but sunshine is at a premium.** **A:** Your first job should certainly be to move the tree into the ground. The plastic whiskey barrel is too small for the roots of a big tree like an Alberta spruce. I think the brown spots are due to the dry soil in the barrel. The needles in the brown spots will not come back; in fact, the whole tree may not come back. Needled evergreens, like spruce, cypress, and arborvitae, don’t show drought injury as obviously as other trees do. Your Alberta spruce might be at the end of its rope, but you won’t know it. Wherever you plant it, make sure it’s watered, but I make no guarantees. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, General Garden Info --- ### [Squirrels Cause Pine Debris](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/squirrels-cause-pine-debris/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is causing healthy-looking clumps of pine needles to break off and fall from our towering pine tree? Dozens of these pine needle clumps with immature pine cones have been collecting on the ground. This has been going on for weeks, but I don’t remember it happening in years prior.** **A:** This is the time of year when squirrels begin breaking off mature pine cones and eating the seeds. They pull off the pine cone scales one by one and eat the seed at the base of each. You have probably seen the “cobs” of the cones on the ground as well. Pine cones take two or three years to mature. Fully developed cones are sometimes accompanied by younger cones at branch tips. A hungry squirrel comes along and tears off the bigger cone. This weakens the joint between the branch and needles. It’s not unusual for a spray of needles and a smaller cone to break off and fall to the ground. So that’s the story, morning glory! **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Garden Info --- ### [Well Rotted Means Well Suited for Mulch](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/well-rotted-means-well-suited-for-mulch/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a pile of sawdust from grinding a pine tree stump. It is now well rotted. Can this be used as mulch?** **A:** The key words are ‘well rotted.’ As long as you can’t see individual chips in the pile, you can consider it well rotted and perfect for mulch, or it can be dug into the soil to loosen it. If you do see chips, the material can be used as mulch, but not dug into the soil. Fresh wood dug into the soil robs nitrogen from nearby plants. **Categories:** Lawn Care, General Garden Info --- ### [Chamberbitter Is a Terrible Nuisance](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/chamberbitter-is-a-terrible-nuisance/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What do you suggest as a good solution to the weed that some people call chamberbitter? It’s attacking our lawn fiercely.** **A:** Chamberbitter is a terrible nuisance. One habit that makes it worse than other weeds is that it’s tropical in nature, so it germinates in early summer rather than in spring like we’re used to. It shows up in July when the best way to control it has already passed. You have two options: spray with chemicals or hand-pull. A preemergent chemical applied in April and early June will go a long way toward controlling this nuisance weed. The most effective chemicals to apply are atrazine and isoxaben. Atrazine is labeled for broadleaf weed control in centipede and St. Augustine lawns. Isoxaben can be used on other lawn grasses. Once chamberbitter has sprouted, use a broadleaf weedkiller with four ingredients, like 2,4-D, dicamba, mecoprop (MCPP), sulfentrazone, or calfentrazone. **Categories:** Pest Plants --- ### [Surprise Lily Can Be Planted Anytime](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/surprise-lily-can-be-planted-anytime/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I accidentally dug up some *Amaryllis belladonna* bulbs. When is a good time to replant them? Some of ‘em are big!** **A:** Even though the second word of this flower’s Latin name means ‘pretty woman,’ their common name is ‘naked ladies.’ They get this name from their habit of sprouting leaves in spring, only to have them die and disappear in June. But come August, when a gardener might regret devoting a square inch of garden to this drab plant, one morning there’s a beautiful bunch of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers! Surprise! (Another name for this flower is ’surprise lily.’) I’m surprised you hit the bulbs of this lily by accident. Some of these suckers are as big as two fists. So now comes the simple answer to your question: Amaryllis belladonna can be planted any time in the Atlanta area with two cautions: if planted in fall, be sure to mulch thickly with pine straw for protection from cold; if planted in late spring, be sure to water regularly in summer. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Aerial Tubers, not Potato Berries](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/aerial-tubers-not-potato-berries/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I found three pink, thumb-sized things growing 6 inches above ground, attached to my potato plant. I don’t think they are potato berries because they are hard like a potato. They don’t appear to be potatoes because potatoes exposed to sunlight turn green. I am stumped because I’ve never run across something like this before.** **A:** A berry is the seeds and flesh left when a flower fades, so you do not have a berry. What you have are aerial tubers, actual potatoes which sometimes form at wounds on the stem. Injuries break the phloem tubes in the stem. The sugars produced by the leaves have no place to go, so the plant forms aerial tubers as a storage site. They can be planted and will sprout, but don’t be tempted to eat one because high glycoalkaloid content from exposure to the sun, even under a pink skin, makes them toxic. **Categories:** Food Gardening --- ### [Wait Until Spring to Plant Crepe Myrtle](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/wait-until-spring-to-plant-crepe-myrtle/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We recently had a pine tree removed and the stump ground up. We are thinking of replacing that space with a crepe myrtle. It gets full morning and afternoon sun. Should we plant now or wait until spring?** **A:** I think you should wait until early spring. My reasoning is that you need to give the stump chips as much time as possible to break down. It’s impossible to separate all the stump chips from the soil that piled up when the stump was ground. The chips take nitrogen out of the soil for their own purposes, leaving little for the crepe myrtle. They will not be completely broken down by then, so take that into account and add extra nitrogen for the crepe myrtle. I recommend you mix a half pint of 10-10-10 fertilizer with the soil that you use to backfill the hole. By June, you’ll find out if this is enough fertilizer. If it’s not enough, the leaves of the crepe myrtle will be a light yellow. If this is the case, scatter a pint of 10-10-10 around the area. Eventually, the wood chips will give back the nitrogen they absorbed, but it will be gradual. Keep an eye on the leaves: green is good, yellow is bad. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Joro Spiders Can Extrude Silk for Up to 70 Feet](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/joro-spiders-can-extrude-silk-for-up-to-70-feet/) **Published:** December 19, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve noticed spider silk stretching straight across my yard from tree to tree. They look like high tension wires! How do they do that?** **A:** You are seeing dragline silk that female Joro spiders have extruded through their spinnerets, located on the abdomen. The spiders build their webs by extruding silk until it catches a breeze, which takes the end to an attachment point. They string bridgeline between other attachment points, gradually building an organized framework from which they can attach the sticky capture silk. There is a great illustration of this at [bit.ly/GAsilk](https://bit.ly/GAsilk "https://bit.ly/GAsilk"). The threads of silk are incredibly strong and elastic, as you have found when walking in your yard and running into a web. Joros can extrude silk for up to 70 feet, which can obviously make a massive web. Do what many do: Hold a cut branch in front of your face to catch the web before it catches you. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Rose Rosette Renders Roses Ruined](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/rose-rosette-renders-roses-ruined/) **Published:** December 19, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: By all accounts, my rose garden succumbed to a virus this summer called rose rosette. It is truly a horrific process to watch. Should I remove the bushes or wait to see how they fare in the coming year? Also, what is the cause of said virus? After several decades of cultivating roses, I have never experienced such a disease. Is there truly no chemical that can counteract this process?** **A:** If it turns out your roses have rosette, you should remove the bushes immediately. The mites that spread the disease can be active in winter and could spread it to any healthy roses you have. Unfortunately, the disease is universally fatal; removal is the only way to fight it. We are talking total removal of the plant: stems, roots and leaves. You cannot replant roses in the spot for two years. The mites that spread the disease are microscopic, which means you should not use a leaf blower which could blow the mites to someone else’s yard. There are no chemicals that can kill the mites. If you want to do rose growers a favor, be on the lookout for other roses that have rose rosette and attempt to tell the owner what I’ve told you. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals --- ### [Armyworms Blown In From Florida](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/armyworms-blown-in-from-florida/) **Published:** December 19, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Q: We had a bad problem with armyworms in our Bermuda lawn in September. What would you recommend to prevent them, and what process should we follow if they come back?** **A:** You can’t get rid of them permanently, since many arrive here riding on storm winds from Florida. Control of the visitors is not hard. Any sprayable lawn insecticide can be applied in a coarse spray over the grass. Wet the grass thoroughly and do not mow for three days after application. Products containing *Bacillus thuringiensis* (also known as *B.t.)* are effective only on small (1/2 inch or less) worms. Irrigate before treating to move caterpillars up and out of thatch that has accumulated under the grass. The good news is that armyworms will not hurt a healthy lawn permanently. Fall armyworms rarely kill grass, but some lawns may be severely weakened. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Lawn Care **Tags:** Pesticide --- ### [Sichuan Peppercorns - Grow in Georgia? -Toothache Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/sichuan-peppercorns-grow-in-georgia-2/) **Published:** December 22, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I would like to know if Sichuan peppercorns could be grown in Georgi**a. A: Sichuan pepper comes from trees native to Asia whose seeds are used in food to produce a mouth-numbing, tickling sensation. I’ve enjoyed it at local Chinese eateries. The genus of the trees is *Zanthoxylum*, the same as the native prickly-ash (toothache tree), *Zanthoxylum americanum*, and Hercules club, *Zanthoxylum clava-herculis*. The peppercorn tree is cold hardy in our area but I don’t know if it could tolerate our summers. Complicating matters is that there are separate sexes, so you’ll need a female tree to get flowers and the spice-producing seeds. Look online for seeds and report back! [![hercules club 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hercules-club-2-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hercules-club-2-scaled.jpg) [![Hercules club](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hercules-club-4-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hercules-club-4-scaled.jpg)Hercules club flower **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Seed, Summer --- ### [Browning Hosta Needs Water](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/browning-hosta-needs-water/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My hosta has yellow leaves with brown edges. Is it a fungal disease or a symptom of heat and drought?** **A:** Absolutely, it’s heat and drought! Cells at the edge, tip, or top of plants are always the youngest and need the most water. If they don’t get it, they turn brown. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage **Tags:** hosta --- ### [Surprise Lily Won’t Bloom](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/surprise-lily-wont-bloom/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My red spider lilies never fail to produce blossoms in early September. My son in Mississippi planted some several years ago, and his just will not bloom. He says he didn’t plant them too deep. His lilies sprout like normal, but they are only putting up leaves, not blossoms; the leaves die down in spring, as do mine, and disappear during the summer. Then in the fall, his plants just put up more leaves but will not bloom.** **A:** Are you sure he planted spider lily bulbs? A spider lily’s scientific name is *Lycoris radiata*. It is sometimes called “surprise lily.” A *Lycoris squamigera* bulb is similar in appearance and is also called “surprise lily.” Both bulbs are common at gardener plant swaps. If he just grabbed a paper bag labeled Surprise Lily, it might be either of these. The big difference between the two is that *L. radiata* leaves have a distinct gray stripe down the center of each leaf. *L. squamigeria* leaves are silvery green and are typically broader and taller. Even if it is a true spider lily, it may just need more time. They have a reputation for being reluctant to bloom until fully established. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage **Tags:** suprise lily --- ### [Leafless, Dying Azalea](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/leafless-dying-azalea/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have old azalea bushes that have leafless, dying branches. What could cause this?** **A:** You will have to get on your hands and knees and inspect each of the limbs of your azalea. Particularly inspect the dead or dying limbs to see if you can find a starting point for the damage. Many times, you can simply prune back the dead part, and either the stub will sprout new leaves, or the limbs on either side of the gap will send branches into it. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage **Tags:** Azalea --- ### [Not Asian Ambrosia Beetles Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/not-asian-ambrosia-beetles-identification/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Our 20-plus year-old Japanese Maple has shown signs of Asian ambrosia beetle infestation since last year. On inspection, I removed sawdust and decayed wood and found white, living insects inside the trunk, along with occasional small black/brown beetles. I have not observed the characteristic “toothpick” frass typically associated with the Asian ambrosia beetle.** **A:** You don’t see Asian ambrosia beetles because you’re looking at a different boring beetle. According to the pictures you sent, they are working in a wound in the tree trunk. Different beetles specialize in the damage they do to unprotected wood. I suspect these are another kind of ambrosia beetle that bores deeply in sapwood and kicks out lots of sawdust. These beetles can be controlled by soaking the wood where you see the holes with insecticide. This has to be done at least twice a year. The reason your Japanese maple has continued to thrive is that there is still some unharmed bark next to the wound. Moisture and nutrients travel under healthy bark. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Stinkhorn Mushrooms Earn Their Name](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/stinkhorn-mushrooms-earn-their-name/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: All summer we have had an infestation of nasty stinkhorn mushrooms in our mulch beds. We see the little mushroom balls that eventually bloom into odorous glory. These are not great for entertaining guests on the patio. My understanding is the only remedy is to remove all the mulch and scrape the topsoil … and then start over with a different kind of mulch.** **A:** I think the recommendation to scrape the mulch and topsoil is excessive. You don’t have to replace the mulch unless the stinkhorn balls are found throughout. The way to eliminate stinkhorns and have a more pleasant patio environment is to keep the mulch dry. A good way to dry out mulch is to rake it a few times with a leaf rake. If it’s being irrigated, stop until we have a freeze and it gets too cold for the mushrooms to develop. **Categories:** Lawn Care, General Garden Info --- ### [Pruning a Fig Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/pruning-a-fig-tree/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a very large fig tree: 15 feet tall with a spread of 25 feet. Using an 8 foot ladder and a 3 foot pruning hook, I cannot reach anywhere near the figs at the top. I would like to get it down to a manageable size, maybe 8 feet tall. How do I prune it without doing damage?** **A:** If you examine a fig tree or bush, you’ll see that most of the figs are produced at the middle and ends of branches where there is a lot of foliage. Your goal should be to maximize the number of leaves on the tree by first pruning away nonproductive wood (dead branches), then branches that point down or grow straight up from the base. That done, take a break and decide how wide you want the tree to be and which limbs will go and which will stay. Fig trees, unlike fig bushes, do best when shaped with several larger scaffold limbs spaced at gradually decreasing intervals up the trunk. Leave the small twigs growing on the trunk and scaffold branches. The vast majority of your cuts will be “thinning” cuts, where you cut limbs back to 2 to 4 inches from where another limb is growing in a good direction. You’ll have a big pile of branches when you’re finished. Avoid “heading” cuts, where you simply shorten a limb, although this may be necessary for some scaffold limbs. Your original fig tree has a huge root system, and you’ll get tremendous growth from the branches around where you remove limbs. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Stinky Irises Caused By Borers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/stinky-irises-caused-by-borers/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have brown spots on our bearded iris leaves and stems. Some of them are dying and have a bad smell. Do you have any idea what could be causing this?** **A:** You have two problems: iris leaf spot and iris borers. Removing and destroying dead leaves will help control the disease and the insects. The bad smell is caused by iris borers which have entered the iris through the leaves and traveled to the roots. The borers feed on the iris roots and infect them with bacteria, causing the foul smell you notice. If you look at the base of your irises and find rotting tissue, dig the iris up and discard it. For leaf spot, spray four to six times with chlorothalonil or myclobutanil starting when leaves appear in the spring. Repeat this every 7-10 days. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage **Tags:** borer, iris --- ### [You Can Keep Pincushion Moss](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/you-can-keep-pincushion-moss/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have an old, tall, pine that has moss circling around its base. Should I try to remove it or leave it alone?** **A:** I’m not a moss expert, but your moss looks like pincushion moss. It’s a common, attractive, clump-forming moss. It feeds on sunlight, moisture and minerals it absorbs from whatever it is growing on. It does not harm anything I can find. I think it’s growing at the base of the pine because the environment is highly organic, with plenty of dissolved chemicals that wash down the bark. I have even seen soap suds at the bottom of pine trees, because some of the things that come down are saponins that behave like soap. I don’t think you need to remove the moss. **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** moss --- ### [Broad Leaf Tree Container](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/broad-leaf-tree-container/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Could you suggest an umbrella-shaped tree with large leaves that would provide shade in an area that gets full sun? The tree will be planted in a container 4 feet wide.** **A:** I think your only option for an umbrella-shaped tree that provides shade is big leaf magnolia because it has huge leaves and can take full sun if the root system is healthy. The container could be a big problem. A tree should be planted so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil. The tree roots would be stressed if planted as you describe. A shrub would be better suited for the space. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees **Tags:** tree --- ### [Prune Double-Trunked Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/prune-double-trunked-tree/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I bought two of these trees 18 months ago. They are about 8 feet tall and growing well, except one has a double trunk. Should I prune away the smaller trunk even though it is close in size to the main trunk?** **A:** Your dawn redwood may be only 8 feet tall now, but it will soon be 70 feet tall. When that happens, even a gentle breeze can put a great amount of strain on the joint between the two trunks. The smaller trunk will pull away from the larger one with tremendous force. This will split the tree, and it will likely rot and die. Cut the small one as close as you can to where it attaches to the larger one. Leave a little ring of bark on the big one to begin the healing process. In a few years, you’ll have a target-shaped scar and a single trunk to grow properly. If you bought this tree at a nursery, it would have been a simple task for them to clip off the smaller trunk before it got so large. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees **Tags:** dawn redwood --- ### [Summer Pruning vs Spring Pruning Hydrangeas](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/summer-pruning-vs-spring-pruning-hydrangeas/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a big leaf hydrangea that blooms blue. It’s old and fairly large. This year it did not bloom at all, so should I still wait until spring to prune? Ironically, I have a white hydrangea that is smaller, and it had its best blooming season ever this summer with extra-large blooms.** **A:** The reason your blue blooming hydrangea has not flowered is because you are pruning in spring. Its flower color points to it being *Hydrangea macrophylla*. This species makes flower buds on last year’s growth, so you cut them all off by pruning in the spring. The white blooming hydrangea is likely *Hydrangea arborescens* or *H. paniculata*. These hydrangeas make flower buds in late spring, so pruning in early spring is fine. For more detail, see [bit.ly.GAhydrangeas](http://bit.ly.GAhydrangeas "https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hydrangea-identification-and-pruning/") **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage **Tags:** Hydrangea --- ### [You don’t always have to kill chinch bugs](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/you-dont-always-have-to-kill-chinch-bugs/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My St. Augustine grass has a problem. Large areas are drying out, but water does not help. Do you think I am going to need to replace the brown areas?** **A:** I think you have chinch bugs. You may not need to replace the grass at all. Several years ago, I had a gorgeous St. Augustine lawn. St. Augustine is not a common lawn grass in metro Atlanta because it’s not very cold-hardy. I selected St. Augustine grass from a house in Candler Park, which had had St. Augustine grass for 20 years. I theorized that the 20-year-old St. Augustine grass had already survived several cold winters, and the susceptible grass was gone. I planted the runners at my house in Decatur where they prospered. Despite not being cold-hardy, St. Augustine grass is very shade-tolerant, and shade is what I had. A large crape myrtle was encroaching on the sunny side of the lawn. Fast forward 10 years, and the St. Augustine grass was covered with shade. Not only that, but the grass had turned brown. There were bare spots in the lawn that had not been there before. At first, I suspected drought, but no matter how much I watered, no improvements could be seen. I used my fingers to part a thin clump of grass and examined the base. I saw hundreds of tiny insects, the largest of which was barely an eighth of an inch long. The body was dark, but short white wings could be seen folded flat on top. I spotted smaller insects that were red. I had chinch bugs! After a few minutes of thought, I did not reach for a bag of lawn insecticide. I had enjoyed the lightning bugs flashing over the lawn recently. I remembered the ground bees emerging from the soil to pollinate my blueberries during the last spring. Good gardeners should always keep in mind that their actions rarely affect only one part of the ecosystem. I like lightning bugs and the bees that work for me, so applying insecticide to control chinch bugs would have affected both. Consider this for your situation. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** chinch bug --- ### [Spring Dead Spot Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/spring-dead-spot-identification/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My Bermuda grass had been looking great — nice and green. However, in the last two weeks it has developed yellow patches — some of which have green blades in the center. Can you tell if this is a fungus or something else?** **A:** Dollars to doughnuts, it is the disease known as spring dead spot (SDS), though it grows most prominently in the fall. Once a grass leaf is infected, the fungus travels down the leaf to the rhizomes and roots, although its progress may be slow. This is a very difficult disease to stop. Control begins with identification, which is done through your local Extension office. Spread seems to be associated with high amounts of nitrogen. Nitrogen fertilizer sure makes a bermuda lawn look great, but it can exacerbate or ameliorate the disease depending on which species of the fungus you have. If you are sure you have correctly identified the fungus and that you are using the correct amount of fertilizer, begin a schedule of deep aerification and thatch removal. Chemical control of the disease is difficult because some fungicides are not very effective. From this description, it may seem like you have a tough row to hoe, and you do, but if you don’t get started, the yellow patches may grow several inches every year. The disease also causes some varieties of Bermuda grass to be less tolerant of cold weather. If you follow the correct steps (observation, identification, adjusting maintenance practices, choosing proper chemicals), you can start. Begin the application of fungicide when soil temperatures are between 50 and 70 degrees. Fungicides should be irrigated into the soil with copious amounts of water. Good luck. You’ll need it! **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** bermuda grass, spring dead spot --- ### [Sod - Watering New](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/sod-watering-new/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** The best time to water a lawn is in the morning, preferably before noon. This allows the grass to dry before nightfall, reducing the risk of disease. Take recent rainfall into account when deciding how much to apply. Watering restrictions may impact how often you can irrigate. Check [**Georgia Drought**](https://www.drought.gov/states/georgia) for the latest information. If restrictions mandate watering every other day, the schedules below may be modified to fit the rules. In order to water properly, you have to know how much water your system applies in a given amount of time. How to measure the amount of water applied by irrigation: - Place six identical containers randomly in the area wetted by one sprinkler. It is possible to measure your whole system at one time but you’ll need three containers for each sprinkler zone. Plastic cups can be used but weigh them down with a heavy washer in the bottom of each. • Let your sprinkler run for an hour. • Measure the depth of water that has accumulated in each cup. • Calculate the average of the depths. This gives you the amount (in inches) that has been applied in an hour. • Make a mental calculation of how long it will take to apply an inch of water. • Don’t be surprised if your sprinkler must run for more than an hour to apply the water your lawn needs. **WATERING NEW SOD** • One inch of water immediately after sod is laid. • Apply enough water daily to prevent the top one inch of soil from drying until sod is rooted to the soil. Gently tug on sod pieces to check rooting. The soil should **not** be soggy – just moist. Soggy soil leads to root disease. • After sod is rooted, apply one-fourth inch of water every third day for nine days. • Next apply one-half inch of water every fifth day for ten days. • After this establishment period, apply one inch of water per week for the rest of the growing season. • There is no need to water if rainfall supplies the correct amount. **(Use good judgment on the water amounts listed above. They may differ somewhat depending on what time of year you’re planting.)** •• Use a trowel to check how far water soaks into the soil after irrigation. •• Heavy clay soil slowly absorbs water. If water runs off before it is absorbed, split the irrigation into two sessions an hour apart. •• Sandy soil absorbs water rapidly but dries out quickly. Consider splitting the recommended inch of water per week into two irrigations of one-half inch of water three days apart. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/sprinkler.jpg "sprinkler") **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Irrigation, Oak, Soil, Watering --- ### [Sod - Proper Watering Despite Bad Instructions from Landscaper](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/sod-proper-watering/) **Published:** December 31, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Three weeks ago I had bermuda sod installed. The landscaper set up the irrigation timers so each zone came on twice a day for five minutes. I noticed a brown patch in one corner of the yard after four days. I was at a big box nursery and mentioned this to the associate. He suggested increasing watering to fifteen minutes, with the last watering at 7 p.m. Some of the lawn is still brown. What should I do?** A: I’m sure both of them are nice people, but neither of your advisers gave you good advice. Five minutes of irrigation is useless, except maybe daily in the first week when the sod is not yet rooted. After that you should be slowly adjusting the schedule back to one deep watering (1″) per week. You have to physically measure your system’s delivery rate to find out how long it takes to put out that much water. Click on the link below for instructions. A 7:00 p.m. watering is a sure way to promote fungal disease. The grass stays too wet for too long. Water after 7:00 a.m and before noon. to allow drying time. I have notes on how to water new sod properly at[ http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/sod-watering-new/](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/sod-watering-new/). **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Brown Patch, Disease, Irrigation, Landscaper, Watering --- ### [Bermuda - Optimal Watering Time](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermuda-optimal-watering/) **Published:** December 24, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A simple question: what is the best time of the day to water an established bermuda lawn?** A: The answer is unequivocal: lawn watering is best done in the morning. This allows two things to happen: the grass blades dry quickly, before fungi can grow on them, and less water is wasted due to hot temperatures in the afternoon. Use catch cups to measure how much water your system applies and adjust it to deliver an inch of water once per week during the summer, allowing grass roots to dry a bit before the next watering. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping **Tags:** Summer, Temperature, Watering --- ### [Websites with Good Information about Landscape Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/websites-for-good-information-about-landscape-plants/) **Published:** August 28, 2025 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** This is what I do if I want to know about a particular plant: I go to the websites of the four southeastern Extension Services that I generally trust (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida) plus the Missouri Botanical Garden (MOBOT), which has a wonderful plant finder. I would probably visit the website of a major grower (Proven Winners, Monrovia, McCorkle’s Nursery). From all this information, I draw a conclusion about the size of the plant. I might also run it by a small group of landscaper friends to get their experiences. This way I get a true picture of the plant. Georgia Extension Horticulture: [bit.ly/GAexthort](http://bit.ly/GAexthort) North Carolina Extension Service: [bit.ly/GANCexthort](http://bit.ly/GANCexthort) South Carolina Extension Service: [bit.ly/GASCexthort](http://bit.ly/GANCexthort) Florida Extension Service: [bit.ly/GAFLexthort](http://bit.ly/GAFLexthort) Missouri Botanical Garden (MOBOT): [bit.ly/GAmobot](http://bit.ly/GAmobot) Proven Winners: [bit.ly/GAprovwin](http://bit.ly/GAprovwin) Monrovia: [bit.ly/GAmonrovia](http://bit.ly/GAmonrovia) McCorkle Nursery: [bit.ly/GAmccorkle](http://bit.ly/GAmccorkle) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ruby-Falls-Redbud-Tree-300x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/KRcf6EmrdusA-1-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [World Naked Gardening Day](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/world-naked-gardening-day/) **Published:** May 2, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** [World Naked Gardening Day](http://wngd.org/) (NSFW) is celebrated each year on the first Saturday in May. People across the globe are encouraged to tend their portion of the world’s garden unclothed . As the organizers say: **“It’s fun, costs no money, runs no unwanted risk, reminds us of our tie to the natural world, and does something good for the environment.”** Below are pictures of me celebrating(?) in previous years. Scroll to the bottom for a picture of some naked ladies….and join me for a new celebration for folks who don’t care to garden unclothed: **[World Pajama Gardening Day](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/world-pajama-gardening-day/)**! One of my favorite bands to listen to while gardening is [Barenaked Ladies.](http://barenakedladies.com/) ![DSCN6401](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN6401.jpg)sun on my back, plant in my hand ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/WNGD-Ashton-scaled.jpg)Ashton Ritchie says “When feeding your lawn on WNGD be sure to go Natural.” ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/WNGD-Paradise-Valley.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/0502171341-e1494024469822-scaled.jpg)local gardener deciding how much to prune ![DSCN6370](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN6370.jpg)off to the compost pile ![Ashton Ritchie plants his pot](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ashton-R-naked-gardening-2.jpg)Ashton Ritchie plants his pot ![DSCN6383](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN6383.jpg)what to cut? ![DSCN6388](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN6388.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/WNGD-1-e1494024780624-scaled.jpg)local gardener wears shoes on WNGD [![me, next to a light in my back yard](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/moon-star-light.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/moon-star-light.jpg)me, next to a light in my back yard ![my garden angel at night](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/WP-angel.jpg)my garden angel at night [![no bare naked soil](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/no-bare-naked-soil-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/no-bare-naked-soil-scaled.jpg) [![Naked ladies (Lycoris squamigera)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/naked-ladies.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/naked-ladies.jpg)Naked ladies (*Lycoris squamigera*) **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Naked --- ### [Bedstraw - Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bedstraw-control/) **Published:** April 23, 2016 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a pesky weed which I don’t have any idea what it is. It feels “sticky” to the touch. I have dug up this weed and made sure no roots were left but it still came back to haunt me! Could you please identify it and give me some suggestions to control it?** A: You have catchweed bedstraw. It’s an annual weed that comes up from seed each year. The seed can remain dormant in the soil for several year so that’s why it never disappears. If you pull it conscientiously every year it will eventually go away. Or use a landscape pre-emergent like Barricade (prodiamine) , Halts (*pendimethalin*), or Dimension (dithiopyr) APPLIED IN EARLY WINTER, BEFORE THE SEED GERMINATE . If it is away from your “good” plants, you could give it a short squirt of glyphosate . See also [Organic Weed Killers](http://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/organic-herbicides) ![IMG_5328](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_5328-scaled.jpg) ![IMG_5226](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_5226.jpg) ![IMG_5228](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_5228.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Herbs, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Glyphosate, Pears, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Soil, Weed --- ### [Deer Deterrent: Building a Fence Around Your Garden](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/deer-deterrent-how-high-to-build-a-fence/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: For a small home garden, how high do you think a fence should be to prevent deer from jumping into the garden to devour young tomatoes, emerging okra and other plants?** A: My brother has had success deterring deer, starting with an inherited four 4-foot high chain link chain-link fence for his garden area, including a few hosta. He extended all the fence posts up four feet using black plastic pipe, making each post eight feet high. Between the pipe extensions he attached four -foot heavy duty plastic mesh to which he hung reflective ribbon. He said that deer, seeing what they perceive as an eight -foot-high fence, devoured his unfenced hydrangeas instead I think this scheme could be enhanced by a second short fence, perhaps four 4 feet high, outside the tall fence. Now a deer has to contemplate jumping the little fence and then having enough room to jump the taller fence. I can see how think unfenced ornamentals would be more appealing. **UPDATE**: My brother remarks …” it doesnt matter how high the fence is if you forget to close the gate.” sigh… ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_0821.heic) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_0821-1.heic) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_0821-2-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/deer-damage-1-Mike-Childers-300x225.png) **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Some Perennials, like Daphne, Should be Called Decadennials](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/some-perennials-like-daphne-should-be-called-decadennials/) **Published:** May 12, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have enjoyed and looked forward to my daphne blooming in the spring. It has such a sweet fragrance. This winter it lost all its leaves, but I thought it would rejuvenate. So far no sign of growth. Should I replace it? I loved it for over 10 years**. A: Despite following all of the recommendations for care, I only got 10 years out of my daphne, too. In my experience, that seems about average for most people. Still, you enjoyed yours for over 10 years. I think we should have a name for plants that are not exactly annuals and not exactly perennials. I nominate daphne to be a “decadennial.” I think black-eyed Susan could also be a candidate. Landscaper Bruce Holiday nominates lavender; he usually replaces it after a few years. Garden designer Erica Glasener says that coneflower doesn’t does not persist more than five years in her garden. If you like, replace your daphne with another daphne, but I replaced my daphne planting three times with no success. Consider planting one of the smaller Hamamelis (witch hazel). If you temper your dreams with reality, you can have a great looking garden that will naturally change over time. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/daphne-flower-4-300x200.jpg)The sweet fragrance of a daphne cannot be ignored but the plant can be finicky. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/blackeyed-Susan-2-2-300x200.jpg)black-eyed Susan ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/witchhazel-2-300x200.jpg) witchhazel **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Rooting a Camellia in Soil, not Water](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/rooting-a-camellia-in-soil-not-water/) **Published:** May 12, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My neighbor gave me a few cuttings of camellia. Is it possible to root them in just water?** A: Woody plants will almost never root in water. In order to root, a plant needs to form a callus from which roots emerge. It’s difficult for woody plants to form a callus in water. The environment that a camellia cutting needs is constant humidity but not immersion in water. The best way to root a camellia is to take a six-inch cutting, then and fill a small pot with damp 1:1 potting soil and perlite. Cover the cutting with an overturned glass jar or a plastic bag and put it in a spot that gets reflected sunlight but never full sun. The process takes about three months. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/rooting-plants-200x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/rooting-bottle-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/rooting-stem-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Shrubs, How-To --- ### [Don't Kill The Ground Bees](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/dont-kill-the-ground-bees/) **Published:** May 12, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: In March and April there are little mounds of red dirt all over my lawn. I have seen little yellowish bees going down in the mounds. What do you suggest I use to eliminate the bees?** A: Don’t kill the bees! Ground bees are considered a “beneficial nuisance,” like the yellow jackets that consume caterpillars. But unlike yellow jackets, ground bees perform great feats of springtime pollination. The ones you see hovering above the ground are stingless male bees. The females fly quickly in and out of their soil tube homes, bringing in pollen to deposit with their eggs. They ignore intruders. Ground bee lives are short. The adults and the mounds are usually all gone by late April. Leave them alone or stand nearby and marvel at their industry. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ground-bee-1-unk-e1554234070105-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ground-bee-hole-41-300x199.jpg)ground bee hole **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Golden Kiwi Identification and Origin](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/golden-kiwi-identification-and-origin/) **Published:** May 12, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have seen gold kiwis and green kiwis at the store. I bought two gold kiwis and tasted them. They were much sweeter than the other kiwis. Where are they from and what’s the difference?** A: The gold kiwifruit, *Actinidia chinensis*, originated in New Zealand, growing from a batch of seed that had come from China. The seed was supposed to produce vines that bore green-fruited kiwifruit, *Actinidia deliciosa*, but one turned out yellow and was very sweet. After years of selective breeding the gold kiwi came to market first in other parts of the world and then America. Hundreds of acres were planted in New Zealand, but in 2010 a bacterial disease attacked that cultivar of gold-fruited kiwi. Scientists worked overtime to develop a new variety that was resistant to the disease. That’s the variety you bought in the store. Sadly, neither the yellow nor green kiwifruit are easy to grow here because winter cold kills the male vines. Without any partners, the female vine blooms in vain. That said, I have a friend in North Decatur who has the perfect situation for male and female vines. They are growing at the bottom of a low hill, surrounded by wind-blocking houses and trees. The vines yield bushels and bushels every year. If you want to try growing kiwi, don’t bother with the fuzzy kiwi you’re familiar with. Instead, investigate the hardy kiwi berry, *Actinidia arguta*. They taste the same as kiwifruit. **Categories:** Fruits --- ### [Pruning a Pomegranate for Proper Production](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/pruning-a-pomegranate-for-proper-production/) **Published:** May 12, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have a 4-year-old pomegranate. It is growing as a six foot tall multi-stemmed shrub. It appears lush and healthy, but it has never had more than two or three flowers and never any fruit. It gets sun from noon till late afternoon. Do you have some tips for getting it to flower and fruit?** A: First thing to do is to make sure you have heavy gloves. Pomegranates have thorns. My father, ungloved, had a pomegranate thorn in his palm that exited out through the back of his hand. Your second job is to make sure sunshine penetrates to the interior of your pomegranate. Remove dead, diseased, or spindly limbs. You say your plant is lush and healthy. I suspect you have fertilized it too much in the past. Use your judgment as to how many of the limbs that are left should be removed to allow light to penetrate. In early March, cut the growing tip off half the twigs. You will catch the pomegranate at the prime time for new growth. The new growth will produce fruiting spurs that will have flowers and fruit next year. **Categories:** Fruits --- ### [Italian arum - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/italian-arum-identification-2/) **Published:** May 11, 2025 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: An elderly friend gave me a couple of these plants last spring. He’s not sure what it is. They looked sickly all summer after I planted them. Then when fall and cooler weather came they took off like crazy. What is it?** A: It’s Italian arum – a GREAT winter plant for shade to part sun. I have mine combined with hellebores. CAUTION: This plant can be invasive in certain environments. It doesn’t seem so in mine, but I get random sprouts in unexpected places. Damp, shady woodlands have the most potential for invasiveness. The behavior you saw is simply the way it grows. It has a small tuber belowground that produces leaves in fall. The leaves grow rapidly and attractively through winter. In April you’ll see a white, cupped flower emerge from the center of a clump. It will have a small “finger” sticking up in the center. The finger will soon be covered with red berries – the seed of the plant. [According to one source](http://www.paghat.com/arum.html), the phallic appearance of the flower has given rise to several off-color comparisons to animal parts. “Cuckoo’s Pint” is the only one I can print here without blushing. Leaves will die off by summer and the berries will fall to the ground…where they will germinate and give you more arum to enjoy. CAUTION: All parts of this plant are toxic and irritate the skin. WEAR GLOVES WHEN HANDLING. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arum.jpg) Italian arum ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arumspathe.jpg) Italian arum flower ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arumberries.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/arum-leaf-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/arum-leaves-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Seed, Shade, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Italian arum - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/italian-arum-identification/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: An elderly friend gave me a couple of these plants last spring. He’s not sure what it is. They looked sickly all summer after I planted them. Then when fall and cooler weather came they took off like crazy. What is it?** A: It’s Italian arum – a GREAT winter plant for shade to part sun. I have mine combined with hellebores. The behavior you saw is simply the way it grows. It has a small tuber belowground that produces leaves in fall. The leaves grow rapidly and attractively through winter. In April you’ll see a white, cupped flower emerge from the center of a clump. It will have a small “finger” sticking up in the center. The finger will soon be covered with red berries – the seed of the plant. [According to one source](http://www.paghat.com/arum.html), the phallic appearance of the flower has given rise to several off-color comparisons to animal parts. “Cuckoo’s Pint” is the only one I can print here without blushing. Leaves will die off by summer and the berries will fall to the ground…where they will germinate and give you more arum to enjoy. CAUTION: All parts of this plant are toxic and irritate the skin. WEAR GLOVES WHEN HANDLING. CAUTION: This plant can be invasive in certain environments. It doesn’t seem so in mine, but I get random sprouts in unexpected places. Damp, shady woodlands have the most potential for invasiveness. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arum.jpg) Italian arum ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arumspathe.jpg) Italian arum flower ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arumberries.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Spring, Shade, Seed, Summer, Fall, Winter --- ### [Arum - Propagation](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/arum-propagation/) **Published:** March 1, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I just can’t figure out why a certain plant I have in my garden is not used more frequently. It is commonly called by its scientific name *Arum italicum* ‘Pictum’, but the Home and Garden Encyclopedia says another common name is “Cuckoo Pint”! I got my first plants from my friends Chip and Ingrid, who had lots of the arum growing under the oak tree in their front yard. I admire the glossy green leaves, veined in white, that appear in fall and persist in clumps through the winter. Soon this spring a greenish-white spade-like flower (a spathe) will unfurl in the center of each plant. In early summer, the center of the spathe becomes a green spike covered with green berries that change to brilliant orange by August. Arum is a terrific companion to hosta, another favorite garden plant. They are both tough, colorful and undemanding. Both, too, are easy to multiply. Any hosta clump that’s more than three years old can be dug in spring and divided into three or more individual plants. However, arum is best multiplied in a different way: by planting its seed. Remember the orange berries I mentioned above? Once they begin to fade I collect them and mash off the pulp, revealing individual black seeds inside. I plant them a half-inch deep in a foot-square corner of one of my raised beds and leave them there for the winter. By February, the seeds sprout *en masse*’ . A carpet of small leaves covers the soil where the seeds were inserted. I carefully divide the babies and transplant them to a shady “grow-out bed” for the rest of the summer. In this way I now have eighty new arum plants from the three I received originally from my friends. CAUTION: All parts of this plant are toxic and irritate the skin. WEAR GLOVES WHEN HANDLING. CAUTION: This plant can be invasive in certain environments. It doesn’t seem so in mine, but I get random sprouts in unexpected places. Damp, shady woodlands have the most potential for invasiveness. ![arum leaves](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arum-leaves.jpg "arum leaves")arum leaves ![arum spathe](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arum-spathe.jpg "arum spathe")arum spathe ![arum seeds](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/arum-seeds-3.jpg "arum seeds 3")arum seeds **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Oak, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Italian Arum- Collection](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/italian-arum-collection/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My Italian arum, ^Arum italicum^ ‘Pictum’, has finished blooming and now there is a stalk with a lot of green beads. I guess they are seed but how do I collect them?** A: CAUTION: All parts of the plant are toxic and irritating to the skin. WEAR GLOVES WHEN HANDLING THE BERRIES. Wait until the berries are all red and the stalk seems ready to fall down. Collect them and wash off the mushy pulp in a bowl of water. The hard black seeds can be planted immediately in a shady spot. I get close to 100% germination with mine. It will take two seasons of growth before the leaves achieve the attractive mottled appearance that makes them such a winter standout in my garden. CAUTION: This plant can be invasive in certain environments. If you plant it, it will come up in unexpected areas. It is particulary invasive in damp, shaded woodlands. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/arum-spathe-199x300.jpg)Italian arum flower ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/arum-seed-green-300x199.jpg)Immature berries ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Italian-Arum-225x300.jpg)Ready to pick \\ **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Seed, Winter --- ### [An Iris Relocation Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/an-iris-relocation-guide/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: We brought Iris bulbs from our family home in Michigan to plant in our Georgia flower beds. They are presently in a plastic sack on our garage floor. How and when should we plant them here?** A: Unlike in Michigan, in Georgia the soil rarely if ever freezes so hard that you can’t plant. That said, it’s probably a little chilly to suit irises now. When it warms up this spring, prepare a bed by thoroughly spading the soil to a depth of eight inches. If it’s our typical clay soil, you can add compost to prevent clumping. Remove three inches of soil from the bed. Now you have five inches of loose soil onto which you can lay the iris roots. Examine each of the roots that you brought. If any are rotten, soft, or appear unhealthy, do not plant them. Use a paring knife to cut out the unhealthy parts. You may see vestigial roots or hard stem bump that tell how to orient the roots. Place the roots about ten inches apart with the soil from the wheelbarrow and sprinkle slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote, Holly-tone, etc.) according to label directions. If the irises were growing strongly in Michigan, they should burst forth with color this spring. If not, they may take two years to have good flowering. Observe the flowers, and if you see a tin typically yellow “beard” coming from the center of the flower, you have a bearded iris, a common classification. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Lawn Care --- ### [Whiteflies Attack From Underleaf](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/whiteflies-attack-from-underleaf/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Something is destroying the foliage of my baptisia, and now the rosemary and pyracantha as well. It appears to be a sucking insect that removes the chlorophyll from the leaves. The back of the leaves are dirty looking. What do you think this is?** A: This sounds like whitefly damage because they are a common pest of pyracantha and baptisia. They congregate on the back side of leaves sucking sap from the cells. When there are a lot of them, many cells are sucked dry of chlorophyll. The sap they don’t digest is secreted as sticky honeydew. This coats leaves beneath the infested leaves and quickly turns black when the honeydew is colonized by sooty mold. Whiteflies are not big and they fly quickly when disturbed, but if you’re real slow about moving the leaves, you’ll see them underneath. Neem oil is a good spray because it suffocates the pests but leaves beneficial insects alone. The key is to cover the underside of the leaves with it. This can be difficult with a spray bottle that wants to spray upward in your face, but with deft usage of a short stick, you can fold the leaves over and the whiteflies will be exposed to the spray. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Wind vs Shrub: Preventing Uprooting](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/wind-vs-shrub-preventing-uprooting/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I planted eight shrubs in my back yard backyard in August. In late September, they blew over and broke the low-quality stakes that I had put in to hold them up. I righted them and put better stakes in, but the roots were damaged when they blew down. Could I have prevented them from blowing down?** A: I have good news and reassurance. You chose the perfect time to plant shrubs this year. There haven’t been any extended dry periods, and the soil has been warm up to December. Even though they may have been damaged by being uprooted, the warm soil and adequate moisture points to success. One of the best things to do for a shrub is to plant it properly to begin with. You should always dig a planting hole big enough to spread the root system out. Many times I see roots that are wound around inside a pot. They should always be unwound. If you neglect to do this, the roots will be very slow to explore surrounding soil as they should. In your case if you had spread the roots originally, they would have been less likely to topple. It would be difficult to correct them now without a lot of work, so I think you’re better off leaving the shrubs alone to establish on their own. **Categories:** Shrubs, General Q & A --- ### [Woody Just Means Old: Christmas Cacti Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/woody-just-means-old-christmas-cacti-care/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Why do some of my Christmas cacti develop a woody stem that eventually rots and falls off? We don’t over-water them. A couple of them will develop the woody stems. I usually break them off, save the green parts and try to root them. Do you have any suggestions?** A: Woody stems are an indication of an old plant and nothing can be done to prevent them. If they snap or break off, you should consider trimming some of the leaves when they come indoors in the fall to relieve weight. When you save the green leaves to root, break off only one or two segments at a time. Any more segments than this will lose moisture too rapidly and rarely root properly. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Transitioning to Mulch](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/transitioning-to-mulch/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: We currently have pine straw as a ground cover. We are going to replace that with mulch. Do we need to remove the pine straw or can we place the mulch directly over the pine straw?** A: One of the greatest benefits of mulch is its contribution of organic matter to the soil beneath. The pine straw that you have now will eventually decompose, but I know it’s a slow process. There’s no reason to remove it. The mulch on top will press the pine straw closer to the earth where moisture and insects can more readily break it down. Eventually, your beautiful mulch on top will begin to break down as well. You’ll have to replenish it with fresh mulch. I think organic mulch is the best thing for trees and shrubs in the landscape. The constant addition of organic matter feeds microorganisms, makes the soil hold water, and allows pore space to form. That’s why I’m not often in favor of using rocks, slate chips, or marble chips for mulch. **Categories:** General Garden Info --- ### [Does the house always win? Tips for St. Augustine lawns](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/does-the-house-always-win-tips-for-st-augustine-lawns/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: After reading about your success with St. Augustine grass in your own yard, I decided to gamble and sod my yard with palmetto St. Augustine last June. By August, I had the most beautiful grass in the entire neighborhood and arguably the entire city. It’s now January and there is still unmelted snow all over the place. Should I expect an autopsy report this spring that says “the house always wins” ?** A: St. Augustine grass in Atlanta is always a gamble. My lawn was started from sprigs taken from a lawn in Candler Park that had been a St. Augustine lawn for 20 years. I figured the plants that were most cold-hardy had survived cold winters and thrived and therefore were good candidates for my lawn. I took a 5-gallon plastic bucket and, with permission from the owners, I pulled sprigs about two feet long that were on the sidewalk on the edge of the street and the parking area. I stuffed them in the bucket, covered the ends of the sprigs with water, and headed home for more work. There, I cut each long sprig in half and used a short mattock to cut a divot in my existing lawn and shoved half of a 6-inch sprig in. The butt end of the mattock firmed the soil around the sprig and I moved twelve inches away and did the same thing again. I watered heavily every other day and lo and behold, most of the sprigs took root and started sprouting. Your palmetto St. Augustine is an excellent variety, very shade tolerant and deep green. Everybody who has St. Augustine lawn should know about chinch bugs. Eventually they will get to your St. Augustine as they eventually got to mine. I treated for them several years in a row but eventually they, and the deepening shade, caused the St. Augustine to thin, so I moved to mondo grass, which is not a grass, but a lily that looks like grass. It is thriving in deep shade. Mondo grass would not be appropriate for large areas in front of the house in full sun, but in the shadiest spots it sure looks nice. So we’ll just have to see what survives this winter’s cold in your lawn. Parts may be dead and parts may be alive. Take sprigs from there and plant in the dead areas. This will give you the best chance of beating the house. P.S. Red thread is caused by the fungus Laetisaria fuciformis, and pink patch is caused by Limonomyces roseipellis. All species of grass are susceptible to these diseases, though perennial rye and fescues are most at risk. Check online for controls. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Fending Off Zoysia Brown Patch Fungus](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia/fending-off-zoysia-brown-patch-fungus/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My Brookhaven lawn is zoysia and was installed in 2013. For many years it looked fine but a couple years ago it got brown patch fungus. Since then I have tried to control it without success. I’m on my third lawn treatment company and two years ago had most of it resodded. Nothing has worked and the problem is as bad as ever. It seems my choices at this point are to either live with it or switch the whole yard to fescue. Do I have any other options?** A: As soon as I saw that you were asking about zoysia, I had a picture in my mind of your lawn. Zoysia diseases develop slowly. I’m not surprised that it looked fine for some years before deteriorating. I have observed that most zoysia problems are the result of several years of misplaced management. The first problem that zoysia suffers is overfertilization. Zoysia should be fertilized no more than two or three times a year, starting when it’s at least 80% green in the spring and ending well before the first frost. Most homeowners want their lawns green and lush for as long as possible. They start fertilizing before the roots of the plant are capable of absorbing nutrients and they continue fertilization likewise too long in the fall. The result of this zoysia affection is extra fertilizer being applied and not used each year. It results in plants responding to cold weather more slowly than they should and to drought by remaining green longer than they should. The second major problem I see is mowing height set too high. Zoysia should be mowed at 2-2 1/2 inches. It’s easy to let the height sneak up on you. Four inch high zoysia looks about as good as two inch high zoysia. But four inch high zoysia contributes to a mat of thatch at the base of the plant which is a great place for disease to develop. Shorter mowing heights allow the grass to dry out and thatch doesn’t seem to be a problem. So what do I advise for you? First, lay off the fungicides. They will lead you down a slippery slope which will cause you to use more fungicide yet get less control. Know when to irrigate and try to keep your grass as dry as possible. This way you will defeat brown patch and other fungal diseases with less work. **Categories:** Zoysia --- ### [Nature Abhors a Vacuum: Moss Lawn Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/nature-abhors-a-vacuum-moss-lawn-care/) **Published:** May 7, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My grass lawn is becoming a moss lawn of its own accord. What can I do to help it become a moss lawn? Eliminate weeds and sparse grass?** A: Grass to moss is the direction of a lot of lawns. As trees grow larger, their shadow encroaches on what were formerly sunny lawns. Aristotle observed, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” Your thinning lawn is a vacuum that attracts plants that enjoy a shady environment. My colleague, Theresa Schrum, noted that “Nature always bats last.” You have wisely chosen to go in the direction nature wants to go anyway. Moss is not hard to grow as long as it’s moist continuously, even in summer. I would buy two or three lawn sprinklers and put them in the largest areas of your lawn and turn them on. The moisture footprint of the sprinklers tells you where to concentrate your moss lawn. It could be square, full circle or a half-circle — whatever your sprinkler’s pattern is. Connect them all to a hose manifold and connect the manifold to your faucet. Now all you have to do is turn on that one faucet to water your entire moss lawn multiple times a day when it’s hot. I have found that a very, very light spritz of glyphosate will kill weeds and grasses without much harm to the moss. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Burford Holly's Bountiful Berries](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/burford-hollys-bountiful-berries/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My neighbors and I have seen several beautiful trees around Atlanta that look like they are approximately 30 feet to 40 feet tall with berries, and we are curious if they make berries like this every year. I know the bushes do, but I am not sure about trees like this.** A: I have been astounded this year to see the number of berries on most hollies, but particularly the Burford hollies, which can be pruned to tree form. This holly has the ability to produce berries without needing pollination. This is called parthenogenesis, and Burford hollies aren’t the only plant that can do this. Burford holly combines three characteristics that make it outstanding: fast growth, parthenogenesis and hardiness. When the plant was discovered in Westview Cemetery in southwest Atlanta, it immediately stood out. Every Burford holly in the world came from here. I don’t know what causes bountiful berry years for Burford as well as hollies that need pollination, but I have some guesses. If there’s a hard rain when the flowers are open, it harms the pollen and pollen receptors in holly flowers. Warm weather is a must because cold-blooded insects slow down when it’s cool. The summer should be mild with no extreme dry periods. Given a good growing environment, hollies can amaze viewers driving past at 60 mph miles an hour. **Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Being Proactive About Lacebugs](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/being-proactive-about-lacebugs/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Last year my azaleas were attacked by lace bugs. Now, after the winter cold, I don’t see any bugs or evidence. I would prefer to use a systemic solution and be proactive. When do I start and with what?** A: Despite the cold earlier this year, there are still plenty of lacebugs lurking on the plants. Lacebugs have a very high reproductive rates. A few will become many before you know it. One of the best systemic insecticides is Imidacloprid. It is sold by several online purveyors as Dominion. A small amount of Dominion goes a long way. Be careful when you mix it and follow the label instructions carefully. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Connected allergies: banana, canna lilies, and more](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/connected-allergies-banana-canna-lilies-and-more/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I read your post about people reacting to canna lilies. It sure seems similar to what I experienced after drastically pruning my canna lilies before a freeze. Any time I’m working with them, I get blisters and bumps on my arms/hands.** **I want to be better educated on cannas, so I can safely interact with them if they indeed cause a cross allergy with banana. I know of the banana-latex allergy connection, as I’m violently allergic to latex and react to any latex adhesive or medical items made of latex.** A: Someone slipping on a banana peel is sometimes funny but an allergic reaction to bananas is not a laughing matter. Your banana allergy is not common but is linked to cannas because they, as well as ginger and bird-of-paradise, all belong to Order Zingiberales. It is usually the juice of the plant that causes the reaction. This leads us to another fact: people who are allergic to bananas are usually also allergic to latex products derived from the rubber tree, which is totally unrelated to the previously mentioned plants. Bottom line: canna and banana allergies are not unheard of. When working with these plants, wear non-latex gloves and a plastic raincoat. Be sure to wash up afterwards. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Removing top growth more than once weakens plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/removing-top-growth-more-than-once-weakens-plants/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have Eleanor Tabor Indian hawthorn that were freeze-damaged two years ago. They were pruned to take off damaged foliage at that time, and then again from this past winter’s ice storm. Now the plants are coming back, but very slowly. Are the roots choking out any new growth?** A: No, I don’t think the roots have anything to do with choking your hawthorn. It’s more likely that removing lots of top growth more than once has weakened the plants and they’re having a hard time recovering. The best things you can do for them are fertilizing lightly and making sure they are watered when they’re dry. Crossing your fingers is also acceptable. Good luck! **Categories:** Lawn Care, Landscaping --- ### [Cemetery Origins of Burford Holly](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/cemetery-origins-of-burford-holly/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: You mentioned in a recent column that the Burford holly was discovered in Westview Cemetery. Does anyone know who discovered it there?** A: It’s true! Burford holly was discovered in Westview Cemetery. This terrific plant was the result of the gardener, an Englishman named Thomas Burford, cross pollinating the flowers of two seedlings he had. Unfortunately, he did not make notes about the parent hollies, but he did notice the fast growth and abundant berries the resulting shrub produced. Westview began selling seedlings when he left and formally named it Ilex cornuta “Burfordii.” The gardener was quite eccentric and died in obscurity in the early 1900s. I don’t think the holly bush is still there inside the gates of Westview, but you’re welcome to check it out. Please let me know what you find. For more details, visit [bit.ly/GABurford.](http://bit.ly/GABurford) **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Protecting a Young Tree From Deer Damage](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/protecting-a-young-tree-from-deer-damage/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My husband and I fence our younger trees to protect them from deer damage when they rub velvet off their antlers. Are the deer done yet? I would like to take the fencing down but don’t want to do it prematurely.** A: Male deer rub trees with their antlers each fall (September through December) to mark territory and to attract females. The rubbing is vigorous enough to remove bark and break branches. Young trees that are ‘thrashed’ might be killed. At the very least, the lower branches will show damage for a long time. That said, I think it’s safe to remove your deer fence by February each year. All the ‘starch in his pants’ the deer had in November has dissipated. The male deer go back to nibbling the tips of branches like they did previously. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Tips for Zoysia Success](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia/tips-for-zoysia-success/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have been trying to get zoysia to grow in my backyard area for two years now. There are a lot of prickly grasses, some bermuda and fescue, and a lot of weeds too. Can I weed and feed now? If so, which one will help the zoysia?** A: The most important factor for success with any grass is to match the plant to the environment. If you have weeds in your zoysia, you have a mismatch. Zoysia will choke out most weeds if it is growing strongly. It’s a bit too early to apply weed and feed; in fact it may hurt the zoysia which should not be fed until it’s almost totally green. Zoysia needs full sun most of the day. If you don’t have that, no weed and feed program will help. **Categories:** Zoysia --- ### [Trust the Groundhog? What to do about early warmth](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/trust-the-groundhog-what-to-do-about-early-warmth/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: What do I do about the warm winter we are experiencing? My azaleas are in bloom. Do I cut them back after blooming as I usually do in April, or wait until spring actually arrives?** A: It all depends on how far out of dormancy the early blooming shrubs are when it freezes. I recently walked past a group of three rhododendrons. One of them was different from the other two. On it, every flower bud had opened and the flower petals had pushed out halfway before the recent freeze. The emerged flower tissue was frozen, brown, and ugly. In contrast, the other two had tight green buds. This goes to show that varieties of the same species of plant can differ in their response to cold weather. Your azaleas, which are members of the rhododendron family, may differ as well. My crystal ball is out for repair, so I can’t predict what will happen. You will just have to wait and see. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [It's the behavior, not the name that guarantees longevity](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/groundcovers/its-the-behavior-not-the-name-that-guarantees-longevity/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have a question for you about cultivars for a project I am working on. Will some of the plant cultivars with really unique names like ‘Jurassic begonia’ or ‘New York Night’ hellebore be available to consumers indefinitely, or do new cultivars like that have a limited life span in stores or online?** A: I understand your question about plant names’ longevity. For fun, I went to the Plant Delights catalog to look for the longevity of hosta plant names. The owner, Tony Avent, named ‘Out House Delight’ hosta, ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ hosta, and ‘Little Redneck’ hosta. These outre named hosta have enjoyed varying life in the marketplace. On the other hand, ‘Sum and Substance’ has been around for twenty years. My point is that the varying names for hostas do not guarantee success. It’s their behavior in the garden that guarantees longevity. ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ is still available, but ‘Outhouse Delight’ has faded into the archives. The thick leaves, resistance to sun damage, and outstanding flowers make ‘Sum and Substance’ a keeper. My guess is some breeder chose the name Jurassic to apply to some of the many hybrids of big-leafed, strong-stemmed begonias. I don’t know who the breeder was, but I’ll bet they’re big. ‘New York Night’ hellebore originated at Walters Gardens which is comparatively small. The black flower color or some other characteristic may carry it for a long while but no one can predict how long. **Categories:** Groundcovers, General Garden Info --- ### [Household Spider Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/household-spider-control/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I see more spiders around the house than I’d like. How can I eliminate them?** A: The best way to eliminate spiders is to eliminate their food. Check for and control Indian meal moth (common in kitchens), drain flies (common in bathrooms), and clothes moths (common in closets). Have fun while you’re killing these flying insects by using a tennis racket bug zapper. When their food is gone, the spiders will follow. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Plants are hungriest in the spring](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/plants-are-hungriest-in-the-spring/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: When is the best time to fertilize outdoor plants like roses, azaleas, gardenias, and small evergreens in northeast Georgia?** A: I like to eat when I’m hungry, and the same goes for most plants. After the dormancy of a cold winter, plants are hungriest in the spring. The best time to fertilize is in the early spring (February and March). This gives the fertilizer time to dissolve in the soil and be where the roots are when they wake up. Note that my directions are for woody plants. Lawns, on the other hand, have different requirements. They should be fertilized when growth has begun in earnest. Bermuda and zoysia lawns should be fertilized when they’re at least fifty percent green in the spring. Fescue lawns should be fertilized September through April when that grass is growing strongly. Fertilizing depends on what your plant needs. The only way to find out is to have your soil tested by the University of Georgia Soils Lab. It’s easy to do, cheap, and helpful for years afterward. Details at . **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Leaf Gall on Azalea, Camellia Widespread Some Years](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/leaf-gall-on-azalea-camellia-widespread-some-years/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I am a landscape professional, and I’ve seen an influx of camellia leaf gall and more azalea leaf gall starting to show up. It is appearing on multiple properties that I maintain from Stone Mountain to Loganville. Is there a cause that I’m missing? What can I do, if anything, to treat for this? I have sprayed fungicide many times but it hasn’t helped.** A: I noticed some diseased leaves on my camellias today. I’ve had these plants for the past 10 years, and I don’t remember them ever having camellia leaf gall before. Sometimes it takes a random combination of temperature, moisture, and host plant presence to provide the exact conditions for a fungus to grow. We must have had that this year. The swollen leaves on camellias as well as azaleas are truly noticeable. The best treatment is to pick off all the affected leaves before they turn white and spread spores to healthy plants. The diseased leaves must be removed from the garden and not dropped to the ground. Research on chemical control is sparse. Copper fungicides, thiophanate methyl and mancozeb are somewhat effective, but it is extremely difficult to get the fungicide into the leaf bud. The spray must be done in early spring. Frankly, it’s not worth your time to spray. The disfigured leaves are only ugly for a month. They will dry up and fall off the plant. Pro tip: Lace your belt through the handle of a small bucket. It will hang just right to put the diseased leaves in it with two hands. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Keep or Replace Rising Sun Redbud](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/keep-or-replace-rising-sun-redbud/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have a several-year-old redbud that has damage to the trunk, and it is struggling as a result. The bark of the lower trunk is split from below ground level up three feet. The split is three inches wide at that point. I can see small holes in the wood and bark, but other than a few ants, I can’t seem to find any other insects. At one time, the trunk had two limbs coming out, but one of them died and we removed it. Any ideas?** A: If I were a mean person, I would say ‘Enjoy your tree while it’s there because the damage to the trunk is so severe that the tree will not be able to recover. I predict a slow and lonely death.’ But since I’m not a mean person, let’s figure out what went wrong. To me, it sounds like there was damage originating from the root area. Maybe a broken root contributed to bark damage above or the burlap might not have been removed from the root ball or the root ball may have gotten dry. The holes you see are from wood borers of some kind. They are not the problem. They just took advantage of the weakened tree. There’s nothing you can do except enjoy the tree as long as it contributes beauty to your landscape. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Controlling Weeds in Liriope](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-grasses/controlling-weeds-in-liriope/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have a centipede lawn with a healthy row of variegated liriope bordering a mulched island. I have been battling yellow wood sorrel (oxalis, I think) in my lawn. I have been spot treating with atrazine. The oxalis has started invading the liriope. I am afraid the atrazine will kill my liriope if I use it to control oxalis. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated**! A: Controlling unwanted plants in groundcovers is tough. Weed chemicals aren’t mind readers; they kill what they are designed to kill. In your case, atrazine is designed to kill broadleaf plants. Liriope is considered a broadleaf plant, but atrazine can be used around it with great caution. Oxalis behaves as a perennial and an annual. It readily sprouts from roots and ejects seeds up to fifteen feet away. The best advice I can offer is a three way action: post-emergence, pre-emergence, and manual removal. Atrazine can control oxalis as both a pre-emergent and post-emergent, but you must not get it on the liriope plants. I have an idea for controlling the atrazine spray. Cut off the bottom of a gallon milk jug. Use duct tape to tape the nozzle of a sprayer into the neck of the jug, pointing downward. You can place the jug where you want to use atrazine. This will shield the liriope from microdroplets. But remember, hand-pulling must accompany the spraying. **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses --- ### [Not a Nest, a Broom!](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/not-a-nest-a-broom/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: In a pine tree in our back yard about twenty-five feet up there is a dense concentration of needles. I was wondering if it was some kind of nest?** A: It’s not a nest. It’s probably a pine broom. Brooming usually occurs at the tip of a limb that has been infected by fusiform rust, aphids, bacteria, or disease. The causal agent makes the terminal bud secrete hormones that cause multiple leaf buds to sprout in the same spot. This makes a dense growth that is easily seen as different from the rest of the tree. They can last on a tree for up to fifty years because of the increased photosynthesis occurring there. They are sought out by collectors because some brooms can result in dwarf plants that are quite attractive, like dwarf loblolly pine, Pinus taeda ‘Nana’ or Pinus taeda ‘Garden Treasures Gems’ dwarf pine. The downside of this dense growth is that it collects ice and snow and resists wind causing many to fall out of trees during the winter. **Categories:** General Garden Info --- ### [Retraining a Crape Myrtle to be a Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/retraining-a-crape-myrtle-to-be-a-tree/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I was told to cut my misshapen myrtle completely down to the ground. What do I do next? Suckers have already started coming up. Will the main trunk grow back?** A: Neil Sperry, the radio host of “Texas Gardening,” has forgotten more about crape myrtles than I will ever know. His advice to grow a new trunk for a crape myrtle is to cut it completely to the ground and let 8 to 10 sprouts come up from the stump. Let them grow for 12-18 months. When the sprouts are 5 feet to 6 feet tall, choose six or seven of the strongest, straightest ones and cut the others clear to the ground. The shoots will be quite limber. By the end of the second growing season, those should become sturdy and able to stand on their own. At that time, choose one, three or five of the strongest trunks, and cut the rest down to the ground. As the trunks grow taller, gradually remove side branches to the height you want the foliage to start. You’ll have spotty blooming for the next couple of years, but before you know it, your crape myrtle will be blooming like crazy. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Missed Predictions: Unruly Loropetalum Height](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/missed-predictions-unruly-loropetalum-height/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I’m trying to find a loropetalum of a particular size. But if I look up the same thing online, different sources disagree on ultimate size. There is just no consensus whatsoever on sizes, on any plant. I want a hedge of six to eight foot tall loropetalums, full sun, drought tolerant, wash n’ wear. One with pink flowers would be good, and not the ugly dark almost black leaves; those are depressing. Which loropetalums do you recommend for a hedge like this?** A: Though pink loropetalums were introduced here in 1989, we still haven’t had enough experience with them to be sure the predicted height is the ultimate height. In the early years when the only cultivars available were Ruby, Blush, and Purple Diamond, gardeners commonly complained about missed predictions. I planted Zhuzhou Fuchsia in front of my soon-to-be-wife’s house assuring her that it would only grow to be four feet tall. The fact that I had to use a chainsaw to remove it tells you my story. Now, twenty-five years later, the big growers have had enough experience to be pretty sure their predicted heights will come true. For your landscape, consider: (This link has good information) **Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [What three things does moss like that grass hates?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/what-three-things-does-moss-like-that-grass-hates/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: At the rear and north side of my house my lawn gets mossy. I’ve tried putting lime down to mitigate the moss problem with little to no results**. A: The lime didn’t work because lime doesn’t kill moss. Moss grows in a lawn because the environmental conditions in that area favor it – – and do not favor grass. What three things does moss like? **Shade, clay soil and lots of moisture.** What three things does grass hate? **Shade, clay soil, and lots of moisture!** If you eliminate the three environmental conditions that moss likes, the moss will disappear. Here’s how to kill moss: Next time you reseed, add plenty of soil conditioner to the ground before rototilling it. This increases drainage. Remove lower tree limbs that cause shade. Redirect water that flows across the lawn. If you can accomplish that, the moss will be no obstacle for your grass. Products that contain ferrous sulfate or copper sulfate kill moss for a short time. Although moss prefers acid soil rather than alkaline soil, adding lime changes very little that affects moss. If you change the environment, moss will leave **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Honeydew is a fabulous food for black sooty mold](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/honeydew-is-a-fabulous-food-for-black-sooty-mold/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My crape myrtle’s bark is black. What should I do?** A: Black bark, black leaves, and black lawn furniture under a crape myrtle are ultimately caused by sucking insects in the tree, probably crape myrtle aphids. They suck more sap than they can digest and excrete the rest. The excess that is excreted is called honeydew. Honeydew is a fabulous food for black sooty mold. The honeydew dripped out of your tree and coated the bark. Black sooty mold soon followed. The cure for this situation is to control insects in the tree. The easiest way to control them is to apply a systemic insecticide when the tree is not blooming. Go to a garden center, buy a product that contains imidacloprid, and follow the directions for applying. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Case of Mendel: White Flowered Loropetalum](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/case-of-mendel-white-flowered-loropetalum/) **Published:** May 5, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My neighbor pointed out a part of my big pink-blooming loropetalum shrub that has white flowers. Why did this happen? Do I have an off-breed loropetalum?** A: It’s common for this to occur. The pink loropetalum originated in China from a normally white-blooming loropetalum. The spray of pink flowers on the white shrub was eye-catching. When horticulturists took cuttings for propagation, they found that the pink ones developed into shrubs covered in pink flowers. These, and other pink- and red-flowering cultivars, were sold widely. Now, years later, your pink loropetalum has developed a bud that blooms white. When a plant sprouts limbs that look like its genetic parents, it is called a reversion. I commonly see variegated privet hedges that are turning green, like their genetic parent: common privet. On your loropetalum, a bud reverted to its parent and made white flowers. If it bothers you, just prune it out. **Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Taber Azalea - Flower Chimera](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/taber-azalea-flower-chimera/) **Published:** May 5, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We were out in the yard this weekend and I noticed a few dark pink flowers on my otherwise light-pink azalea. Then we looked closer and noticed a flower that is half light pink and half dark pink. This bush is about 8 years old and we’ve never noticed this before. What might have caused it?** A: It’s a botanical phenomenon called a chimera. Basically, the bud that produced the flower had a mutation in its cells, causing those cells to grow but not produce chlorophyll. Many common variegated plants originally came from leaf chimeras: variegated dogwood, variegated vinca vine, ‘Burgundy Glow’ ajuga, variegated hosta, variegated hydrangea etc. I can see that the chimera is on a ‘G. L. Taber’ azalea. This azalea is well known to produce different colored flowers, including the all-white ‘G. G. Gerbing’. Some variegated plants are attractive and are propagated by growers and sold at nurseries. Others have leaves that are so lacking in chlorophyll that the plant never prospers. Keep an eye on your azalea to see if reliably produces a chimera in years to come. see [Blackberry Leaf Chimera](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/blackberry-chimera-on-leaves/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/azalea-chimera-Barbara-Gray-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/blackberrychimera2-291x300.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Blackberry, Dogwood, Flowers, Hydrangea --- ### [UGA Vegetable Gardening Publications](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/uga-vegetable-gardening-publications-2/) **Published:** March 29, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** 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 free copy at your local Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1). [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Planting Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Small-Garden-Plan-for-Georgia.pdf) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) [Gardening in Containers](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20787_5.PDF) gives good tips on using containers to grow plants [Growing Vegetables Organically](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201011_7.PDF) [Minimizing *E. coli* Contamination in the Garden](http://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/foodnut/09369.pdf) [Biological Safety of Chicken Litter](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Biological-Safety-of-Chicken-Litter1.pdf) ![](/uploads/JPGs/vegetablebasket.JPG) **Categories:** Food Gardening **Tags:** Container --- ### [Gardening - Shouldn't be Intimidating](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/gardening-shouldnt-be-intimidating/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am a little intimidated by gardening. I have a couple of holly bushes that I’ve had in pots near my entryway for months and they look like they need planting. How do I know where to plant them? Do I need a plan before I plant them? Where should I start?** A: Gardening intimidating??!! If you are unnerved by the prospect of gardening then I, and all gardeners, bear the blame. Let me drag out my soapbox here and preach for a moment. Gardening is simple. Gardening is fun. Gardening is educational. Gardening is neighborly. Gardening is meditative. Gardening should never be scary or dismaying. If there is any part of gardening that seems unachievable then we gardeners who enjoy it so much have not communicated our joy to you successfully. My son plays in a soccer league where, for the first few seasons, they don’t even keep score at games. The coaches have agreed that soccer is more fun when the emphasis is on learning skills rather than scoring points. I think you would profit by thinking the same way about gardening. If you haven’t grown anything before, give yourself at least a year of killing everything you try to plant. Don’t compare your yard to others – compare it to how it looked last month. As for the hollies, find a sunny spot, dig a hole, put the roots of the holly in the hole, cover with dirt and add some water. If the holly lives, it is the equivalent of scoring a goal in your first game. If it dies, you will have gained some knowledge to apply next time you plant something. Do you need a plan? Not particularly. (I can imagine the howls of landscape and garden designers as they read this!) My point is that you don’t need a plan now because you’re just beginning to garden. Later, when you are reasonably sure you can keep plants alive, you’ll need a plan. And plans are everywhere! Drive around on a Saturday afternoon and look at other folk’s landscapes in your neighborhood. Surely you will find an arrangement of plants that appeals to you. If you have a camera, take a couple of pictures of plants you like but can’t identify. Take the pictures to any garden center and ask an employee to put those plants on your cart. Go home, dig holes and plant them. Hey! Now you’re a gardener! And you’ll continue to score points in your garden for the rest of your life! ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/squash-1-300x192.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/tomato-yellow-2-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Pots --- ### [Burford Holly - History](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/burford-holly-history/) **Published:** June 4, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Burford holly, *Ilex cornuta* ‘Burfordii’, is a ubiquitous shrub in the Southeast. The red berries are striking in winter. It’s interesting to know that the Burford holly originated in Atlanta, at Westview Cemetery in the southwest quarter of the city. I found a history of the plant in an article, written in 1954, in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution magazine. It was sent to me in two versions, both somewhat hard to read. [version 1, page 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/version-1-page-1.pdf) [version 1, page 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/version-1-page-2.pdf) [version 2, page 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/version-2-page-1.pdf) [version 2, page 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/version-2-page-2.pdf) Then I found a version of the holly’s history that was completely different from the first. It was written by Gerald Klingaman, a retired but knowledgeable horticulturist at the University of Arkansas. Which one is wrong? It could be both! Mr. Burford was known to tell different versions of where the first plant was discovered and these could be two of the versions. I tend to believe Klingamon’s version because he would have the botanical knowledge to judge whether a “bud sport” or “the result of cross-pollination” was more likely. Here is what he wrote: ***Burford holly is a bud sport of the thorny-leafed Chinese holly that was found in the early 1900s by Thomas Burford, the superintendent of Atlanta’s West View Cemetery. The original plant was part of a shipment of seedlings received from the Department of Agriculture, which had plant explorer Frank Meyer in China during much of the first 20 years of this century.*** You be the judge! Great to know that millions of plants, spread all over the world, came from that one plant in Atlanta! [![img002](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/img002-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/img002-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Winter --- ### [Going for Gold: What's With the Gold Kiwis?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/going-for-gold-whats-with-the-gold-kiwis/) **Published:** January 3, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have seen gold kiwis and green kiwis at the store. I bought two gold kiwis and tasted them. They were much sweeter than the other kiwis. Where are they from and what’s the difference?** **A:** The gold kiwifruit, *Actinidia chinensis,* originated in New Zealand, growing from a batch of seed that had come from China. The seed was supposed to produce vines that bore green-fruited kiwifruit, *Actinidia deliciosa*, but one turned out yellow and was very sweet. After years of selective breeding the gold kiwi came to market first in other parts of the world and then America. Hundreds of acres were planted in New Zealand, but in 2010 a bacterial disease attacked that cultivar of gold-fruited kiwi. Scientists worked overtime to develop a new variety that was resistant to the disease. That’s the variety you bought in the store. Sadly, neither the yellow nor green kiwifruit are easy to grow here because winter cold kills the male vines. Without any partners, the female vine blooms in vain. That said, I have a friend in North Decatur who has the perfect situation for male and female kiwifruit vines. They are growing at the bottom of a low hill, surrounded by wind-blocking houses and trees. The vines yield bushels and bushels every year. If you want to try growing kiwi, don’t bother with the fuzzy kiwi you’re familiar with. Instead, investigate the hardy kiwi berry, *Actinidia arguta.* They taste the same as kiwifruit. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/kiwi-A-kolomikta-berries-Luby-Copy-300x277.jpg)Cold=hardy kiwiberry ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/kiwi-3-2-Copy-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/kiwi-6-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits --- ### [A weed is a plant that makes a gardener unhappy](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/a-weed-is-a-plant-that-makes-a-gardener-unhappy/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I take offense at your calling clover a weed! I would like my lawn to be 100% clover, but I am a keeper of bees.** A: My father was a beekeeper, too. He treasured the red clover honey that filled pint jars that lined our pantry. On the other hand, I was regularly stung by honey bees that I stepped on in the clover. I’ve always said a weed is just a plant that makes a gardener unhappy. If it makes you happy to have clover as your lawn, more power to you! My father would be pleased as well. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Drying to Dying: Holly Drought Stress](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/dying-due-to-drying-holly-drought-stress/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Over the course of a month a stand of three holly bushes went from seemingly healthy to dying. Can something be done, or are they dead? I was going to contact my county extension office to see what advice they have.** A: When hollies die like this I immediately begin looking for anything that could be interfering with water going to the leaves. If you have mulch around the bases, pull it back and examine for evidence of voles. Hollies don’t show drought stress very readily. Typically, by the time they show you they are dried out they are already close to dead. **Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Christmas ferns get too much sun](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/christmas-ferns-get-too-much-sun/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I purchased five Christmas ferns from a local nursery to plant this fall. I placed them under a tree for a few days until I had time to plant them. Unfortunately as the sun slips further into the Southern sky, I did not notice that the sun found them. They ended up puny looking, dried out with dehydrated curled leaves. I immediately moved them to permanent shade and watered. Two days out they still look the same in the pots! What can I do at this point?** A: Christmas ferns are tough, but I’m not sure they’re tough enough to withstand damage like this. Still, they are tougher than most natives. I think I’d go ahead and plant them and see what happens. Alternatively, most reputable nurseries guarantee their plants for a year after purchase, no questions asked. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Stiltgrass has an Achilles’ heel](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/stiltgrass-has-an-achilles-heel/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: We have been living here for over 40 years, and we’ve noticed over the last few years an increase of a 2-foot-high grassy plant taking over in parts of the woods. The plant turns out to be Japanese stiltgrass. It’s considered to be a seriously invasive plant in the eastern U.S. From talking with neighbors, it seems few have ever heard of this plant.** A: Stiltgrass, also known as basket grass or microstegium, is one of the most troublesome weeds that I know. It is particularly at home in moist spots, and shade makes it happy as well. One plant can produce hundreds of seeds. The plant, however, has an Achilles’ heel: it germinates from seed in the spring. Since it is an annual plant, it can be controlled by preemergent chemicals. Products that contain dithiopyr, pendimethalin, or prodiamine will prevent microstegium seed from germinating. Since seeds germinate throughout the summer, two applications (mid-February and early May) are appropriate. For a heavy infestation, a third application in July might be warranted. Read and follow label instructions, particularly the requirement that they be kept away from water. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Job Posting: Mole Tunnel Stomper](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/job-posting-mole-tunnel-stomper/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: There is something in my yard making tunnels. The ground is soft and squishy. Could it be chipmunks, voles or moles? Whatever it is, it is also killing all my grass. Can you help?** A: If the soil is squishy, it must be moles. Of your three suspects, moles are the only ones that tunnel underground. Sometimes a tunneler pushes soil up as it digs, so the grass growing there tends to be affected by drought and is more likely to die above the mole tunnel. These methods don’t work: - Chewing gum (not repellent) - Broken glass (feet too tough) - Ultrasonic vibrators (not repellent) - Noisy windmills (not repellent) - Moth balls (poisonous to humans) - Poison peanuts (moles don’t eat peanuts) - Insecticide treatments to the lawn (hungrier moles = more digging) - Trapping (effective, but it’s a lot of work) - Poison gummy worms (moles do not possess the teeth needed to gnaw on them) Personally, I think the easiest way to control moles is to mash down the active tunnels completely and force the mole to move to more hospitable yards. This could be a good source of income for an impecunious 16-year-old with size 12 shoes. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Don’t make hellebores too happy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/dont-make-hellebores-too-happy/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I am new to red clay and what can be planted directly, with no amendments**, **or with amendments. I have two hellebores in pots. I’d like to find the perfect place to plant these in the ground in my garden. Before I do, what, if anything, should I do to amend the red clay soil?** **A:** Although it seems counterintuitive to put a plant into clay soil when you could easily prepare an area of rich soil for it, the best thing for most perennial plants is to be planted in native soil. The caveat is that the soil needs to be well broken up. In this way, the plant’s roots become comfortable growing in clay, and they won’t have a problem growing through the sides of your planting hole and into the native soil around it. Honestly, the main drawback of clay soil is the lack of pore space where the fine feeder roots of a plant can find moisture and nutrients. I will admit that sometimes I add some expanded slate (Permatill, Stalite) to my flower beds. The slate provides permanent internal pore space, as well as holding the clay particles apart enough to provide external pore space. One thing to avoid is planting perennials and shrubs into a spot that has been over-amended with compost and manure. In this case, the plant roots will luxuriate in the rich bed and will refuse to explore as they should. Also, excess organic matter holds water and causes root rot. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Where do vegetables come from?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetables/where-do-vegetables-come-from/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Where do vegetables come from? I see other plants, like flowers and berries, growing wild, but I’ve never come across a vegetable “in the wild.”** A: Most vegetable plants can’t stand freezing temperatures, so that’s why you won’t see them “in the wild” around Atlanta. Vegetables in a grocery store are grown where it’s warm most of the year like south Georgia or the Central Valley of California. If you go to South America, you can find the forebears of squash, corn, tomatoes, and potatoes growing in the wild. **Categories:** Vegetables --- ### [What’s causing bloom of mushrooms in sodded yard?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/whats-causing-bloom-of-mushrooms-in-sodded-yard/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: We cut down two large trees and had the stumps ground up, plus we had lots of dirt brought in to fill the holes. This summer we sodded with zoysia but now the yard is covered with mushrooms. Help! What do we do to get rid of them? We did preemerge this fall**. A: You won’t be rid of them until they have completed their mission on earth Earth: to decompose buried wood. You gave the naturally occurring fungi that live in soil a big meal when you ground the stumps and covered the chips with sod. The always-hungry fungi pounced on the wood particles and chowed down. After a big meal, a fungus’s mind turns to sex. But fungi don’t reproduce like mammals; instead they reproduce by spreading millions of spores across the landscape, hoping one or two will find a moist, dark space with a tiny morsel of pine to munch on. They spread their spores by sending up a white trunk that ends in a structure that houses the tiny agents of reproduction: the mushroom cap. The good news is that lawn mushrooms are usually not poisonous. In nature they would dry up and be eaten by the very fungi they contain. If you find them distasteful as lawn decorations, put on gloves, pick them up, put in a bag, and put that in the garbage. Don’t be surprised if you see another flush of mushrooms every time it rains. This will continue until all of the wood chips have been consumed. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [The Root of a Bamboo Problem is... the Roots!](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/the-root-of-a-bamboo-problem-is-the-roots/) **Published:** January 1, 2025 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Alas, my side-door neighbor planted bamboo several years ago. Now a dozen or more clumps have erupted in the ivy of my landscape. I’ve chopped them to the ground regularly so now the canes that come up are small, but they never stop. I tried Roundup on the leaves but didn’t see much change in them.** A: Let’s root down to the root of the problem. The chopping failed because you never got deep enough to damage the roots. Likewise the Roundup didn’t work because it was not transported down to the roots. I’ve had several people tell me they’ve had good success with cutting all the bamboo canes down to 1- to 2 inches above the first node. Pour a product that contains glyphosate plus triclopyr 1/2-inch deep in the cup formed when you cut above the node. The herbicide will be sucked by the bamboo as far as it can go down into the root system. Depending on the extent of the system, you may not get all of the clumps, but you’ll get most of them. Dead bamboo — what a concept. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Winter care of purple heart plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/winter-care-of-purple-heart-plants/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have nine pots of what I’m pretty sure is purple heart wandering jew (wandering dude) on my apartment balcony. They came from a bed in my sister’s front yard. What’s the best approach for their cold weather care? At my sister’s, the plants turn brownish but bounce back in the spring. If I bring them inside, they would get less light. If they stay outside, would they be OK if covered at night when there’s a freeze warning?** A: I think you have purple heart, *Tradescantia pallida*. It’s a common ground cover in the South. The purple leaves and pink flowers are eye-catching in pots, hanging baskets and as ground cover. When it’s planted in the ground, purple heart’s leaves will turn brown in winter when temperatures drop below freezing around them. Most of the leaves and stems will freeze, but some won’t due to the warmth of the earth. What’s important is that the roots not freeze. If they don’t, the plant will quickly regrow in spring. Your plants in pots on the balcony will not survive winter because the roots will freeze. You will have to bring a couple of them indoors. As you suspect, they need the most light they can get. Consider buying an LED light fixture to give them supplemental light. During winter some of the leaves will turn brown and the stems will stretch between leaves, but I predict you’ll have live plants and roots when spring rolls around. When night temperatures are above 50 degrees, you can put them on the balcony and wait for the rush of new growth. As stems longer than six inches become available, you can cut them off and root them to fill your other pots. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [River Birches Gone Rogue: Picking the Right Poolside Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/river-birches-gone-rogue-picking-the-right-poolside-tree/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: We planted several river birches that are now proving to be a nightmare. The ones close to the house are breaking up the concrete due to their extensive root system. They drop sooooo many leaves and pool cleanup is daily. Should we replace trees close to the house with a tree that has a smaller root system? Should we replace trees near the pool? When would we need to plant trees?** A: One of the tree-form crape myrtles might work for you. “Natchez” has white flowers and interesting peeling bark, but it also drops leaves in fall along with lots of small seed pods. My observation is that the drop happens only in September and October. Also consider a redbud tree. Flamethrower, “Forest Pansy,” and The Rising Sun all have interesting leaf colors but are not as tall as a river birch. You can plant trees anytime between now and late February. Research the latest information on how to plant trees correctly. Hire a tree planting company that will plant correctly and plan to be there when they work. I have details on planting trees at [bit.ly/GAplantfruits.](http://bit.ly/GAplantfruits) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Chew on this: squirrel snack attack](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/chew-on-this-squirrel-snack-attack/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: What could cause a strip of removed bark on my pecan tree limb? It is one inch wide and goes halfway around a 4-inch diameter branch.** A: A squirrel would be my guess. I commonly see maples, camellias and figs where a sapsucker has tapped several holes in a row. They bleed sugary sap in spring. A squirrel comes along and goes to town on the holes. He uses his teeth to remove bark and taste the sap. If there’s a small limb below the sapsucker damage, a squirrel can sit and gnaw easily. I have a good example of a maple damaged by squirrels at [bit.ly/GAsquirrelgnaw](http://bit.ly/GAsquirrelgnaw) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals --- ### [Fruit Trees First, but which?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/fruit-trees-first-but-which/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I am planning a permaculture garden on my half-acre lot. I know it’s best to plant fruit trees first. Which fruit trees fare best in this region? I would love apple, peach, plum, cherry and elderberry trees. Do you have any suggestions?** A: I pulled together a compilation of University of Georgia publications for you. There are lots of recommended fruit varieties but several are noted to perform poorly in Georgia. For instance, cherry is limited by spring weather. There are good and not-so-good elderberry trees. My compilation gives you the best options for all the fruits you mention. Pay particular attention to the links for planting fruit trees and soil testing. The compilation is at [bit.ly/GAplantfruit.](http://bit.ly/GAplantfruit) **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees --- ### [Winterizing an amaryllis for blooms next summer](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/outdoor-flowers-and-foliage/winterizing-an-amaryllis-for-blooms-next-summer/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have two amaryllis bulbs that I planted in pots at the beginning of the summer. I intended to plant them in the yard but never got around to it. Now the leaves on them are about three feet long. What should I do now?** A: You’ve given the amaryllis a nice summer. In order to bloom, they need an equally nice winter: one that is dry and does not freeze the bulb. The best way to ensure this is to cut the foliage back to one inch above the bulb neck now in October, keep them in the pots, and bring them indoors to a dry and cool place. Do not water. Check on them a couple of times in winter. If the soil seems extremely dry, give them a quarter cup of water. By spring they will be convinced that they have had a good winter. You can bring them outdoors when nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees. Leaves will shoot up and you will get the blooms that you wanted in May. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage --- ### [Slow-release fertilizers pose no threat to ivy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/groundcovers/slow-release-fertilizers-pose-no-threat-to-ivy/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Will 10-6-4 fertilizer or Osmocote hurt my English ivy ground cover?** A: Fertilizer with an analysis of 10-6-4 is derived from natural sources like feather meal, compost, and greensand. These components release nutrients very slowly, which means there is little chance of hurting the ivy. Osmolcote contains non–organic synthetic fertilizer ingredients that are coated with materials that release their nutrients slowly as well. Again, no problem. **Categories:** Groundcovers --- ### [Turning a maple's gray days to sunny ones](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/turning-a-maples-gray-days-to-sunny-ones/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My favorite Japanese maple tree is thirty years old. Two years ago, I noticed that many of my trees were covered with a gray fungus. Limbs and branches got brittle and branches fell. How can I save the one maple tree remaining?** A: The simple answer is to give it more light. The gray scaly stuff on your branches is a colony of lichens. They don’t harm your trees, they just use the bark to hold on. Lichens grow when a tree becomes less leafy due to outside forces. I imagine that over the years, your landscape has become more shady. Your Japanese maples lost leaves as a result. Now the lichens have a perfect environment on the branches. If you want to save your maple, one option is to prune branches overhead to admit more light. If it’s truly your favorite Japanese maple, you might consider moving it to a more sunny spot. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Squirrels are hard to keep out of trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/squirrels-are-hard-to-keep-out-of-trees/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have two pecan trees in my rear yard. I have tried everything I can think of to keep squirrels from climbing the trees and eating pecans while they are still green. Is there anything I can do to keep them out of the trees?** A: You can find plenty of advice online about how to control squirrels. You’re welcome to try them all. But if you read the comments from people who’ve tried them, you’ll find that repellents don’t work (evidently squirrels don’t have refined noses, and they can even eat sunflower seeds soaked in hot pepper oil). Trapping is ineffective because no matter how many squirrels you remove, others will move in to take their place. If your trees are far enough from other trees to be out of the squirrels’ jump zone, these will work: 1\. Use a metal barrier: Wrap a three-foot wide metal barrier starting six feet up around the trunk of your tree to prevent squirrels from climbing up from the ground. 2\. Remove low branches: Remove any branches that are less than six feet from the ground. If you can’t get the trees out of their jump zone, then squirrels will share pecans with you. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Before Blossoms: Can You Sex a Kiwiberry plant?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/before-blossoms-can-you-sex-a-kiwiberry-plant/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I need to know how to sex a kiwiberry plant. Is there a way I can tell when there are no blossoms? It is an “Anna” variety kiwiberry. Can you tell from the leaves? Seems like one of the plants has more jagged-edge leaves. They are very fine, so it’s quite subtle.** A: I salute you growing kiwiberry. It is much hardier than fuzzy kiwi fruit although the fruit is much smaller, about the size of a grape. Kiwiberry has male vines and female vines. One male will pollinate four to eight female vines. Sadly, it’s not possible to determine a kiwiberry’s sex until it blooms. The male flower will have yellow pollen-bearing stamens. The female flower will have only white stigmas to receive pollen. The leaves and stem of a kiwiberry vine offer no hints as to which sex they are. **Categories:** Fruits, Lawn Care --- ### [Drooling Difficulties: What to do about Tree Bleeding](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/drooling-difficulties-what-to-do-about-tree-bleeding/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have a poplar tree providing wonderful shade for my house. This spring it developed two places on it that look like it is bleeding. A black substance is drooling down the side of the tree for 18 to 20 inches. Is there something I can do?** A: Your tree has a problem called slime flux. The drooling results from a bacterial infection under the bark. The bacteria feed on the sap that is flowing generously now, and their waste products come through the bark. Depending on which bacteria is infecting the tree, the drool can smell like vinegar or alcohol. The best treatment is to wash it off the bark and let the tree fight the infection by itself. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [If it doesn’t penetrate, it’s time to aerate](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/if-it-doesnt-penetrate-its-time-to-aerate/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I sodded an area in my backyard last spring with fescue. I know I need to do some maintenance to it this fall. Do I just seed and fertilize, or do I need to aerate? It’s still green but starting to thin.** A: First decide if you truly have enough sunlight for fescue to prosper. If you don’t, consider rearranging your landscape to grow the grass in the sunniest spots. Aeration might help if your soil is hard. Use a screwdriver to jab into the soil. If it doesn’t penetrate, then you need to aerate. Before you start, mow the lawn and water it thoroughly the day before. The aerator should use hollow tines to bring up plugs of dirt, three inches long. This is important: every square foot of the lawn needs ten holes. Anything less and you won’t see the benefits that you want. **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care --- ### [A Magnolia Mulch How-To](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/a-magnolia-mulch-how-to/) **Published:** December 31, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: What is the proper way to treat the ground under a magnolia tree? I have always thought that the buildup of magnolia leaves was a part of the tree’s efforts to keep its roots covered and protected. Yet I see many people rake and remove that natural ground cover.** A: You are right and here are my thoughts. When covering the ground under a tree, you have two choices: plants or mulch. Usually, the ground under a magnolia is very shady and English ivy, the ground cover with the most shade tolerance, struggles to advance more than a foot or two into the drip line of a mature, densely -leaved magnolia. With plants out of the question, you’re left with mulch. You could use pine or hardwood chips, but they cost money and don’t match the tree’s color. Your observation is correct that magnolia leaves are part of the tree’s efforts to protect the roots. I think magnolia leaves can make a perfectly adequate mulch. Whole leaves do hold water where mosquitoes could potentially breed. My advice is to rake all of the leaves under the tree then go over them once with your mower to break up but not shred the whole leaves. If the limbs are too low to walk under, then do the best you can pushing your mower under the tree from all sides. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Green Is No Good: Prune Your Ruby Falls Redbud](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/green-is-no-good-prune-your-ruby-falls-redbud/) **Published:** December 30, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: This is the second season my Ruby Falls redbud tree has been in my yard, and it seems to be doing fine. I noticed it had several new green (not purple) offshoots coming up this spring after it had blossomed. Should I prune them off or will they eventually start to “weep” like the main tree?** A: Ruby Falls redbud resulted from a cross between *Cercis canadensis* “Covey,” which is a weeping redbud variety, and “Forest Pansy,” which has purple foliage. It is such a great looking plant that the breeders knew there would be big demand. The fastest way to reproduce a large number of identical woody plants is to graft a twig from the mother plant onto a rooted twig of a less desirable plant. That’s how your tree was produced. A healthy twig of Ruby Falls was grafted to a generic green-leafed redbud. Now the green redbud below the graft is sprouting and the new limbs have decided to head for the sky. If allowed to grow, these sprouts will shade out your pretty tree. They must be removed at once. Duck under the limbs of your Ruby Falls, find where the green-leafed sprouts originate, and cut them as close to the trunk as you can. Do the same with any that come in future years. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Autumn Glory red maple decline caused by stress](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/autumn-glory-red-maple-decline-caused-by-stress/) **Published:** December 30, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: My Autumn Glory red maples are declining. Large limbs are dying in several of my 15-year-old trees. I understand others are seeing the same red maple issues. As they decline, I am replacing them with native black gum (*Nyssa sylvatica* ‘Wildfire’) that I got from Trees Atlanta. But why are the maples declining?** A: In cases like this, I turn to experts like Art Morris, board-certified master arborist and my go-to guy. He says the maples are likely afflicted with a condition commonly called “red maple decline.” Red maples are not bulletproof in suburban landscapes. They are affected by poor soil conditions, drought, girdling roots, improper planting depth, and pests like scale insects and aphids. They exhibit dieback of the central lead due to a combination of these factors. The decline is not related to any one specific pathogen. Due to the way maple trees branch, it is common for them to exhibit symptoms of stress in the central leader before the symptoms show up throughout the canopy. Management of declining trees should include inspection of the root flare to be sure the trees were planted at the correct depth, regular irrigation, good soil care (including proper mulching and fertilization based on a soil test) and monitoring for insect pests. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [You're better off buying centipede grass seed](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/youre-better-off-buying-centipede-grass-seed/) **Published:** December 30, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I am searching for information on allowing my centipede grass to put up seed heads which I could mow in hopes of thickening coverage of my lawn. I found information on planting seed, but nothing about how to increase the germination of the seed heads that are currently seeding out.** A: Those flower spikes you see on your centipede grass don’t produce many viable seed. Centipede seed producers have all manner of fans and machines to separate the good seed from the bad seed. That’s one of the reasons why centipede seed is so expensive. As you have noticed, the seeds are produced in the fall but centipede grass seeds are best planted in late spring. I think you would be better off to buy some TifBlair seed and plant them in May. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Booby-trapping hosta chewers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/booby-trapping-hosta-chewers/) **Published:** December 30, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Please help me with figuring out what is chewing on my hosta. It has big holes in the leaves, some of which are mostly eaten. Last year it was bug free and beautiful.** A: I’m surprised you went a year without being discovered by the local riffraff: snails or slugs (a slug is just a snail without a shell). They can chew numerous ragged holes in the leaves of hosta, impatiens, and other perennial and annual landscape plants. They both travel on a trail of mucous. A silvery slime trail near a damaged plant is good evidence that a slug or snail is the culprit. You can make a spot attractive to slugs and then hand-pick and destroy them each day. A board supported off the ground by small rocks will attract them. So will an empty half-cantaloupe rind. The collected slugs or snails can be drowned in soapy water. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Pest Plants --- ### [Parsley caterpillars can thrive on any plant in the carrot family](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/parsley-caterpillars-can-thrive-on-any-plant-in-the-carrot-family/) **Published:** December 30, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Parsley caterpillars have just about eaten all my parsley. This is a good thing. I have four plants and 30 worms of different sizes/stages. My problem is the parsley is almost gone and I am not sure they are ready for the chrysalis stage. I don’t know what to do to make sure they have enough food. Is there anything else I can feed them? If they run out of food, will they go into the next stage or die?** A: You can move swallowtail caterpillars to any other plant that’s a member of the carrot family: garden carrots, parsley, dill, fennel, Queen Anne’s lace (also called wild carrot), milkweed, phlox, and rue. What about the leaves on a fresh bunch of carrots from the grocery store? Or organic grocery? **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Troubled tree? Contact an ISA certified arborist](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/contact-a-root-rot-arborist/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: We have a big tree close to the driveway that has us worried. There is a lot of hard white stuff around the base. Do we have a problem?** A: For any question involving trees and liability I refer people to consult an ISA certified arborist. Here is a link to show you how to choose one: [bit.ly/GAtreeco.](http://bit.ly/GAtreeco) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Unidentified bramble makes sweet treat](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/unidentified-bramble-makes-sweet-treat/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Can you identify a thorny plant that has taken over an area of my yard? Some of these have grown to six feet tall. It has a star-shaped stalk. Along with identification, can you also give me advice on killing it and preventing it in the future?** A: Technically they are brambles. But having gotten that far, I can’t tell you which of the dozens of different brambles they are. Blackberries and raspberries are members of the bramble family. I searched and searched for star-shaped stems or branches and found exactly nil. But I did find a recipe for bramble candy. [(bit.ly/GAbramblecandy)](http://bit.ly/GAbramblecandy) Any brush-killer herbicide will kill the top growth, but it will be hard to prevent it coming back unless you dig each plant and remove the roots which will sprout if you kill the top. **Categories:** General Q & A, How-To --- ### [Nutsedge sprouting in new sod](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/liriope-and-nutsedge-sprouting-in-sod/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: We recently hired someone to redo our front lawn. They removed some flower beds that had liriope in them and laid new TifTuf Bermuda sod. Now we have liriope growing through the new sod where the bed was as well as some sprouting in other areas of lawn where there was not any before. How do we kill the liriope without killing the newly installed sod?** A: From my experience, I think we’re talking about two plants: I have no doubt you have some liriope that is growing into the sod, but the other plant that’s randomly sprouting in the sod I believe is nutsedge. My neighbor laid Emerald zoysia sod this spring, and he has random sprouts of nutsedge in his grass. In a perfect world, sod producers would produce sod that is completely weed-free, but nut grass is terribly invasive and difficult to detect and control. I doubt you could get satisfaction from your sod dealer (but try), so it’s up to you to control the nutsedge yourself. The easiest way is to spot spray with a product containing halosulfuron. The individual use pack is probably all you need. Walk around your lawn and spot spray each leaf of nutsedge that you see. Afterwards, apply a half-gallon of water to each spot to take the chemical down to the roots of the plant. Don’t expect immediate results, but about three weeks from now you should see yellowing and dead nutsedge. Although liriope and nutsedge leaves are similar, halosulfuron does not control liriope, so you’ll have to dig it out with a trowel. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Improper sod practice: laying sod over scalped grass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/proper-sod-practice-laying-sod-over-scalped-grass/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I know it likely is not good gardening, but is it permissible to lay sod over scalped existing grass?** A: You might lose a lot of sod if you do it this way. Those grass roots under the sod will dry out in a heartbeat if the are not touching the soil underneath. They can’t be “close to” the soil, they have to be touching something to wick water into the young grass plant. You could try rolling the sod but damage from using a roller too much could be a problem. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Watering Bermuda grass, even with weird layout](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermudagrass/watering-bermuda-grass-even-with-weird-layout/) **Published:** December 30, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I have to water my Bermuda grass by hand because of the crazy layout. Sprinkler will be too wasteful. I have 2000 square feet of grass. How should I water it?** A: Your goal should be 1/2” of water (300 gallons per 1000 sq ft) per week applied in one watering. I can accept that you have a weird layout, but the latest in-ground sprinklers are really flexible. It would be better to link four or five of them together to cover your layout. In this way you could water the entire area at once. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/sprinkler-1024x763.jpg) **Categories:** Bermudagrass --- ### [Tunneling Troubles: How to Keep Moles From Under Backyard Pool](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/tunneling-troubles-how-to-keep-moles-out/) **Published:** December 27, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I’m having a time with moles getting under our above ground pool. They have about ruined the liner with tunnels all through out the bottom. What is your suggestion to get rid of the little buggers?** A: I don’t know a good answer other than reinstall it over a high quality pool pad, like Armor Shield or Gorilla Pad. Mole damage comes from pinhole leaks due to the ridges they make under the liner. When you step on any disturbance of the material under the pool liner theret is an opportunity for leaks. You might think that poisoning their food is a good idea. But that doesn’t work because they can always find something else. Traps are useless because we have no bait to draw them in. They find food by hearing vibrations, not by smell. I read about schemes to exclude them from getting under the pool with walls of wood or hardware cloth around the base of the pool, but I have no idea if they work. I think the best option is a high quality pad. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Dormant, But Not Deserted: Winter Watering for New Sod](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia/dormant-but-not-deserted-winter-watering-for-new-sod/) **Published:** December 27, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: In August, I had new emerald zoysia sod installed. I was told that I do not need to water my grass during the dormant period in winter. Is that correct considering I have new sod installed?** A: When grass is brown and dormant, you only need to water enough to keep the soil slightly moist. This will give the roots of your new sod enough water to grow whenever they’re able. Usually it rains enough in winter to keep the soil appropriately moist. **Categories:** Zoysia --- ### [Immortal wood-eating beetles](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/immortal-wood-eating-beetles/) **Published:** December 27, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: A year ago, we purchased a Korean-styled dark piece of furniture. A few months ago, we noticed small holes surrounded by sawdust appearing on the top surface of the furniture. We have tried a variety of insecticides to get rid of the invisible pests, but they keep returning.** A: There are several beetles whose larvae could be the culprit, but they all damage wood in similar ways. The adult lay eggs in protected places. The eggs hatch into larvae, the larvae enter the wood and start boring, consuming some of the wood as they go along; the larvae then turn into pupae, the pupae hatch into adults and they go looking for a crack or crevice to start things all over. Damage to the wood is slow, so you have time to decide what to do. Most insecticides will kill adult beetles, but they don’t soak in enough to kill the boring larvae. Fumigation, super-cooling or super-heating might be appropriate for valuable furniture or picture frames, but would be too costly for ordinary wood pieces. Fortunately, the dry air produced by our heating and cooling systems will cause a population of boring insects to slowly die out from desiccation over a period of several months. More information: [bit.ly/GAborebeet.](http://bit.ly/GAborebeet) **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Deer don’t like loropetalum? Think again!](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/deer-dont-like-loropetalum-think-again/) **Published:** December 27, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I thought that loropetalum was resistant to deer feeding. In March, Bambi and family feasted on the leaves of ours from “deer neck height” down.** A: Thus proving the saying that deer will eat anything if they’re hungry enough. Loropetalum is a member of the witch hazel family. This group of plants is considered resistant to deer feeding because of bitterness and leaf texture. Your deer either have not read the reference books or were very hungry. That would be understandable since in March, all the winter browse has been eaten and green leaves have yet to emerge. I have a list of the plants that are mostly resistant to deer as well as the plants deer like at [bit.ly/GAdeerplant](http://bit.ly/GAdeerplant). **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Take this lawn quiz to decide if you need a pro](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/take-this-lawn-quiz-to-decide-if-you-need-a-pro-2/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: Last year, my three neighbors and I experienced major sections of dead zoysia grass. We hired a company to maintain our lawns. They treated for grubs, then fungus, but it didn’t look any better. I took over and continued to treat for fungus. Early this year I applied compost and water, and the bare spots are recovering. However, I have noticed several new spots that appear to be the return of fungus. Is there someone who could advise us?** A: Before you hire someone, take this quiz for each lawn in turn. The spots might be lawn fungus, but they might be caused by something else. Any good adviser first will ask, “What is the maintenance history?” Answer the following questions to get an idea if the problem began with you. Correct the bad maintenance, then you can decide if you want to hire a professional. **Q: Does the grass get enough sunshine?** A: It should be full sun to partial shade (not mostly shade). **Q: Is the grass mowed at the proper height?** A: It should be 2 inches maximum, although it could grow to 2½ inches right before a mowing. **Q: How often is it mowed?** A: Should be weekly, although this could be adjusted a couple of days in either direction, depending on how much fertilizer is used. **Q: How much fertilizer was used and when?** A: Zoysia needs 1-3 pounds of actual nitrogen per year. Be sure you understand what actual nitrogen means. It should be applied three times: The first application should be when the grass is 80%-90% green; the second application should be sometime in June; and third application should be six weeks before the first killing frost. **Q: Is grass growing in hard soil or soft?** A: Use a screwdriver to find out. If it’s hard, has it been effectively aerated? **Q: How much water is applied and when?** A: Zoysia needs 1 inch per week. This must be adjusted for rainy spells or high heat. Irrigation should be applied no more than two times per week. **Q: Which pesticides have been applied and when? And have all pesticides been applied according to label directions in all cases?** A: Herbicides must have been applied according to directions. Of course, you can get a laboratory diagnosis of fungus from the University of Georgia for a small fee by submitting a sample through your county extension office. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Garden plants that attract kudzu bugs](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/garden-plants-that-attract-kudzu-bugs/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: For the first time I’m seeing kudzu bugs in my garden. They are near my tomatoes, bush beans, Malabar spinach and bell peppers. I’m not sure which plants are attracting them to the garden. I tried to drown one of them. It eventually flew away after the sun dried up the water.** A: Bush beans are their likely target. These olive drab, pea-sized, waddling, odorous insects are kin to the stink bug. They don’t trouble home gardeners too much, but soybean and peanut growers fear an outbreak could consume their fields. They don’t bite, but control may be necessary. You can use any labeled outdoor insecticide to kill them. Remember that it’s best to spray in the evening, to avoid contact with honeybees. Drowning, as you have found, is not effective. A better organic control is to hang a couple of gallon milk jugs in the garden and coat them with Tangle-Trap Sticky Coating. Discard the jug when it’s full. Keep this in mind: you can’t eliminate kudzu bugs…you can only manage their presence. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Using systemic insecticides against Japanese beetles](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/using-systemic-insecticides-against-japanese-beetles/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** Recently I discussed how to control Japanese beetle grubs organically. I noted that none of them are one hundred percent effective. Here are some inorganic methods that come close. I mentioned chlorantraniliprole as being an effective preventive insecticide. Products containing imidacloprid or clothianidin are also effective if applied preventively, but they can pose a hazard to bees foraging on flowering weeds or nesting in treated lawns. To minimize their hazard to pollinators, mow any flowering weeds, like clover and dandelions, just before or right after the pesticide application. Avoid areas being used by ground-nesting bees. Homeowner products for preventive grub control usually have the words “season-long” grub control on the packaging. Homeowner products for curative grub control usually have the words “24-hour” grub control on the packaging. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [My dog ate my corn!](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetables/my-dog-ate-my-corn/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I picked my corn over the weekend and found half of it had been eaten. I thought maybe raccoons had found them. I brought a basket of unharmed corn into the house and set it on the kitchen floor. When I returned 20 minutes later I found my black Lab unshucking and tasting the rest!** A: When a dog gets a taste for your crop, look out! Online discussions reveal that dogs will eat snow peas, raspberries, strawberries, green beans, cucumbers, squash and pears that fell from a tree. You need to build a stout fence to keep the dog out of your garden. Not all vegetables are bad for dogs, but some — like unripe tomatoes, raw potatoes, onions, dry beans and peas, plus cucumber and squash leaves — could be a concern. **Categories:** Vegetables, Insects & Animals --- ### [Why do limbs suddenly break off of trees?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/why-do-limbs-suddenly-break-off-of-trees-2/) **Published:** December 26, 2024 **Author:** Audrey Gilmore **Content:** **Q: I live on a lot that is heavy with trees, Lately, I have had the large tops of two trees and the heavy limb of a very old oak suddenly break off. Do you have any suggestions on why this happened and how to prevent it?** A: Art Morris, board-certified master arborist, says it may be a matter of physics. Most of these sudden limb drop cases involve landscape trees. We can infer that portions of the tree receive more sun than they would in a forest, resulting in longer branches and more dense canopy concentrated at the ends. From a physics standpoint, this growth pattern can create a longer lever than the tree is adapted to. Many of the abrupt limb breaks happen some distance out from the trunk, which is where the maximum load on a lever occurs. The offending trees are usually sweet gums, tulip poplars, pecans and the occasional water oak. It’s possible that pruning to reduce limb length or thin the density of the canopy could reduce the risk. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Beans Need Time](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetables/beans-need-time/) **Published:** December 23, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have green beans that have grown full and tall, but there are no flowers or beans! I did not have a problem with my beans last year. What causes this?** A: A few things come to mind. First, what number is given for days to maturity on the seed pack? It could be that the beans just need more time. Your vines are nice and full, but is there any chance you overfertilized? Beans can make some amount of nitrogen on their own, so they are typically fertilized separately from corn, tomatoes or potatoes, which require more nutrients. Third, the nonflowering could be caused by our weather. Beans like summer temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees. Temperatures consistently above 85 could prevent flowering if they occur when the vines start to mature. I think you need to give your garden more time. **Categories:** Vegetables --- ### [When will mushrooms be gone?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-will-mushrooms-be-gone/) **Published:** December 23, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We cut down two large trees and had the stumps ground up, plus we had lots of dirt brought in to fill the holes. This summer we sodded with zoysia but now the yard is covered with mushrooms. Help what do we do to rid of them. Help! What do we do to get rid of them? We did pre emerge.** A: You won’t be rid of them until they have completed their mission on earth Earth: to decompose buried wood. You gave the naturally occurring fungi that live in soil a big meal when you ground the stumps and covered the chips with sod. The always-hungry fungi pounced on the wood particles and chowed down. After a big meal, a fungus’s mind turns to sex. But fungi don’t reproduce like mammals; instead they reproduce by spreading millions of spores across the landscape, hoping one or two will find a moist, dark space with a tiny morsel of pine to munch on. They spread their spores by sending up a white trunk that ends in a structure that houses the tiny agents of reproduction: the mushroom cap. The good news is that lawn mushrooms are usually not poisonous. In nature they would dry up and be eaten by the very fungi they contain. If you find them distasteful as lawn decorations, put on gloves, pick them up, put in a bag, and put that in the garbage. Don’t be surprised if you see another flush of mushrooms every time it rains. This will continue until all of the wood chips have been consumed. **Categories:** Landscaping --- ### [Why do limbs suddenly break off of trees?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/why-do-limbs-suddenly-break-off-of-trees/) **Published:** December 23, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I live on a lot that is heavy with trees, Lately, I have had the large tops of two trees and the heavy limb of a very old oak suddenly break off. Do you have any suggestions on why this happened and how to prevent it?** A: Art Morris, board-certified master arborist, says it may be a matter of physics. Most of these sudden limb drop cases involve landscape trees. We can infer that portions of the tree receive more sun than they would in a forest, resulting in longer branches and more dense canopy concentrated at the ends. From a physics standpoint, this growth pattern can create a longer lever than the tree is adapted to. Many of the abrupt limb breaks happen some distance out from the trunk, which is where the maximum load on a lever occurs. The offending trees are usually sweet gums, tulip poplars, pecans and the occasional water oak. It’s possible that pruning to reduce limb length or thin the density of the canopy could reduce the risk. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees --- ### [Compost- How much to get](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/compost-plotting/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’m planning my vegetable garden for next year and I heard that Cobb County gives away free compost. How much do I need for a fifteen by eight foot plot?** A: Both DeKalb and Cobb counties offer free compost on certain pickup days. I have details on both at [How To Get Free Compost](http://www.walterreeves.com/how_to/article.phtml?cat=26&id=343). You need a two inch layer of compost on top of your garden soil. Your garden contains one hundred and twenty square feet, so it needs about twenty cubic feet of organic matter. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Compost, Soil --- ### [Saving Overheated Mondo Grass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/saving-overheated-mondo-grass/) **Published:** December 19, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have had dwarf mondo between my stepping stones for over 15 years. This year, it’s dying. Is that from the extreme heat?** A: I think the problem is heat that dried out the soil. During the day, you have sunlight drying everything out. The stepping stones would hold heat far into the night as well. Clay soil holds and transfers heat better than loose, sandy soil. One way to proceed would be to use a narrow trowel to pull up the remaining mondo grass. Put the plants in the shade and spray with water to keep them cool and moist. Where plants were, dig trenches 8 inches deep. Into a wheelbarrow or concrete mixing tub place two parts (by volume) of existing soil, one part perlite and one part potting soil. Mix thoroughly and fill the trenches 6 inches deep. Use the remaining mixture to plant and fill in around your mondo grass plants. Make sure the soil is level with or slightly above the level of the stepping stones so rainwater isn’t directed into the trenches, where it might drown the plants. **Categories:** Groundcovers, Lawn Care --- ### [Lumpy Peaches, A Stinky Problem](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/lumpy-peaches-a-stinky-problem/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** **Q: My peaches came in very lumpy. Do you have any idea what this is and how to treat it?** A: The most likely reason for lumpy peaches is stink bug damage. The stink bug inserts its tubular proboscis into a peach and sucks out delicious juice. It visits other peaches but does not wash between meals. As a result, the peach skin heals, but the fungus the stink bug inserted with its dirty nose causes the lumpiness. I have a great link for stink bug identification and control at [bit.ly/GAstinkfruit.](http://bit.ly/GAstinkfruit.) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/stinkbug-BMSB-on-peach-1-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals --- ### [Lumpy Peaches Caused by Stinkbugs](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/lumpy-peaches-caused-by-stinkbugs/) **Published:** December 19, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My peaches came in very lumpy. Do you have any idea what this is and how to treat it?** A: The most likely reason for lumpy peaches is stink bug damage. The stink bug inserts its tubular proboscis into a peach and sucks out delicious juice. It visits other peaches but does not wash between meals. As a result, the peach skin heals, but the fungus the stink bug inserted with its dirty nose causes the lumpiness. I have a great link for stink bug identification and control at [bit.ly/GAstinkfruit.](http://bit.ly/GAstinkfruit) **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals --- ### [DIY Nutsedge Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/diy-nutsedge-control/) **Published:** December 19, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We recently had someone redo our front lawn. They removed some flower beds that had liriope in them and laid new TifTuf Bermuda sod. Now we have liriope growing through the new sod where the bed was, as well as some sprouting in other areas of lawn where there was not any before. How do we kill the liriope without killing the newly installed sod?** A: From my experience, I think we’re talking about two plants: I have no doubt you have some liriope that is growing into the sod, but the other plant that’s randomly sprouting in the sod I believe is nutsedge. My neighbor laid Emerald zoysia sod this spring, and he has random sprouts of nutsedge in his grass. In a perfect world, sod producers would produce sod that is completely weed-free, but nut grass is terribly invasive and difficult to detect and control. I doubt you could get satisfaction from your sod dealer (but try), so it’s up to you to control the nutsedge yourself. The easiest way is to spot spray with a product containing halosulfuron. The individual use pack is probably all you need. Walk around your lawn and spot spray each leaf of nutsedge that you see. Afterward, apply a half-gallon of water to each spot to take the chemical down to the roots of the plant. Don’t expect immediate results, but about three weeks from now, you should see yellowing and dead nutsedge. Although liriope and nutsedge leaves are similar, halosulfuron does not control liriope, so you’ll have to dig it out with a trowel. **Categories:** How-To, Lawn Care --- ### [Don't Lay Sod On Top Of Grass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/dont-lay-sod-on-top-of-grass/) **Published:** December 19, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I know it likely is not good gardening, but is it permissible to lay sod over scalped existing grass?** A: You might lose a lot of sod if you do it your way. Those grass roots under the sod will dry out in a heartbeat if they are not touching the soil underneath. They can’t be “close to” the soil; they have to be touching something to wick water into the young grass plant. You could try rolling the sod, but damage from using a roller too much could be a problem. Do it right and till and level the area before laying sod. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Planting fruit trees correctly](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/planting-fruit-trees-correctly/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** Planting a fruit tree might be more important than planting a landscape tree. After all, you’re going to get fruit for at least ten years. The landscape tree, while pleasant to look at, won’t feed you. It’s important when planting fruit trees that you know the newest research on how to do it correctly. Study the information in the three links below. [Planting trees correctly-UGA](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trees-planting-correctly/) [Transplanting trees-UGA](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/trees-transplanting/) [Plant trees correctly-Clemson](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/planting-trees-correctly/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/tree-planting-burlap-2-199x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pear.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Male Holly Pollinators](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/male-holly-pollinators/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** Q: I need a source for a male holly companion for my 10-year-old Emily Bruner hollies. They bloom their hearts out and the bees love them, but there are never any berries. James Swan is listed as the male pollinator. I’ve looked all over for a James Swan, to no avail. What other hollies might work? A: Since Emily Bruner is a hybrid cross between Ilex latifolia and I. cornuta, if you can find a male of either species that blooms at the same time, you should get results. I. cornuta male hollies are rare, but I. latifolia ‘Blue Prince’ or ‘China Boy’ might work. A great source to answer your question is the Holly Society of America (hollysociety.org). Reems Creek Nursery has a nice guide to holly pollination at [bit.ly/hollypoll](http://bit.ly/hollypoll). **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Dwarf Mondo Dying From Hot Soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/dwarf-mondo-dying-from-hot-soil/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** **Q: I have had dwarf mondo between my steppingstones for over 15 years. This year, it’s dying. Is that from the extreme heat.** A: I think the problem is heat that dried out the soil. During the day, you have sunlight drying everything out. The steppingstones would hold heat far into the night as well. Clay soil holds and transfers heat better than loose, sandy soil. One way to proceed would be to use a narrow trowel to pull up the remaining mondo grass. Put the plants in the shade and spray with water to keep them cool and moist. Where plants were, dig trenches 8 inches deep. Into a wheelbarrow or concrete mixing tub place two parts (by volume) of existing soil, one part perlite and one part potting soil. Mix thoroughly and fill the trenches 6 inches deep. Use the remaining mixture to plant and fill in around your mondo grass plants. Make sure the soil is level with or slightly above the level of the steppingstones so rainwater isn’t directed into the trenches, where it might drown the plants. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Laying Sod Over Grass Without Tilling](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/laying-sod-over-grass-without-tilling/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** **Q: I know it likely is not good gardening, but is it permissible to lay sod over scalped existing grass?** A: You might lose a lot of sod if you do it this way. Those grass roots under the sod will dry out in a heartbeat if the are not touching the soil underneath. They can’t be “close to” the soil, they have to be touching something to wick water into the young grass plant. You could try rolling the sod but damage from using a roller too much could be a problem. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [New Sod Sprouting Nutsedge](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/new-sod-sprouting-nutsedge/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** **Q: We need some advice. We recently hired someone (July 9-12) to redo our front lawn. We wanted to remove the existing flower beds, bermuda grass and regrade the front lawn, and install all new Tift tuff Bermuda sod. One of the flower beds had liriope and now we have liriope growing thru the new sod where the bed was as well as some sprouting in other areas of lawn where there was not any before. The area where the bed was with the liriope it’s a lot and it’s only been 2 weeks as of today. “How” and “when” do we address or tackle this issue without it killing the newly installed sod?** A: From my experience, I think we’re talking about two plants: I have no doubt you have some liriope that is growing into the sod, but the other plant that’s randomly sprouting in the sod I believe is nutsedge. My neighbor laid Emerald zoysia sod this spring, and he has random sprouts of nutsedge in his grass. In a perfect world, sod producers would produce sod that is completely weed-free, but nut grass is terribly invasive and difficult to detect and control. I doubt you could get satisfaction from your sod dealer (but try), so it’s up to you to control the nutsedge yourself. The easiest way is to spot spray with a product containing halosulfuron. The individual use pack is probably all you need. Walk around your lawn and spot spray each leaf of nutsedge that you see. Afterwards, apply a half-gallon of water to each spot to take the chemical down to the roots of the plant. Don’t expect immediate results, but about three weeks from now you should see yellowing and dead nutsedge. Although liriope and nutsedge leaves are similar, halosulfuron does not control liriope, so you’ll have to dig it out with a trowel. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Tree Problem Diagnosing](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/tree-problem-diagnosing/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** **Q: We have a big tree close to the driveway that has us worried. There is a lot of hard white stuff around the base. Do we have a problem?** A: For any question involving trees and liability I refer people to consult an ISA certified arborist. Here is a link to show you how to choose one: [bit.ly/GAtreeco](http://bit.ly/GAtreeco). ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tree-suds-saponin-1-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Kudzu Bugs - Preferred Plants/How To Trap](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/kudzu-bugs-preferred-plants-how-to-trap/) **Published:** November 2, 2024 **Author:** Elijah May **Content:** **Q: For the first time I’m seeing kudzu bugs in my garden. They are near my tomatoes, bush beans, Malabar spinach and bell peppers. I’m not sure which plants are attracting them to the garden. I tried to drown one of them. It eventually flew away after the sun dried up the water.** A: Bush beans are their likely target. These olive drab, pea-sized, waddling, odorous insects are kin to the stink bug. They don’t trouble home gardeners too much, but soybean and peanut growers fear an outbreak could consume their fields. They don’t bite, but control may be necessary. You can use any labeled outdoor insecticide to kill them. Remember that it’s best to spray in the evening, to avoid contact with honeybees. Drowning, as you have found, is not effective. A better organic control is to hang a couple of gallon milk jugs in the garden and coat them with Tangle-Trap Sticky Coating. Discard the jug when it’s full. Keep this in mind: you can’t eliminate kudzu bugs…. you can only manage their presence. **![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kudzu-bug-trap-2-300x200.jpg)** ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kudzu-bug-Lisa-South-285x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kudzu-bug-on-beans-1-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Trees - Planting Correctly](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trees-planting-correctly/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** It is said that when you plant a tree you give a gift to future generations. Fall is an excellent time to plant trees in your landscape. The soil is warm, so roots are encouraged to rapidly elongate. Days are a bit cooler, so you are encouraged to get out and do some physical labor. A tree, though, is more permanent than a pansy. You can’t easily remove it if it doesn’t grow strongly in upcoming years. It makes sense to learn how to plant a tree correctly so future generations will praise rather than curse you. **THE PLANTING HOLE IS NOT A “HOLE”** Although most illustrations and directions call for digging a “hole” to plant a tree, you may not need a “hole” at all! Determine where you want to plant your tree. Insert your shovel in this spot as deeply as it will go and turn over a clump of soil. Insert the shovel three inches away from your first effort and heave the earth up once again. Proceeding around the original hole in a spiral, continue to insert the shovel as deeply as you can and turn over the resulting clumps of dirt. Stop when the loosened planting area is at least 6 feet in diameter. In the center, where you did your original spadework, excavate a hole only twice as big as the root ball of the tree you’re planting. **SOIL AMENDMENTS? NO!** Significant research on tree planting has been done in the last twenty years. Scientists have tested whether organic matter added to the planting area makes any difference in the health of the tree. They’ve determined that adding organic matter to the planting hole makes little difference except in sandy soils. In fact, if amendments are added to clay soil, the tree roots may decide to remain within the fertile planting hole (where they are vulnerable to drought) and never explore the surrounding earth. Roots will always move into soil that contains lots of oxygen, so the best recommendation is to dig a wide (rather than deep) planting area, pulverizing the soil thoroughly. **ADD LIME AND PHOSPHORUS** Roots need lots of calcium and phosphorus to grow well. But spreading lime and fertilizer on top of the soil after a tree is planted is futile, because the nutrients dissolve into the root zone very slowly. Scatter 4 pounds of lime and one-fourth cup of 0-46-0 fertilizer (or use some type of “starter fertilizer”) over the soil as you shovel up the area. The roots will be able to use the nutrients immediately when they expand. **CHOOSE A HEALTHY TREE** One of the best reasons to plant trees in autumn is that you can buy healthier trees. You are able to purchase larger trees when they are “balled & burlapped” rather than container-grown. It is my observation, however, that many trees are improperly dug. If you buy in the spring, when they are fresh from the tree farm, you may not discover until summer that few roots came with the tree from the farm to your nursery. Trees that have grown all summer at the nursery, though, are much more likely to have a vigorous root system. **LOOK FOR THE FLARE** When you have the tree in the hole you made in the planting spot, excavate around the trunk until you find the area where the trunk flares out to become the root(s). Make the first big root level with the surrounding soil before you backfill the hole with loose earth. **REMOVE BURLAP, STRING** The typical burlap used is treated to prevent rot, even untreated burlap retards root growth..Remove as much as yo possibly can. Be sure to remove any string wrapped around the tree trunk. Also rmove the wire cage. Apply lots of water to settle the tree into place, cover the soil with mulch (a 6″ layer of arborist woood chips is best) and you’ll have a tree ready to provide years of pleasure for you and to those who visit in the future. ![flare root at base of trunk](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tree-root-3.jpg "tree root 3")flare root at base of trunk **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Fall, Fertilizer, gift, Mulch, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Where to Get Info on Fruit Trees For Georgia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/good-fruit-trees-for-georgia/) **Published:** March 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am new to Georgia and am interested in planting a few fruit trees in my back yard. I’d like rare but hardy ones. Any suggestions?** A: “Rare” and “hardy” may not be possible. If a fruit tree is rare, it’s usually hard to grow here. If it is hardy, it’s usually easy to grow here, but it’s not rare. For the best advice, I suggest you talk directly to nurseries that specialize in fruit plants. I have a list of local and online fruit nurseries at [bit.ly/fruitsources](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-trees-sources/). ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fig-fruit-300x225.jpg)fig ![pear fruit](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pear-fruit-300x199.jpg)pear fruit ![apples](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/apples-3-300x194.jpg)apples **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [Fruiting Quince vs Flowering Quince](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/info-on-fruiting-quince/) **Published:** March 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have become interested in growing fruiting quince and have several plants (‘Le Page’, ‘Aromatnaya’, ‘Cookes Jumbo’, ‘Van Deamon’). Do they fruit on current year’s growth or last years? I need to prune them a bit. They are delicious if properly prepared.** A: I commonly see two different kinds of quince. “Flowering” quince, *Chaenomeles speciosa,* flowers in late February with red, white or pink blooms. Fruit is small and inconsequential. The blossoms come from buds originating on last year’s growth. These shrubs can be pruned after flowering is finished. “Fruiting” quince, *Cydonia oblonga,* is a small tree that blooms on new wood. For best results, prune in winter to stimulate new growth in early spring which will then produce large quince fruit from which you can make your quince preserves. **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Flowers, Spring, Winter --- ### [How to Treat Tree Wounds,Gouges, and Missing Bark](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/how-to-treat-tree-woundsgouges-and-missing-bark/) **Published:** October 2, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Many things have been touted as “wound dressings” for trees, from buttermilk to honey. I believe that research has shown that **tar, paint and other sealants offer no help for a damaged tree**. Trees heal from wounds differently from you or me. When we get a scrape, our bodies rush platelets there to close any bleeding vessels. White blood cells remove the injured cells and new healthy cells repair the damaged tissue under the cover of a layer of clotted blood – a scab. When a wound is made to a tree’s bark, the tree rushes sap to the spot. The sap keeps the area moist, washes away insects and fungi and protects the inner tree tissue . Cells around the wound fill themselves with special rot fighting liquid that soon hardens. These cells try to surround the wound internally: they **compartmentalize the wound**. Healthy tree cells on the edge of the wound begin growing over it, trying to cover it over. **Trees don’t heal, they seal**. This is why **tar, paint, or foam is not recommended** when a tree is wounded. They retard the tree’s own defenses and they all eventually crack and allow rot and insects to invade once again. **WHAT YOU SHOULD DO?** 1\. Use a razor knife to scribe around the wound, back to healthy, tightly=attached bark. The best scribe shape is an elongated oval parallel to the trunk. 2 Increase tree health by mulching, fertilization based on a soil test, and regular irrigation. 3\. Observe the whole tree for insect damage: pine sap coming from a wound attracts boring insects which can not be easily controlled, the top of the tree will turn yellow, then brown, far from the initial wound. **WHAT ABOUT TREE HOLES?** **Don’t bore a drain hole.** As explained above, you’ll breach the tree’s own compartmentalization. **Don’t fill with concrete or expanding foam**: they damage the inside of the hole and they crack and allow water and insects in. **PRUNE LIMBS PROPERLY** “ Large limbs should be taken off in stages. If you try to take off a large limb in one cut, it will often break before the cut is finished and strip bark from the tree. Large limbs should be taken off in stages. If you try to take off a large limb in one cut, it will often break before the cut is finished and strip bark from the tree. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/tree-prune.jpg) 1\. First make a cut about 15 inches from the trunk. Start from the bottom and cut one-third of the way up through the limb. 2\. The second should be made from the top down but started 2 inches further away from the trunk than the first cut. The branch will break away as you make the second cut. 3\. The third cut is made to remove the stub that is left and is made at the collar area. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/tree-prune-at-collar-201x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/tree-pruned-stub-198x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/tree-hole-foam-2-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/tree-hole-in-trunk-1-Preston-Scott-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, How-To --- ### [Paint The Wounds Of My Bleeding Pin Oak Tree?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/should-i-paint-the-wounds-of-my-pin-oak-tree/) **Published:** March 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I pruned some rather large limbs from a huge pin oak tree a few days ago. Today almost every cut is “weeping” heavily. Should I paint the wounds?** A: There is no harm at all. The tree’s roots are now vigorously pushing sap up to the crown. The bleeding will stop in a few days. There is no need to paint the wound. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Oak --- ### [How to get a good crop of pecans](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-to-get-a-good-crop-of-pecans/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have a small grove of overgrown pecan trees in two straight rows on our newly purchased farmland. What should we do to get a good crop of pecans so we can sell some?** A: Your goal of having enough to sell will be a journey, not a day trip. It might take three years to get enough to sell, but it will take even more time to bring the trees into reliable production. Start by fixing the things that take the longest to benefit the tree: fertility and tree structure. Fertilize the tree based on a University of Georgia soil test ([georgiasoiltest.com](georgiasoiltest.com)). You will likely need to apply lime and possibly zinc. Both take years to help a tree. Proper pruning is extremely important to achieve maximum leaf surface and strong limbs that won’t break under a big load of nuts. Pecan wood is brittle and I imagine your overgrown trees have several codominant trunks that need to be worked with so they don’t break off in a windstorm. You need professionals to do this job. Make sure the tree company you hire has a certified arborist on staff to supervise the pruning. Structural pruning can be complicated because the limbs on all sides of the tree should be approximately equal in weight to keep the tree from twisting and breaking in the wind. Long limbs will need to be shortened so they don’t shade lower limbs. Stubs and other defects should be removed with a proper cut. Other things needing attention are weed control, insect control, cover crops, and leveling the ground under the trees, which will help when harvest time comes. I’m just getting started with the things you need to know to manage your pecan trees. You can get tremendous help from the Newton County Extension office (770-784-2010) if you set up a time to meet and go over your plans and goals. **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening --- ### [Yaupon hollies are getting too tall](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/yaupon-hollies-are-getting-too-tall/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: The yaupon hollies in my front yard have gotten so tall that my living room is fairly dark. Can I cut them back severely or would you remove them? Otherwise, what is an evergreen shrub, hopefully native, that will not grow past 5 feet tall?** A: If you cut them back, the yaupon hollies will need pruning every couple of years, so I would remove them. There will be numerous root sprouts afterward. Pull them up when seen. I couldn’t find a native shrub that would work, but I would consider the non-native ‘Soft Touch’ holly, ‘Shi Shi Gashira’ dwarf camellia, ‘Kaleidoscope’ abelia, and dwarf Indian hawthorn. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Trying to grow native chestnuts called chinquapins](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trying-to-grow-native-chestnuts-called-chinquapins/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I’m trying to grow native chestnuts called chinquapins. A nursery I contacted sells one they call Georgia Champion and one they call Allegheny. Which one do you think is better, or no difference in them at all? Which one would you try?** A: There are several plants called chinquapin (Castanea pumila): American chinquapin, Allegheny chinquapin, and common chinquapin. There are improved varieties of chinquapin: ‘Rush’ and ‘Fuller’ are examples. I can’t find a reference to a ‘Georgia Champion.’ My bet is that someone was walking in the woods one day and saw a nice looking chinquapin tree. They collected the nuts and planted them. The seedlings grew quickly and as a result he named them Georgia Champion but did not register this name anywhere. That’s my best guess. I think I would try the Georgia Champion tree, in case it truly is a superior selection. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Advice for applying crabgrass pre-emergent](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/advice-for-applying-crabgrass-pre-emergent/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Is your advice for applying crabgrass pre-emergent still March 1st considering the early warm-up in temperature this year?** A: You have probably heard there is a new USDA map that shows that winters have not been as severe in the last twenty years and that spring has come earlier. Despite this, the timing of preemergent application will still be based on your own intuition and observations. Gardeners have observed that you should apply preemergent when the forsythia shrubs in your neighborhood are blooming. The flower buds open in response to the same temperature signals that weed seeds do. There is a whole body of knowledge called phenology in which the defined behavior of certain plants is used to tell you when to do garden tasks. Keep your eye out for the bright yellow flowers of forsythia and your **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Something is dripping on our cars - is a tree the culprit?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/something-is-dripping-on-our-cars-is-a-tree-the-culprit/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: On our condominium property a homeowner is complaining of something dripping onto her car from trees. There is a red maple and a pine tree nearby. Could both of these trees be the culprit? We really don’t want to take down a healthy maple.** A: Liquid dripping from trees is not usually from the tree itself. It is probably undigested plant sap (honeydew) excreted by insects that feed on the tree. In such cases controlling the insects will solve the problem. The most effective insecticide for this is imidacloprid. It is poured on the soil around the base of a tree and taken up to the leaves, where it kills any sap-sucking insects. Read and follow the directions, and do not use it when the tree is blooming. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Liriope has small notches on the side](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/liriope-has-small-notches-on-the-side/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Last year most of the leaves of my liriope had small notches along both sides. What do you think this is? How can I solve it for this year?** A: I think black vine weevil is the culprit. The adult insect makes characteristic notches on the leaves of rhododendron, azalea, euonymus, as well as other herbaceous plants. The larvae do more damage by feeding on the roots of these plants. The best control is a drench of systemic insecticide like imidacloprid. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [How do I get a green thumb?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/how-do-i-get-a-green-thumb/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: How do I get a green thumb so my plants grow better?** A: We’ve all heard people say “I have a brown thumb; most of my plants die. I sure wish I had a green thumb like my neighbor.” Having a green thumb and beautiful plants doesn’t depend on special tools, advanced education, or special knowledge. The more time you spend with your greenery, the better you’ll get at determining its needs. Instead, it depends on your ability to look at your plants and know if they look normal or if they don’t appear healthy. If they look ill, a green thumb gardener will determine what caused it and what‘s the best way to correct it. I must say that the green thumb gardeners I know spend time researching a problem before they act. Experienced gardeners decide whether they want to use organic or chemical methods to deal with the problem. Plant what you love. Outdoors, adaptable Cosmos, Celosias, and Marigolds are great flowers for busy beginners. Nobody is born with a green thumb. Instead, it’s something you build over time. “I think it comes down to the right plant, right place, right tools, and instruction,” Neese says. My feeling is that if you can first be successful with just a few plants you’ll be encouraged to build on that success in the future. Even if you’re totally new to plant care, you can still develop a green thumb. **1. Start Small** Don’t get ahead of yourself! It may be exciting to dream of all the delicious produce and gorgeous flowers you’ll be harvesting, but baby steps are important in your first garden. Don’t spend tons of money on showy crops and expensive tools, or designate half your yard to veggies. Start out with a few easy-to-maintain plants and a plan, to save time, energy, and frustration. **2. Consider Your Resources** There are three things plants need in order to thrive: nutrients, water, and sun. So when planning a garden, it’s important to make sure you’ve got these covered. Plants get all their nutrients from the soil, so make sure you’ve got rich, healthy soil to work with. Some plants grow well in drier, more clay-like soil, some need richer, compost-heavy dirt. Check to see what you’ve got so you can make an informed decision about which plants will be successful in your garden. If the soil is too dry and clay-like, or sandy, you may need to amend it with compost or organic fertilizers. It’s also very important to know what kind of water conditions are in your garden. If you live in a wetter climate, you certainly don’t want to plant desert-loving succulents and cacti. Consider the natural water conditions in your area, and then decide what sort of additional water you can responsibly provide. Plants are resilient and want to grow, but planting sun-loving crops in shady areas will result in slow production and small harvests. Full sun is the term used for any area that receives a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunshine per day. Shade to partial shade means an area that is in direct sunlight for less than 6 hours, especially if that light is morning light. Most plants and seeds are marked with their ideal sun needs, so be sure you know what you’ve got before you buy. **3. Get the Right Tools** Stepping into the tool section of a gardening store can be both exciting and overwhelming! There are so many shiny garden gadgets available now, that it’s easy to plop down a small fortune. But slow down! For a beginning garden, you may only need a few select tools. You’ll need something to work the soil. A sturdy trowel is a good option here. Look for one with a solid metal scoop and strong handle. If your soil is drier, you may also want to invest in a hand rake. This is a handy tool to turn up and oxygenate the soil, or work in any compost or amendments you might need. Watering your plants is also something to consider when purchasing tools. Depending on the size and location of your garden, you might need a hose or a watering can. Also, a small pruner is super handy for maintaining plants and gathering your harvests. Most importantly, don’t forget gardening gloves! **4. Plant What You Love** Being a successful gardener is easy if you are excited about the things you are growing. If you hate radishes, you probably won’t be very invested in caring for a plot full of them. So make a list of all the plants you’d enjoy and go from there. Once you have a master list of the things you’d like to grow, you can narrow it down to the easiest to grow, and those best suited to your climate and garden situation. **5. Plant What Grows Where You Live** You can certainly grow a warmth-loving fig tree in Utah, but you’ll have to insulate it in the winter and baby it throughout the spring and summer. When starting your first garden, you probably want to start simple, with plants that grow easily and/or naturally in your region. For vegetable gardens, plant low-maintenance, easy-to-grow crops like radishes, lettuces, onions, strawberries, or beans. These vegetables can handle a variety of water, sun, and soil conditions, so they are go-to plants for beginning gardens. Starting from seed is always exciting, but purchasing seedlings might be the way to go in a beginning garden. Seedlings have already been hardened off, which means that they have been introduced to outside conditions, have multiple leaves, and can handle the shock of being transplanted into a garden bed. Planting from seed requires a little more care since the baby plants can be quite fragile. **6. Take Notes, Pay Attention, and Don’t Be Afraid to Ask** Questions The beautiful thing about gardens is that they are always changing, and there is no one right way to grow them. Gardening is a skill that comes with practice, and every gardener has their own bag of tricks and tips, gleaned from experience, so the best way to become a great gardener is to pay attention and experiment. Notice how your individual plants indicate that they need water. What happens if they get too much? If one crop does poorly in a shady area, see what happens if you move it to full sun the following growing season. What sort of insects are in your garden, when, and what are they doing there? What happens if you prune a plant? Experiment in your garden and take note of the results. You’ll be amazed at how green that thumb of yours becomes with a little trial and error! And if you’re really stumped, don’t be afraid to ask gardening friends, neighbors, or even an employee at your local gardening store. **7. Keep Trying** Ultimately, the difference between a brown and a green thumb is desire and knowledge. Both are attainable with a little time and effort. So don’t give up! You will have failed crops, and you will have success. The rewards of a bountiful harvest are plentiful and worth the trial and error! Eating fresh grown produce, spreading the beauty of a garden, and sharing your harvest may be the key to building stronger communities, a healthier planet, and a happier world. The color of your thumb doesn’t matter when your hands are digging in the soil! **Categories:** General Q & A, How-To --- ### [St. Augustine dying under large live oak](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/st-augustine-dying-under-large-live-oak/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a huge live oak tree that once had healthy St. Augustine grass beneath, but now it has mostly gone away. The yard man mulched dead leaves onto the grass without raking them up in the spring for the last few years. Would leaving the mulched leaves adversely affect the grass?** A: There is a pitched battle for survival going on beneath your oak. The St. Augustine is desperate for light. To weaken the tree, it grabs every morsel of nutrition and every drop of moisture possible with its shallow root system. On the other hand, your tree attempting murder by starving light from the grass. As you report, the tree is slowly winning. The mulched leaves did not affect the outcome. They didn’t acidify the soil. You now have to make a decision about how far out the tree can spread. Email Walter at ge\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*@\*\*\*oo.com. Listen to his occasional garden comments on “Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca” on Saturday mornings on 95.5 WSB. Visit his website, [walterreeves.com](walterreeves.com), or join his Facebook page at [bit.ly/georgiagardener](https://www.facebook.com/people/Georgia-Gardener/100045796145143/) for his latest tips. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, St. Augustine, Lawn Care, Landscaping --- ### [Spider plant has holes in the leaves and black specks](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/spider-plant-has-holes-in-the-leaves-and-black-specks/) **Published:** September 19, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I went out of town and left my spider plant hanging in a friend’s enclosed workroom. When I got back two weeks later, the leaves had big holes and the tabletop underneath was covered with tiny black specks. How do I get rid of these eggs and the creature that ate my plant organically?** A: The good news is that the black specks probably aren’t eggs. Instead, I’ll bet they are the gastric leavings dropped by whatever creature enjoyed your plant. It could be either a caterpillar or a snail. If it was a caterpillar, you would have seen it before you left. It’s not likely that there was enough time for a caterpillar to grow big enough to make large holes. That leaves snails as the culprit. They are mobile enough to crawl from a couple of feet away to the pot and have a munch for lunch before departing. I see several places on the leaves where a snail could linger and rasp just the top layer of cells, leaving a windowpane effect. Chew a bit deeper and a hole in the leaf is formed. So you (or your friend) have snails that chew on plants. What can you do about it? The most effective control is totally organic: diatomaceous earth. This material is mined in California, where once shallow seas contained tiny diatoms, which, when they died, left skeletons with extremely sharp microscopic edges. Get some diatomaceous earth from a garden center and sprinkle it on the surface of your pot’s soil. Any snails that crawl over it will have their undersides sliced to ribbons by the diatomaceous earth.You can choose whether or not to watch the event and listen to the tiny snail screams. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Georgia hardiness zone changes](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/georgia-hardiness-zone-changes/) **Published:** September 17, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I read recently that the plant hardiness zone for northwest Georgia will change from 7b (expected low temperature 5 to 10 F) to 8a (expected low temperature 10 to 15 F). What impact will that have on planting schedules?** A: It won’t have much impact on planting schedules. Spring may come a few days early some years. Over 10 or 15 years, you may notice we have warmer springs, and you’ll do your planting a week earlier than you do now. The map tells us that we can expect one or two days that are colder than they are now. The Hardiness Map is just one source of information that gardeners consider when scheduling tasks in the garden. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Growing Moss](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/growing-moss/) **Published:** September 17, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I’m looking to grow moss in my backyard. I’m not sure where to start. Are there places locally that sell seeds or pre-grown moss strips? If you have any resources for organic veggie seeds, that would be a big help as well.** A: Just like flowers are started from seeds or cuttings, ferns are started from spores or small pieces. I recommend starting moss from small pieces. You can buy them online (look for fairy gardening) or make some yourself by soaking a piece of live green moss in water and pulling it apart. For organic seeds, I have found Johnny’s Selected Seeds ([johnnyseeds.com](http://johnnyseeds.com)) and Botanical Interests ([botanicalinterests.com](botanicalinterests.com)) to be helpful and educational about organic gardening. **Categories:** Groundcovers, Landscaping --- ### [Fescue Lawn is yellowing](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-lawn-is-yellowing/) **Published:** September 17, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My fescue lawn has taken on a yellow, bleached appearance; what can I use to green it up again?** A: Fescue is deemed a cool season grass but not a cold-season grass. It does most of its growth when it’s cool in the spring and the fall, not winter or summer. Recommendations are to fertilize three or four times between September and April but leave it alone in summer. If properly cared for, fescue grass will look lush during the cool season, but this vibrant green comes with a caveat: If it gets really cold before the fescue can prepare, the lush growth can freeze. Sometimes it happens in patches and sometimes the whole lawn will turn yellow. I think that’s what happened to your lawn. You didn’t say how much you fertilized, but next year fertilize based on a University of Georgia soil test (georgiasoiltest.com). Right now, the best you can do is apply a high nitrogen lawn fertilizer (like 32-0 4 or similar) very lightly, perhaps 1 pound per 1,000 square feet. This will give the fescue some nutrition when the grass gets warm in spring but won’t produce the lush growth that might be frozen. **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care --- ### [How to Make Muscadine Hull Pie](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-make-muscadine-hull-pie/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** My mother was never one to let things go to waste. We enjoyed sucking the sweet contents of muscadine grapes each fall but we spit out the seeds and skin. This seemed a waste to my mother. Surely there was a use for those grape skins. Her answer? **MUSCADINE HULL PIE** Harvest a half-gallon of ripe muscadines; wash and remove any stems. Put grapes in a flat-bottomed pot and mash so that the pulp and seeds are separated from the hulls (skins). Pick out the hulls and make sure there are no seeds hidden inside. Place in a boiler; barely cover with water. Boil until tender: 15 – 20 minutes. Drain hulls but reserve the water/juice. Pour 1 cup of water/juice into a mixing bowl; add 1 cup of sugar plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch and mix thoroughly. Add hulls to mixing bowl. Also add 5 drops of vanilla or almond extract, 1 Tsp. grated lemon peel and 1 Tbs. lemon juice. Stir vigorously. Pour into frozen deep-dish pie crust. Dot the filling with 1 tablespoon butter. Add top crust. Lattice the top for effect if you care to. Put pie onto a thin cookie sheet to protect oven from spills. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream on top. **M’mmmmmmmmmmmmm!** **PRO TIP Separating the muscadine hulls from the pulp and seeds is tedious work, not suited for children who might miss a seed or two. It was easier to teach us to put a grape between our front teeth, bite gently and enjoy the sweet juice then spit the hull into a pint jar or large cup. After an appropriate time in the evening, she would collect the containers, quickly check for seeds, and start boiling.:** **See** **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Fall, Lemon, Seed --- ### [Mole – Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/mole-control/) **Published:** July 13, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Moles live underground and seldom venture out of their burrows. They are most active in the early morning and late evening hours. The ridges of earth pushed up by burrowing plainly indicate their presence in a lawn. The number of tunnels is no indication of the number of moles present. One mole may construct a maze of haphazard, criss-crossing runways. Certain runways are used frequently, but most of the tunneling is made in a random search for food. Some runways are seldom used again. Moles feed almost exclusively on insects, earthworms, grubs and other insect larvae. Damage to bulbs, flowers and vegetables while often blamed on moles usually is caused by mice using mole runways. Bulbs and plant roots can dry out when lifted out of the ground by an energetic mole. Since moles eat earthworms, insects and other arthropods one theory is to use insecticides to eliminate their food supply and force them to move elsewhere. This rarely works because insecticides do not eliminate all of the mole’s food. The mole may dig that much more looking for earthworms and other food. POISON PEANUTS Poison peanuts are sold for mole control – but moles do not eat peanuts so this too is usually unsuccessful. TRAPS Trapping is difficult but it may be successful if care is taken. First it is necessary to determine a suitable runway in which to place the trap. As stated earlier many of the visible mole runways are made during the search for food and may never be used again. Therefore, it is necessary to locate runways that are used regularly. An easy way to locate such places is to flatten many sections of the runways. Do this by stepping on them. Mark the flattened places with stones or other small items. Repeat this procedure for a few days to discover runways where the moles go regularly. These places will be raised each day. Place the trap in these runways according to directions. Be sure to place the trap in such a way so as to prevent a child or animal from becoming accidently hurt. POISONING **Some laissez faire gardeners say that the only thing you should do is to mash down the active tunnels completely and force the mole to move to more hospitable yards. That is certainly a viable option and perhaps a good source of income for an impecunious sixteen-year old with size twelve shoes**. It is difficult to live trap a mole but you can try burying an open-mouthed three-pound coffee can in the path of a tunnel and hope a mole falls in. THESE DON’T WORK Plenty of folk remedies have been proposed for mole control. The following *do not*, repeat **DO NOT**, work: •Chewing gum •Broken glass •Ultrasonic vibrators •Noisy windmills •Moth balls •Poison peanuts •Insecticide treatments to the lawn Products containing castor oil have recently been touted to repel moles but little research supports their effectiveness. Castor bean plant is extolled to repel moles but no known research supports this either. For an excellent guide to mole control, the Missouri Extension Service has a publication available at their Web site: [Eastern Mole Control](http://extension.missouri.edu/p/g9440) [The Mole Man](http://themoleman.com/) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Poison, Stone --- ### [Mole Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/mole-control-2/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have had a new lawn since June and want to save it from moles. Will the cold drive them deeper underground? Would early spring be a better time to tackle this problem?** A: Moles are frustrating to control. There are no effective repellents. Chewing gum, mothballs and battery-powered vibrators are equally useless. Poisoning grubs only makes moles dig more vigorously as they search for earthworms. It is difficult to be successful with trapping and poisons without a lot of experience. I think my long-time suggestion to simply walk on the raised tunnels to crush them is easiest for homeowners to accomplish. If you walk the tunnels regularly and firmly, moles will seek other places to live. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Armyworm – Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/army-worms-control-2/) **Published:** August 10, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** “An army travels by its stomach” according to military lore. When a homeowner discovers an army of caterpillars marching across his lawn, devouring the bermuda or fescue grass, this aphorism is proved true for the insect world as well! Armyworm caterpillars are incredibly voracious as they feed on bermudagrass and fescue grass pastures and lawns in August and September. As eye-popping as is their feeding habit, when thousands of worms try to cross a busy highway, the results on the asphalt are truly disgusting! The first signs are brown patches of grass which rapidly grow bigger. The caterpillars feed at night, so the damage is not explainable at first. Your first sign of a fall armyworm infestation might be several birds clustered on a turf area. Although birds eat the caterpillars, they are no match for hundreds of them in one lawn. As their numbers grow, entire lawns and fields can be eaten to the ground. The caterpillar is approximately 1 1/2 inch long, with white stripes down its body. There are usually two angled stripes on its head – joined to a longer stripe, the marking looks like a long “Y”. If you haven’t had armyworms before, there is an easy early detection system: a gallon can with both ends removed and a bucket of soapy water. By plunging the can firmly into the turf and filling it with soapy water, caterpillars in hiding will quickly float to the surface. If more than five are found in the water, it’s time to treat. **CONTROL** Each spring, storms and windy days transport the moths northward from Florida. Summer shipments of sod from infested fields can also bring them in. Their eggs develop into the black caterpillars you see in your lawn. **Liquid**, not granular, insecticides are best to kill armyworms. **Any sprayable [lawn insecticide (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=lawn%20insecticide&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A2972638011%2Ck%3Alawn%20insecticide&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&linkId=VB2QIZX3DPXYXMIE)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)**e can be applied in a coarse spray over the grass. Wet the grass thoroughly and do not mow for three days after application. Products containing [Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=bt&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=bt%2Caps%2C200&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) are effective only on **small** (1/2 inch or less) worms. Irrigate before treating, to move the caterpillars out of the thatch. Treat in late afternoon, when the caterpillars are likely to begin feeding. If possible, mow before you treat and then do not mow for 3 days after treatment. Winter cold has a great effect on armyworm populations. If a winter is severe, few armyworms will survive for next year. The good news is that armyworms **will not hurt your lawn permanently**. Fall armyworms rarely kill grass but some lawns may be severely weakened. Be sure to apply a pre-emergent to prevent weeds from germinating. [Armyworm in Pastures](https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/farming/management-of-fall-armyworm-in-pastures-and-hayfields/) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/armyworms-on-grass-scaled.jpg "armyworms on grass")armyworms on grass ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/army-worm-rotated.jpg "army worm")army worm [![armyworm (courtesy of www.southerntrillium.com)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/armyworm-2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/armyworm-2.jpg)armyworm (courtesy of www.southerntrillium.com) ![armyworm moth (about 1" long)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/armyworm-moth.jpg)armyworm moth – about 1″ long (photo courtesy of Adam Schaper) ![moths are attracted to outdoor lights](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/armyworm-moth-2.jpg)moths are attracted to outdoor lights, so you may see egg masses nearby (photo courtesy of Adam Schaper) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Birds, Brown Patch, Caterpillar, Fall, Pre-Emergent, Spring, Summer, Travel, Weed, Winter --- ### [Venomous (Poisonous) Caterpillars - Photos](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/venomous-poisonous-caterpillars-photos/) **Published:** August 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** 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 many plants, control is very difficult. Best idea is simply to be aware and be observant. [More photos from Ohio State University](http://bygl.osu.edu/node/903) [![saddleback caterpillar](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/saddleback-xx.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/saddleback-xx.jpg)saddleback caterpillar [![saddleback with parasitic wasp cocoons](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/saddleback-with-wasp-cocoons-cropped-500x386.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/saddleback-with-wasp-cocoons-cropped.jpg)saddleback with parasitic wasp cocoons [Saddleback Caterpillar F.A.Q. ](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/saddleback-caterpillars/) [![puss caterpillar](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/puss-caterpilar-1--500x280.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/puss-caterpilar-1-.jpg)puss caterpillar [![puss caterpillar](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/puss-caterpillar-500x330.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/puss-caterpillar.jpg)puss caterpillar [Puss Caterpillar Identification](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/puss-caterpillar-identification-2/) [![Stinging caterpillar Euclea delphinii](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Stinging-caterpillar-Euclea-delphinii-Auburn-Copy-500x395.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Stinging-caterpillar-Euclea-delphinii-Auburn-Copy.jpg)Spiny oak slug [Spiny Oak Slug Facts](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/spiny-oak-slug-poisonous-caterpillar/) [![stinging caterpillar Isa textula ](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/stinging-caterpillar-Isa-textula-Auburn-Copy-500x357.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/stinging-caterpillar-Isa-textula-Auburn-Copy.jpg)stinging caterpillar *Isa textula* [![white flannel moth caterpillar ](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/white-flannel-moth-caterpillar-Norape-ovina-4-500x375.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/white-flannel-moth-caterpillar-Norape-ovina-4.jpg)white flannel moth caterpillar [![white flannel moth caterpillar ](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/white-flannel-moth-caterpillar-500x375.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/white-flannel-moth-caterpillar.jpg)white flannel moth caterpillar [![tussock moth caterpillar](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/tussock-moth-caterpillar-white-marked-Copy-500x332.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/tussock-moth-caterpillar-white-marked-Copy.jpg)tussock moth caterpillar (that’s my hand, but no irritation ensued) [![tussock moth caterpillar](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/tussock-moth-caterpillar-white-marked-2-Copy-500x332.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/tussock-moth-caterpillar-white-marked-2-Copy.jpg)tussock moth caterpillar [![wooly bear caterpillar (not venomous)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/caterpillar-wooly-bear-young-3-Copy-500x333.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/caterpillar-wooly-bear-young-3-Copy.jpg)wooly bear caterpillar (not venomous) [![hickory horned devil (not venomous)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/hickory-horned-devil-11-500x375.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/hickory-horned-devil-11.jpg)hickory horned devil (not venomous) [All About the Hickory Horned Devil](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/hickory-horned-devil-regal-moth/) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Caterpillar, Fall, Oak, Poison, Poisonous, Summer --- ### [Take this lawn quiz to decide if you need a pro](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia/take-this-lawn-quiz-to-decide-if-you-need-a-pro/) **Published:** September 6, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Last year, my three neighbors and I experienced major sections of dead zoysia grass. We hired a company to maintain our lawns. They treated for grubs, then fungus, but it didn’t look any better. I took over and continued to treat for fungus. Early this year I applied compost and water, and the bare spots are recovering. However, I have noticed several new spots that appear to be the return of fungus. Is there someone who could advise us? —** A: Before you hire someone, take this quiz for each lawn in turn. The spots might be lawn fungus, but they might be caused by something else. Any good adviser first will ask, “What has been the maintenance history?” Answer the following questions to get an idea if the problem began with **you**. Correct the bad maintenance, then you can decide if you want to hire a professional. **Q: Does the grass get enough sunshine?** A: It should be full sun to partial shade (not mostly shade). **Q: Is the grass mowed at the proper height?** A: It should be 2 inches maximum, although it could grow to 2½ inches right before a mowing. **Q: How often is it mowed?** A: Should be weekly, although this could be adjusted a couple of days in either direction, depending on how much fertilizer is used. **Q: How much fertilizer has been used and when?** A: Zoysia needs 1-3 pounds of actual nitrogen per year. Be sure you understand what **actual nitrogen** means. It should be applied three times: The first application should be when the grass is 80%-90% green; the second application should be sometime in June; and third application should be six weeks before the first killing frost. **Q: Is grass growing in hard soil or soft?** A: Use a screwdriver to find out. If it’s hard, has it been effectively aerated? **Q: How much water has been applied and when?** A: Zoysia needs 1 inch per week. This must be adjusted for rainy spells or high heat. Irrigation should be applied no more than two times per week. **Q: Which pesticides have been applied and when? And have all pesticides been applied according to label directions in all cases?** A: Herbicides must have been applied according to directions. Of course, you can get a laboratory diagnosis from the University of Georgia for a small fee by submitting a sample through your county Extension office. Their response will tell you if your diagnosis of fungus causing the spots in your lawns was correct. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/sprinkler-2-300x199.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/spreader-sprayer-fungicide-199x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/aerator-1-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Zoysia, General Q & A, How-To --- ### [I bought urushi ware bowls, is it true they are made from poison ivy?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/i-bought-urushi-ware-bowls-is-it-true-they-are-made-from-poison-ivy/) **Published:** September 4, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: On my trip to Japan, I bought some black Japanese bowls and small jewelry chests. When I got home, people told me the lacquer on my urushi ware was made from poison ivy and would make me itch. Is that true?** A: It is true that urushiol, the irritant that most of us fear, is found in poison ivy vine, Toxicodendron radicans, and the sap of the urushi tree, Toxicodendron vernicifluum. The tree is native to China, Korea, Japan and the eastern Himalayas. Urushiol is collected from the trees and is painted onto wooden objects to protect them. When urushiol is exposed to moisture and air, it polymerizes and becomes a very hard, durable, non-irritating plastic-like substance similar to black lacquer. **Categories:** General Q & A, Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Centipede grass infesting Zoysia lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/centipede-grass-infesting-zoysia-lawn/) **Published:** September 4, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have an infestation of centipede in my Meyers zoysia lawn. During the dormant season, it readily shows up as much darker than the dormant zoysia. Is it OK to spray the dormant centipede with Roundup without harming the dormant zoysia?** A: I doubt you have centipede grass. In the winter, zoysia is completely brown and centipede a very light greenish yellow. I’ll bet you have carpetgrass, which looks very much like centipede in the summer. That’s bad news because carpetgrass is very hard to control with older chemicals. It’s a good thing herbicide research is ongoing. I haven’t used it but the label for Celsius WG indicates that it will control broadleaf carpetgrass, Axonopus compressus, and is safe to use on zoysia. Do your own research; read and follow the label exactly. This herbicide is comparatively expensive, but you can save money by using the single-use packages. Note that it only covers 2,000 square feet at the rate you’ll use. While you’re shopping, get some non-ionic surfactant. When mixed with herbicide, it helps the chemical(s) be absorbed by the weed leaves. Changing the environment of your lawn can be of use too. Keep your lawn on the dry side, fertilize appropriately for zoysia grass, and raise the pH based on a soil test, [georgiasoiltest.com](georgiasoiltest.com). **Categories:** Zoysia, Centipede, Lawn Care --- ### [Why do Georgia Tech's weeping trees grow in a zig zag?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/why-do-georgia-techs-weeping-trees-grow-in-a-zig-zag/) **Published:** September 4, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: On the Georgia Tech campus, I saw a weeping tree growing in a zigzag form, not straight up like most trees. Why does it grow like this?** A: I’ll bet you saw a weeping Atlas cedar, Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula.’ It does that (weep) because a change in the growing tip caused growth to go horizontal rather than vertical. This plant initially grows vertically, but after several years, it begins to lose its verticality and grow horizontally. It can **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Garden Books - Recommended](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/garden-books-recommended/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I owe many things to my Aunt Elizabeth…. but the thing for which I am most indebted is her annual gift of reading material. When I was a young teen, she gave me a subscription to Boy’s Life magazine, which I devoured each month. She also enrolled me in a teenage “Book of the Month” club which caused me to hang forlornly around the community Post Office until Mr. Jim Minter, the postmaster, chased me off to do farm chores for my father. I love to read and I’m not picky about what’s before my eyes. Cereal box, catalog, book or junk mail flyer – all are interesting to me. As you might guess, I have a lot of books. When it comes to gardening books, though, I have two categories: reference and pleasure. I use Dr. Dirr’s “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants” and Dr. Armitage’s “Herbaceous Perennial Plants” almost daily. They’re great for a professional garden writer but would put most folks to sleep faster than a nightcap of benadryl and whiskey. There are some garden books, though, that are entertaining as well as informative. I’ve chosen some of my favorites to give you gift ideas for any gardener. **Order books via Amazon.com** [**The Southern Living Garden Book**](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0848720172/walterreeves) edited by Steve Bender Clearly written and full of important information on how to garden in the South. Has an excellent descriptive list of landscape plants. This is the best basic book (other than [**my own books**](http://www.walterreeves.com/books.phtml)!) for Southern gardeners. **[Southern Living Garden Problem Solver](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/037603873X/walterreeves)** edited by Steve Bender If you garden, you’re gonna have problems occasionally. This book covers nearly all of the diseases, insects and other pests you might run into. **[Bulletproof Flowers for the South](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878332456/walterreeves)** by Jim Wilson Interested in growing flowers but don’t know where to start? You can’t go wrong with the cultural information and lists of easy-to-grow flowers included here. **[Garden Bulbs for the South](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878338616/walterreeves)** by Scott Ogden I never cease to be amazed at the amount of great information on Southern bulbs packed into this book. **[Gardening in the South With Don Hastings…](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878335226/walterreeves)** by Don Hastings From the dean of Southern gardeners comes a compendium of practical advice and illustrated garden tasks. **[The Essential Earthman](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0395957680/walterreeves)** by Henry Mitchell Sometimes you get tired of reading about plants. You want to know what an experienced gardener really FEELS about the task. Mitchell, for twenty five years a garden columnist for the Washington Post, died with dirt on his hands, helping a friend plant daffodils. This book collects his funniest and most observant writings. **[Earthly Pleasures : Tales from a Biologist’s Garden](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/155821321X/walterreeves)** by Roger Swain Naturalist, botanist, gardener and storyteller, Swain is the host of television’s “The Victory Garden”. His essays on the simple observations he made in his garden are wonderful to read. Don’t miss his description of how he and his wife met and were married. **[Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs : An Illustrated Encyclopedia](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0881924040/walterreeves)** by Dr. Michael Dirr Much more accessible for the amateur gardener than Dirr’s exhaustive “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants”. [**Manual of Woody Landscape Plants**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0875637957/ref=pd_sxp_elt_l1/002-7910030-1059239?n=283155) by Dr. Michael Dirr The Bible of woody plant information used by millions of landscapers and enthusiastic gardeners. If Mike has a comment about a plant, you can trust it. Contains not only plant culture information, but witty comments on his personal experiences with the plant. **[Armitage’s Garden Perennials : A Color Encyclopedia](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0881924350/walterreeves)** by Dr. Allan Armitage Easy to read and understand the descriptions of hundreds of garden perennials. [**Herbaceous Perennial Plants**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/087563723X/qid=1139408956/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/002-7910030-1059239?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by Dr. Allan Armitage [**Manual of Annuals, Biennials and Half-Hardy Perennials**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881925055/ref=pd_bxgy_text_b/002-7910030-1059239?_encoding=UTF8) by Dr. Allan Armitage Colleagues at the University of Georgia Horticulture department, Armitage and Mike Dirr have authored five of the most widely used references on landscape plants. All of them sit side by side on my reference shelf. **[Common-Sense Pest Control](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0942391632/walterreeves)** by Willaim Olkowski I like best their “sliding scale” of control options – from completely organic to explicitly chemical. The descriptions of insect and animal pest life cycles give great insight on whether a pest is truly a problem. **[Tulipomania: The Story of the World’s…](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/060980765X/walterreeves)** by Mike Dash Gives both an enjoyable read and great insight on the psychology behind the great stock market boom and bust of recent years. **[Sex in Your Garden](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555913350/walterreeves)** by Angela Overy (yup – that’s her name!) A fascinating primer on how plants propagate themselves. Guaranteed to start conversations at cocktail parties! **[Legends in the Garden: Who in the World is Nellie Stevens?](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930897081/qid=1139409078/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7910030-1059239?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)** by Linda Copeland and Allan Armitage If you have ever wondered about the person for whom your landscape plants are named, this is a great collection of answers. Features Georgia’s Jane Bath (‘Bath’s Pink’ dianthus), Vince Dooley (‘Dooley’ hydrangea) and Jane Symmes (‘Symmes Select’ magnolia). Fascinating stories about ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea and, of course, ‘Nellie Stevens’ holly. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Books, Daffodil, Disease, Flowers, Hydrangea, Landscaper, Magnolia, Pests, Spring, Tulip, Weed --- ### [Japanese Maple - Growing a Vigorous Green Top from graft](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/japanese-maple-growing-a-vigorous-green-top/) **Published:** August 29, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My Japanese maple started growing in a different direction. It took me a while to actually go close and see that I think there is a graft and now it’s like I have two different trees. Should I cut out the newcomer?** A: Yes – take out the green growth. Undoubtedly you have a purple-leaved Japanese maple grafted onto a green-leaved rootstock. The rootstock sprouted a limb and is now trying to take over the top of your plant. Keep an eye out for this occurrence in the future. There is no way to prevent it but it’s a small task to correct. ![maple sprout from under graft](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/maple-sprout-from-under-graft-scaled.jpg "maple sprout from under graft")maple sprout from under graft **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Japanese Maple, Maple --- ### [Insulated Compost Bin Isn't Making Much Compost](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/compost-bin-isnt-making-much-compost/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have an insulated, 7.5 cubic foot compost bin but I haven’t had much compost. I turn the compost once a week. Is that too much?** A: I think there could be three problems going on at the same time: temperature, moisture, and oxygen. Microbes that chew up your kitchen scraps always need a bit of warmth to do their work. Even though your composter is insulated, in fall and winter the heat naturally coming from the microbes can be quickly lost. Get a compost thermometer and check the temperature in the center of the pile. It should be at least 100 degrees. If it’s not, mix up a gallon of houseplant fertilizer and get a helper to slowly pour it into the composter as you turn the contents. You’re trying to get the fertilizer into contact with every clump of compost. Put the lid back on and wait a week, with no turning. Things should be heating up by then. If it’s warm but not hot, close and wait another week. If it’s still not hot check the moisture level. Ideally, moisture content throughout the pile should be comparable to a wrung-out sponge. You can fix a soggy pile by more turning. Eventually, you’ll get a feel for how often to turn the compost to keep the pile hot in the center. Turning at these intervals should introduce enough oxygen to keep the microbes happy and produce compost for you. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Changing Names - Just Call Me Frank](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/changing-names-just-call-me-frank/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I have a friend whose middle name, given at birth, is Elizabeth. In the usual Southern tradition, she was immediately called “Betsy” by her family. She was “Betsy” throughout kindergarten, elementary school and high school. Hundreds of friends and family called her “Betsy”, thousands and thousands of times. Then, in her freshman year of college, she decided she was not “Betsy” after all: she was “Milbre”, her own first name and the name of her dear mother. She became “Milbre” to each new friend she made in college and in adulthood. For us, someone named”Betsy” barely registered. Our friend was “Milbre”, no matter what her former name might be. We did, however, have to remember to ask, when we telephoned her at home, for “Milbre the Elder” or “Milbre the Younger”. Similarly, another of my friends has a daughter who was christened “Heather” at birth. By her ninth birthday this young angel had decided that “Heather” did not fit: she was truly an “Elyse”…and woe betide anyone who called her “Heather” from that day forward. And then there is my friend Dorcas, who became Daja in adulthood. I needed to set up a database to record all of the changes. Imagine my surprise when I heard that our good old Southern wax myrtle had had its name changed as well. For hundreds of years it has been *Myrica cerifera*. Yet now plant taxonomists have decided that it is not a *Myrica* at all. It is instead *Morella cerifera*. Or maybe it is *Cerothamnus cerifera*, as another taxonomist claims. Yet whatever their botanical name, when I walk past the large specimens my neighbor uses for screening, I know they are wax myrtles. The pleasant smell of the leaves and the masses of waxy gray fruit hanging from the branches identify the plant immediately. I suppose that if I were to change my name according to my appearance or behavior, I would have to be “Frank”. I could do it easily enough. It’s my middle name and the name of my late father, as well. But it is my garden behavior compared to that of my father, that would make the appellation most true. You see, **I garden in the dark.** My father was always working, always on the move. The thousands of chickens we raised for their eggs demanded daily attention. The two acres of vegetable garden and fruit trees always needed maintenance. Our four cows and three pastures required upkeep. Little wonder then that when the last four rows of corn hadn’t been struck off before nightfall, he’d aim our 1950 Ford truck’s headlights down the garden and plow it until all was finished. Likewise, if eggs needed gathering after the sun went down, the glow of moonlight in the chicken house was sufficient to guide him between the roosts and the nests. Following his example comes naturally. My neighbor Kim caught me pruning trees in the dark last month. “You can’t see where to put the saw!”, he exclaimed. “Sure I can”, I replied. “I feel the limb crotch with my fingers and guide the saw blade with the side of my fist. **If it doesn’t hurt, I’m doing it right!”** “I’ll go get peroxide and bandages”, he muttered. “Could you turn on the garage lights as you go?” I asked. “I’ve got to pile up this brush and turn the compost and put straw around the oleander and fill the birdfeeders!” It was me acting like Frank again, working out there in the dark. Though he passed away several years ago, I still find myself compulsively straightening bent nails to reuse and saving old bolts in tin cans. When I use pliers for a hammer, when I wear out a tool before I replace it, when I work too hard because things just can’t wait to be done, it’s the “Frank” in me. Even if the names change by which we and our plants are called, our unique characteristics remain. Like Milbre, Elyse, Daja, and southern waxmyrtle, I know whom and what I’m referring to, whatever the name. Plant names and people names may change over the years but their inherent characteristics remain the same. And don’t get me started telling about my first name ” Walter”. After all, that’s my mother’s first name and she has set of quirks equal to those of my father!, which I also echo! ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/BATHTUB-10-19-03-1024x768.jpg) My mother’s bathtub garden. **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Compost, Fall, Pruning --- ### [Stink Bugs - On Fruit Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/stink-bugs-exploding-population/) **Published:** June 26, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have noticed a huge explosion in the population of stink bugs. I was assuming the cold weather would drive them away. How are they expanding so fast and are they going to be a nuisance?** A: Like other invasive species, stinkbug populations expand rapidly when conditions are good. The brown marmorated stinkbug has been a terrible pest in the Northeast. The weather for this new pest has been great in Georgia for three years running. They have definitely become a nuisance in Georgia. They feed on all fruits, making pockmarks in the skin. These creatures, along with their kudzu bug kin, have made us a “stinky state”! I have lots of details on brown marmorated stinkbug at **[BMSB in GA](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/brown-marmorated-stinkbug/).** These insects are tough to control. Read the labels for [spinosad (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=spinosad&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aspinosad&sprefix=spinosad%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir), [carbaryl (click for examples](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=carbaryl&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Acarbaryl&sprefix=carbaryl%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) or [permethrin (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=permethrin%20vegetable&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apermethrin%20vegetable&sprefix=carbaryl%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) and read the label care3fully to see if they might be useful in your situation. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/stinkbug-BMSB-1-257x300.jpg)Brown marmorated stinkbug ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/image_67179777-225x300.jpg)lumpy peach caused by stink bug feeding [![BMSB on peach](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN4427-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN4427-scaled.jpg)BMSB on peach [![BMSB damage on peach](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN4435-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DSCN4435-scaled.jpg)BMSB damage on peach ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/stinkbug-marmorated-297x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/stinkbug-nymphs-Brian-Thornton-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Kudzu, Peach --- ### [Brown Marmorated Stinkbug Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/brown-marmorated-stinkbug/) **Published:** February 15, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I found this stinkbug in my house . Is it the brown marmorated stinkbug? We have been finding them since last summer.** A: Yes, it is a Brown Marmorated Stinkbug (BMSB). I see the characteristic white bands on the antennae. Gardeners and growers in the Northeast have been having a terrible problem with this bug. **It feeds on many fruits and vegetables, making them unmarketable**. It will become a BIG problem for Georgia gardeners and homeowners. The insect **aggregates** on the sides of homes and buildings in fall and moves inside through cracks under doors and around windows. If you step on one you’ll quickly find out why they are called “stinkbug”. The best way to remove them indoors is by covering with a cup and sliding a card underneath then squashing them outdoors. If you vacuum them up you’ll have a stinky vacuum cleaner! Prevent their entry by sealing window frames and door seals. If they are indoors, they came through a crack you haven’t yet discovered. **These insects are tough to control.** Read the labels for [spinosad (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=spinosad&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aspinosad&sprefix=spinosad%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir), [carbaryl (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=carbaryl&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Acarbaryl&sprefix=carbaryl%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) or [permethrin (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=permethrin%20vegetable&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apermethrin%20vegetable&sprefix=carbaryl%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) to see if they might be useful. [BugGuide](http://bugguide.net/node/view/9806) [Stinkbug Identification](https://njaes.rutgers.edu/stink-bug/identify.php) [Comparison with Other Stinkbugs](https://extension.umd.edu/resource/stink-bugs-vegetables-and-fruits) [BMSD Control](http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/bean/brown_marmorated_stink_bug.htm) [Pictures of damage](http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=261) [National Clearinghouse of BMSB Information](http://www.stopbmsb.org/) [ Host Plants for BMSB](http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/brown_marmorated_stink_bugs_resources_for_identifying_them_and_their_hosts) ### Also: [try making this simple trap and let me know if it works for you.](http://knowledgeweighsnothing.com/amazing-diy-stink-bug-trap-that-catches-100s-of-stink-bugs-a-night/) ![brown marmorated stinkbug](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/stinkbug-2-e1297798352363.jpg "stinkbug 2")brown marmorated stinkbug ![brown marmorated stinkbug](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/stinkbug-1-e1297798291805.jpg "stinkbug 1")brown marmorated stinkbug [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/stinkbug-marmorated-1-cropped.jpg "stinkbug marmorated 1 cropped")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/stinkbug-marmorated-1-cropped.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fall, Squash, Summer --- ### [Stinkbugs on Tomatoes](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/stinkbug-control/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a brown, funky-looking bug on my tomatoes. It flies and has large legs. Somebody told me it looked like a stink bug. Any ideas?** A: Funky aptly describes stink bugs and their kin. Their body shape is not like most insects. It is hard and shield-shaped. Stink bugs feed on many garden plants. They stick their mouthpart into a fruit or vegetable and suck out the juice. They don’t hurt tomato vines but you have probably seen the one-fourth inch diameter yellow discoloration surrounding a tiny black spot that denotes their damage. They get their name from the foul odor that issues when you mash them with your fingers. Unless you’re growing tomatoes for market or desire perfection in your garden, let natural predators fight the bugs for you. If that’s not enough, most [garden insecticides (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&keywords=garden%20insecticide&linkCode=ur2&qid=1387306929&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Agarden%20insecticide&tag=walterreeves)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) will kill the pests with regular applications according to label directions. To see a good picture of stinkbugs, visit [Tomato Stink Bugs](http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r783300211.html). Visit [Brown Marmorated Stinkbug](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/brown-marmorated-stinkbug/) for information about the newest stinkbug invasion. [![stinkbug marmorated](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/stinkbug-marmorated-1-rotated.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/stinkbug-marmorated-1-rotated.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pests, Tomatoes --- ### [Leaves Not Breaking Down In Compost](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/leaves-not-breaking-down-in-compost/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I collected thirty bags of fall leaves to make compost for my garden. But the pile just sits there, looking ugly and not making any compost. What can I do?** A: It’s discouraging to collect many bags of leaves in the fall, pile them up and turn the pile…it does not make compost. Make sure some nitrogen is always present to feed the microorganisms that decompose leaves…In summer, nitrogen would come from green things, like grass clippings and kitchen waste. But in a pil hovering between warm and hot, you need something extra: liquid houseplant fertilizer. I fall, as you pile up leaves, scatter a handful of granular lawn fertilizer (NOT WEED ‘N’ FEED), or 10-10-10 for every foot of height. Dampen the pile as you normally and wait a couple of weeks. Dig into the center of the pile to see if it is hot. If not, turn the pile again, making sure it’s damp, and wait another couple of weeks. Decomposition occurs most rapidly during the thermophilic stage of composting (40-60°C), which lasts for several weeks or months depending on the size of the system and the composition of the ingredients. This stage also is important for destroying thermosensitive pathogens, fly larvae, and weed seeds. In outdoor systems, compost invertebrates survive the thermophilic stage by moving to the periphery of the pile or becoming dormant. Regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency specify that to achieve a significant reduction of pathogens during composting, the compost should be maintained at minimum operating conditions of 40°C for five days, with temperatures exceeding 55°C for at least four hours of this period. Most species of microorganisms cannot survive at temperatures above 60-65°C, so compost managers turn or aerate their systems to bring the temperature down if they begin to get this hot. Mesophiles thrive between 70 and 90 degrees F. The majority of the decomposition in your pile is performed by these microorganisms. Thermophiles will be found in your compost pile when the temperature rises above 104 degrees F. Timing turning with falling internal temperatures will re-generate heat in the pile, so responsive aeration is the best strategy to keep a pile consistently hot. Turning about once a week is a good rule of thumb. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, General Q & A --- ### [Gnome Pyracantha - Leaves Are Falling Off](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/gnome-pyracantha-leaves-are-falling-off/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: What do you know about Gnome pyracantha? They are supposed to take full sun to partial shade, as a hardy low maintenance shrub with red berries. I got it in June and it was thick with leaves. I put it in full sun for a few weeks, in partial shade for a few weeks, and in shade a few weeks, to see how it would do. In a matter of weeks, all of the leaves turned brown and fell off. Some small leaves are starting to pop back up.** A: I think at some point the roots got too dry and the leaves fell off in protest. Your scheme to try the plant in different light levels was motivated by curiosity, which is a good trait for a gardener, but a few weeks in each environment is way too short. A couple of years of observation in each spot would be better. But here’s some good news: you have a couple of leaves that are sprouting and pyracantha is a tough plant. I would plant it temporarily in a shady place that gets a little bit of sun during the day. Water often enough to keep the roots moist but not soggy at all times and see if it can recover. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, General Q & A, Landscaping --- ### [Monstera Plant - Leaves Turning Yellow](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/monstera-plant-leaves-turning-yellow/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My monstera plant doesn’t look so hot. The leaves are light green and two of its five leaves have turned yellow at the end.** A: Like most things in life, the answer is complicated. The most common problems for houseplants, not just monstera, follow. When I was in the Amazon jungle of Ecuador, I saw huge examples of houseplants that are sold in small pots here climbing tall trees there. The reason they were huge was they got the right amount of light. Therefore, the first thing to suspect is low light levels. Monstera is a tropical plant. It needs as much light as you can give it. Move yours to the sunniest window in the house, but pull it back so it doesn’t get cold. Second is overwatering. Feel the soil with your finger every few days. If it feels dry, push your finger deeper. If it’s still dry, then it’s time to water. The whole root ball should be soaked. The best way to water it is to put the plant in a bucket and add enough water to cover the top of the pot. Let it sit for a few minutes, then let it drain in the sink. Your plant will get what it got when it grew in the tropics: a good soaking followed by a dry spell. If the soil seems hard and compacted, it might be better to start over and repot the monstera. That’s a conversation we can have later. **Categories:** Houseplants, General Q & A --- ### [How to Protect Plants During Cold Weather - Articles](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/how-to-protect-plants-during-cold-weather-articles/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** I have written about most aspects of protecting plants from cold in years past, and this week is the perfect time to revisit some of that advice. I have limited space to cover everything, so here are links to some of the most helpful articles I’ve written. If you want to read every article I’ve written about cold weather, all 490, go to walterreeves.com/?s=cold. Best ways to protect plants from the cold: [bit.ly/GAcoldprotect](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/protecting-plants-from-cold/) Cold tolerance of vegetables: [bit.ly/GAcoldveg](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cold-tolerance-of-vegetables/) Will cold weather kill pest insects?: [bit.ly/GAcoldpest](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/pest-larvare-cold-enough-to-kill/) Protecting hydrangeas from the cold: [bit.ly/GAcoldhydrangea](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/protecting-hydrangeas-from-cold/) Predicting first frost: [bit.ly/GAcoldfirstfrost](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/frost-predicting-first/) Predicting last frost: [bit.ly/GAlastfrost](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/frost-predicting-last/) How to help pansies and ornamentals recover from the cold: [bit.ly/GAcoldpansy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pansy-boxes-how-to-help-them-recover-from-the-cold/) Cold damage — wait to determine:[ bit.ly/GAcoldwait](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cold-damage-wait-to-determine/) Cold weather covering — when to remove: [bit.ly/GAremovecover](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cold-weather-covering-when-to-remove/) Shrub planting in winter: [bit.ly/GAshrubwinter](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-planting-in-winter/) What to expect after an unexpected freeze #1: [bit.ly/GAfreezeone](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/what-to-expect-after-a-freeze/) What to expect after an unexpected freeze #2: [bit.ly/GAfreezetwo](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cold-damage/) **Categories:** General Q & A, General Garden Info --- ### [Barred Owl Nesting Box - When To Put It Out](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/barred-owl-nesting-box-when-to-put-it-out/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: When should I put out a barred owl nesting box I made? Now? Wait a few more weeks?** A: Better get it done now. Owl love is in the air and the breeding season begins in January. I hope you have a tall ladder. The most attractive nests are located 20-50 feet high. A good site would be near water and low brush where rodents might hide. The female lays two to four eggs that she incubates for 28-33 days. The male feeds the incubating female. The young fledge around 42 days after hatching. For folks inspired by your mission but behind on building an owl nesting box, Audubon magazine has a great article about screech owls and their nesting needs at [bit.ly/GAscreech](https://www.audubon.org/news/how-build-screech-owl-nest-box). These diminutive birds love the suburbs, where spacious lawns and open spaces are good places to hunt and backyard bird feeders offer up small-feathered prey. Their nesting season begins in February, still enough time to flex somebody’s carpenter skills. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Q & A --- ### [Exposed Honeybee Hives](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/exposed-honeybee-hives/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Have you ever heard of an exposed honeybee hive? Is it common around here?** A: The phenomenon of seeing the wax from an outdoor bee nest (not beehive) is not unknown, but it is certainly unusual. It is what’s left after a swarm of bees, led by a queen, can’t find a sheltered space in which to set up permanent housekeeping. Instead, the queen and her retinue alight on a limb and signal that this is the spot. Some of the workers begin collecting propolis, a strong material made from tree resin, beeswax and honey. It is what holds the nest in place and forms the structure of the nest. In the days that follow, the workers divide themselves into foragers and housekeepers. The housekeepers begin constructing the hexagonal cells for which bees are known. Forager bees get busy finding nearby sources of nectar and pollen to put in the upper cells of the nest. The queen is moved to the lower cells and she begins laying eggs. When foragers return, housekeepers take their load, mix it with bee enzymes and start drying it, fanning with their wings to evaporate water. Things progress nicely during the summer, and the wax structure of the nest grows larger as the queen lays eggs. Replacements emerge and go about the business of building the nest and making honey to fill the cells. Then cooler weather arrives. The queen leaves to spend winter in a protected place. As winter approaches, the workers gather in the center of the nest, using their body heat to keep warm. They bring in some of the larvae in order to keep them warm too. But it gets too cold to survive; the last workers and larvae die and fall from the nest. And you come walking along and see the nest … and the rest of the story is in your hands. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Q & A --- ### [Using Wood Ash in Compost Bins](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/using-wood-ash-in-compost-bins/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My wife and I have had a successful compost bin for many years and bury a gallon of fruit and vegetable scraps a couple of times a week. Lately we have been including a quart of wood ash each time. It helps absorb the liquids in the compost container. Is there a limit to how much ash we should use?** A: Something that seems such a simple process (piling up leaves and kitchen trimmings to rot) is pretty complicated chemically. The different microorganisms, grubs and earthworms that chew up your lawn clippings and apple skins prefer different amounts of acidity in the pile. Ashes decrease the amount of acid and can inhibit microorganism and macroorganism activity and slow down the whole process. Ashes hurt earthworms too. But there is a use for ashes. Lawn grasses “like” low acidity! You can scatter 20 pounds of wood ashes per 1,000 square feet of lawn with no problem. The ashes perform the same service as the garden lime you might buy at a nursery. To make sure you are adding the right amount of acid neutralizer, have the soil tested by the UGA Soils Laboratory. Details at [georgiasoiltest.com](http://georgiasoiltest.com). **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [When and How To Cut Back Angel Trumpet Bush?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-and-how-to-cut-back-angel-trumpet-bush/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Is it too late to cut back an angel trumpet bush? If not, what’s the procedure in cutting it back? How far down should I cut it?** A: We’ve had some nights below freezing, but I don’t think you’ve had a hard, killing freeze in south Atlanta yet, so you have time to do two things: cut your plant back and root some for next year later in case your outdoor plant gets completely zapped. First, use long- handled loppers to cut the angel trumpet down to 6 inches high. Cover it with a black plastic pot or a small bucket. Then cover everything with a pile of straw or leaves for insulation. Examine the pruned branches to make sure the bark is adhered tightly. From these, select a few that are about 1/2-inch thick. Cut six 12-inch-long sections of branch. Note which end of each section pointed toward the branch tip and which end pointed toward the plant’s roots. Place the “roots” ends of the sections in a small plastic bucket and cover the ends with 6 inches of water. Put the bucket and branch sections in a sunny window in an unused bedroom. You’ll be surprised to find how fast the bottom ends of the lengths will sprout vigorous white roots. When most of the roots are 3 inches long or longer, you can plant the rooted pieces in individual pots and then plant them outdoors in April. **Categories:** Shrubs, General Q & A, Landscaping --- ### [Azalea, Rhododendron, Woody plants - Phytophthora Root rot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/azalea-and-rhododendron-root-rot-wilting/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I moved into my house in an older neighborhood in 1996. One of the selling factors was that I had seen large azaleas blooming there the previous spring. Since I moved in, though, one by one my azaleas are dying! I have half sun in the morning and hot sun in the afternoon during summer. I trim the shoots after they have bloomed, which my mother told me to do, and I did not let the plants dry out last summer. Do they just die on their own after so many years? What gives?** A: One of my primary garden rules is never to argue with Mama, whether it be your own mother or Mother Nature. Slow die-back on azaleas and rhododendrons is a pretty common occurrence. The most common cause is the disease *Phytophthora cinnamomi* . That tongue-twisting name is usually shortened to “azalea root rot”. The fungus inhabits almost all soil – only good cultural practices and natural disease resistance of a plant keeps azaleas and rhododendrons healthy. As far as resistance goes, our most popular azaleas: ‘Coral Bell’, ‘Snow’ and ‘Hershey Red’ are very susceptible to the disease. Others, like ‘White Gumpo’, ‘Formosa’ and ‘Hinodegiri’ are resistant. Rhododendrons vary widely in their resistance too. I found a nice list of resistant cultivars at **[the Auburn University Web site.](https://hortsense.cahnrs.wsu.edu/fact-sheet/rhododendron-phytophthora-root-rot/)** In my experience, most azalea/rhododendron problems are caused by them growing in clay soil. They are woodland plants….. and they **demand** highly enriched, fast-draining soil. You can help all members of the azalea family fight disease by adding plenty of soil conditioner to your clay soil before planting. Both composted hardwood and pine bark suppress root rot. If you have an azalea or rhododendron already growing in your landscape, you can do several other things to help it combat disease. You mention that your plants didn’t dry out last summer and that is excellent treatment. Remember that watering deeply once per week allows the soil to dry out between times and thwarts fungal growth. Try fertilizing with an organic nutrient source instead of synthetic fertilizer. Scatter a half-pound of cottonseed meal evenly under the branches of each plant in April after raking out all of the mulch. Replace the mulch with fresh pine straw. Once you see the symptoms of leaf rolling, wilting and limb dieback, there is little you can do for your azaleas other than prune out the diseased limbs. Mother Nature may seem cruel but *Phytophthora* dieback is her efficient method of winnowing out the weakest and least adapted plants. see [Phytophthora ](https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_orn/list-treeshrubs/phytophthora-root-rot) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/phytopthoraazalea.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/phytopthorarhodo.jpg) ![Rhododendron wilt](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Rhododendron-wilt-X.jpg "Rhododendron wilt X")Rhododendron wilt **Categories:** Shrubs, General Q & A, General Garden Info **Tags:** Azalea, Compost, Disease, Fertilizer, Mulch, Pine, Pine Straw, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Watering --- ### [Liming to Reinvigorate Cherry, Peach, Plum Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits/liming-to-reinvigorate-cherry-peach-plum-trees/) **Published:** July 19, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Sometimes it’s almost impossible to figure out what is causing an ornamental or edible fruit tree to decline. But you want to do something….anything…to help the tree. Here’s what you can do: raise the oil pH by adding lime. I once heard a UGA fruit tree pathologist brag that the dozen healthy peach trees that were growing behind his building had, at one time, come in as disease specimens from all over the state. After diagnosing the problem, he planted the trees while sprinkling 1/4 cup of garden lime onto the soil as he planted. He also did a yearly soil test to make sure the soil pH was 7.0, not the 5.5 of the surrounding soil. Well, the proof was in the pudding…or in the peach ice cream the staff made every Friday in summer. It can take years for soil pH to rise due to lime being added on top of the soil after planting but it will surely come about if you’re consistent about checking soil pH. That’s why it’s so much better to check pH and add lime to the wider garden area for a few years before you plant. [**Here’s how to have a soil test done”**](https://bit.ly/GAsoiltest) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/plum-1-2-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Tools & Chemicals, How-To --- ### [Pineapple - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pineapple-growing/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Six years ago I had a fresh pineapple for lunch. I put the top in a pot just to see what would happen. After five years I harvested a small home-grown pineapple this past April. My problem is that the stalk is still in the center of the plant and the leaves are now looking yellowish. Is there any way to bring it back or are pineapples a one time thing?** A: Pineapples, like all bromeliads, die slowly after blooming. The flower may last a long time but eventually the main plant will die. When grown outdoors in a frost-free environment pineapples will make several offshoots (called pups) at the base of the plant. The pups can be separated and planted to make new pineapple plants. This isn’t likely to happen with a houseplant pineapple. Although your pineapple rooted just fine after you planted the top, there is a better way. After cutting off the top, which usually has a ring of flesh adhering to it, pull all of the flesh from the central stem. Next, carefully pull several individual lower leaves from the stem. You’ll see small bumps on the stem between the leaves. These are rootlets. Expose at least an inch of stem and rootlets then plant the pineapple stem in very loose, quick-draining potting soil. Put the pot in a sunny window and water occasionally, keeping the soil barely moist. The pineapple will root in a few months. Given enough bright light, in a few years it will produce fruit for you to enjoy once again MORE INFORMATION: Master Gardener Charlie Christian has specific suggestions here: [Successful Pineapples in Georgia ](http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/pdf/growingpineapples.pdf)(big file, takes a minute to load) [Growing Pineapples in Florida](https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/pineapple/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_1987-300x225.jpg) ![pineapple](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pineapple.jpg "pineapple")pineapple **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pine, Soil --- ### [Kudzu Bug - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/kudzu-bug-control/) **Published:** March 15, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** First we had kudzu vine…now we have kudzu bugs! I guess it makes sense. This pest of kudzu plants in Asia somehow travelled to the US and now anyone living near a patch of kudzu often spots the insects on their green beans, on their home walls and sometimes crawling in their home. Kudzu bug is also known as the globular stinkbug, *Megacopta cribraria*. It has a distinctive and unpleasant smell and hundreds of them can be found crawling on light-colored house walls in spring and fall. I have found them in every summertime kudzu patch I’ve seen around the north Georgia area. They don’t bite, but control may be necessary. **You can use any labeled outdoor insecticide to kill them.** Remember that it’s best to spray in the evening, to avoid contact with honeybees. Products that fit on the end of a water hose are easy to use, just don’t get any of the spray on your skin. If they are in your home, the first step is to seal all window/door cracks. They insects are small enough to get in the wall and come out around wall outlets, so seal those too. Sweep them into a dustpan and put them in a bucket of water. Some have found, to their chagrin, that vacuuming is not a good option. The bugs release their stink inside the vacuum and you’ll smell it for weeks afterward when you use the machine. Keep this in mind: **you can’t eliminate kudzu bugs….you can only **manage** their presence.** [Kudzu Bug](https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/kudzu-bug-a-nuisance-and-agricultural-pest) [Kudzu Bug – Organic Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-bug-control-organically/) ![Globular stinkbug](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Globular-stinkbug-on-fig-2-xx-e1284471638757.jpg "Globular stinkbug on fig 2 xx")kudzu bug (globular stinkbug) ![kudzu bug](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu-bug1.jpg "kudzu bug")kudzu bug up close ![kudzu bug](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu-bug-2.jpg "kudzu bug (2)")kudzu bug ![kudzu bug on kudzu leaf](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu-bug-scaled.jpg "kudzu bug")kudzu bug on kudzu leaf ![kudzu bug on kudzu flower](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu-bug-21-scaled.jpg "kudzu bug 2")kudzu bug on kudzu flower **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Beans, Fall, Kudzu, Pots, Spring, Summer, Travel --- ### [Tomato flowers drop in high heat](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/tomato-flowers-drop-in-high-heat/) **Published:** July 7, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have tomato plants that are blooming and it looks like something is cutting the stems right below the blossoms. Please advise your thoughts and what I do the prevent this?** A: Are you sure something cut the flower off? I think it’s possible the plant i s aborting the flowers due to high heat. When nighttime temperatures are in the 70’s and daytime temperatures are in the 80’s to 90’s tomatoes naturally drop flowers. This is due to the pollen becoming sticky so it can not travel between the male anther and the female stigma . Sensing that pollination has not occurred, the flower dries up and falls off. **WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS** Help pollination along by tapping flower clusters lightly each day after they open until a tomato forms an d swwells. If the tomato that forms after yoou do your tapping does not immediately begin to swell up, pollination did not occur. continues your tapping until the tomatoes do begin to swell. B**onus**: tapping results in better pollination than the normal air gusts that help pollinate a tomato. You may get bigger tomatoes as a result. If you have an old electric toothbrush, you can walk down your tomato row and give each cluster of flowers a short buzz. You might also use a hormone spray sold as “Tomato Bloom Spray”. The chemical in the spray is a growth hormone that allows the tomato fruit to develop without being pollinated. The toothbrush idea is so good that one company manufactures an ultrasonic tomato polllinator. no word yet on its effectiveness. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tomato-flower-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tomato-young-fruit-1024x680.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tomato-flowers-1024x683.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tomato-green-2-1024x683.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Some Poetic Advice for Clearing Brush](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/advice/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** ## **PRESS PLAY TO LISTEN** ## Some Advice for Clearing Brush (read by Garrison Keillor) by [ Jeff Coomer ](https://www.writersalmanac.org/index.html%3Fp=10752.html) Walk noisily to declare your presence. The rabbits and deer will leave as soon as they hear you coming, but the snakes need time to process your intentions. Take a moment to be certain of what you’re cutting. Many stems look alike down close to the ground, especially when they’re young. Look up occasionally. Don’t begrudge the wild roses for whipping thorns across your face and arms, or the honeysuckle for tangling your feet and pulling the pruners from your hands. You’d do the same in their place. Honor them with a clean cut. Never begin when you’re angry or you might not stop until there’s nothing left to hold the soil. Always wear gloves and keep your eye on the blade. “Some Advice for Clearing Brush” by Jeff Coomer from *A Potentially Quite Remarkable Thursday*. © Last Leaf Press, 2015 **Categories:** How-To --- ### [Milkweed for Monarchs - Growing Milkweed in Georgia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/milkweed-pods-growing-in-georgia/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: On a recent trip to Massachusetts I saw milkweed pods ready to burst. Is it possible to grow milkweed down here?** A: Garden designer Shannon Pable pointed me to the website of Monarchs Across Georgia, which boasts a list of twenty-three milkweeds. All the plants need is full sunshine and soil that stays moderately moist. Milkweed is a perennial plant. You can plant seeds in late spring, making sure to expose the seeds to 24 hours of sunshine before sowing. You can also root cuttings from established plants in late June. The **[Monarchs Across Georgia](https://www.eealliance.org/monarchs-across-ga.html)** organization has great resources for identifying milkweed and.attracting Monarch butterflies. The Georgia Native Plant Society publishes [**Monarchs, Milkweed & Georgia Gardeners** ](https://api.neonemails.com/emails/tracking/click-link/eD2Blc8k_sIoNch4n9sss7TWajLOj9-YE89zUJjtI2Q=/QDc-yDq_thJytJodYwEEyiLku6A201V4k-98T5Cv2NQ=) which has directions for growing milkweed in the different eco-regions of our state. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/milkweed-white-4-Jason-Pierce-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/milkweed-white-2-Martin-Cunningham-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/milkweed-white-1-Martin-Cunningham-300x225.jpg) [![milkweed white](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/milkweed-white-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/milkweed-white-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed --- ### [How to ripen tomatoes in summer heat, sticky pollen](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetables/how-to-ripen-tomatoes-in-summer/) **Published:** June 24, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have seven tomatoes one my one lone vine. They all have turned light orange on the bottom but haven’t gone ahead and ripened for several days. What can I do to make them ripen during a heat wave?** A: You can cool them off! When I was a kid we’d push and shove to be in front of our one box fan. It was the coolest place in our house! Nobody wanted to be out doors when it was 95 degrees in the shade! Tomatoes are the same. Their mind is set on being cool before they can think of ripening. And if a tomato is orange or pink on the bottom, they will ripen normally on your kitchen counter. So pick those tomatoes and bring them indoors. In a few days get some Duke’s mayonnaise, two slices of whits bread, and a sharp knife so you can make yourself a righteous tomato sandwich. **HOW TOMATOES RIPEN** When a **tomato** reaches a full size and the fruit becomes a pale green, it begins the **ripening** process which is regulated by an internal gas produced within the fruit called ethylene. Soon the **tomato** reaches a stage when it starts showing pink on the blossom end (called the ‘breaker stage’). At this stage the **tomato** can be harvested and ripened off the vine with no loss of flavor, quality or nutrition. Red pigments in **tomato**es don’t form above 95°F so **tomato**es ripened in extreme heat will have a orange-red color. **Tomato**es held at cooler temperatures will ripen slower. You can speed up or slow down the **ripening** process by raising the temperature (to an optimum of 85°F) or lowering the temperature (to a minimum of 50°F). **Tomato**es develop their optimum flavor, nutrition, and color when the **tomato** is in the full red ripe stage but this doesn’t have to occur on the plant! [Tomato Ripening Stages<](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lagorio-tomato-guide.pdf) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tomato-half-ripe-1024x768.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tomato-sandwich-2-1024x910.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tomato-sandwich-1024x768.jpg) **Categories:** Vegetables --- ### [Galls on plants other than oak](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/galls-on-plants-other-than-oak/) **Published:** June 27, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** [Sumac gall](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/sumac-gall-identification/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/sumac-galls-1xx-150x150.jpg) [Black cherry gall ](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/cherry-gall-on-leaves/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/gallcherry-150x150.jpg) [Bald cypress gall ](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cypress-galls/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/dawn-redwood-galls-150x150.jpg) [Blackberry cane gall ](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/blackberry-cane-gall/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/blackberry-cane-gall-4-150x150.jpg) [Maple eyespot gall ](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/maple-eyespot-gall/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mapleeyespot2-150x150.jpg) [Forsythia crown gall ](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/forsynthia-crown-gall-disease/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/forsythia-gall-1-scaled-1-150x150.jpg) [Loropetalum stem gall ](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/loropetalum-stem-gall-will-it-infect-nearby-plants/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/loropetalum-damage-2-1-150x150.jpg) [Grape tube gall ](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/grape-tube-gall/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/grape-tube-gall-scaled-1-150x150.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Is It Too Late To Prune Azaleas And Rhododendrons?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/is-it-too-late-to-prune-azaleas-and-rhododendrons/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I need to prune my azaleas and rhododendron. Is it too late?** A: Check the ends of the shrub branches. If it has flower buds present, you’ll be cutting off next year’s flowers if you prune now. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Controlling Torpedograss](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/controlling-torpedograss/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have been fighting a losing battle with torpedograss in my lawn and flower bed. I put down cloth barrier, plastic barrier, and old carpet. However the roots of the grass are so aggressive, they go straight through the barrier.** A: Torpedograss has shallow roots (rhizomes) that have a sharp, hard point, giving it the ability to penetrate most barriers. There are no selective herbicides that will control it. Instead, apply glyphosate herbicide to the weed, using a foam paintbrush to avoid contact with your flowers. For larger areas, as in your lawn, spray with glyphosate then do a follow-up spray three weeks later. Both your lawn grass and the torpedograss will be killed. After that you can replant your lawn grass. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/QbgFOyskJtDh-1-294x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ABDof4d86aG_-1-192x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/NrTadL2zD7sZ-1-300x200.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PemyBNF7Vtja-1-300x213.jpg) **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Squash/Pumpkin/Cucumber/Watermelon Cross-Pollination - Explanation](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/squashpumpkincucumberwatermelon-pollination-explanation/) **Published:** June 14, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** 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 wonder if the fruit is edible. I’m sure you can eat any of these fruit but I can’t guarantee how they will taste (probably not so good). But identifying the parents of these **squmpkins** or **gourchini** or **cuculoupes** is almost impossible because these vining crops, while similar, are famously sexually discriminatory. Here is my explanation of how it works: Plants belonging to the *Cucurbitaceae* family produce separate male and female blooms on the same plant. Insects are usually required to cross-pollinate blooms. Even plants that cross pollinate do not affect each other’s taste in the current year. Only the offspring next year will be affected. Pumpkins and squashes do not cross-pollinate with cucumbers, watermelons or citron. Watermelons and citron both belong to the same genus: *Citrullus* and, therefore, will cross-pollinate each other. Muskmelon, cantaloupe and Casaba melons will cross since they are both in the genus *Cucumis* and in the same species *melo*. When you start talking about cross pollination between squashes and pumpkins, things get a bit hairy. Squashes and pumpkins belong to four species of the genus *Cucurbita*. Some exchange pollen readily and some don’t. To make all this easier to understand, plant experts have divided the *Cucurbitaceae* family into groups. **Members of the same group pollinate each other.** ## **Group A** *Cucurbita pepo*: **Summer squash** Yellow crookneck or straightneck Zucchini, Cocozelle Scallop/patty pan **Winter Squash** Acorn Spaghetti **Gourds** many ornamental types. Many **Pumpkins** including Cinderella, Big Tom, Jack O’Lantern, Jackpot, Small Sugar, Sugar Pie and Connecticut Field. ## **Group B** *Curcurbita moschata* **Winter Squash** Butternut squash **Pumpkins** Cheese Dickinson Field Golden Cushaw Kentucky Field ## **Group C** *Cucurbita maxima* **Winter squash** Hubbard **Pumpkins** Big Max King of the Mammoths Mammoth Chile Mammoth Prize Atlantic Giant **Ornamental squash** Alladin Turk’s Turban ## **Group D** *Cucurbita mixta* **Pumpkins** Green-Striped Cushaw Japanese Pie Tennessee Sweet Potato White Cushaw Mixta Gold ## **Group E Cucumis sativus** All slicing and pickling **Cucumbers** (except Armenian cucumber): Beit Alpha cucumber Lemon cucumber ## **Group F** *Cucumis melo* **Cucumbers** Armenian (Snake cucumber or Serpent melon) **Melons** All muskmelons Casaba Honeydew ## **Group G** *Citrullus lanatus* All watermelons All citron melonfs ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/melon-cross-pollination-2-e1308076770759.jpg "melon cross pollination 2") ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/melon-cross-pollination-1-e1308076845382.jpg "melon cross pollination 1") **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Compost, Lemon, Spring, Squash, Summer, Watermelon, Winter --- ### [Armadillo disposal tips](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/armadillo-management-tips/) **Published:** March 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I need some help with armadillos in my yard. They’ve dug a tunnel under my driveway. I’ve been looking for the right remedy for getting them out of their home. If I trap one, what do I do with it afterwards?** A: Armadillo control is tough. At best, **you’re just managing their numbers** on your property. If you remove one, others move in quickly. There are **no repellents that work.** They do seem to be **attracted to armadillo urine** but I can’t find it for sale anywhere. If you do decide to trap them **you must have a plan to euthanize them afterwards**. Shooting one while in the trap gives you the best chance to aim a bullet at the humane spot (head or spine) so the animal doesn’t suffer. A 22-caliber rimfire rifle is sufficient and is more discrete than other firearms. Before shooting, make certain that there are no rocks or other hard objects under the armadillo that could cause a ricochet. Wear **eye protection** to prevent debris from injuring your eyes. **Gloves** are necessary if you’ll touch the body or anything it has touched. **Drowning is not humane and is never appropriate!** **Relocating is illegal** and **not humane**.**If you relocate an armadillo**, you’re just adding to the problem somewhere else. It will **probably die from starvation or dehydration** because it does not know the new territory. It may be possible to euthanize an armadillo **using carbon dioxide (CO2)**. It should only be done with **bottled CO2 and a flowmeter** to determine how much CO2 to administer and how much is necessary to keep CO2 around the animal until death. It may take 30 minutes to an hour to humanely euthanize an armadillo. Refer to American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals:2020 Edition: Section S7.6 FREE-RANGING WILDLIFE: page 97 Consult National Wildlife Control Training Program:Euthanasia Techniques: Carbon Dioxide [Back to Armadillo control](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/armadillo-control/) [Armadillo Notes](https://ugaurbanag.com/armadillos/) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/armadillo-2-Tommy-Godwin-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/armadillo-2-Tommy-Godwin-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Armadillo - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/armadillo-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have an armadillo that thinks he’s a bulldozer in my back yard. He (I guess it’s a “he”) has plowed up my flower beds and ruined parts of my lawn. We have a trap but he won’t go in it. How do you control armadillos?** A: Until twenty ears ago, I had never heard of armadillos in Georgia. Now there are groundhogs in the north part of the state, coyotes everywhere and your “possums on the half-shell” moving up from Florida. All are a bother but not yet quite as complaint-generating as our **native deer**. Armadillos eat soil-dwelling insects, like grubs and earthworms, so that’s why they favor flower beds and lawns. You have discovered how vigorously they can root through the soil looking for a meal. Killing the grubs only makes them work harder. Legend has it that when animal brains were being distributed, Armadillo and Possum were playing together somewhere else. Their mental acumen has not improved over the years and you can take advantage of that. Your first task is to find their path. Armadillos typically travel a single route going from their den in nearby undergrowth to their feeding grounds. Look for beaten-down grass going from the edge of your property to your damaged areas. Then decide what you can do. **EXPENSIVE TRAPPING** Purchase a live trap that is adequate to admit an armadillo.. Next get a one hundred foot roll of twenty-four inch wide chicken wire and some short wooden stakes. Drive the stakes into the ground and staple the wire to them so that you end up with a long funnel. **PO’ BOY TRAPPING** You can use cinder blocks, old lumber, tree limbs or anything that an armadillo is unlikely to crawl over to make the barrier., (see the improvised drift fence constructed by my friend Tommy G. below). there are lots of DIY trap building from old lumber directions online. **TECHNIQUE** The two sides of the funnel at the wide end should parallel the path from the woods, a few feet on either side of it. The narrow end of the funnel should terminate at the mouth of your trap. When Mr. Armadillo next snuffles into your yard, never looking up, he will be gently guided by the wire funnel into your metal prison. I’ll leave it up to you what to do with him afterwards. [Texas armadillo control](http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/misc/armadillo/armadillo.html) [Georgia Armadillo FAQ](http://www.ugaurbanag.com/content/armadillos) [Building an armadillo trap video](https://youtu.be/m-AONT9z56E) [Evaluation of Baits for Armadillo Control](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20889-3_2.PDF) **none worked!** [Armadillo – Control With Electric Fence](http://www.angelfire.com/al3/arsdsd/article6.htm) [FAQ about Armadillos and lep](https://www.livescience.com/52792-armadillos-leprosy-bacteria-spreading-southern-us.html)[rosy](https://www.livescience.com/52792-armadillos-leprosy-bacteria-spreading-southern-us.html) [Tips on armadillo disposal](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/armadillo-management-tips/) Larry W. says **The wooden armadillo trap works if you will trap your first ‘dillo and let him live in the trap for a couple days. I did using 2 x 10’s for a funnel into a trap. The scent of a stinking ‘dillo is the bait the continues to trap more and more. Or you can buy the already scented trap. I now have two and have trapped 37 in the last 2 years in Liberty County.** ![armadillo (photo courtesy of David Funderburk)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ARMADILLO1-david-Funderburk.jpg "ARMADILLO1") armadillo (photo courtesy of David Funderburk) ![armadillo](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ARMADILLO-2.jpg "armadillo 2")armadillo ![armadillo drift fence](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/armadillo-3.jpg "armadillo 3")armadillo drift fence ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/armadillo-4.jpg "armadillo 4") ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/armadillo-2-Tommy-Godwin-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Soil, Travel --- ### [How to Choose a Tree Company](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/how-to-choose-an-arborist/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** After hurricanes, tornadoes and ice storms, **tree care professionals** do an excellent job clearing downed trees and repairing damage. On the other hand, some “tree experts” are expert only at taking money and chopping a tree into pieces. How does a homeowner determine who can be trusted with their tree **CHOOSING** Persons who care about being tree professionals join organizations which provide continuing education about tree care. Some organizations have certification programs which attest to the knowledge of their members. Professional arborist organizations include: [Georgia Arborist Association](http://www.georgiaarborist.org/). They have an excellent list of certified arborists, some of who do ONLY tree health examinations. [The International Society of Arboriculture](http://www.isa-arbor.com) [Georgia Forestry Commission list of arborists](https://gatrees.org/urban-community-forestry/certified-tree-professionals/) **PRICING** Although we might like to be able to directly compare prices between similar services (like an oil change or a lawn mowing) my tree company friends tell me this is difficult to do for tree work. When a tree person evaluates a prospective job, they’re matching their company’s equipment, schedule, efficiency, and staffing to the projected work. If Company #1 has a crane, they will be good at removal of large trees near houses. But their bid for a less complicated job might be higher than Company #2 that doesn’t need a crane to remove a particular tree. In a different situation, Company #2 might give a higher bid than Company #1, because they have to rent equipment or use more people. There can be a big difference in bids between companies…not because they’re trying to cheat you, but because some companies are better matched for some jobs than others. When you make the first phone call, always be sure the company you’re considering has liability and Workman’s Comp. insurance as well as an ISA certified arborist on staff. Ask how long they have been in business and if they have done jobs for your neighbors. When the tree person comes to look at your situation, ask lots of questions. Will any special equipment will be needed for your job? Is there something that might make them the best choice for your project. Have a clear understanding of where limbs will be dropped and if any landscape damage can be possibly foreseen. Know how the tree (especially if it’s in the back yard) will be accessed. Will the company need to drive trucks, track loaders, or other equipment onto the driveway or the lawn? How heavy are the trucks, and is a driveway disclaimer involved? All tree companies know that you are likely comparing them to others, so make sure you’re getting their best and final price, not the price they might offer when they hear what other companies are charging (if you decide to share that). Once you’ve discovered all you need to know about the companies you’re considering, you make a decision. Sometimes the decision might be based on your gut feeling of how consumer-friendly the tree representative is. Always make it a practice to be home when the job is scheduled to be done. If any on-the-spot decisions need to be made, you want to be able to evaluate with your own eyes what is being asked and what is being suggested. Thanks to [Chris Heim at Davey Tree](http://www.davey.com) and [Art Morris from New Urban Forestry](https://newurbanforestry.com) for their suggestions above. ![](/uploads/JPGs/fallentree.JPG) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, How-To --- ### [Dallisgrass - control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/dallisgrass-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have almost two acres of a mixture of centipedegrass and bermudagrass. Unfortunately, dallisgrass is taking over. Is there anything in this whole wide world that I can use to kill this pest?** A: Dallisgrass is indeed hard to control. It was once considered to be a good forage grass due to its perennial nature but is a weedy nuisance in lawns. It was named for A.T. Dallis of LaGrange, who was an enthusiastic proponent of the plant around 1900. Control can be accomplished but you have to use a three-pronged approach and it must be done consistently. The prongs are: 1\. Manage your turfgrass optimally. Mowing height and fertilization are particularly important. 2\. Consider spot-spraying weed clumps with [glyphosate (click for exasmples![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b). 3\. Use a [pre-emergent (click for sources)](http://amzn.to/2aQmkZs) religiously each March so dallisgrass seed does not germinate. 4\. [Fusilade (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/2XlvTcX) is labeled for dallis grass control. Failure to dilute and apply this chemical precisely will result in harm to fescuegrass and zoysia as well as bermudagrass. Clumps can be removed by hand. Do this for 2 – 3 years and you’ll have dallisgrass on the run. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dallisgrass-Matt-Byrne-1024x768.jpeg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dallisgrass-seedhead-2-1024x683.jpg) ![Bermuda herbicide](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/dallisgrass-4-1024x768.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping **Tags:** Glyphosate, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Weed --- ### [Ticks - Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/ticks/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Ticks engender a strong **get-it-off-me** response because they can suck a lot of your bodily fluid. Perhaps it is because deer tick (see below) bites have been associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and the new alpha-gal syndrome. In any case, ticks are common in all parts of Georgia each summer and it’s a good idea to keep their presence in mind when you come in from working or playing outdoors. **DOG TICK vs BROWN TICK** The Lone Star tick (see below) is the most common tick found locally outdoors. They are easy to identify because the large white spot on their back is so easy to see with the naked eye. This tick feeds on several animals: gray squirrels, chipmunks, possums and even birds. For this reason, it is widely distributed in the out-of-doors. The brown dog tick (see below) is half the size of the American dog tick – barely one-eighth inch long. It feeds on, and is found almost exclusively on dogs. A blacklegged tick (see below) is much smaller than the other two and may sometimes be called a “seed tick”. The Lone Star and black-legged tick might also be found if you live in an area that was once heavily wooded. **TICKLE CHECKS** If your landscape has much shrubbery, tall grasses or wooded areas, you probably have ticks somewhere on your property. It is a good idea to conduct a regular “tickle check” each evening on yourself and your children after a day enjoying the outdoors. Pay special attention to the groin, armpits and behind the ears. If a tick is found, don’t immediately pull it off. Use a pair of tweezers to grasp the arachnid’s body and gently tug it free. You can then drop it on the floor and practice your tap dancing on its corpse. Clean the site with antiseptic and observe it for a few days as it heals. Contact a doctor if it becomes inflamed or develops a rash. **OUTDOOR CONTROL** Ticks must feed on a host two or three times before becoming mature. When they are hungry, young ticks climb to the end of shrubbery branches or to the top of tall grass. A host, whether possum or person passing by, stimulates the tick to cling to their hair or clothing and crawl about looking for a place to enjoy a blood meal. The tick will wander, looking for a suitable place, for several hours. If you own a dog or cat, inspect it every few days for ticks on the skin. Look particularly closely behind their ears and between their toes. A flea comb can also be used to comb out the ticks before they settle down to feed. Insecticides such as [bifenthrin (click for ](http://amzn.to/1WnUgQ3)[examples](http://amzn.to/1ZCahiF)[)](http://amzn.to/1WnUgQ3) , [deltamethrin (click for ](http://amzn.to/1T4cgsn)[examples](http://amzn.to/1ZCahiF)[)](http://amzn.to/1T4cgsn) , or [esfenvalerate (click for examples)](http://amzn.to/1ZCahiF) can be sprayed onto tick habitat. There is no advantage to spraying the entire yard; concentrate your efforts where the ticks are most likely to be found. Follow label directions. **DRESS LIKE A NERD** Since the tick crawls for a time, the harder it is to find bare skin, the more chances there are for it to be brushed off. If you can wear long pants outdoors, tuck the pant legs into your socks, so the tick has to climb up the outside of your slacks. Tuck your shirt into your pants to further frustrate the tick from climbing even higher up your clothing. If you prefer to wear shorts and loose clothing, lightly spray your sock tops, waist band and shirt collar with an insect repellent containing[ DEET (click for ](http://amzn.to/1rEXaCT)[examples](http://amzn.to/1ZCahiF)[)](http://amzn.to/1rEXaCT). **MAKE A TICK DRAG** If your children like to play in the yard but you are constantly finding ticks on them, try building a tick drag to capture ticks before they bite. Simply staple one edge of a four foot by three foot piece of white flannel (or light-colored towel) to a long wooden stick. Drag the cloth over your grass and along the edges of trails through the woods. The ticks will be stimulated to cling to the cloth, where they are easy to see, capture, and kill. If the drag is too much trouble, be sure to keep your grass mowed frequently and cut down any weedy areas. Prune back the low shrubbery that lines your woodland trails to ensure that walkers don’t brush against the limbs. Mike, an avid outdoorsman, adds: “**I am an engineer, and I have many friends who are surveyors. The technique which they use to keep ticks off is a 50-50 mixture of baby powder and [powdered sulfur (click for ](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=sulfur%20powder%20for%20skin&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=sulfur%20powder%2Caps%2C399&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=YI32XVHVF42EUCVR)[examples](http://amzn.to/1ZCahiF)[)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=sulfur%20powder%20for%20skin&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=sulfur%20powder%2Caps%2C399&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=YI32XVHVF42EUCVR)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). I use it all the time here in Watkinsville, or in the mountains, and never get a tick on me when I use it. I just put it in an old baby powder container and then put it on my shoes, legs and pants and never have a problem. Before I started doing this, I would literally have ticks all over me when I would come in from hunting wild flowers in the woods.”** UGA publication: [**Protect Yourself From Ticks**](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20937_4.PDF) **Press Play below to hear the favorite song of outdoorsmen sung to outdoorswomen** **“I’d Like to Check You For Ticks**” by Brad Paisley ![](/uploads/JPGs/deertick.JPG) Deer tick ![](/uploads/JPGs/lonestartick.JPG) Lone Star tick ![](/uploads/JPGs/dogtick.JPG) Dog tick ![](/uploads/JPGs/blackleggedtick.JPG) Black-legged tick ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/tick-2.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Tick-Feeding-Nancy-Hinkle.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/tick-5.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Birds, Container, Disease, Dogs, Flowers, Seed, Spider, Squirrels, Summer, Weed --- ### [Mushrooms in Lawn - Fairy Ring - Dark Green Rings in Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/mushrooms-fairy-ring-disease/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Rain in summer is appreciated but some folks receive unexpected lawn visitors as a result. T. S. writes that his lawn is in excellent condition – green, thick and low. **“In the middle of my lawn, however, I have a tree island that used to house a forty-foot tall Bradford pear. It was lost to a storm last spring. My problem is this: in a circle around the island, the grass is more yellow than green, not nearly as thick, and just doesn’t look as healthy. It seems less drought resistant that the other parts, drying up very quickly, but even regular watering has not helped to improve the color. My guess is that those Bradford roots are still sucking nutrients. Am I correct?”** He didn’t realize it, but T. described the classic symptoms of ***fairy ring***. This condition is caused by several different species of fungi which specialize in breaking down buried organic matter. My guess is that the roots left by the former Bradford pear have made quite a meal for fungi. As they consumed the roots (and perhaps the thatch under T.’s lush Bermuda grass), the fungi spread their white, waxy mycelia (“roots”) through the soil. The mycelia impede the movement of moisture and nutrients, which causes nearby grass to suffer**.** Other fungi produce mycelia that rapidly consume debris and release nitrogen, making nearby grass dark green **MUSHROOMS** T. will soon likely see another characteristic of fairy ring: mushrooms. Once the fungi have absorbed sufficient nutrients, their thoughts turn to reproduction. A mushroom is nothing but the “flower” of an underground fungus. Once it emerges from the ground, spores are released from the gills of the mushroom. The spores are scattered by the wind and are ever-present throughout our landscapes. Generally speaking, these mushrooms are **not poisonous but they are not edible.** There is **no way to eliminate mushrooms** (or their spores) from a lawn. Most folks just pick and discard them or practice their golf tee shots on the toadstools. If only the fairy ring is noticeable, T. should stretch a soaker hose over the yellow grass and soak it for an hour each week. Sprinkling some water-soluble fertilizer (Miracle Gro, Peter’s, etc) onto the grass will make it green again until the fungus gradually disappears. MORE INFORMATION [ Excellent Description of Three Kinds of Fairy Ring](https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/fairy-rings/) [![1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1.jpg) [![fairy ring 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fairy-ring-2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fairy-ring-2.jpg) [![fairy ring 3](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fairy-ring-3-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fairy-ring-3-scaled.jpg) [![mushrooms fairy ring 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mushrooms-fairy-ring-1-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mushrooms-fairy-ring-1-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** Disease, Fertilizer, Moisture, Mushrooms, Oak, Pears, Soil, Spring, Summer, Watering --- ### [Lichens - Description and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lichens-2/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Every kid (and most adults) can remember being falsely blamed simply because they were standing nearby when an accident happened. Although accidents do seem to happen more often when kids are present, it’s erroneous to assume that they are the sole cause of a mishap. R. M. may be guilty of making false assumptions. He recently wrote “I have heard conflicting views on whether or not lichens harm the trees they grow on. I live in Highlands NC and have lichens on several firs and hardwoods. The trees are sickly looking and over time have died. If lichens are harmful how can I treat my trees?” Lichens are the poster children for **“I didn’t do it – I was only standing there!”** **SYMBIOTIC** Lichens are in fact a symbiotic relationship between an algae and a fungus. The algae photosynthesizes in bright light and feeds the fungus, which wraps around the algae to protect it from drying. **DIFFERENT SHAPES** Lichens grow in many different shapes, depending on which fungi and algae associate themselves together. *Foliose* lichens resemble gray tree leaves. *Fruticose* lichens are composed of many small threads, giving them a shrubby appearance. *Crustose* lichens are crusty, adhering tightly to a plant’s bark. **NOT HARMFUL** Since lichens are almost always found on weak plants, do lichens cause the plants to become sick? In fact, lichens are totally harmless and in no way responsible for the poor state of any tree or shrub. They are simply indicators of the infirm health of the plant. As a woody plant loses vigor, the number and size of its leaves gradually decrease. This allows more sunlight on the trunk and lower branches. As soon as enough light is available on the bark, lichens begin to colonize it. If lichens are unsightly to you, the best way to reduce their numbers is to increase the health of the plant. Old azaleas can be severely pruned in February in order to bring on new limbs and a dense leaf cover. Examine the soil and the area around larger trees for obvious environmental problems. Are they getting enough water in summer? Is the tree declining because it is planted where water accumulates? Have nearby trees grown so tall as to shade your tree? There might be little light for tree leaves but plenty for lichens. **CONTROL** Lichens can be brushed off the plant with a stiff brush. However, unless the true cause of decline is corrected, lichens will reappear. If a plant is helped to become more healthy, less sunlight will strike the limbs and trunk. Lichens will then gradually become smaller. On a fence or wall, a dilute bleach solution will kill lichens without hurting the surface. The product “Wet and Forget” also works well. Broken lamps, stepped-on flowers and sofa spills might initially look like the handiwork of close by children. Any parent knows, though, that the damage might not always be their child’s fault. Unlikely as it appears, **lichens are blameless when it comes to plant decline.** ![](/uploads/JPGs/lichen1.JPG) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lichens.jpg) ![](/uploads/JPGs/lichen2.JPG) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/lichen-filamentose-4.jpg "lichen filamentose 4")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/lichen-filamentose-4.jpg) **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Flowers, Pears, Shade, Soil, Summer, Sunlight --- ### [Wildflowers in Highway Medians](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/wildflowers/) **Published:** July 11, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Many readers have noticed the beautiful wildflowers in the median strips of Ga. 400 and Ga. 316. They are so striking now that dreams of repeating the process enter the thoughts of the gardener/motor traveler. Will Corley, Extension Specialist at the Griffin Experiment Station, says wildflowers can be beautiful but they are certainly not carefree. Weeds must be removed from the area before wildflower seeds are planted and must be removed during the summer as you would in a ‘normal’ flower garden. Wildflower beds can be strikingly beautiful at certain times and wretchedly ragged at other periods. Wildflowers grow best when planted earlier in the spring but there is still time to start the process. First, use [glyphosate (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) to kill all plants in the prospective flower bed. Four days after spraying the weeds, water the bed thoroughly to encourage other weeds to sprout. Spray them similarly and wait an another seven days before planting the wildflower seed. Purchase seed mixtures that are labeled for use in the South. Some flowers do better in our heat and humidity than others. Don’t waste money on flowers that won’t grow here. Most mixtures contain cosmos, cornflower, Shirley poppy, butterfly weed and coreopsis. In addition, perennials such as daylily, daffodil, Black-eyed Susan and Queen Anne’s Lace extend the period that something will be flowering in the wildflower bed. In a perfect world, the annual flowers would sow their own seeds for the next year’s blooms. In reality, plan on reseeding your wildflower bed every fall to get maximum beauty the next spring. **Q: I have heard that there is a special blend of wildflower seeds that is grown in the median of the Georgia expressways. I would like to purchase some of these seeds. Can you tell me where to buy them?** A: The name “wildflower” implies that these plants will grow and flourish just about anywhere. Gardeners found out long ago, however, that a blend of wildflowers that prospered in California would languish in Connecticut. The reason is that wildflower blends contain seeds of plants which come back from their roots year after year (perennials) and plants which must re-seed themselves each year (annuals) in order to survive. Weather conditions in different parts of the country determine which blend of particular flowers can co-exist, without one plant dominating the others. Several years ago, Will Corley, a researcher at the Griffin campus of the University of Georgia, began experimenting with different blends of wildflower seeds. After several seasons, he came up with a “Southeastern blend” which does well under our hot, dry summers. The Garden Club of Georgia now works with the Georgia Department of Transportation to purchase the seed for highway medians. Funding for the program comes from the sale of special wildflower license plates for your car. Most garden centers carry a blend of wildflower seed appropriate for our region. Now is the best time to prepare and seed the spot where you want wildflowers next spring. **MORE INFORMATION:** [Wildflower Planting and Maintenance for Georgia](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/wildflower.pdf) (some information may be outdated) [Wildflowers for Mississippi](http://butterflywebsite.com/articles/msstate/pub1709.htm) (similar to Georgia) There are two national distributors of wildflower seed: [Stock Seed](http://www.stockseed.com/) and [Wildseed Farms](http://www.wildseedfarms.com/). **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Butterfly, Daffodil, Daylily, Fall, Flowers, Glyphosate, Seed, Spring, Summer, Travel, Weed --- ### [Leafcutter Bee - In Branch; Info on orchard, mason and resin bees: Bee houses](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/leafcutter-bee-in-branch/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve never seen anything like this. A small branch, about as thick as a man’s finger, fell from our mature oak tree. When my husband went to pick it up, he saw a small pile of sawdust at the end of the branch. He’s the curious type, so he peeled the bark on the dead branch away and found that it had been bored out to about the size of a pencil.** **Inside this cavity was a fresh, green leaf that was so tightly wrapped that it resembled a small cigar. I knocked this leaf wrap (about 3 inches long) out, and at the end of it was a chamber that had been closed by a small piece of leaf.** **Inside the chamber was something odd…I don’t know what because when I pinched it slightly, there was an ooze of dark, amber-colored liquid. Obviously I squished something, but I don’t know what. Do you have any idea of what this was?** A: You saw the egg chamber of a leaf cutter bee. These harmless bees cut precise semi-circles of tissue from rose, redbud and other woody plant leaves. They use the disks of leaf to line hollow tubes that the female excavates in rotten wood or the soft pith of a shrub branch. They do not damage healthy branches or bore into fresh wood (unlike carpenter bees). Once the tube is constructed, an egg is laid at the end and is provisioned with nectar and pollen. Several may be positioned inside the length of a leafy tube. The liquid you squished between your fingers was in one of those chambers. Look for the characteristic patterns on landscape leaves and try to find a bee at work. The damage they do is minimal, so my recommendation is that you simply enjoy this interesting inhabitant of Nature. Farmers and gardeners in Georgia appreciate the pollinating skills of several species of solitary bee. The orchard mason bee, the leafcutter bee and the blueberry bee now help us get locally produced fruit. Farmers even build houses for their solitary bees. Leafcutter bees do not bore into wood like the much larger carpenter bee. MORE INFORMATION [Leafcutter Bee](https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/leafcutter-bees-5-576/) [Orchard Mason Bee](https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2053/2017/01/Orchard-Mason-Bees1.pdf) [Identification\_and housing for Cavity-Nesting\_Bees\_CJ\_Reilly](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Identification_of_Common_Cavity-Nesting_Bees_CJ_Reilly.pdf) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/leafcutterbee1.jpg)leafcutter bee handiwork ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/leafcutterbee2.jpg)leafcutter bees were here ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mason3-768x1024.jpg)mason bee house ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mason-bee-courtesy-of-crown-bees-300x200.jpg)mason bee **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Oak --- ### [Nandina berries are not very poisonous](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/nandina-berries-are-not-very-poisonous/) **Published:** February 10, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Through a good part of my childhood, one voice of authority manifested with equal weight alongside the commandments of my parents: that of Mrs. Mabel Prayor. An older neighbor, she was hired to cook meals, settle arguments, iron clothes and keep the house from burning down while my parents worked hard as a school teacher and chicken farmer. “Walter, you come from behind the house right now!”, she’d demand from the back door. “Stop feedin’ those berries to your brother! They are pizen! Robert, come here to me this minute and spit those things out before I have to call Mrs. Reeves to take you to the hospital!” How she knew I was hiding behind the house, force-feeding my brother nandina berries, I cannot say. She believed that *all* colorful berries were poisonous…… but that an occasional pinch of Bruton’s snuff behind her bottom lip was tasty stuff. It took several years of horticulture work before I lost my trepidation regarding bright berries from any landscape plant. In fact, much to my relief, nandina berries are not particularly dangerous. Nor are those of liriope, viburnum and holly, although all can cause stomach upset when consumed in large quantities. So follow Mabel’s advice: warn your kids not to eat plant berries….. but if they do, wipe their mouths out and give them a mouthful of water to spit out everything that’s left. Call their doctor if you are worried but these references will reassure you. [Georgia Poison Control Center](https://www.georgiapoisoncenter.org/) [Poisonous Plants in the Landscape – UGA](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20957_4.PDF) [Poisonous Plants of North Carolina](http://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/category/poisonous-plants/) [Texas Poisonous Plants](https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/publications/poison/poison.html) [Holiday Plants – Not Very Toxic](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Toxic-holiday-plants_APJMT-2015.pdf) [Cornell Poisonous Plants to Livestock](http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/nandina-berries-3-300x200.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/liriope-berries-300x204.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/pokeweed-berries-9-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care, Landscaping, General Garden Info --- ### [Lists of Native Plants For Georgia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/native-plants-for-georgia/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Although not every native plant is drought-tolerant or carefree, their main advantage is that they are more adapted to our heat and humidity. Many are just as colorful as common non-native plants you’d find at a garden center. The University of Georgia has just published a great compilation of native trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses, wildflowers and vines you should consider for your landscape. [Native Plants for Georgia](https://extension.uga.edu/search.html?q=native&refinement=publications#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=native&gsc.page=1) Also, [check out this photo guide to native plants](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201339_4.PDF) [Native Plant Alternatives to Common Landscape Plants](http://www.ecoterralandscape.com/html/Plantlists.htm#A) **SOURCES OF NATIVE PLANTS** [Georgia Native Plant Society](http://www.gnps.org) [Nearly Native Nursery](http://www.nearlynativenursery.com/) [Georgia Native Plant Botanical Garden](http://sites.gsu.edu/pcnativegarden) [State Botanical Garden of Georgia](https://botgarden.uga.edu/) ![flame azalea](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/azalea-flame.jpg "azalea flame")flame azalea **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Azalea, Flowers, Native Plant --- ### [DeKalb County Compost - Safe?](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/dekalb-county-compost-safe/) **Published:** January 16, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I frequently visit the free DeKalb county compost/mulch pile on Memorial Drive. After spreading two truck loads on my dormant vegetable garden, I‘m worried that the compost might have high levels of herbicides or pesticides.** A: I took a very informative tour of the DeKalb County composting operation on your behalf recently and I came away very impressed! Charles Gill, Superintendent of Processing and Disposal, estimates that they receive less than 1 percent of grass clippings (by volume) from DeKalb lawns each year. He took me to the huge “incoming” pile, which was composed mostly of leaves, brush and logs. Even if some pesticides got into the debris, the material is piled in long windrows and turned regularly for several months. This accelerates the breakdown of lawn chemicals. According to Billy Malone, Assistant Director of the DeKalb Sanitation Department, they collect more than one hundred thousand tons of landscape debris each year. 214,00 cubic yards is composted for several months and then returned to distribution sites for the public to use in their landscapes. 409,000 cubic yards are shredded and used for mulch. I suppose DeKalb compost could have an occasional bird or dog dropping in it but not human waste. Composting rules for Georgia strictly regulate the use and disposal of sewage. The county uses other means getting rid of their sludge. I would feel comfortable using the county compost on a vegetable garden…. but you can perform an easy test to make sure it is non-toxic. Simply mix the compost 1:1 with potting soil and plant bean seeds or a seedling tomato in it. If the plants seem to grow normally, I think you can conclude the compost is safe for general use. See [How DeKalb Compost is Made](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-dekalb-county-compost-is-made/) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/compost-dekalb.jpg "compost dekalb")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/compost-dekalb.jpg) **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Compost, Herbicide, Mulch, Pesticide, Seed, Soil --- ### [Compost Tumbler - DIY](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/compost-tumbler/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My daughter’s school wants to make a compost tumbler. Do you know where I could find a 55 gallon, screw-top, food-grade drum, like a pickle or olive barrel?** A: Although they look simple to make and easy to operate, I have no confidence you’ll make much compost in a tumbler. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try…it will be a good experience for the kids no matter what happens. Handy gardeners report that it’s hard to make a durable frame to keep the barrel off the ground as you flip it. Other gardeners report that filling the tumbler more than half-way makes it very hard to turn, with the contents just “flopping” from end to end or side to side, without much mixing. Just as in a compost pile, the mixture inside your barrel must have the correct ratio of green material to brown. If not, no compost is made. Don’t forget that the volume of materials you put in will result in a much smaller amount of finished compost. In my experience, you’ll get 20% or less of the original volume. A 55 gallon drum, half-filled, might yield a shoebox of compost. Although less sexy and technological, simple compost piles at least 4′ x 6′ x 4′ yield the most “brown gold” for the least work. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/compostbarrel.jpg) **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Compost --- ### [Other beetles caught in Asian ambrosia beetle trap; timing the spray](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/other-beetles-caught-in-asian-ambrosia-beetle-trap-timing-the-spray/) **Published:** January 18, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is it correct to say that if a Fruit-tree Pinhole Borer beetle (*Xyleborinus saxesenii*) found in a simple ethanol-baited trap in early Feb it would indicate that granulate (Asian) ambrosia beetle (*Xylosandrus crassiusculus*) is also present…and that a preventative spray with insecticide should be applied?** **Is there an insecticide available to homeowners that is best?** A: Yes. I think the statement is reasonable. Pyrethroids both kill and repel the borers. Insecticides with active ingredient permethrin or bifenthrin have been shown to work. Other pyrethroids in the market such as deltamethrin, zeta-cypermethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin should have some efficacy too. These insecticides are sold under several brand names in big box stores. Shimat Joseph Assistant Professor University of Georgia | Department of Entomology ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Asian-Ambrosia-Beetle-7-768x1024.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Asian-ambrosia-beetle-Cindy-Fetch-rotated.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [What to Expect after an Unexpected Freeze #2](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cold-damage/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *This article on cold damage was originally written in March, 2002 but the details it provides are accurate for any winter.* Last night, the WEATHER.COM Web site was predicting 19 degrees at 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning in my neighborhood. As I write this (10:00 a.m. Friday) they have raised the prediction to 26 degrees. For Cumming, they predict 24 degrees and for Jonesboro it’s 27 degrees. Looking at this, you probably have questions like I have: Will this hurt my plants? Should I cover them? Which ones and how? As you observed after the freeze of February 28 this year, many plants which were in full bloom had their flowers hurt by the cold weather. Deciduous magnolias, early azaleas and even some early daffodils had brown blooms afterwards. In my observation, Bradford pear flowers are not as noticeable this year, also probably as a result of the cold. In addition to flower damage, plants which produce blooms on last year’s buds can lose their flowering capacity for the year if their buds are damaged before flowering. I’m thinking specifically about bigleaf hydrangeas in this case. Mine have at least two inches of green growth from the stems. The green tip buds are the ones from which blooms will form in May/June. I don’t want to lose my blue hydrangea blooms! I have a big bed of hydrangeas in front of my house. I also have large beds of azaleas that are 75% in bloom. I am going to cover three of my beds with black plastic from Home Depot and compare them to the un-covered beds this weekend. 26 degrees seems pretty cold to me and I think I can raise the temperature under the plastic a few degrees by anchoring it to the ground on all sides with stones and broken limbs. Later-blooming azaleas (like the satsuki’s) and those that still have tight, unopened buds should bloom normally later. Hydrangeas whose tip buds are frozen off may still have buds close to the ground which will produce flowers later than normal in the summer (June/July/August rather than May/June). Keep an eye on the predicted low temperatures in your area and make your plans accordingly! In case you are curious about what are the likeliest dates of first and last frost, here is something I wrote in the AJC last year: **PREDICTING THAT FIRST & LAST FROST** Predicting the date of the first frost is tricky. And while it may not cause gnashing of landscapers’ teeth like an unexpected late spring frost, the first fall frost is important to some. Weather scientists have kept detailed records of frost occurrence for our area and they can offer some averages for guidance. While frost may not occur at an air temperature of 32 degrees, we’ll use that temperature as a reference point. Weather people say that over their thirty year observation range, the average date of first frost is November 13. The earliest frost date was October 25 and the latest fall frost was December 6. **SEVERE COLD** If we choose 16 degrees as the mark of severe cold weather, record keepers say there is a 90% chance of its occurrence before December 25 each year. In spring, the average date it occurs is February 5 and the latest date that 16 degrees occurred in thirty years was March 4. **SNEAK PREVIEW FOR SPRING** What do the records show about the last frost in the spring? Again using 32 degrees as the reference point, the most likely date for a last frost is March 27. The earliest date for a last spring frost was February 16 and the latest frost in spring occurred on April 23. In 1983 the last frost was April 20. (Imagine what those freezes did to spring landscapes! *![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/azalea-ice1-Theresa-Schrum-1024x683.jpg)* ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/freeze-damage-crape-frozen-at-top-1Jeff-Pepple-768x1024.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Daffodil, Fall, Flowers, Hydrangea, Landscaper, Magnolia, Spring, Stone, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [What to Expect After an Unexpected Freeze #1](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/what-to-expect-after-a-freeze/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** 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**](http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/pdf/freezetemps.pdf) Many plants had made substantial new growth before the cold snap. After the cold, many shrubs and trees, including crapemyrtle, Japanese maple, butterfly bush, hydrangea, loropetalum, canna and even ‘Burford’ holly had frozen leaves. **The good news is that the plants will not die.** Most of the plants named above flower on new growth (twigs that grow after March). If leaves were frozen, the plant will simply let them fall and will put out new leaves within the next few weeks. Hydrangea is an exception here. It flowers on twigs that grew last fall and many plants had already pushed out new growth and even small flower heads. The hydrangea branch tips that show cold damage will likely not flower this year… but limbs closer to the ground that show no damage may well produce flowers in June. A special note about hosta: scissor off all dead parts but leave as much healthy leaf surface on the plant as you can. For shrubs and trees, **the best plan is to wait two weeks after the freeze and then prune away stems that are not producing leaves**. Most woody plants will produce leaves and will bloom normally in summer. Non-flowering plants like Japanese maple may show a few dead twigs but these can be removed when you are sure they are dead later this season. see [Freeze Damage to Landscape Plants](http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2005/may/070401.htm) ![](/uploads/JPGs/freezehydrangea.JPG) freeze damage to hydrangea leaves ![](/uploads/JPGs/freezehydrangeaflower.JPG) freeze damage to hydrangea flower bud ![](/uploads/JPGs/freezecrape.JPG) freeze damage to crapemyrtle ![](/uploads/JPGs/freezeloropetalum.JPG) freeze damage to loropetalum ![](/uploads/JPGs/freezefig.JPG) freeze damage to fig ![](/uploads/JPGs/freezepersimmon.JPG) freeze damage to persimmon ![](/uploads/JPGs/freezebutterfly.JPG) freeze damage to butterfly bush **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Butterfly, Fall, Flowers, Hydrangea, Japanese Maple, Maple, Summer, Temperature --- ### [Pansies and Ornamentals - How To Help Them Recover From The Cold](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pansy-boxes-how-to-help-them-recover-from-the-cold/) **Published:** March 11, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My pansy boxes were covered in snow and the plants still look a bit limp. Can I give them some sort of first aid to help them recover and deal with cold again?** A: The best thing you can do for pansies before cold weather hits is to water them. Pansies protect themselves by allowing cell moisture in the leaves to escape, thereby minimizing freeze damage. As long as the soil is not dry afterward they should reabsorb water and perk right back up when it gets warm. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/pansy-cold-damage-1-Glenda-Hanson-2.jpg) ![]( https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/freeze-damage-squash-2-1024x768.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/frozen-daffodils-1-Daryl-Pulis.JPG) ![]( https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/azalea-ice1-Theresa-Schrum-1024x683.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/aucuba-wilted-cold-1-cropped-1003x1024.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Moisture, Soil --- ### [Protecting Hydrangeas from cold](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/protecting-hydrangeas-from-cold/) **Published:** January 14, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I use black (**not clear**) plastic to cover my shrubs when cold emergencies loom. Clear plastic creates a “greenhouse effect” under it whenever the sun shines – even on a frigid day. It has to be removed if the day promises to be bright. Black, on the other hand, reflects sunlight. Air temperature under a black cover seldom rise more than a few degrees. I can leave it in place for several days without harm. Whichever cover you use, remember to anchor the edges firmly to the ground. I use firewood but earth, bricks or rocks could be used just as well. One option is to replace your common hydrangeas with varieties that rebloom after winter cold: ‘Blushing Bride’ – blossoms start out white with blue or pink tints; bred from Endless Summer® ‘David Ramsey’ – hardy to zone 4; compact plant topping out at 4 feet ‘Decatur Blue’ – exceptional hardiness for northern gardeners Endless Summer® ‘Bailmer’ – the first remontant to be introduced ‘Mini Penny’ – derived from ‘Penny Mac’; very compact ‘Oak Hill’ – similar to Endless Summer ‘Penny Mac’ – from the garden of Penny McHenry (founder of the American Hydrangea Society) ‘Forever & Ever’ – hardy to Zone 4, compact habit growing 3 feet tall and wide ‘Forever & Ever Double Pink’ – compact habit great for small gardens and containers ‘Forever & Ever Red’ – first red-flowering hydrangea, compact habit ![cold covering black plastic](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cold-covering-black-plastic.jpg) ![hydrangea mopheadpink](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hydrangea-mopheadpink.jpg) ![hydrangea blue 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hydrangea-blue-2.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Cold Tolerance of Vegetables](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cold-tolerance-of-vegetables/) **Published:** December 9, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My cabbage and lettuce crops are looking great even though we have had colder than normal weather. What range can they stand before being frozen out?** A: It is tough to predict how cold temperatures will affect vegetables. Much depends on how the plants were preconditioned. For example, if broccoli has been growing in warm conditions and temperatures drop below 22 degrees F., it will probably be killed. If these same broccoli plants had experienced cool weather for a week or two, they would probably survive the sudden cold. The real cold weather champs are beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, collards, kale, parsley, and spinach. They can tolerate short periods below 20 degrees. Temperatures of 26-31 degrees may burn the foliage but will not kill broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, mustard, onion, radish, and turnip. Interestingly, purple-leaved varieties of vegetables tolerate cold better than their green-leaved counterparts. [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cabbage-4.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cabbage-4.jpg) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Onion, Temperature --- ### [Protecting plants from cold](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/protecting-plants-from-cold/) **Published:** January 14, 2024 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Most of our woody plants can endure severe cold without problems. The cold is less stressful on plants when it stays cold most of the time. But roller-coaster winter temperatures sometimes materialize, and plants are tempted to come out of dormancy. If sometime we were to have ten days of temperatures in the fifties, followed by an Arctic blast carrying fifteen degree chill, damage could be severe. If that happens, make plans to protect your marginal plants. I’ve seen bushes wrapped like lollipops with white sheets and I have seen quilts flung over shrubs with abandon. Neither practice is worth much, other than making the gardener feel better psychologically. The plant certainly won’t benefit from a pink chenille bedspread resting loosely on its branches. The best way to protect plants is to capture the scant heat of the earth under an impermeable cover. Most folks use plastic but a big cardboard box will suffice. I use black (not clear) plastic to cover my shrubs when cold emergencies loom. Clear plastic creates a “greenhouse effect” under it whenever the sun shines – even on a frigid day. It has to be removed if the day promises to be bright. Black, on the other hand, reflects sunlight. Air temperatures under a black cover seldom rise more than a few degrees. I can leave it in place for several days without harm. Whichever cover you use, remember to anchor the edges firmly to the ground. I use firewood but earth, bricks or rocks could be used just as well. When it’s cold outside, I’m mighty thankful I have my feet under warm covers rather than roots in the earth outside! **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Frost Tolerance - Vegetables and Flowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/frost-tolerance/) **Published:** March 3, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** When frost is forecast, whether in spring or fall, some vegetables and flowers are more or less likely to be damaged. Here is a list of plants and their tolerance of light frost: Vegetables #### **Hardy** **Slightly Tolerant****Tender**AsparagusBeetSnap BeanCollardsBroccoliSweet CornEndiveBrussels SproutsTomatoKaleCabbageLima BeanKohlrabiCarrotMuskmelonLettuceCauliflowerCucumberMustardCeleriacEggplantPeaCeleryOkraPotatoChardPumpkinRhubarbOnionSquashRutabagaParsnipWatermelonSalsifyRadishPepperSpinachSweet PotatoTurnipFlowers #### **Hardy** **Slightly Tolerant****Tender**Corn FlowerBlack-eyed SusanAsterOrnamemtal CabbageCalendulaNicotianaPansyCoreopsisPetuniaPrimroseDianthusScabiosaVioletSnapdragonStatice Sweet PeaSweet Allysum ToreniaVerbena Ageratum Begonia Celosia Cosmos Impatiens Lobelia Marigold Portulaca Phlox Salvia Vinca Zinnia **Categories:** Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Onion, Spring, Squash, Watermelon --- ### [Oak Leaf Blister - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/oak-leaf-blister-identification/) **Published:** June 1, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: There is something weird on my oak leaves. A lot of lower leaves have the brown spots. Will it spread and kill the tree?** A: This is a fine example of oak leaf blister. The disease is favored by cool, moist conditions during budbreak and in the early stages of leaf development. It is common when we have cool, wet springs. Diseased areas grow slowly but the symptoms are very visible in midsummer. It doesn’t seem to damage trees permanently. Given a dry spring next year, you may not see it at all. It will not harm trees as long as they don’t suffer from drought at the time the disease attacks them. Be sure to rake and remove leaves in fall. See [Oak Leaf Bliste](https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/oak-leaf-blister)r [![oak leaf blister](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oak-leaf-blister.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oak-leaf-blister.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/oak-leaf-blister-Tom-Green-768x1024.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_9246-e1502205096985.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Oak, Spring --- ### [Gummosis - On Peach, Cherry, Plum](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/gummosis-on-peach-cherry-plum/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is happening to my plum tree? It finished bearing plums in July and now the trunk is a sea of sap! Should I do anything?** A: Gummosis is a general, though nonspecific condition of cherry, peach and plum trees (both fruiting and flowering) in which gum is exuded through the bark. Gum is produced in response to any type of stress, not necessarily a wound, regardless of whether it is due to insects, mechanical injury, drought, cold injury or disease. Environmental stress is common. **TEMPERATURE** My theory is that rapid winter temperature fluctuations often cause thin-barked plants, especially flowering cherries, to develop minute, barely visible cracks. The cracks partially reseal during cooler weather but then reopen and ‘bleed’ during summer when temperatures rise. **INJURY** One of the best reasons to mulch around a tree isn’t to conserve moisture. It’s to keep lawnmowers and string trimmers at bay. Cherry trees have thin bark. When it is damaged by machinery or by kids climbing it while wearing their soccer cleats, sap will seep until the tree can wall off the injury internally. **CANKER** When tree bark displays a generalized soft ooziness, gardeners christen it a canker. The canker can be bacterial or fungal in origin. Bacterial cankers usually have more “liquidity” than fungal cankers. **BORERS** It is true that cherry borers can tunnel under the bark of a tree, causing sap to seep. In my experience, the sap that solidifies on the bark will have sawdust in it. When the hardened sap is dislodged a small hole will be visible in the bark, through which the liquid sap oozed originally. If there are several small pieces of sawdust in the gum, call your local Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1) for advice. Gummosis very difficult to control on a single tree. Most often it is caused by stress or possibly by bacterial or fungal canker. Stress could be from drought stress, certain viruses, adverse growing sites, winter damage, herbicide damage, wounds, bruising of stem tissue, etc. but rarely from borers. If you want something to do about gummosis, you can raise the pH in the soil around the roots. To that end, in the absence of a soil test, **sprinkle 1 cup of garden lime per inch of trunk thickness under the branch canopy every year for three years**. This will raise the soil pH, which peaches/cherries/plums greatly appreciate. Water the tree appropriately in summer so the roots are not damaged by drought. See these links: **[Excellent – Gummosis in Simple Terms](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Gummosis_in_Prunus-1.pdf)** [**Here’s a good article on bleeding cherries**](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cherry-bleeding) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/gummosis1.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/gummosis2.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/gummosis3.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Peach, Pruning, Soil, Summer --- ### [Good Herbs To Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/good-herbs-to-plant-2/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What are good herbs I can plant?** A: Any time is a great time to plant herbs! Some are annuals, like basil and parsley, which are best planted each spring. Others, like rosemary, oregano and thyme, are perennials, which can grow for years in your garden. Most herbs grow best in full sunshine but a few tolerate semi- shade. The University of Georgia has a great publication on planting, maintaining, preserving and cooking with herbs. You can download it here [Herbs in Southern Gardens](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201170_4.PDF) . [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/rosemary-flowers-3-1024x680.jpg)](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/good-herbs-to-plant-2/attachment/rosemary-flowers-3/)rosemary **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Herbs, Shade, Spring --- ### [Passion Vine (Maypop) - Identifying](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/passion-vine-identifying/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In summer where I grew up there were wild vines that bloomed similar to passion vine. They produced a globe-shaped fruit. As kids, we’d throw the ripe fruits at each other like bombs. My mother told us the fruits were edible – they tasted slightly sweet and contained lots of seeds. Is this wild maypop vine the same as passion vine?** A: Your memories coincide with mine. Maypops made GREAT ammunition for war games in abandoned fields! Passion vine, *Passiflora incarnata*, produced the edible fruit we pitched so passionately. Like morning glory vine, the seed of passion flower sprout in abundance and it sometimes becomes an easy-to-control weed. Passion flower foliage is food for Zebra longwing, Julia and Gulf fritillary butterflies. Gardeners have selected improved cultivars of the vine, including ‘Lavender Lady’, ‘Blue Crown’ and ‘Ruby Glow’. The frilly flowers, in shades of blue to purple-red are quite ornamental. I have an area where the vines grow and flower over nondescript azaleas each summer. see [Passiflora](http://www.floridata.com/ref/p/passiflo.cfm) and [Passiflora Society](http://passiflora.org/) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/passionvine.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/maypop.jpg) **Categories:** Vines, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Flowers, Seed, Shade, Summer, Weed --- ### [Bamboo - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bamboo-control/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Technically, bamboo is a grass, but certainly not one you’d describe as a premier lawn turf product. The sprouts that shoot up from the ground each spring can grow 12 inches per day. The underground roots can travel 20 feet from the original clump without coming up for light. Eliminating bamboo is a miserable task. In my opinion, it should never be sold unless the buyer attends a **“Responsible Bamboo Ownership”** class. If you simply want to control a bamboo clump (i.e. prevent it from running all over your yard), a barrier is best. Dig a trench 24 inches deep completely around the clump and insert 24 inch wide aluminum flashing edgewise in the slit. It is best to leave two inches of flashing above ground so the bamboo rhizomes (roots) don’t attempt to climb over the barrier. Overlap the ends of the aluminum by 24 inches. You can also buy commercial bamboo barriers made of rubber, [such as the products from this company.](http://www.lewisbamboo.com/bamboo-barrier.html) If you have decided that not a speck of bamboo should remain in your yard, you have a **three year task** before you. The first step is to chop down **all** of the bamboo canes to ground level now. When sprouts appear in April, spray each one thoroughly with [glyphosate (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b). As other sprouts come up, give them the same treatment. If you don’t have a herbicide handy or if you prefer an organic approach, simply chop each sprout completely or kick it over at the soil line. **Your goal is to never allow a green leaf of bamboo to survive more than a day or two on your property for three years.** With vigilance and diligence, you can say “bye-bye” to bamboo for good. [Controlling Bamboo by pouring herbicide into cut culm](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/methods-to-kill-bamboo) [Controlling Bamboo with Herbicides Research](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Controlling-Bamboo-Phyllostachys-spp.-with-Herbicides-1-4.pdf) [American Bamboo Society](http://www.americanbamboo.org/) [Growing Bamboo in Georgia](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201357_3.PDF) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/pruning-trench2-300x222.jpg) ![](/uploads/JPGs/bamboosiding.JPG) bamboo from the property line crept underground to the house, sprouted next to the foundation and grew under the siding until it emerged 10′ higher up the house ![bamboo emerging through asphalt](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bamboo-through-pavement-2-scaled.jpg)bamboo emerging through asphalt ![bamboo sprout](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bamboo-culm-1-scaled.jpg)bamboo sprout **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Fertilizer, Glyphosate, Herbicide, Soil, Spring, Travel --- ### [Deer - Summary of Different Control Techniques and Ideas](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/deer-control-2/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Rule #1 for minimizing deer damage to plants. Deer will damage (eat or rub) any plant you can think of. What you do about it depends on how much damage you can tolerate.** If you have garden plants that you love and have found that the deer love them too, here are a few protective strategies to consider: **NATURAL AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION** Rather than reach way back on the display shelf for the biggest piece of pie, I often settle for the smaller, easier-to-manipulate desserts up front. Deer are just as lazy when browsing. Try surrounding deer delicacies with repellent plants like hellebore, lantana or St. John’s wort. Maybe they will go elsewhere to nibble less-important greenery. My colleague Dr. Gary Wade reported some success one year surrounding his hosta with a thick layer of pine cones. He observed that the deer didn’t like walking on material that didn’t provide a sure footing. Farmers use closely-spaced, parallel steel pipes laid across a roadway to keep cows in their pasture. These cattle guards work similarly to the pine cones above but wouldn’t be practical in a landscape. Instead, consider laying a flat, four foot wide perimeter of chicken wire around your favorite beds. The wire could be held a few inches off the ground using bricks or slender pine limbs. Approaching deer might be repelled by the unfamiliar feel of the fence wire on their hooves. **TASTE AND ODOR REPELLENTS** You have likely already heard folk tales touting coyote urine, bar soap, mothballs and human hair. While they all may work for a short period, they do not remain effective for long. A deer quickly notices that though the rose bed smells “fresh as an Irish Spring”, no harm comes when he feeds in such fragrant surroundings. Smell repellents must be changed weekly to be effectual. Taste-based repellents, such as hot sauce, and extremely bitter compounds seem also to have a short period of repellence. While they may keep Bambi at bay for a few days, as hunger mounts even a bad-tasting hosta is better than no food at all. Several gardeners report that PlantSkyyd and Liquid Fence work for them. [Repellex (click for example)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=repellex&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Arepellex&sprefix=repellex%2Caps%2C160&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) is a new product using a special solvent and capsaicin (hot pepper) to repel deer. One repellent that has shown promise is putrescent egg solids. Sold as “Deer Away” or “Big Game Repellent”, the smell is not perceptible to humans. The material is mixed with a water-resistant latex carrier so it stays on plants for several weeks. You can make your own egg-based repellent by adding four eggs to a quart of water. Strain the eggs through cheesecloth or a kitchen strainer before mixing, in order to avoid clogging your sprayer. Apply to susceptible plants every two weeks. **FENCING** Eight-foot high fences are beyond the means of most gardeners but a short electric fence, managed correctly, can be effective. Of course, the first thing to understand is that an electric fence doesn’t kill an animal. The electricity carried by the wire is high voltage but low wattage. That means a deer will be startled by the “ZAP!” but not harmed. The purpose of an electric fence is to educate the deer to expect something unpleasant when they come near it. Wild deer are quite difficult to capture and train – but you can instruct them on proper behavior on your property by installing a “Peanut Butter” electric fence. Details are available from the Auburn University Web site mentioned below. Electric fences aren’t maintenance-free. If the wire touches a nearby limb or grassy undergrowth, electricity will go there – not to the deer. When you install your fence, clear a strip of ground three feet wide on either side of the fence so you can walk along it every week to keep the wire clear. CAUTION: Do not use an electric fence where children or un-knowing visitors could come in contact with it. Post signs identifying your fence at intervals around it. Check local ordinances before installing. MORE INFORMATION [Comparative Analysis of Deer Repellents](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwjH0JSb95LIAhWB64AKHROABrg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigitalcommons.unl.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1568%26context%3Dicwdm_usdanwrc&usg=AFQjCNFMNq3PDtsaSgb_4RWvC7gjgxsjnw&sig2=Jk8dd62-pFjpJueGSMCMUQ&bvm=bv.103627116,d.eXY&cad=rja) [Comparative Evaluation of Deer Fences](http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/publications/06pubs/vercauteren062.pdf) [Repel Deer With Baby Formula](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/deer-repel-with-baby-formula/) [Homeowner Evaluations of Repellex](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/repellex-effectiveness/) [Egg-based Deer Repellent Research](http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlightsonline/winter99/deer.html) [Plantskydd Deer Repellent](http://www.treeworld.com/) (blood meal) “Peanut Butter” [Electric Fence for Deer Control](http://rc10.overture.com/d/sr/?xargs=15KPjg16BSt5auwuf0L%5FiXEbqUkwwBk5jF88poDZYIbtRf8AMfVPYuPa7By%5FVIX%2D1lnwbVvPrnjdMSOqz2nv2UEwiNW1KBEf3%2D3ozSnN8wYvr0G8ER0u1%5Fk%5Fqp28QaeSoQMzuzGeKOm7jBIMCoaHMYodJQnF7dkqVsg6DikKVeBuuc1VB87Q2MLJoSvPokgdqRJMJNDvJfYMbKzHrCJtkDnt5rwbrmZ3NXdG%5FnpjoSNmawDi4q9evSKdFN5Kq2w9PMNbqrycYeKRvFrao3rV3S1j7fkNQnKSfT1O4IzB0bG4%5FIfmmL1R1%2D7vLjvMGcJLg663KtX52RGnDhMAt2fVMgX6LIDGU%2E) [Controlling Deer in Landscapes](http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0521/) [Deer Resistant Plants](http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications/displayPDF.cfm?pk_ID=7872) **[EVEN MORE DEER CONTROL TOPICS AND IDEAS](https://www.walterreeves.com/?s=deer)** [![deer damage to hosta](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/deer-damage-hosta.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/deer-damage-hosta.jpg)deer damage to hosta [![white-tailed deer (image courtesy of Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/5395052-PPT.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/5395052-PPT.jpg)white-tailed deer (image courtesy of Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pine, Spring --- ### [Why applying systemic insecticide to the base of a tree works](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/why-applying-systemic-insecticide-to-the-base-of-a-tree-works/) **Published:** November 24, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Question from Walter:** **It is my understanding that most of a tree’s feeder roots are pretty far from the trunk. I sometimes tell folks to apply fertilizer in a doughnut around a tree: 5-10 feet inside the drip line and 5-10 feet outside.** **If my understanding is correct, then why do the instructions for systemic insecticide say to pour the solution around the trunk into the top of the root collar.** **What is there to absorb insecticide?** **Answer from Art Morris:** Hey Walter! Good question with a two-part answer. Although many off-the-shelf fertilizer products recommend treatment near the dripline, the anatomy of trees doesn’t necessarily support that. In fact, the majority of a tree’s fine feeder roots are located closer to the trunk and beneath the drip line. Although roots may extend quite a distance beyond the canopy of a tree, the highest density of fine roots is closer to the trunk. Additionally, many modern systemic insecticides (dinotefuran products in particular) contain surfactants and bark penetrants. This allows them to absorb quickly through a tree’s bark and into the vascular cambium. The base of the tree trunk and root collar contain a high amount of undifferentiated tissue that distributes the treatment radially around the trunk very effectively. In fact, many professionals apply the treatment directly to the trunk and buttress roots to avoid potential runoff or product waste that is possible with a soil application. **Arthur Morris**Board-Certified Master Arborist #SO-2627B A. E. Morris Advisory, LLC > **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Composting 101](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-make-compost/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am trying composting for the first time so I bought one of those compost enclosures in August. At this point it looks more like a garbage pile than what I expected compost to look like. Any suggestions?** A: New-born babies aren’t so attractive at first either, but you wouldn’t reject them would you? I know composters who stick their noses in every pile to inhale the aroma. I know others who plant flowers around their pile to hide it from view. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder! Your compost pile is functioning normally but things are progressing slowly because you started in August and the weather became cool before the materials decomposed. Here are the basics to making a compost pile you can brag about year-round: 1\. Make it big enough. A pile three feet high and six feet wide can hold enough heat on a cold night to keep the decomposing fungi happy. A smaller pile gets cold and stops working until the weather warms up again. 2\. Regularly add green materials or fertilizer. The creatures that break down your leaves and kitchen waste need nitrogen in order to do their job. They can get nitrogen from lawn clippings but you’ll need a lot: a layer three inches thick for every six inch layer of brown leaves. If you don’t have clippings, just add a cup of 10-10-10 to the pile and water it in. In a couple of days, the pile will be smokin’! 3\. Mix up the pile with a shovel or rake. Oxygen helps the decomposers do their dirty work. 4\. If all else fails, cover your “garbage pile” with pine straw and call it a “landscape focal point”. Harvest black compost from it in May and no one will be the wiser. MORE INFORMATION [Composting – Collected Questions and Answers](https://www.walterreeves.com/?s=composting) [Composting Why we do it](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/compost-why-we-do-it/) **COMPOSTING – IN TWO STEPS** When you drive past a pile of bags full of leaves next to the curb, think of them as money wasted twice. The leaves themselves could be piled in a back corner of the landscape and allowed to rot. The compost they make can be added to flower beds or spread over the lawn next spring. Compared to store bought ‘soil conditioner’, each bag of leaves is worth approximately $1.00! In addition, the bagged leaves usually go to an expensive municipal landfill. Taxpayers pay dearly for the construction and upkeep of the landfill. To put leaves, grass clippings and yard trimmings in a landfill is simply a waste of taxpayers’ money! \#1 PILE IT UP Composting is not rocket science! If you have a corner where two fences meet, pile leaves there. Compost bins can be purchased or you can simply make one out of stiff, welded wire fencing. Join the ends of a piece of fencing that is four feet high and ten feet long. The hollow barrel you have created is a perfect compost bin! Pile leaves and grass clippings in it during the year. Next spring, lift the bin off of the pile and scoop out the rich compost underneath. \#2 LET IT ROT There is no need for ‘compost helper’ products. Mother Nature will make compost without our help. Experienced composters will turn their piles of leaves a few times a year to make the process faster, but organic matter will decompose whether the pile is turned or not. A good spraying with the garden hose while the leaves are being piled will help keep the pile moist. A shovelful of soil sprinkled over each successive bag of leaves will introduce all of the fungi needed to make perfect compost by next summer. IF YOU *MUST* DO SOMETHING If you can’t bear the thought of compost happening without your input, try turning the pile over once every month and add a cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer each time. The turning will add oxygen to the center of the pile. The fertilizer will feed the fungi which are happily eating your leaves but needing a bit more energy. Don’t hesitate to add more leaves as they fall this winter – a good compost pile has to be at least four feet tall and four feet wide to keep the fungi cozy inside the pile. Composting is a practical and convenient way of recycling leaves, lawn clippings, and trimmings from the landscape. It’s also an economical way of producing rich humus that can be added back to your soil. Anyone can compost, and with landfills filling up fast, we need to reduce the amount of these natural materials that are currently being dumped there. Compost is the rich dark humus that results from the natural decomposition of plant and plant products under controlled conditions. Almost any organic plant material can be used for composting, including grass clippings, leaves, flowers, annual weeds, twigs, chopped brush, old vegetable plants, straw, and sawdust. Avoid composting diseased plants, weeds with seeds, or invasive weeds like morning glory and nutsedge. Kitchen peelings and coffee grounds can also be composted, but avoid adding table scraps with meat, grease, or dairy products because they may attract animals. Compost piles generally have no odor if they have good ventilation. Odor-causing bacteria are killed by heat within the pile. If animal manures are added to the pile some initial odor can be expected, but it will stop as the pile matures. To start a compost pile, choose an out-of-the-way place in full sun with good drainage. A frame or structure to hold the pile is not necessary but does help decomposition by keeping the materials together and provides a neater appearance. Any type of structure can be used, including welded wire, fencing, pallets, or blocks. Leave open spaces in the sides to allow good air circulation through the pile and the bottom open to the ground. The structure should be at least 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet. Large piles break down faster than smaller piles but are more difficult to manage. Decomposition works best when a variety of materials are mixed together. Most often piles are layered with whatever organic material is available. The smaller the pieces of organic matter, the faster it will decompose. Once a layer of organic matter is added, add a little garden soil or animal manure. This adds fungi, bacteria, insects and worms to the pile and helps speed up the decomposition process. These critters feed on the organic matter, breaking it down into fine-textured humus. Keep the pile moist but not too wet. To speed up the decomposition process and prevent odors, turn the pile once a month using a shovel or spading fork. Compost is ready when it looks like rich crumbly earth and you can no longer recognize the original plant material. When your compost is ready, you can use it in several ways. Add it to the soil before planting to improve soil structure and to help hold nutrients and water for use by plants. You can also use it as a mulch on the soil surface or as potting soil for container plants. Compost slowly releases a small amount of plant nutrients, but it is not a substitute for fertilizer. It should be considered a soil-builder rather than a fertilizer. **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Compost, Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Manure, Mulch, Pine, Pine Straw, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Compost - Why We Do it](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/compost-why-we-do-it/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *“My whole life has been spent waiting for an epiphany, a manifestation of God’s presence, the kind of transcendent, magical experience that lets you see your place in the big picture. And that is what I had with my first compost heap.”* –Bette Midler, Los Angeles Times May 8, 1996 A few years ago I read that my late friend and then-fellow-columnist, Lee May, was thinking of composting his undershirt. Lee has decided to be a hard-core composter. He plans to make black gold from everything he can put his hands on – including his clothes and copies of this newspaper! Lee has caught the fever. Soon he will be waxing wise with fellow composters, comparing pile temperatures and the turn versus no-turn method of composting. My friend Bobbi Sedam caught the fever several years ago when she attended a Master Composter class sponsored by the DeKalb Extension service. She has sponsored workshops, set up displays and hounded county officials – all to increase citizens’ knowledge of composting. Even my neighbor Gus confessed last week that he has started a compost pile under the trees beside his home. When everyone from the stars to the average gardener is composting, why aren’t you? Maybe it is because you’re still not sure what all the fuss is about. Compost is rotten stuff, right? What in the world is so transcendent about making things rot? IT”S ALIVE! Home-made compost is called black gold because it is *alive*. But then poison ivy and fire ants are also alive and we don’t get rapturous about them do we? Here is why live compost is so valuable: You know what clay is, don’t you? Clay is what we gardeners try to grow plants in. Given the choice, plants would never choose clay as a good home. Like vacationers describe New York city, “It’s a great place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.” Plants appreciate the ability of clay to hold moisture. What they abhor is clay’s hardness and it’s refusal to let their roots breathe. Compost, though, is full of tiny fungi, bacteria and other creatures. These organisms eat leaves, grass clippings, lettuce leaves and, perhaps, underwear. Euphemistically, we say they “break down” these items. In fact, they ***eat*** and then ***excrete*** organic materials. As anyone who has changed a baby diaper knows, poop is ***sticky***. The sticky excreta of fungi and bacteria is made that way by a substance called ***glomalin***. This glomalin glues together the tiny, tiny particles of clay in your soil. When tiny grains of soil become big soil granules, the soil is softened. Plant roots breathe and thrive! Your garden center treasures flourish! Another gardener is converted to the cult of composti**ng!** **\#1 PILE IT UP** Composting is not rocket science! If you have a corner where two fences meet, pile your fall leaves there. Compost bins can be purchased or you can simply make one out of stiff, welded-wire fencing. Join the ends of a piece of fencing that is four feet high and ten feet long. The hollow barrel you create is a perfect compost bin! Pile leaves and grass clippings in it during the year. Next spring, lift the bin off of the pile and scoop out the rich compost underneath. **\#2 LET IT ROT** There is no need for ‘compost helper’ products. Mother Nature will make compost without your help. Experienced composters turn their piles a few times a year to make the process faster, but organic matter will decompose whether the pile is turned or not. A good spraying with the garden hose while leaves are being piled will help keep the pile moist. A shovelful of soil sprinkled over each successive bag of leaves will introduce all of the fungi needed to make perfect compost by next summer. MORE INFORMATION [The Compost Resource Page](http://www.oldgrowth.org/compost/home.html) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/compost-Cuba-scaled-e1700422946278-657x1024.jpg)Composating in Cuba is a good example of “Pile it up and let it rot.” ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/compost-1-300x200.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/compost-bin-2-300x199.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Compost, Fall, Fire Ants, Moisture, Poison, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature --- ### [Poinsettia - Forcing to Bloom for Christmas](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/poinsettia-forcing/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have three poinsettia plants which I’ve kept for four years. Last year, they changed color in the summer. How can I get them to change color at Christmas?** A: Your poinsettias were only doing what comes naturally when the bracts changed color in the summer. The fact of the matter is that the bracts around a poinsettia bloom will change color 10 – 14 weeks after the bloom has appeared. You grew your poinsettia in conditions that made the plants produce blooms in March. Twelve weeks later and you had Christmas in June! In their native Mexico, poinsettias bloom in early January. Greenhouse growers manipulate the temperature and light around their plants to make them turn color just before Christmas. You can make your plants initiate blooms by covering them each day with a cardboard box for fourteen hours beginning in late September. Water them normally and leave them outdoors until cool weather arrives. Move them indoors then but keep up the fourteen hours of daily darkness until early November. You should see buds appear at the end of each branch. If the plant is kept in a cool, bright window you’ll have colorful bracts just in time for the holidays! [**Poinsettia – Choosing the Best One**](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/poinsettia-choosing/) #### [Poinsettia – Pointers for Indoor Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/poinsettia-pointers-for-indoor-care/) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/poinsettiawhite.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Houseplants, Landscaping **Tags:** Greenhouse, Summer, Temperature --- ### [Poinsettia – Choosing the Best One](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/poinsettia-choosing/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Examine the tiny yellow-green flowers at the ends of the poinsettia branches. If more than one or two are open, the poinsettia will not hold its freshness for long. Poinsettias are typically sent to stores in several shipments. Ask to look at the latest arrivals before you inadvertently pick up one that has been there for weeks. 2\. Poinsettia leaves should be green and healthy almost down to the soil level. If the plant has dried out in storage, the bottom leaves are the first to wilt and disappear. 3\. If the poinsettia plant came in a foil wrapper, check for water at the bottom before you add more moisture to the plant. Poinsettias are accustomed to soil that’s on the dry side. If their roots sit in water day after day, the roots will rot. 4\. Check for drafts in the place you choose to display your poinsettia. Hot air from a furnace or cold air from a drafty window can make leaves dry faster than normal. ![](/uploads/JPGs/poinsettiaflower.JPG) **Categories:** Houseplants **Tags:** Flowers, Moisture, Soil --- ### [Poinsettia - Pointers for Indoor Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/poinsettia-pointers-for-indoor-care/) **Published:** November 26, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Poinsettias are **NOT** poisonous. That old myth was dispelled by a research project at The Ohio State University in 1975. While the latex sap may be irritating to the eyes, the plants are not toxic. All poinsettia flowers are yellow. The showy “flowers” of red, pink or white are actually floral bracts (modified leaves). The true flowers are those pouch-shaped things in the centers of the bracts. Protect your poinsettia from freezing weather when you buy it or perhaps take it home from church. Thirty seconds of exposure to below-freezing temperatures will ruin a poinsettia. Have the car warmed up. Remove the foil wrapper or poke several holes in the bottom so water can drain from the soil freely. Keep your plant cool (70 degrees), bright (near a window) and slightly moist (never soggy) at all times. **The single biggest reason poinsettias become unattractive indoors is that we let them get too dry**. Check for drafts in the place you choose to display your poinsettia. Hot air from a furnace or cold air from a drafty window can make leaves dry faster than normal. You don’t want to keep it waterlogged, either, but certainly do not let it wilt. Your plant will not require fertilizer while it’s inside. It really isn’t attempting to grow, so additional nutrients are unnecessary. If you intend to keep your plant for the next year, leave it in its current pot until late winter or early spring. Trim it back once the floral bracts have faded. Poinsettias are unruly growers, so it will need a larger pot by March, and you’ll probably want to pinch out its growing tips every month or so to keep it compact. By the end of the summer, it should be in a large pot (24 to 30 inches) filled with good potting soil. Starting October 1, give it total darkness for 14 hours each night and bright sunlight for 10 daylight hours. Those extended periods of uninterrupted dark are what triggers the flowering process. [Toxicity of Christmas and Holiday Plants](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Toxic-holiday-plants_APJMT-2015.pdf) ### All that said, it’s usually easier to buy new plants each December. [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/poinsettia-red-1.jpg "poinsettia red 1")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/poinsettia-red-1.jpg)poinsettia [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/poinsettia-flower.jpg "poinsettia flower")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/poinsettia-flower.jpg)poinsettia flower [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_0801.jpg "IMG_0801")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_0801.jpg)Three-year-old poinsettia **Categories:** Houseplants **Tags:** Fertilizer, Flowers, Poison, Poisonous, Soil, Spring, Summer, Sunlight, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Joro spider egg sac](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/joro-spider-egg-sac/) **Published:** October 2, 2021 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** A female Joro spider may have as many as 1000 eggs in her egg sac when she constructs it in fall before she dies. The spiderlings hatch in spring and “balloon” themselves away by spinning a thread of silk, which catches the wind. The Joro spider’s egg sac is NOT identical to that of a yellow garden spider. NOTE FROM KIM F.: :Joro eggs are in a whitish, webby-silky mass. The eggs themselves can have a pink hue. A spider will use her silk to make a thick-walled bag and deposit her sac (or sacs) in a safe place, like in the densest part of her web, inside webbing under a large leaf, or in the highest corner of a home’s soffit. A sac will range in size from the size of a grape to the size of a table tennis ball. Although it probably won’t accomplish much in the grand scheme of things, destroying the egg sac may diminish spider numbers for a little while. Use a long stick with a rough end to wind up the web around an egg sac and pull it down. The easiest way to destroy one is to let it soak in a bucket of water to which a bit of dish detergent has been added. Spraying with insecticide might work but it’s not as environmentally sound. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Joro-egg-sac-WIl-Hudson-225x300.jpg) Joro egg sac Will Hudson – UGA ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Argiope-aurantia-egg-sac-enhanced-253x300.jpg) Argiope aurantia egg sac (Lynette Schimming / EOL; cc by-nc 2.0) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/yellow-garden-spider-egg-sacs-are-suspended-in-the-331x220-1.jpeg)Yellow garden spider egg sac’s, are white to brown, and somewhat teardrop-shaped. Photo by Wikimedia Commons, user Joyous!, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Argiope\_aurantia\_egg\_sac.jpg **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fall, Oak, Spider, Spring --- ### [Acorns - Controlling Sprouts and Growth](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/acorns-controlling-sprouts-and-growth/) **Published:** June 16, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We had a lot of acorns falling into our lawn this year. Some have begun to take root. Is there something I can do to prevent the others from rooting?** A: In college i lived in a house that had a tin roof and was situated under a big oak tree. I had a hard time sleeping with the constant rat-tat-bang of acorns falling on the roof. There’s nothing you can do except pull them by hand or spray them with a broad leaf weed killer or glyphosate as they germinate for the next few weeks. Regular mowing will also control the sprouts and they will gradually deteriorate. [![oak seedlings](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oak-seedlings.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oak-seedlings.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/acorns-b-Daryl-Pulis-300x287.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Fall, Weed --- ### [Green Globs (Algae, Nostoc, Green Jello) in Lawn - Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/green-globs-algae-nostoc-in-lawn/) **Published:** February 11, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have green Jello-like stuff growing in my yard. It started a few years back as a small patch about the size of your hand in shaded area that has now grown and spread 20 yards in all directions. In dry weather, it dries up into a black, flat, paper-thin patches on the ground.** A: It’s a cyanobacteria called nostoc. The ancients theorized that was planetary snot (?)🙂 but it’s only a quickly rehydrating mass of bacteria. Most of us just call it “algae”. It doesn’t harm grass but it DOES indicate that conditions aren’t particularly good for grass. In particular it tells me that the soil is mostly clay or silt and is pretty compacted. Possibly it’s in an area where the soil stays moist or where it’s shady. All of those conditions inhibit grass growth…..but Nature always has ideas about what CAN grow on a spot. The nostoc found a good environment and so you see it regularly, depending on soil moisture and warmth. You can get temporary control on a lawn with products that contain potassium salts of fatty acids (Moss and Algae Killer). Be sure to follow label directions exactly. I’m sure a thorough aeration would help, followed by consideration if grass will really ever thrive in this area. If not, plant ferns or hosta or azaleas. If you don’t fix the current environment, nostoc will pop up again and again. see [Nostoc Balls in Grass](http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/nostoc_a_green_jelly_like_substance_growing_in_lawns) [Is nostoc edible?](http://www.eattheweeds.com/nostoc-nasal-nostalgia-and-edible-too-2/) [The science behind nostoc](http://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/728#.WQqGmsznYXA.facebook) [![nostoc cyanobacteria](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/nostoc-11.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/nostoc-11.jpg)nostoc cyanobacteria ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/nostoc-1-1-768x1024.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/nostoc-algae-2-Venita-Conrad-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Azalea, Moisture, Shade, Soil --- ### [Chigger - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/chigger-control/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **“There was a little chigger and he wasn’t any bigger than the head of a very small pin.** **But the bump that he raises just itches like the blazes – and that’s where the rubbin’ comes in!”** A day in the blackberry patch or a simple walk in the woods may be followed by a week of insufferable itching caused by chigger bites. Chiggers, also known as redbugs, have three life stages. Only the stage after the chigger eggs hatch feeds on humans. This larval insect looks for warm blooded animals from which to consume skin cells. Humans, with tight waist bands and socks are the perfect chigger lunch! The tiny miscreants sink their mouthparts in the skin and inject saliva to dissolve the cell membranes so they can feed. The chemical injection causes a welt and severe itching. Some say that **amputation** will cure the itch **temporarily**:). It is untrue that chiggers embed themselves in the skin. They drop off after feeding – so **the practice of putting** **fingernail polish on the bump to suffocate the critter does no good.** Chiggers quickly die if they are dislodged from the host, but the itch from the bite will continue until the body neutralizes the saliva and repairs the tissue damage. The dissolved tissue will continue to ooze out of the wound each time the wound is scratched. The fluid that oozes from the wound solidifies into a hard “cap.” This cap is a distinct feature of chigger bites and is not associated with things such as mosquito bites. Very hot water quickly applied to and removed from the itchy spot and a topical anesthetic are the only effective itch remedies. To treat chigger infestations in backyards or around mountain cabins, spray the tall grass and low shrubbery with [garden insecticide (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=garden%20insecticide&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A2972638011%2Ck%3Agarden%20insecticide&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&linkId=PVAVMH6K74DSEVHI)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir), using label directions. If you suspect chiggers are present, do not walk in the grass without applying an insect repellent to ankles, arms, legs and sock tops. Chigger nymphs do not attach immediately, so a hot soapy shower after a walk will wash most of them down the drain before they bite. [Chiggers in Georgia](http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/?public=viewStory&pk_id=4426) [Chiggers in Missouri](https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g7398); Press Play to hear a catchy song about the misery of chiggers! ![](/uploads/JPGs/chigger2.JPG) ![](/uploads/JPGs/chigger3.JPG) ![](/uploads/JPGs/chigger1.JPG) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Blackberry --- ### [Spanish Moss - Treating For Chiggers May Not be Necessary](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/spanish-moss-treating-for-chiggers/) **Published:** February 13, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I want my family in south Georgia to send me Spanish moss to see if it will grow here. How do they treat it to kill the chiggers in it?** A: If they gather it from tree branches, there will be no chiggers in it. Chigger nymphs (the critters that bite, suck liquefied skin, and cause an unceasing itch) know they won’t find victims in the trees. They hang out on the tips of grass blades and very low shrubbery, the better to latch on to a passing mouse or deer or human. Tell your friends to spray insect repellent on their shoes and ankles and use a bamboo pole to pull the stuff out of the trees. If nothing hits the ground, the Spanish moss will be chigger-free. See[ Chigger Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/chigger-control/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Spanish-moss-1-Copy-1024x768.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Spanish-moss-Lawson-Thompson-Copy.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Cedar Apple Rust - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/cedar-apple-rust/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two seven-foot tall Eastern red cedar trees. Both have growths that look like walnut meats on them. Is this cedar apple rust?** A: Orange, jelly-like spore “gobs” were on the trees last spring but you didn’t notice them. The gall you notice now will be at the center of the fist-sized mass in April-May. This particular disease travels back and forth between Eastern redcedar and apple trees. Both hosts are required for it to develop. Cedar apple rust is less harmful to redcedars than apples, on which it causes leaf and fruit drop. If you value woodland apples and crabapples, remove all of the dried galls now. The disease can be managed on apple by spraying with Immunox® Multi-Purpose Fungicide Spray Concentrate For Gardens. Spraying with myclobutanil (Immunox) at labeled intervals will partially control the disease. You can help break the disease life cycle by raking and removing all apple leaves after they fall in winter and by examining all redcedar trees in your neighborhood for the walnut-sized disease galls, which should be destroyed. Read and follow label directions. MORE INFORMATION: [Cedar Apple and Related Rusts](https://extension.psu.edu/rust-diseases-of-apple-in-the-home-fruit-planting) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cedarapplerust4.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cedarapplerustjelly.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cedarapplerust1.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/image_67542273-768x1024.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cedarapplerust3.jpg) **Categories:** General Q & A **Tags:** Disease, Spring, Travel --- ### [Pecan Trees Dropping Nuts Early](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pecan-trees-dropping-nuts-early/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have several pecan trees around me, and for the last two years, they have dropped their nuts early before they have matured. I was wondering what causes this.** A: Your pecan has scab disease. Our heat and high humidity make conditions perfect for this fungal disease to develop. Unfortunately, homeowner control is well nigh hopeless. Pecan farmers have huge blowers that spray fungicide to the top of their trees. Complete coverage is necessary to stop infection. So what is left for you to do? Rake up and remove fallen leaves and infected pecans regularly, spring through fall. This is the best suggestion I have. If you have a dry spring, you may have a great pecan crop. Wet and warm springs may result in no edible pecans at all. If you have the opportunity to plant new trees, plant scab-resistant varieties like ‘Stuart’, ‘Elliott’, ‘Curtis’, and ‘Gloria Grande.’ **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Nuts, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [Jasmine Vine Dying](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/jasmine-vine-dying/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have a Confederate jasmine vine growing up both sides and over our front door. Part is dying on one side, and would like to arrest that ASAP. Can you diagnose anything from my photos?** A: Hmmmmmmm…I don’t think it is a disease. I don’t see any fungal or bacterial spots on the leaves. Honestly, it looks like one of the stems coming from the ground has suffered unseen damage that led to blocking the sap from traveling to everything connected to the vine above. I noticed the electric outlet behind the base of the vine. Could you have snapped a stem while wrestling with a recalcitrant plug? Was any damage done while installing Christmas lights? For repair, I’d start by pulling off all of the brown leaves. They will not turn green again. Then, starting at the bottom, try to follow the afflicted vine stem upwards. When you reach two feet take off some small stems and snap them. If they’re brown and dry it likely means everything above that point is brown and dry. That part of the whole green vine is dead; there is no reason to remove it. But don’t despair: the rest of the vine looks green and healthy. Water occasionally and mix some Osmocote into the soil, going out about two feet, and you’ll give the remaining green vine great impetus to grow and fill in the openings the brown-leafed vine once occupied. **Categories:** Vines, Landscaping --- ### [Wrinkled Branches On Tea Olive Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/wrinkled-branches-on-tea-olive-plant/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My tea olive plant is six feet tall and well-established. Recently limbs have developed wrinkled areas on the branches, beyond which the leaves die. Is it too much water or a fungal infection?** A: It’s just delayed cold damage. Last winter’s cold partially froze the limbs, but not enough to kill the limbs outright. They might even have had green leaves until recently. But finally, the damaged limb rots through completely, causing the wrinkled stem and brown leaves. You can prune them out whenever you have time. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Bark Falling Off Oak Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bark-falling-off-oak-tree/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Can you tell what caused a big patch of bark to fall off the bottom of my oak tree? No marks or tunnels at all; the bark looks like it just fell off suddenly.** A: My bet would be armillaria root rot. The disease is common on oak trees, particularly if they have wounded or stressed roots. Soil piled up around the base of the tree or excavation that wounded the roots are common sources of the damage. The fungus grows up underneath the bark and the bark sloughs off. Probably more bark will come off in the future. There’s nothing you can do about armillaria root rot. If a tree is hazardous to property or people, you need to hire a certified arborist to come and take a look. The Georgia Arborist Association, georgiaarborist.org, maintains a list of certified arborists who can come and inspect the tree. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Willow Oaks Over Bermuda Grass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/willow-oaks-over-bermuda-grass/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: When our neighborhood was built fifteen years ago, the developer lined the streets with willow oaks and planted bermuda grass. The tree canopy has enlarged to create more shade, so the bermuda is not doing well. We are hoping to find something to grow in the shade of the trees.** A: I think purple wintercreeper, Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’ is the perfect plant for you. It tolerates deep shade and full sunshine. After planting, it spreads quickly. When established it needs hardly any watering. I have been watching a planting of wintercreeper in the hellstrip between sidewalk and street near my house for three years. It is purple most of the year but turns green when it’s really hot. After severe cold like last winter, all the leaves turned brown, leaving a tangle of stems. But the stems were perfectly hardy and quickly sprouted new leaves. Technically it is listed as invasive because clambers up and over small shrubs and perennials but your trees will have no problem. Trim it off the base of trees once a year. It looks best when cut twice yearly at 6″-10″ high. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Ornamental Trees, Lawn Care, Landscaping --- ### [Okra - Fusarium Wilt](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/okra-fusarium-wilt/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Is there a variety of okra that is fusarium wilt resistant? My Clemson spineless okra comes up, then the leaves turn yellow and fall off. About 80% die, and the rest grows a little and produces very little. I’m assuming it’s fusarium wilt and there’s no cure?** A: It is always a good idea to get a diagnosis from the University of Georgia plant pathology lab before assuming it is fusarium wilt. (You can get contact details from your county Extension office.) But if it is, here are tips I’ve collected: The fungal spores can survive in the soil for up to seven years. Use certified clean seeds. Buy seeds treated with fungicide. Raise soil pH by applying lime where soils are acidic. I am not saying you have fusarium wilt because many things can cause these symptoms. The suggestions I listed are useful for most garden seeds. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening --- ### [Maple - Brown Stems Curled Leaves](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/maple-brown-stems-curled-leaves/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: The maple on my deck gets lots of filtered light. The stems are turning brown and the leaves are curling up. Any idea what’s going on?** A: The leaf curling is likely caused by an interrupted water supply. I’m guessing that sometime recently the soil in the pot dried out. Either you didn’t water it for a couple of days or the roots in the pot got too hot to absorb water correctly. Tree root growth slows down when soil temperatures exceed 86 degrees. Roots die when soil temperatures rise above 96 degrees. When summer temperatures are regularly in the 90s, it’s easy for the soil in pots to exceed these temperatures. You can try to save this tree by checking the soil each day with your fingers. If it’s dry, be sure to soak it thoroughly. Another option is to move the tree to a larger container where the soil can hold more moisture and it is less likely to heat up. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Tulips Not Coming Back](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tulips-not-coming-back/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I love tulips but have always had a hard time getting them to come back. I heard recently about wild type, or species, tulips and that they will perennialize in Georgia. Am I good to dig and drop?** A: Species tulips have a tough nature. They like well-drained beds in semi-shade to full sun. Folks at the Atlanta Botanical Garden recommend three species tulips: Tulipa clusiana, Tulipa tarda, and Tulipa kaufmanniana (in particular ‘Red Riding Hood’). In their experience, these come back year after year and multiply if planted in the correct spot. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [What Are Cherry Lilies?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/what-are-cherry-lilies/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have been searching for months to find out what cherry lilies are. Someone gave me some bulbs, which are huge, with long strappy leaves attached. I have been searching for the name so I’ll know their care.** A: You gave me a clue by telling me their size and their leaf shape. I’ll bet they are crinum lily bulbs, which can grow as big as a soccer ball and can weigh 20-30 pounds. The long leaves are typical of lilies. There are several varieties with red flowers and ‘cherry’ in their name. Bulbs should be planted in loose, organic soil in a spot that gets part-day to full-day sunshine. They should be planted so that two-thirds of the bulb’s body is below ground and one-third, including the neck, of the neck, is exposed. Watch for big flowers in late spring. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Killing Wild Clematis](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/killing-wild-clematis/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a problem with wild clematis. It has completely covered the area where I used to have a large flower bed. It dies back in the winter but right now it is climbing behind my siding, up the downspout, and making that end of my porch unusable. How can I kill it without hurting the flowers?** A: Your vine is Clematis virginiana, sometimes called Devil’s Darning Needle due to the shape of its feathery seeds. A single vine can grow twenty feet in a year. For your situation, use hedge clippers or a machete to cut back the rampant growth. For such selective control, it would be best to cut the vine a few inches above ground level and then paint the stump with glyphosate. The vine will suck the chemical down a foot or so into its root system and kill it. The flower roots nearby won’t be harmed. The vine may resprout weakly next spring. The sprouts can be chopped off with a hoe. **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Cherry Leaf Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cherry-leaf-spot/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: All of the flowering cherry trees in our neighborhood seem to be suffering from cherry leaf spot. They have lost most of their leaves.We have a weeping cherry tree we planted in remembrance of a personal loss and it’s affected too. How do we combat this?** A: This disease is tough to stop but it can be done ‘if’ you are willing to spray fungicide religiously next spring and ‘if’ you’re willing to regularly rake and destroy leaves in the fall. I don’t have the space to cover all the details here but I have assembled the specifics at [bit.ly/GAleafspot](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cherry-preventing-leaf-spot-disease/) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Dung Beetles In Georgia](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/dung-beetles-in-georgia/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We found an unknown beetle in my sister’s yard in Gainesville. It was subsequently identified as a dung beetle. I thought they only lived in Africa.** A: It could well be a dung beetle, of which there are dozens of species found in Georgia. If you stand near a horse or cow pasture at night, you can hear the beetles flying around, looking for the perfect pat. Some species make balls of dung, which they roll to their nest. Some dig tunnels beneath the pile of poo while some others simply live within a meadow muffin. If you have a dog, you can look online to shop for dung beetles that are specialists in consuming doggie doo. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Wasps On Ripe Figs](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/wasps-on-ripe-figs/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have a fig tree and I’ve noticed we have many wasps on the ripe figs. Is this to be expected? Are they laying eggs? Pollinating?** A: The wasps are neither laying eggs nor pollinating the fruit. They are just enjoying a meal of figs. Because food is so available, they don’t defend it: They simply move to the next fig when disturbed. I disturb them by tapping fig-bearing limbs with a short stick I carry for this purpose. I move slowly and steadily as I pick and we all coexist amiably. I never pick without shoes because I’m sure their good mood would change if I stepped on a wasp enjoying a delicious meal. You may not be as comfortable as I am around the insects at fig-picking time, but I encourage you to add a stick to your equipment and try my technique sometime. **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals, Food Gardening --- ### [Weird Wasps Making Mounds In Our Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/weird-wasps-making-mounds-in-our-lawn/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Suddenly, we have about a dozen closely spaced mounds of red dirt in our lawn. We see very mean-looking black and yellow wasps dragging caterpillars down into the mounds. It’s a very threatening situation. It would help if we could at least name the critter.** A: I feel certain they are cicada killer wasps. Despite their threatening looks, they are completely harmless. The male wasps fly around and buzz you … but they don’t have a stinger, so they can’t hurt you. The females are up in the trees, looking for caterpillars and cicadas, which they bring down to the temporary nest hole to provision it for when their eggs hatch in a few days. The only time they could possibly hurt you is if you swat a female who is carrying her prey to the nest. But now that you know what is going on, you can stand back and watch the female wasps work tirelessly each day to bring home their babies’ first meals. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Squash Pods - Purple Fuzz](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/squash-pods-purple-fuzz/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I found purple fuzz covering one of my squash pods. Can you tell me what it is?** A: It is a baby squash that did not get enough pollen to develop; it simply rotted in place. Seeds send out hormones that signal a fruit (which squash is) to form pulp around themselves. Sometimes, you’ll get a squash that has barely gotten enough pollen to pollinate all of the seeds. They will usually be long and misshapen. The best cure is to plant flowers that pollinators like each year among your squash. The insects will be attracted to your squash flowers to ensure the best pollination possible. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening --- ### [Little Brown Droppings From Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/little-brown-droppings-from-trees/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: What on earth are these zillions of little brown droppings that are falling from our trees? They’ve been falling for about a week now, covering much of the deck with messy stuff that sticks to your shoes, and when rained upon turns to mushy mud. Anything we can do to stop it?** A: The first thing to do is to cancel any parties you might plan involving the deck. The brown particles are the droppings of oak caterpillars living in the tree, gorging on leaves, and discharging the aftermath onto your deck. At night, you can sometimes hear what sounds like a light rain, but it’s not water; it’s caterpillar dung falling on the leaves. There’s nothing you can do about it. The tree is likely too tall to spray, and it can take a long time for systemic insecticides to go to the leaves. Fortunately, the caterpillars are only there for a few weeks, and you can begin entertaining thereafter. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Removing Dead Fig Tree Limbs](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/removing-dead-fig-tree-limbs/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: The very cold weather at the first of the year killed some limbs on my fig trees. When is the best time to remove the dead limbs?** A: Dead limbs can be removed at any time of the year. But the additional decisions you make now will affect your fig crop next year. The remaining limbs on your bush should have lots of leaves and fruit now in August (early fruiting varieties might have already had ripe fruit). If you don’t see this vigorous growth, then these limbs should be removed as well. They were partially frozen and will never produce well. If you see weak growth all over, it’s not inconceivable that your fig will need to be cut to the ground. But your fig is not yet dead. You’ll have a big root system left. It will be ready to fuel rapid growth next spring, with lots of figs to follow. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Will Coneflowers Survive The Winter In Pots?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/will-coneflowers-survive-the-winter-in-pots/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My wife and I planted coneflowers in pots to encircle our pool for a wedding. I have always planted perennials in the ground to ensure their winter protection. Can I expect coneflowers to survive over the winter in pots?** A: My bet is on the coneflowers. They’re tough and winter-hardy down to minus 30 degrees after dying back to the roots in the fall. Of course, the pots will be ugly then, so once you remove those brown stems, plant some annuals like ornamental cabbage, chard, and pansies to make spots of color around your pool. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Limelight Hydrangeas - Droopy Flowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/limelight-hydrangeas-droopy-flowers/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We continue to have the same problem with our Limelight hydrangeas. During bloom, we always get the flowers hanging down to the ground. Anything we can do to prevent this?** A: Even a good thing can be improved. The Limelight hydrangea was patented in 2002 and was a sensation in the garden world. The big flowers are a pretty pale green in midsummer, fading to shades of pink and purple by fall. There’s nothing like it in the landscape. But one of the weaknesses of Limelight is that it flops: Stems are sometimes too thin to hold the flowers up high, as you have found. Careful winter pruning can fix the problem, but it’s a pain to do it every year. So Limelight Prime was introduced in 2021. Not only do the green flowers fade to prettier colors, but the stems are thicker, leading to a plant whose flowers don’t flop. So you have two choices: replace your Limelights with Limelight Prime, or learn how to prune them correctly. I have notes on how to do so at [bit.ly/GAlimeprune](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/limelight-hydrangea-pruning-2/). **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Azaleas - Black Lumpy Crust](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/azaleas-black-lumpy-crust/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have no idea what is affecting my azaleas. The stems are covered by a black lumpy crust, and all the leaves except the ones at the ends of the stems are black.** A: When lower leaves on a shrub all turn black, I immediately think of sucking insects that might cause this, like thrips, spider mites, mealy bugs, aphids, scale, and whiteflies. The first two are tiny and can’t do what you’ve described. But the other four can. Based on my experience, the black stems and leaves are caused by a bad infestation of whiteflies and scale insects. Both creatures are famous for sucking more sap from a plant than they can digest. They excrete the excess as a sticky liquid called honeydew. The honeydew coats everything, and a sooty mold grows on it to make things black. Check my website for tips on how to control the insects. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Where Are The Lighting Bugs?](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/where-are-the-lighting-bugs/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I haven’t seen fireflies or lightning bugs this year. Is there a reason?** A: I can’t remember seeing many either. In all likelihood, lawn pesticides, hotter summers, and general climate change are to blame. Firefly’s decline makes me sad, as I imagine it does you. One of my favorite memories is running down a grassy hillside at my Grandpa Cowart’s property and collecting fireflies to put in a jar. All the way home, there was a glow from the backseat. So what can you do? Besides limiting pesticides, you can leave undisturbed areas in your landscape. A 2-inch layer of decomposing leaves provides the moist, humusy environment that firefly larvae love. See [bit.ly/GAfirefly](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/attracting-fireflies/). **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Maples Have Less Foliage This Year](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/maples-have-less-foliage-this-year/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have three maple trees in my yard that for 35 years had full dense foliage. You could not see through them. This year, the trees have about 25% of the leaves that they’ve had in the past. They have more than normal dead branches. I’ve noticed other maples in my neighborhood with the same problem. Is this from the late freeze? Is there anything I can do?** A: I think it is very possible that the winter freeze caused the damage. Some species and some varieties of maple vary greatly in their tolerance of cold weather. At this time in midsummer, all you can do is keep the trees watered. I think enough time has passed to identify branches that are truly dead so you can hire a certified arborist to take them out and shape the trees. Fertilizer now will only stress them. Very early next spring, put down some organic slow release fertilizer like Osmocote or Holly-Tone. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Animal Poop Or Powder?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/animal-poop-or-powder/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We found what we at first thought was some kind of animal poop in our fenced backyard, but when I tried to move it, it was like a powder that blew in the air.** A: It’s a puffball. There are thousands of species in the world and dozens in Georgia. They usually emerge as an inconspicuous ball from the ground in spring. They grow larger as they consume organic matter in the soil. Over a period of a few days, the skin of the puffball hardens and cracks, revealing the millions of spores within. Occasionally kids find a puffball before it cracks open. They delight in kicking it, releasing brown “smoke” (spores) around their shoes. A small percentage of the spores find a propitious place to grow and help nature continue its mission of breaking big things down into smaller bits. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Fescue Sod - Powdery Gray Ash](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-sod-powdery-gray-ash/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I just noticed a powdery gray ash on my tall fescue sod. Is this possibly slime mold?** A: It sure is! Slime molds are primitive organisms that grow on the surface of grass. They do not hurt grass beyond some yellowing. They often appear on well-maintained turf after a warm summer rain. A slime mold is composed of thousands of tiny, usually purple, gray, white, or cream, sack-like fruiting bodies. These form in 4- to 6-inch patches in the turf and may be widely spread or clustered into groups. The slimy growth is called a plasmodium. This dries into a powdery mass of spore-bearing bodies that coat the grass blades. Control measures are usually not necessary; but if desired, slime mold can be removed by mowing, or hosing the spot down with a fast stream of water. **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care --- ### [Bermudagrass In My Zoysia Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermudagrass-in-my-zoysia-lawn/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have Bermuda grass coming up in my zoysia lawn. Is there a way to eradicate it chemically?** A: The selective removal of one perennial grass from another perennial grass is a tedious project requiring a lot of diligence. It is very hard for weed control chemicals to tell grasses apart. Bermuda grass and zoysia grass are similar in growth habits and appearance. So it is very hard to get Bermuda grass out of a zoysia lawn. The post-emergence herbicide Fusilade II (active ingredient fluazifop-P-butyl) is labeled by one manufacturer for control of Bermuda grass in zoysia. However, the label states: For use only by commercial or licensed applicators when applications are to be made in or around homes. Not for use on home lawns. Consider using Acclaim Extra (active ingredient fenoxaprop-p-ethyl). It is labeled for Bermuda grass suppression in a zoysia lawn. Unfortunately, there is no herbicide that will completely kill Bermuda grass in a zoysia lawn. However, you can use Acclaim multiple times to suppress the Bermuda enough to allow the zoysia to fill in and smother it out eventually. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Zoysia, Lawn Care --- ### [Zeon Zoysia Looking Dead](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zeon-zoysia-looking-dead/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Most of my Zeon Zoysia backyard is still dead looking, My lawn service applied pre emergent and fertilizer earlier this year. In the last 4-5 weeks, it is starting to slowly turn green. However, the green grass isn’t getting taller. If high nitrogen fertilizer was applied in Jan, Feb, and Mar. could that have kept my yard from greening up?** A: Sometimes figuring out what’s wrong with a lawn involves observing the pattern of damage you see. You sent several photos of a brown lawn. In your case, the pattern does not look like a leaf disease that would be common in spring. Instead, it looks like environmental damage that happened last year or earlier this spring. Environmental damage might include fertilizing too late last year too early this year or mowing too low. Those three things would have made the grass tender so that it would be killed by winter cold. Applying a high nitrogen fertilizer in early spring can severely harm dormant grass when the grass wakes up on a warm day and tries to grow in response to the fertilizer. But freezing temperatures quickly kill the revived grass crowns. You should closely examine your lawn to see if there are any green sprouts that could be nurtured to bring the lawn back to health. But if you have a dead lawn, you have a dead lawn, and you’ll have to put in new sod for it to be green again. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care --- ### [Deadhead Bee Balm For Another Flowering](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/deadhead-bee-balm-for-another-flowering/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Can you deadhead bee balm for another flowering?** A: Indeed you can! Removing faded flower clusters will encourage new flowers and will help prevent disease by increasing air circulation. Make your cuts approximately one-fourth inch above a leaf or bud growing below the faded flowers **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Hand Watering Roses and Maple](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hand-watering-roses-and-maple/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I planted five roses growing in five-gallon pots and a balled and burlapped maple in April. I have been watering by hand every day or so and now once or twice a week. It’s July, so how long do I have to keep this up?** A: Your plants will tell you. Your goal is for the plants to grow enough feeder roots to extract water from the soil efficiently. The more efficient the roots are, the longer you can wait between waterings. It’s hard to tell anything by digging beside the plant, but there are other ways to tell if a plant is making new roots. The best is the ‘shake test’. I know the roses have grown a bit but as best you can try to gently rock each one side-to-side. Watch the soil around the plant. If it cracks and moves with the original root ball, the plant is not well-rooted. It should feel solid and resist your rocking. Grab your tree trunk at chest height and gently rock it. It too should feel solid, with no cracks or soil movement. You have probably already noticed some leaf wilting during the day. This means your plant hasn’t yet grown enough roots to keep up with leaf needs. Continue watering, keeping the soil moist but not soggy, and you’ll probably find that you can skip a day or two between waterings and keep the leaves from drooping. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Purple Spider Found Underground](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/purple-spider-found-underground/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I was digging on my hillside and found a spider that was over five inches in diameter, including the legs. The legs were very stocky and the spider’s body was purple! I believe it was underground. Any idea what it is?** A: Way cool: a trap door spider! They live in a tube-like, silk-lined burrow underground. The lid to the burrow is made of dry grass clippings and spider silk and is very hard to see. When an insect or a small frog or lizard ventures by, the spider jumps from their tube and grabs its prey, then takes it back underground to eat. There are all sorts of trapdoor spiders in the world but they are mostly overlooked and under-studied because they hide so well. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Santa Rosa Plum - Black Crusty Fungus](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/santa-rosa-plum-black-crusty-fungus/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Six years ago I planted a Santa Rosa plum and it has flourished. This big, beautiful specimen has a black crusty fungus on most of the stems. What is this? Can I save my tree?** A: Your plum tree has black knot fungus. At this point, there is nothing you can do about it except to prune out the affected limbs. This may remove most of the tree and it likely wont produce plums in the future. The fungus spreads by wind and infected pruning tools. It does not live in the soil. It only affects plants in the Prunus family: plums and fruiting or ornamental cherries. Apples, figs or pears would all be appropriate to plant after you remove the plum. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Shredded Poison Ivy - Losing Potency](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shredded-poison-ivy-losing-potency/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I read your online article that said it takes about one week for urushiol (the oil in poison ivy) to lose its potency or cause a reaction in hot and humid places, like a composting facility. How long does it take for shredded leaves to lose their potency in normal outdoor conditions?** A: I was wrong! I forgot that urushiol is an oil and is not easily dissolved by water. The water will wash it away eventually but it will take a long time without the help of another solvent. Effective solvents for oils include alcohol and hot soapy water. Even in a compost pile, urushiol can cause irritation in sensitive individuals for up to a year. In your lawn urushiol will be broken down by sunshine but not much else. Shredded leaves would compost in about a month but the urushiol would still be nearby. Bottom line: be cautious wherever you encounter poison ivy and don’t let the oil touch your skin. **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Crape Myrtle Not Blooming](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/crape-myrtle-not-blooming/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a white and a fuscia crape myrtle but neither of them is showing signs of blooming. Is there a problem with crape myrtles this year?** A: It is simple, really. Crape myrtles bloom on new growth, anything that promotes new growth will increase the number of blooms you get each year. You might still try applying an all-nitrogen lawn-type fertilizer on them along with a thorough and deep soaking. Next year start feeding them in late March, again in mid-May or early June, and again in late summer. Water deeply a couple of times a week. Pruning a crape myrtle is not necessary to make it bloom. Give the watering and feeding a try for one season and see if it doesn’t make a marked change in their flowering. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Bugs Only Eating The Stems Of My Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/bugs-only-eating-the-stems-of-my-plant/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: What kind of bug would eat a new shoot of a plant grown from seed right at soil level and leave the shoot behind? I’ve had two where it looks like they just clipped it off at the soil but didn’t eat the leaves or stem.** A: The telltale sign of a cutworm is a seedling stem that has been clipped off close to the soil surface. Usually, the top part of the plant is left untouched, lying by the chewed-off stem. Cutworms eat all garden vegetables and they like flowers, as well. Cutworms especially like tender seedlings and young transplants. Spring plantings suffer the greatest damage. Crows will sometimes walk down a row of newly sowed corn, pulling up the new plants and eating the kernels at the bottom. If you see little pieces of kernel near the holes, it is crow damage as cutworms will not unearth the seeds. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Making Australia Tree Ferns Cold-Hardy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/making-australia-tree-ferns-cold-hardy/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I read your article about Australian tree ferns a few weeks ago and thought I’d share my experience. I purchased one 2 years ago and absolutely loved it. I left it outdoors but it didn’t survive the cold. Luckily I was able to find another one this spring. I plan to move it indoors when the temperatures start to cool in the fall, then move it outdoors again in spring. Is there a way to make it more cold-hardy?** A: Growing plants where they’re not supposed to grow is a hobby for some gardeners and an obsession for others. As a result of their research and hard work, we have figs growing in Chicago, strawberries In Saskatchewan, and bananas in Bainbridge. Most of the time, pushing hardiness zones is done by discovering and perfecting microclimates around your house. but sometimes plants can be genetically bred to resist cold damage. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Holes In My Apples](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/holes-in-my-apples/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I planted two apple trees in 2017, specifically a Fuji and a Honeycrisp. Each year they have grown bigger and stronger. But every year my apples get all eaten up. The holes in the skin are about a quarter-inch deep and wide. This year, the trees are loaded with apples, but I have started noticing the same thing as prior years.** A: Holes that big are caused by creatures with mouths that big – in other words, caterpillars. The best way to control them is to hit them while they’re small. There are organic products that contain a bacteria called Baccillus thuringiensis, often abbreviated as Bt. Spray now and follow label directions. **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals, Food Gardening --- ### [Light-loving Insect](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/light-loving-insect/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I found this critter one evening near an outdoor light at a feed store. It was banging into the light repeatedly. It didn’t hurt my skin when I picked it up and it didn’t try to bite me. What is this creature?** A: Insect expert John Lee says it’s a great example of a male stag beetle. It doesn’t use the sharp mandibles to eat but to wrestle other beetles when trying to win the favor of a female beetle. In some parts of Asia they are raised specifically to compete in insect wrestling matches. Its larval stage is when it’s most important. You have probably uncovered a big white grub in rotten wood. This could be the larva of several large beetles: stag beetle, rhinoceros beetle, ox beetle, or unicorn beetle. They are detritivores, whose work is the last step in converting logs and fallen trees into useful organic particles. You should release your love-starved pet near an old log, where it can continue its search. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Canna - Dermatitis and Skin Rash](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/canna-dermatitis/) **Published:** July 9, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A few years ago at a job site, I was treating canna lilies for leaf roller. It was a large group of plants so at times I was in a thicket of cannas. I started itching so badly I wanted to claw my skin off. I did not even finish treating the plants. I had to go to the emergency room where they kept applying duct tape to my skin. After several applications of applying & ripping off the duct tape all itching was gone. They thought maybe there were mites on the plants.** **Recently I started itching again, not quite as badly as in the past but badly. Then it dawned on me. Now 10 years later and at a different job site I walk by a group of cannas every couple of days. Today I had one of my employees go look at the cannas. He came back with verification that leaf rolling was taking place.** **Can you explain what might be happening? I am paranoid to be even close to a canna lily.** A: Canna leaf roller is a legless “grub” with no hairs, so I can’t think of a way it could exude something that would harm you. How were you “treating” the cannas originally? Could you have had a reaction to a pesticide? Your dermatitis could possibly be a “one-person only” event caused by unknown factors. ( But time tells that I was wrong!) [Email me if you have ever had a reaction to canna lily](mailto:ge*************@***oo.com "This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser."). see [Passionvine – Dermatitis](http://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/dermatitis-passionvine/) Susan G. reports: **I’m experiencing my second extreme reaction to working with this plant. My chest and face are covered in bright red, bumpy rash and it is spreading.** Cindy E. says: **My neighbor gave me a whole armload, and I mean an armload of cannas to transplant. I carried them in a huge bundle under my arm to my house, across the street from my neighbor’s. That evening, I broke out in a terrible hive/rash under my arm where the lilies touched my skin. They’re horrible hives that are red, itch like crazy, and burn like a jellyfish sting nonstop. I almost go crazy if I scratch them… have had the hives for 5 days now. They are unbearable! I’ve had cannas before, but can never remember having any reaction like this.** Diane B. says**: I recently chopped down canna lilies. It’s now my 4th day of breaking out in severe rashes all over my body. Dr has prescribed anti histamine and Aristocort 2 % cream . Huge reaction. They’re so pretty but they’ll have to go!** Alice C. reports: **I pulled the seed pods with the prickly spines off my canna lilies and almost instantly got a burning rash on the inside of my wrist above my glove. Burning, tiny weepy bumps and swelling , terribly uncomfortable . Tried numerous home remedies without success. Finally settled on calamine and it has helped a little but two days later, the swelling and burning are still present. It was definitely from the canna as it started burning as soon as I was working on them.** ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/canna-skin-rash-2.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/canna-skin-rash-4-892x1024.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Pest Plants, General Garden Info **Tags:** Pesticide --- ### [How to Soil Test](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-soil-test/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** If the word ***TEST*** gives you the fantods, contemplate a test that is **simple to take,** doesn’t reflect on your **intelligence** and **has no wrong answers**. Consider performing a **soil test** on your landscape. [](http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soil/Georgia.htm)[**Click here to order a soil test kit ($20, all postage paid)** ](https://estore.uga.edu/C27063_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=5508) #### **Or call your local University of Georgia Extension office at 1-800-ASKUGA-1 to get details on lower priced options.** **WHY SOIL TEST?** Because it saves you money; it’s as simple as that. You see, I learned in high school that if a chemical solution is too acid or alkaline, the reaction you expect won’t occur. What is happening with fertilizer at your plants’ root tips? A chemical reaction, sure enough, and if the soil is too acid or too alkaline your hungry plants won’t be able to feed themselves. One of the most import facts a soil test provides is the soil pH. What’s pH? It is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, expressed as a number between 1 and 14. At the mid-point, 7 denotes neutrality. A pH number below 7 indicates acidity while a number from 7 to 14 points out alkalinity. Most plants like to grow in soil that is slightly acid: 6.0 or thereabouts. Some plants, like azaleas, blueberries and potatoes thrive in soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0. Back to the chemical reaction, though. If your soil pH is 5.5, half of the fertilizer you apply can’t be absorbed by your plants. And just for emphasis, let’s repeat it: **If your soil is too acid, fifty percent of the fertilizer you purchase does nothing for your plants.** The necessary chemical reaction just won’t happen. Now that I have your attention, let’s learn how to perform a soil test. **TAKING THE SAMPLE** It’s really pretty simple. The only tools you need are a clean bucket and a shovel or trowel. Stand in your landscape and observe how many areas have different soil or soil that hasn’t been treated like the rest of the yard. In our example landscape we have a vegetable garden that has been tilled and amended yearly. Soil there is different from the rest of the yard. The azalea bed in the back corner is different too. It has never been limed and it has been fertilized repeatedly with cottonseed meal. The front and back lawns, though, are growing in similar soil and both look healthy. Even though two different grasses are being cultivated, one representative soil sample is all that’s needed. It’s a piece of cake to collect a representative sample of soil from each area. Just wander about each one separately and collect five to ten four-inch deep plugs of dirt. Don’t just scoop soil from on top of the earth. Stab your trowel or shovel into the ground and bring up soil from the root zone of the plants. Place the plugs from an area in your bucket, mix them thoroughly and remove any worms, stones or plant matter. Scoop out a pint of soil, pour it into a plastic bag and label its source. Repeat for each other area. **HAVING YOUR SOIL TESTED** Once the samples have been collected you have two ways to test it. You could buy a soil test kit from a nursery and do it yourself. While this may be appealing, the results can be hard to pin down. How can one tell if the chemical color is reddish-orange or orangish-red when red clay soil is being tested? A better choice is to use the University of Georgia Soils Lab (see forms above). The million-dollar state laboratory will test your soil and will send you a nice report detailing the current levels of nutrients in the soil, its pH and specific recommendations for the fertilizers you should apply. There it is: a test guaranteed to save you money, calm your nerves and maintain your dignity … and you can finish it in less than an hour! **MORE INFORMATION** [Using Organic Fertilizers Instead](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20853_5.PDF) ![soil sample bag](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/soil-sample-bag.jpg "soil sample bag")soil sample bag **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Azalea, Blueberries, Fertilizer, Seed, Soil, Stone --- ### [Pecan - Scab Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pecan-scab-disease/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two eight-year old pecan trees. The nuts turn black, sort of like mildew on the hulls. Is there anything special I can do to correct this.** A: I’ll bet your trees have scab, a common disease of pecans. In south Georgia, pecan farmers use huge blowers to direct a mist of fungicide into the tops of their trees. They also plant scab-resistant varieties like ‘Stuart’, ‘Elliott’, ‘Curtis’, and ‘Gloria Grande’. The fungus is blown up into the tree from infected leaves and fallen nuts by spring storms. It’s almost impossible for a homeowner to control scab. Rake and destroy every fallen leaf, nut and twig each autumn and pray for a dry spring. It is particularly **important to fertilize and lime your trees correctly**. Go to [www.georgiasoiltest.com](http://www.georgiasoiltest.com) for details. See this excellent publication from Clemson [Pecan Diseases](http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/pdf/hgic2211.pdf) [![pecan scab](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pecan-scab-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pecan-scab-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Spring --- ### [English Ivy - Management and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/english-ivy-control/) **Published:** December 31, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: English ivy is taking over my back yard. It has probably been there for twenty-plus years. What’s the best way to control it?** **PULL IT UP** The **Ivy** Removal Project is based in Portland, Oregon. Over the past ten years, they have developed several specialized techniques for eradicating **ivy**. From “Make a Lifesaver” to “Roll it Like a Log”, their approaches are tested and refined by real-life experience. **[Check out the video here](https://youtu.be/rrn3HjhaH-o?si=nJVhfAROPDAUQZqK)** Manually ripping it out is one of my recommended techniques. It is sweaty and laborious but it is often the only way to proceed when **ivy** runs close to ornamental plants. It is also surprisingly fast since a long length of vine can come out with a single heave. See **[Manual-Ivy-Removal-Methods](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Manual-Ivy-Removal-Methods.pdf)** **CHEMICAL CONTROL** Herbicides like [glyphosate (click for examples)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)](https://amzn.to/2YIrdcR) and [triclopyr (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/33fSI0T)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) will kill English **ivy** but the process is slow. **Ivy**’s leathery leaves and frequent roots aid in its survival from chemical attack. I use chemicals to maintain a **ivy**-free swath between my azaleas and another neighbor’s viney plot. Death is not immediate; I spray every six weeks or as needed. Given a large area between trees, I think an initial mowing will get chemical control off to a good start. Be sure to check for hidden stones, stumps, wire and sinkholes before you push your mower into an **ivy** sanctuary. When new leaves emerge a few weeks later hit them hard with one of the herbicides mentioned above. **REMOVE FROM TREES** English **ivy** is not parasitic. It does not suck sap from the tree it ascends. Nonetheless it should never be allowed to climb a tree unchecked. When I find a vine that has grown far above me in a tree, I use a flat prybar to prize the vine from the trunk so I can sever it with my loppers. Not content with a single snip, I usually cut a twelve inch section out of the vine at waist height. This gives me a better view of smaller vines that may be hiding beneath the larger one. After cutting, I immediately spray the lower vine stump with [glyphosate (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/2YIrdcR)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) to prevent resprouting. **BE PATIENT** Don’t expect anything immediately. In my experience I don’t see damage until two weeks after an application. The leaves get brown spots, turn yellow, and gradually fall off. Also, I notice that if there’s a lot of **ivy**, the first spraying only kills the top level of leaves. It takes a second spraying to get the lowest level of leaves and vines killed as well. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/english-ivy-desert-300x225.jpg)English ivy desert ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/english-ivy-flower-300x225.jpg)english ivy flower ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/English-ivy-berries-1-300x225.jpg)English ivy berries ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/English-Ivy-Kills-Trees-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/English-ivy-cleared-1-225x300.jpg) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/english-ivy-on-tree-3.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/english-ivy-on-tree-3.jpg) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ivy-in-tree-1.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ivy-in-tree-1.jpg) **Categories:** Vines, How-To, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Stone, Stumps, Fall, Pots, Herbicide, Glyphosate, English Ivy --- ### [Bermudagrass - Spring Dead Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermudagrass-spring-dead-spot/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Our lawn is three years old and most likely infected with Spring Dead spot disease. We have bermudagrass sod in our front yard and have numerous brown spots which seem to be worsening now in late May.** **We called a lawn company to come out and look at it and we were told that it is Spring dead spot disease. We raked up the dead spots and tried sprinkling some soil and sand over these areas. It has not helped at all. Neither has a fungicide spray. What can we do? Our yard looks awful.** A: Spring Dead Spot can make a lush bermudagrass lawn look awful in no time. The softball- to beachball-sized dead spots typically occur in May and early June. Infected areas recover slowly and weeds may invade these areas during the summer. The fungus infected your grass last year; it weakened the turf during the winter and finally expressed itself in the dead circles you’ve noticed. Although fungicides can help, they are not the final answer in controlling this disease. In the future you should avoid excessive fertilization (**three applications per year is plenty**). Do not apply nitrogen after late August. Raise your mowing height by one-half inch on Labor Day to give the grass plants more blade surface. Have your soil tested (call 1- 800 – ASKUGA1) and insure there is adequate potassium in the soil. Reduce thatch by aerifying and then pulverizing the soil cores. The chemicals myclobutanil (Spectracide Immunox) or Bayleton can be applied this fall to help manage this disease. In the mean time, plant healthy bermudagrass plugs into the dead spots and let the grass grow to fill the dead area. [NCSU Spring Dead Spot](https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/spring-dead-spot-in-turf) North Carolina State University has a very helpful reference for several [diseases of turfgrass](http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/Turfgrass/turfgrass_contents.html). The American Phytopathological Society published an**[extremely detailed analysis](http://www.apsnet.org/publications/apsnetfeatures/Pages/Bermudagrass.aspx)** of the disease. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/springdeadspot1.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/springdeadspot2.jpg) **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Pots, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Annual Bluegrass (Poa Annua) - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/annual-bluegrass-poa-annua-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: How do I control annual bluegrass?** A: The annual nature of this weed supplies its most noxious habit: it re-seeds itself prolifically! Annual bluegrass is outwardly attractive in the winter but just wait until spring! The thick mat of bluegrass chokes out the better turf underneath. The old-timers call this one “po anner” due to its scientific name: *Poa annua*. That name immediately tells us that this grassy plant is an annual. Every stem (of which there are thousands) seems to be covered with seeds. These seed are carried by animals, water and lawnmowers to other parts of the lawn. When hot weather comes, the bluegrass dies, leaving a large bare spot and a legacy of thousands of seed for next fall. **The best control for annual bluegrass is to apply a pre-emergent weed chemical in the fall.** The best time is usually in mid-September. Any pre-emergent product that controls crabgrass will control annual bluegrass. All of the following products give excellent control of bluegrass: [oryzalin (Surflan) (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/2xfe7Jf) [pendimethalin (Halts, LESCO, Pendulum) (click for ](https://amzn.to/2xl0Azg)[examples](https://amzn.to/2xfe7Jf)[)](https://amzn.to/2xl0Azg) [dithiopyr (Dimension) (click for ](https://amzn.to/2xl0Azg)[examples](https://amzn.to/2xfe7Jf)[)](https://amzn.to/2xl0Azg) [prodiamine (Barricade) (click for ](https://amzn.to/2xcSf0i)[examples](https://amzn.to/2xfe7Jf)[)](https://amzn.to/2xcSf0i) The pre-emergent will prevent seeds from germinating. So the **pre-emergent **can not** be used on a fescue lawn** which you intend to re-seed! If bluegrass is present in winter/early spring lawns, [imazaquin (Image for Nutsedge) (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/2xiYgZl) is labeled for use on all grasses **except fescue**. Since Image must be absorbed by roots, control may not be evident for several weeks. For faster control in **dormant bermudagrass only**, spray bluegrass patches **lightly** with [glyphosate (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b). Make sure bermudagrass is truly dormant before spraying and **spray lightly**. **NOTE:** Bermudagrass is only dormant when temperatures have been in the low 20’s for a week or more. Another, safer, method for control is to wrap an old towel around the tines of a yard rake and dampen it with diluted glyphosate. Using the rake like a paintbrush, apply chemical to the “bad” grass blades without harming the “good” grass. **THE SAME PROCESS OF WIPING GLYPHOSATE ONTO GREEN WEEDS CAN BE USED ON ANY UNWANTED PLANT IN A BERMUDA OR ZOYSIA LAWN: FESCUE, CHICKWEED, HENBIT, ETC.** ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/annbluegrass1.jpg) annual bluegrass in fescue [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/bluegrass-in-zoysia-225x300.jpg)](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/annual-bluegrass-poa-annua-control/attachment/bluegrass-in-zoysia/)annual bluegrass in zoysia ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/annbluegrass2.jpg) hundreds of seeds on each plant ![rake applicator](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/rake-applicator-1.jpg "rake applicator 1")rake applicator **Categories:** Lawn Care, Pest Plants **Tags:** Crabgrass, Fall, Glyphosate, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Spring, Temperature, Weed, Winter --- ### [Deer Damage vs Rabbit Damage to Stems](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/deer-damage-vs-rabbit-damage-to-stems/) **Published:** August 29, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two pots of Gerber daisies in my backyard. One is located right next to my wooden deck and the other is located 15 feet away. I can only enjoy the blooms on the pot that is located away from my deck for one day at a time.** **Each time I get a mature bloom something is eating that bloom during the night. When I view the flower the next day all I have is an empty stem to look at.** A: Deer would be my guess…but it could be rabbit damage if the stem cut is within a foot of the ground.. The stem will be cleanly cut at a sharp angle if it’s a rabbit. Deer don’t have upper teeth so stems they nibble on have a flat and ragged cut. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/mail-e1694792485464.jpg)Cut at end of stem is sharp and 45 degrees = rabbit damage ![deer damage](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/deer-damage-hosta-2.jpg "deer damage hosta 2")deer damage ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Picture1.jpg)deer damage ![rabbit damage](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/rabbit-chew-1-scaled.jpg "rabbit chew 1")rabbit damage ![rabbit damage](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/rabbit-chew-2-scaled.jpg "rabbit chew 2")rabbit damage **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pots, Rabbit --- ### [Pecan - Finding Papershell](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pecan-finding-papershell/) **Published:** December 31, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: At my former home in Texas I had two paper shell pecan trees and would like to plant one here. Do I need to have two different pollination types or can I get by with two trees of the same type.** A: “Papershell” is just a descriptive name given to improved varieties of pecan that have resistance to disease and insects and which bear reasonably-sized nuts. This is in contrast with some native, seedling pecans which can have nuts as hard as rocks. ‘Stuart’ was one of the first pecans described as “papershell”. When choosing a backyard pecan tree, choose one that has the most resistance to scab disease. Otherwise you might wait five years to get your first crop, only to find that the nuts abort before maturing due to this devastating fungus. The latest breeding and selection efforts have produced ‘Amling’, ‘Sumner’, ‘Elliott’ and ‘McMillan’. You will need two varieties for best pollination.You’ll likely have to go online to find my recommended varieties. Before trusting an online nursery, check their reputation at The Garden Watchdog, https://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/#b. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/pecans-300x199.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/pecan-roasted-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/pecans-1-300x218.jpg)Hurricane Irma damaged pecan trees across Georgia. Pecans lie on the ground after falling off a tree in Tift County. By Clint Thompson 9-12-17 **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Seed --- ### [Dogwood - Diseases](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/dogwood-diseases/) **Published:** July 12, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Nothing can panic a homeowner like the threat of disease to their prized dogwoods. Dogwood trees in Atlanta have had several problems this spring. Brown, distorted leaves and severe leaf drop are common complaints. Fortunately, the problems are probably not life-threatening. But how can you tell? Dogwood leaves tell the story of their afflictions. Knowing Atlanta’s weather history explains why the symptoms are so severe. The wet July last year caused dogwood root systems to grow shallowly in the soil. Dry weather this past May weakened the roots further – making the trees very susceptible to common diseases. Here’s what to look for: **POWDERY MILDEW** was very common on dogwoods this spring. Look for a faint, dusty covering on all or part of the leaves. The affected leaf areas eventually die. Some leaves will be distorted. This can contribute to the scorched appearance of the foliage. Symptoms of either powdery mildew or water stress usually involve most or all of the foliage on the tree. Water stress and/or powdery mildew are the most common ailments of dogwoods this year. **TREATMENT:** Protect new foliage by spraying a labeled fungicide throughout the summer. The powdery mildew fungus overwinters on twigs and trunks so spray again at bud break next spring. Remove all leaves under the tree this fall. **SPOT ANTHRACNOSE** occurs on dogwoods in early spring. The disease is worst during a rainy April. Leaves will have lots of pinhole sized spots. The spots will be numerous and may distort the leaf or cause the blooms to look dirty. **TREATMENT:** Protect new foliage in wet spring weather by spraying a labeled fungicide, from bud break until leaves are fully opened. Stop when summer begins. **DOGWOOD BLIGHT** (*Discula destructiva*) causes medium-sized dead spots that enlarge to kill most of the leaf. It starts on the lower branches and works upward. Shaded trees in a very moist environment are susceptible and may die after several years. This disease has done severe damage to dogwoods in the eastern and northeastern mountains. Trees in open lawns SELDOM, IF EVER, get this disease. Although the disease has been identified in a few spots in Atlanta, it is very unlikely that it could be widely distributed. **TREATMENT:** Protect new foliage by spraying with a labeled fungicide, from bud break until beginning of summer. Resume spraying again when fall temperatures cool. Remove all leaves from under trees this fall. [Leaf Spots of Dogwood](https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/fungal-spots/leaf-spots-of-dogwood) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dogwood-septoria-Rick-Wood-300x226.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dogwood-spot-anthracnose-Steven-Verner-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dogwood-leaf-spot-1-300x199.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dogwood-kousa-leaf-spot-2-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Dogwood, Dogwoods, Fall, Pots, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Dogwood - Spots on Leaves and Flowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/dogwood-spot-anthracnose-2/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My dogwood tree has dozens of tiny purple spots on each leaf. The leaves are twisted and disfigured. Other dogwoods in the neighborhood look fine. How will this affect the tree?** A: Ah, sweet mysteries of nature! Why a disease affects some plants but not others is an enigma that puzzles all gardeners. The spots you describe are symptoms of a common dogwood disease: spot anthracnose (an-THRAK-nose). If your tree is in good health generally, the disease will not hurt it too much. Heavily infected leaves will fall off in June but the tree will replace them with new foliage. Spot anthracnose is worse some springs than others, due to weather variations. To guard against the problem next year, rake and destroy all leaves from the tree this fall. Next March, spray the tree at weekly intervals with chlorothalonil (Daconil) until late April. This disease is not the one that has destroyed dogwoods throughout the Great Smoky mountains. That blight, *Discula destructiva*, seems not to affect landscape dogwoods to any great extent. [Diagnose and Treat Dogwood Diseases](https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/fungal-spots/leaf-spots-of-dogwood) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dogwood-kousa-leaf-spot-2-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dogwood-leaf-spot-1-300x199.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dogwood-septoria-Rick-Wood-300x226.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Dogwood, Dogwoods, Fall, Pots, Spring --- ### [Bermuda - Homemade Weed Killer](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermuda-homemade-weed-killer/) **Published:** December 18, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I saw online a recipe for homemade weed killer made from vinegar, salt and dishwashing liquid. I sprayed this on weeds in my bermuda lawn. Have I killed the bermuda grass too?** A: You probably haven’t killed the grass. Bermudagrass is a tough plant to kill and the mixture you mention is generally considered useless for weed control. Vinegar might kill tender new weeds but not those that have been growing for a few weeks. Salt would kill most plants but would make the ground un-plantable for a year; dish soap probably wouldn’t make much difference to a plant either way. I have a list of effective commercial organic weedkillers at /. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/herbicidal-soap-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping **Tags:** Herbicide, Weed --- ### [Bermuda Grass Herbicide - 30 % Vinegar not Organic nor Safe](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermuda-grass-herbicide-organic/) **Published:** December 7, 2016 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I only use 30% industrial strength, 300 grain white vinegar to kill weeds in our yard, since this is natural and contains no chemicals. Our yard has been toxic chemical free for eight years. Is it is safe to spray the bluegrass that is green in our brown bermuda grass lawn?** A: Much depends on your definition of “natural”, “no chemicals” and “toxic”. Thirty percent acetic acid is made at a chemical factory, just like glyphosate is, but with different raw ingredients. Calling it vinegar is not appropriate. It may smell the same but 30% acetic acid is very dangerous stuff to handle. I would never recommend that a homeowner use it. As you know, acetic acid is a “burn down” chemical. It kills plants by destroying leaf cells. It does not move beyond the leaves and will not kill perennial weeds without several applications. Lastly, bermudagrass is rarely completely dormant. If you spray the bluegrass, you’ll kill it but you run the risk of harming the bermuda underneath. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Tools & Chemicals, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping **Tags:** Glyphosate, Herbicide, Weed --- ### [Why not use Vinegar instead of Roundup?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/weed-killers-vinegar/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: You always recommend the popular brand name weed killers but these are expensive to use. Vinegar will kill weeds and is only $2.00 a gallon. Is there some reason it should not be used?** A: I sometimes recommend brand name weed killers over vinegar for two reasons. Many herbicides that control broadleafed weeds are **selective**. They kill the weed but do not harm the surrounding grass. Vinegar is **not** selective. Glyphosate, the ingredient in Roundup and other products, is translocated from the leaves to the roots of a weed. Vinegar is not translocated. It is true that 5% vinegar (acetic acid) will kill young, tender weeds but it does little damage to established weeds. In government research, only 20% acetic acid gave good weed control results. Look online for “herbicidal vinegar” **Remember, strong acetic acid is dangerously corrosive; it will burn your skin readily.** Read and follow the label directions exactly. **Spraying Weeds With Vinegar?** Don Comis, USDA-ARS May 20 2002 Some home gardeners already use vinegar as a herbicide, and some garden stores sell vinegar pesticides. But no one has tested it scientifically until now. Agricultural Research Service scientists offer the first scientific evidence that it may be a potent weedkiller that is inexpensive and environmentally safe–perfect for organic farmers. ARS researchers Jay Radhakrishnan, John R. Teasdale and Ben Coffman in Beltsville, Md., tested vinegar on major weeds–common lamb’s-quarters, giant foxtail, velvetleaf, smooth pigweed and Canada thistle–in greenhouse and field studies. They hand-sprayed the weeds with various solutions of vinegar, uniformly coating the leaves. The researchers found that 5- and 10-percent concentrations killed the weeds during their first two weeks of life. Older plants required higher concentrations of vinegar to kill them. At the higher concentrations, vinegar had an 85- to 100-percent kill rate at all growth stages. A bottle of household vinegar is about a 5-percent concentration. Canada thistle, one of the most tenacious weeds in the world, proved the most susceptible; the 5-percent concentration had a 100-percent kill rate of the perennial’s top growth. The 20-percent concentration can do this in about 2 hours. Spot spraying of cornfields with 20 percent vinegar killed 80 to 100 percent of weeds without harming the corn, but the scientists stress the need for more research. If the vinegar were sprayed over an entire field, it would cost about $65 per acre. If applied to local weed infestations only, such as may occur in the crop row after cultivation, it may only cost about $20 to $30. The researchers use only vinegar made from fruits or grains, to conform to organic farming standards. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific research agency. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/vinegar-20-a-781x1024.jpg) **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Pest Plants, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Glyphosate, Greenhouse, Herbicide, Pesticide, Roundup, Weed --- ### [Peach (Plum) - Brown Rot Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/peach-plum-brown-rot/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is the problem with my peaches? Is it brown rot?** A: Why do you need **me** to diagnose your problem when you’ve done such a good job figuring out the problem yourself? It is most definitely **brown rot.** The disease is sometimes caused by sucking insects like stinkbugs or curculio weevils visiting a diseased fruit and then sticking their dirty snout into a ripe one. In other times, the spores fall onto a naturally occurring skin crack. The disease is disheartening because it typically appears just before the fruit is ready to pick. It affects both peaches and plums. Its control requires planning, since it **starts in spring when the trees are blooming**. During warm weather, infected twigs from last year disperse fungal spores onto open flowers. Spores can also come from diseased fruit on the ground under the tree and from insects. As the fruit grows, the fungus slowly increases inside. When the fruit is full of sugar the fungus grows rapidly, making a brown, rotted peach. Control starts with [fungicide](http://www.walterreeves.com/glossary/fungicide/ "Glossary: fungicide") sprays **before and during flowering.** Use [captan (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=captan%20fungicide&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=captan%2Caps%2C312&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) or [daconil (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=captan%20fungicide&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=captan%2Caps%2C312&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) or any other fungicide labeled for fruit trees. After flowering, regular pesticide sprays are required to control insects. I do not know of organic programs that give acceptable results in Georgia. You can help the organic process by picking up and destroying all fruit and twigs under the trees. The best cure is to implement a good disease and insect control spray program **each spring from now on**. Remember to spray insecticides only **AFTER** blooms are gone, in order to protect bees. See[ this excellent overview from Virginia](https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/plant-disease/tree-fruit-disease/brown-rot-in-stone-fruit#:~:text=Brown%20rot%20(Monillinia%20fruticola)%20is,becomes%20more%20susceptible%20to%20infection.) and consult this [Fruit – 2023 Homeowner Spray Guide.](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/) [Plum/Peach Curculio Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/peach-plum-curculio/) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/brownrot1.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/brownrot2.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/brownrot3.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/brownrotplum1.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/brownrotplum2.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Tools & Chemicals, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Flowers, Peach, Pears, Pesticide, Spring --- ### [Fruit - 2023 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/) **Published:** June 15, 2020 **Author:** Annie Brisee **Content:** Georgia is a great state for fruit production. Unfortunately, it is also a great state for the insects and diseases which limit fruit production. Growing fruit organically is possible…but it demands a huge amount of time and effort. Most novices try for a few years and then throw up their hands in disgust. Fortunately, UGA researchers have put together a spray guide that limits application of pesticides to the minimum yet allows you to have a reasonable harvest. Study the guides below, plant pest-resistant trees….and GOOD LUCK! [2023 Home Orchard Pest Management ](https://ipm.uga.edu/files/2022/10/Home-Edition_Home-Orchard.pdf)(contains the latest pesticides, synthetic and organic, and also an analysis of their effectiveness) **Categories:** Fruits, Tools & Chemicals, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Pesticide --- ### [Cicada Killer Wasp - Identify and Admire](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/cicada-killer-wasp-2/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Reading about something with “wasp” and “killer” in its name might concern you. But this insect kills mostly cicadas and is harmless to humans. The cicada killer wasp is about 1 1/2 inches long and has yellow markings on its body. The sound as it flies is deeper than most insects; some say it’s a B-52 bomber-type sound**.** The wasp digs burrows in the ground and mounds the soil at the entrance. (see below) Cicada killer wasps usually appear in late July and August when adult insects are abundant. The males hover around the underground nest and **zoom at you,** but **like all male insects, they can not sting**. The female is usually off in the trees looking for a cicada or big caterpillar to drag to the nest. The female paralyzes grubs or cicadas by stinging them, places them in the burrow and lays an egg on it. When the egg hatches, the larva feeds on the insect. Since the cicada killer wasp is generally considered harmless, **I urge gardeners to leave the nest alone**. Or you could spread mulch over the spot and encourage grass to grow. However, if you must eradicate it, **fill the nest hole with water** and they will abandon the site. Cover the entrance with a rock or a brick to see if one emerges later. ### Now that you know what is going on you can watch them with no fear. It’s better than “Lion versus Antelope” on Animal Planet! Here is a great link that explains all about the wasp’s life cycle: [](http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef004.asp)[Cicada Killers](https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef004) [![cicada killer wasp](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cicada-killer-21.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cicada-killer-21.jpg)cicada killer wasp [![cicada killer](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cicada-killer.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cicada-killer.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cicada-killer-2.jpg "cicada killer (2)")cicada killer ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/cicada-killer-hole-Tom-Skarbek-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/cicada-killer-Rick-Cothran-3-1024x768.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/cicada-killer-Rick-Cothran-2-300x225.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ciacada-killer-hole.jpg "ciacada killer hole")cicada killer hole [![cicada](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cicada.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cicada.jpg) cicada **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Mulch, Soil --- ### [Southern Pine Beetle](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/southern-pine-beetle/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Several kinds of beetles ferociously attack drought-weakened pine trees in summer. The Southern pine beetle is the most feared. In September, homeowners typically notice a brown-needled tree, distinct among the other green pines around. By the time the tree is brown, it’s too late! The tree must be removed to protect the other trees nearby. **WHAT ARE THEY?** Southern pine beetles are tiny – about 3/16″ long. Females excavate a tunnel through the pine bark into the cambium layer underneath. They lay eggs there. The larvae burrow away from the tunnel and feed on the living bark tissue. As the adult beetle excavates, she introduces a fungus, which clogs water transport tubes and contributes to the death of the tree. Beetles are attracted to damaged trees (lightning, storm or fresh pruning cuts) by the smell of pine sap. When they invade a tree, the adult beetles secrete a chemical which may attract hundreds of other pine beetles to the area. **DIAGNOSIS OF INVASION** Trees which have been infested for several weeks will rapidly turn brown. The trees around a dying tree may show “pitch tubes”. The pitch tube is simply pine resin which has oozed out of the tree and hardened on the bark. They will look like white pieces of popcorn on the bark. Shot-holes in the bark show that many beetles have matured, chewed exit holes and flown off to find new breeding sites. Resin and shot-holes can occur from three feet off the ground on up to where the tree narrows to 3″ in diameter. On mature trees this can be 75′ aboveground! **WATER – THE BEST PREVENTION** Remember that drought-stressed trees are particularly prone to beetle attack. When you water your newly planted annual flowerss and shrubbery, don’t forget your trees. As long as water restrictions are not in place, water every plant in your garden that needs moisture. If water becomes scarce, it makes more sense to protect the big trees that could cost hundreds of dollars to replace rather than preserving a ten dollar flat of petunias. **TREATMENT AFTER THE FACT** Since damage can occur high in the tree, homeowners can not usually apply chemicals effectively. A few insecticides are labeled for beetle control – but they must be applied up into the **top** of the tree. Both chemicals are hard to find and must be used with care. Several tree companies in Atlanta have hydraulic sprayers which can apply an insecticide effectively. Homeowners can spray small trees – but spraying a mature tree halfway up the trunk with insecticide is useless. (Note from Dr. Dan Horton: “Bifenthrin (Onyx) is indeed a good SPB material, much better than permethrin. Dr. Wayne Berisford has a paper which depicts SPB control according to where its applied, spraying the top half of the tree gave as good control as spraying the whole tree. Spraying down low is of very limited value.”) Injectable insecticides are ineffective. It takes too long to get the chemical to where the insects are boring and the insecticide is not distributed uniformly. **WHAT TO DO** 1\. If you have a sick pine, make sure the problem is borer damage. Pitch tubes are definitive but “sudden death” of the tree could be caused by other factors. 2\. Infested trees should be removed as soon as possible. The beetles which are present can rapidly attract hundreds more beetles to the area. 3\. Treat pines around the infested tree with insecticide, preferably applied by a professional tree care company. Insecticides are not 100% effective if trees are already infested. Spraying must be done with care, avoiding drift. The best prevention for pine beetles is a healthy, well-watered tree. 4\. Be a “nosy neighbor”. Bring your neighbors’ attention to dying pine trees in their yard. If pine beetles have been found in your neighborhood, use binoculars to examine the trunk of nearby trees to determine if the beetles have spread. **MORE INFORMATION** [**Southern Pine Beetle Links**](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/southern-pine-beetle-links/) ![southern pine beetle Bugwood.org](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/southern-pine-beetle-Bugwood.org_.jpg "southern pine beetle Bugwood.org")southern pine beetle resin blobs/pitch tubes (image courtesy of Bugwood.org) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Flowers, Moisture, Pine, Pruning, Summer --- ### [Southern Pine Beetle - Links](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/southern-pine-beetle-links/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Following are Internet links to information about the Southern pine beetle: [**Walter’s thoughts about Southern pine beetle**](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/southern-pine-beetle/) **[Homeowner Q&A about Southern Pine Beetle (](https://gatrees.org/southern-pine-beetles/)SPB)** [Southern Pine Beetle Internet site](https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-216/444-216.html) [UGA southern pine beetle brochure](https://gatrees.org/southern-pine-beetles/) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pine --- ### [Pine Beetles - How to Deal With An Infestation](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/pine-beetles-dealing-with-an-infestation/) **Published:** August 5, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We had a tree die from pine beetles and my husband would like to cut it down himself as he has done with other trees. Is there is a risk of spreading beetle larva when the limbs are moved? And is there anything that can be done to safeguard our other pine trees?** A: It’s tough to say what a homeowner should do in this situation. If your tree died recently from a Southern pine beetle infestation, the offspring are probably feeding under the bark of nearby trees. Will those pines die later? Maybe or maybe not – it depends on how many are under the bark now and how much damage is done before winter. Southern pine beetles damage trees by feeding on the vital cambium layer under the bark. Once the trunk is girdled by beetle feeding galleries, the tree will soon die. Infested trees might also die from the “blue stain” fungi that the beetles introduce. Many homeowners take a “wait and see” attitude, even though this is a real gamble during dry, stressful weather. If a pine tree’s needles have turned brown, the beetles have already dispersed. Any that are left in the tree can be killed by de-barking the trunk sections and putting the limbs through a chipper. Spraying the dead tree with insecticide does not help. Since pine beetles are attracted by the scent of cut pine wood, I recommend that you remove the tree from your property as soon as possible. You could then have adjacent pines sprayed, top to bottom, with an insecticide labeled for borer control. You’ll need to hire a tree service for the task since the upper branches of pines are usually out of reach of normal homeowner sprayers. See [More Pine beetle info](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/southern-pine-beetle/) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pine, Spring, Winter --- ### [Squash Beetle vs Mexican Bean Beetle - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/squash-beetle-identification/) **Published:** June 5, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I found this insect on my squash but it doesn’t look exactly like a ladybug. What is it?** A: It’s a squash beetle, *Epilachna borealis*. This beetle and its larvae love to eat the leaves of squash and cucumbers. Control by mashing with your gloved fingers or spraying an insecticide labeled for vegetables. You might also spot bright yellow, bristly things that are beetle larvae. Both larvae and adults feed on squash, bean and pea leaves, leaving large, tattered holes in the leaves. The adults are one of the few harmful members of the lady beetle family, which they closely resemble. Note that there is a similar insect called the Mexican bean beetle, *Epilachna varivestis*. This insect has 8 spots on each wing cover rather than the 7 you see here. Unless you have a big garden, hand picking is your best option. The eggs are orange-yellow, similar in size to a grain of rice, and found in clusters on the undersides of bean leaves. You can spray individuals with [spinosad (click for examples](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=spinosad&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aspinosad&sprefix=spinosad%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) but if you can hit them with spray, why not just pick them? You could also buy parasitic wasps, *Pediobius foveolatus*, at online stores but they are expensive. Garden insecticides like [carbaryl (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=carbaryl&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Acarbaryl&sprefix=carbaryl%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) are also effective. I found a good guide to identifying lady beetles at [Lady Beetles of Kentucky](http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/beetles/lady/lady.htm). See Also: [Squash beetle](https://ipm.cahnr.uconn.edu/squash-beetle/) and [Mexican Bean Beetle](http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN14100.pdf). [![squash beetle](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_3132.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_3132.jpg)squash beetle ![Mexican bean beetle on squash](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Mexican-bean-beetle-on-squash.jpg "Mexican bean beetle on squash")squash beetle on squash ![squash beetle larvae](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/squash-beetle-larvaex.jpg "squash beetle larvaex")squash beetle larvae ![squash beetle eggs](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/squash-beetle-eggs.jpg "squash beetle eggs")squash beetle eggs **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pots, Squash --- ### [Chamberbitter (Mimosa Weed) - Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/chamberbitter-mimosa-weed/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Chamberbitter ( mimosa weed, niuri, *Phyllanthus urinaria*) is a tropical weed that has become a major pest of lawns, landscapes and plant nurseries. [Glyphosate (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) will kill it but you have to be careful to keep the non-selective chemical off nearby foliage. In a lawn, use one of the [“three way” broadleaf weed killers (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/2l4sWem)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) on your weeds instead. In the last few years, “four way” weed killers have been introduced: [BioAdvanced Season Long Weed Control (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/2l6bqqf) and [Bonide Weed Beater Ultra (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/2l8tRL1). [Atrazine (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=atrazine%20weed%20killer&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aatrazine%20weed%20killer&sprefix=ATRAZINE%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) is labeled for broadleaf weed control in centtipede and St. Augustine lawns. The best way to control the weed is to prevent it. Apply [isoxaben (click for examples)](http://amzn.to/2sx6oGD) pre-emergent herbicide in March and again in early June to areas where you will not be planting seeds for anything else. **As with every herbicide, read the label and follow it exactly**. The yellow, ball-like seeds of niruri develop under the leaves. They need very warm soil in order to germinate so you won’t notice the seedlings until mid-summer. Researchers say pre-emergence herbicides that contain atrazine (Purge) on centipede lawns and [isoxaben (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=isoxaben&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aisoxaben&sprefix=isoxaben%2Caps%2C232&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) on all turfgrasses give good results when applied in early May. [Glyphosate (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/3gPtsqD) will kill it but you have to be careful to keep the chemical off nearby foliage. **ORGANIC** An effective organic herbicide is [iron chelate (FeHDTA, Bonide Weed Beater Fe, Natria) (click for examples)](https://amzn.to/2ZtiEU3). See photos below provided by Chris T. Horticultural vinegar (20% acetic acid or higher, **DANGEROUS** or horticultural herbicidal soap (not Dawn dish detergent) are organic alternatives. [This publication from Clemson has excellent recommendations.](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/chamberbitter-Clemson.pdf) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitterseed.jpg) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-before-Fe.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-before-Fe.jpg)before spraying with FeHDTA [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-after-Fe.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-after-Fe.jpg)after spraying with FeHDTA ![chamberbitter](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-2.jpg "chamberbitter 2")chamberbitter **Categories:** Lawn Care, Pest Plants **Tags:** Compost, Glyphosate, Herbicide, Pre-Emergent, Roundup, Seed, Soil, Stone, Summer, Weed --- ### [Mimosa Weed (chamberbitter) - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/mimosa-weed-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I looked up the mimosa-like weed that was mentioned in your newspaper column and found it to be chamberbitter. It is all in my lawn and flower beds. Now that I know what it is, how do I kill it?** A: Chamberbitter (*Phyllanthus urinaria*) is a tropical weed that has become a major pest of lawns, landscapes and plant nurseries. [Glyphosate (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) will kill it but you have to be careful to keep the non-selective chemical off nearby foliage. In a lawn, use one of the [“three way” broadleaf weed killers (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/2l4sWem)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) on your weeds instead. In the last few years, “four way” weed killers have been introduced: [BioAdvanced Season Long Weed Control (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/2l6bqqf) and [Bonide Weed Beater Ultra (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/2l8tRL1). [Atrazine (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=atrazine%20weed%20killer&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aatrazine%20weed%20killer&sprefix=ATRAZINE%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) is labeled for broadleaf weed control in centipede and St. Augustine lawns. An effective organic herbicide is [iron chelate (FeHDTA, Bonide Weed Beater Fe, Natria) (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/2ZtiEU3). See photos below provided by Chris T. The best way to control the weed is to prevent it. Apply [isoxaben (click for sources)](http://amzn.to/2sx6oGD) pre-emergent herbicide in March and again in early June to areas where you will not be planting seeds for anything else. **As with every herbicide, read the label and follow it exactly**. See also: [Phyllanthus a Growing Problem in Georgia Landscapes](http://www.earlycountynews.com/news/2006-08-02/agriculture/045.html) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitterseed.jpg) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-before-Fe.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-before-Fe.jpg)before spraying with FeHDTA [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-after-Fe.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chamberbitter-after-Fe.jpg)after spraying with FeHDTA **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Glyphosate, Herbicide, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Weed --- ### [Roma Paste Tomato - Black Rotten Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/roma-paste-tomato-black-rotten-spot/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I discovered a black rotten spot in the center of some of my Roma paste tomatoes. What’s going on? How do I prevent it?** A: Black rot is caused by fungi on the outside of a tomato traveling to the inside through skin damage. It can also be caused when the fungus that’s associated with blossom end rot moves into the fruit. The best way to prevent it is to avoid moisture on the fruit. Prune the vine to allow airflow through the plant. Water appropriately to prevent blossom end rot. A couple of fungicides will control the fungus, but not all are reliable. Look for one that has azoxystrobin as an ingredient. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Grasslike Sprouts On Sago Palm After A Freeze](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/grasslike-sprouts-on-sago-palm-after-a-freeze/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I thought my sago palm had died due to the Christmas freeze. Small grasslike sprouts have come up. Do we separate them and replant?** A: You are rich! Where once you had one, now you have many! Knowledgeable gardeners know sago palms often rebound after they are damaged. I would remove the old frozen sago and the new pups first. Be careful and wear gloves; the sap is toxic. Wash soil off of the roots and separate so you can see how many plants you have. Be careful not to harm the taproot on each plant. These little sprouts will be swollen at the bottom; it looks like a brown lightbulb. Plant each of them halfway in fast-draining sandy soil. No fertilizer is needed for at least two years. After that, you can use houseplant fertilizer. Sago palms can grow 10 feet tall, but I don’t think yours will reach that before another freeze comes along and whacks your plant again. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Elongation Of Bloom Of Black-Eyed Susan](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/elongation-of-bloom-of-black-eyed-susan/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have something bizarre happening to my black-eyed Susan flowers. Do you have any idea what would cause the elongation of the bloom?** A: I have always been fascinated by abnormal growth patterns on plants. In your case, the flower is fasciated. The phenomenon of abnormally flattened stems is called “fasciation.” Many plants are known to occasionally produce fasciated limbs. The fasciation results from bacteria in some cases and genetic abnormalities in others. It doesn’t physically harm your plant. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Tree Ferns In Atlanta](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tree-ferns-in-atlanta/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Are there any tree ferns that can be grown outdoors in the Atlanta area?** A: No. Australian tree fern, Cyathea cooperi, is the hardiest of the bunch, but I doubt it could tolerate the cold temperatures north of Macon. Plant one and let me know what happens. Email Walter at ge\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*@\*\*\*oo.com. Listen to his occasional garden comments on “Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca” on Saturday mornings on 95.5 WSB. Visit his website, [www.walterreeves.com](www.walterreeves.com), or join his Facebook page at [bit.ly/georgiagardener](https://www.facebook.com/people/Georgia-Gardener/100045796145143/) for his latest tips. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Tomatoes Planted Next To A Termite Canister](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomatoes-planted-next-to-a-termite-canister/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I planted two different tomato plants in April. One was planted next to a termite baiting system that was installed five years ago. A week ago, it started wilting. Could this be a result of planting it next to the termite canister? Is there a risk of contamination?** A: It seems to me that you have two questions: Will the termite bait station contaminate the tomato fruit, and will the bait station affect the growth of your tomato plant? I feel confident in saying that the contents of the station, usually untreated wood, cardboard or a chemical bait that has been studied for years to make sure it poses no harm to humans or pets, would not contain anything harmful to you via the fruit. Likewise, I very much doubt there is anything left after five years that would affect plant growth. **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals, Food Gardening --- ### [White Stuff On Roots Of Vegetable](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/white-stuff-on-roots-of-vegetable/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Can you please help me identify what’s killing my vegetable plants? They were started indoors, given excellent growing conditions in raised beds with compost, and irrigated with drip irrigation. The condition starts with the plant wilting overnight, and when I pull it up, I find white stuff on the roots and on the base of the stem.** A: Your plants have Southern blight. It is almost impossible to control in a home garden. The disease is also called southern wilt, southern stem rot and southern root rot. It results from infection by a soilborne fungus: Sclerotium rolfsii. The fungus survives in the soil as tiny, tan to brown, round balls of sclerotia. The fungus produces lots of stringy white hyphae or mycelia around infected parts and in and on the soil. Commercial growers fumigate the soil to control the disease. Home gardeners have few options other than providing perfect growing conditions. One strategy is to invert the soil in your beds each year. This buries infected plant debris and sclerotia. Modify planting dates to avoid conditions that favor disease development; wait until May to plant in a shaded bed. Maintain adequate soil pH for optimum plant growth. Lower soil pH encourages disease. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening --- ### [Should I Clean Out Nesting Materials Out Of Each Brood](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/should-i-clean-out-nesting-materials-out-of-each-brood/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I understand bluebirds have more than one brood during Georgia summers. Should I remove the nesting materials from our bluebird house after each brood?** A: Yes, you should clean old nesting material out of your birdhouse. Be sure to wash off hardened material fused to the walls. Use hot soapy water or a bleach solution if needed. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Lime Glow Junipers On A Bank](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lime-glow-junipers-on-a-bank/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Do Lime Glow junipers spread down a bank or side to side? If they spread down the bank, I will plant one on the left side and another on the right side. If they spread side to side, I will plant one higher on the bank and another a few feet under it.** A: Gravity is the main influence on spreading juniper growth. Lime Glow junipers grow down the bank, not side to side. Their attractive golden color is a real eye-catcher in the garden. They can be expected to grow approximately 1.5 feet high and up to 6 feet wide in the first few years, possibly reaching 10 feet wide at maturity. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Bermuda Grass - Circular Dead Spots](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermuda-grass-circular-dead-spots/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We are having problems with circular dead spots on our Bermuda grass. We have tried fungicide and anything else recommended by our lawn service. What are your suggestions?** A: To my mind, circles of dead grass indicate a fungus that is slowly reproducing and enlarging. This is very characteristic of brown patch disease. Rather than spend any more money on a problem you’re not sure has been correctly identified, it’s easy to send a sample of grass to the University of Georgia disease laboratory and have the situation properly diagnosed. Call your local Extension office (800 ASKUGA 1) to get directions on how to collect and submit a sample. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Lawn Care --- ### [Evergreen Clematis - Brown Crunchy Branches](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/evergreen-clematis-brown-crunchy-branches/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have several evergreen clematis that we planted several years ago. All of a sudden, random branches are all crunchy and brown with no new growth. Any hope for salvaging them?** A: My experience with evergreen clematis (Clematis armandii) is the same as yours: Sometimes, parts of it die for no apparent reason. The good news is that mine has come back faithfully after each of these harrowing episodes. Clematis gardeners have known of a disease called clematis wilt for decades. One expert has theorized that extensive hybridization with a species of clematis, Clematis lanuginosa, which came from China in 1851, led to disease susceptibility. There is no fungicide registered for control of the disease. If your vine is healthy, it will very likely come back again as mine does. **Categories:** Vines, Landscaping --- ### [Is My Fig Tree Dead?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/is-my-fig-tree-dead/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a 14-year-old fig tree that I thought had died due to this late freeze we had in December. I was about to dig up the dead limbs when I noticed some sprouts coming out from the base. It looks like it may not be dead after all. How far should I prune them back?** A: Fig expert Claudia James says this is what usually happens to figs in our region when temperatures drop to between 28 degrees and 20 degrees in winter. The top of the bush will be killed, but the underground roots and a few inches of aboveground stump will have dormant but viable buds. When winter cold passes, it only takes about 10 days of warm temperatures to trigger the buds to sprout. Make your cuts 6 to 8 inches beyond the new growth to make good anchor points for the new limbs. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Tall Tree With Dark Red Berries](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tall-tree-with-dark-red-berries/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a tall tree in my backyard that is fruiting now. It has little berries that start red and become dark red. The birds are having a field day on the fruit.** A: I have no doubt that you have a serviceberry, Amelanchier arborea, a wonderful tree. Serviceberry fruit resembles tiny apples and can be used in the same way you would use blueberries for cooking and baking. They are also tasty right off the tree. I eat everything the birds don’t get. If the tree is small enough, you can net it to keep the birds away from your harvest. Otherwise, set your alarm clock — the early bird gets the serviceberry. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Yellow Lower Leaves On Tomato Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/yellow-lower-leaves-on-tomato-plant/) **Published:** August 13, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Last summer, the lower leaves on my tomato plant turned yellow and the limbs fell off. I treated them with copper sulfate, which did some good. I looked for help on the internet and read that adding baking soda to the soil kills fungus. The article did not say how much to add. This year, after tilling baking soda into the beds, I planted Better Boy tomato plants. Ten days later, they were dead. I replaced the soil with fresh topsoil and planted new plants. The new tomatoes are growing slowly and look OK. My patio tomatoes, however, do not look so good. My guess is I used too much soda. Any suggestions on how to correct this mess?** A: The fastest and easiest thing to do is open your wallet and buy new soil for your beds and containers. Baking soda has not been shown by any research to have an effect on plant diseases. It changes soil pH but this is a minor effect. It would be best to have your soil tested. Call your local Extension office (800- ASKUGA-1) to get information on how to submit your soil sample. When you have a report, give me a buzz and we can discuss what can be done. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Juniper - Weed Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/juniper-weed-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am trying to control weeds and zoysiagrass in ‘Blue Rug’ juniper. What should I use?** A: A quick answer is that you can simply dig the weeds out but you’d better wear leather gloves and long pants if you don’t want to be stuck by the prickly juniper needles. There are three chemical avenues you can take to control weeds in groundcover beds. The first is to apply a [pre-emergent (click for examples )](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=preemergent%20weed%20control&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apreemergent%20weed%20control&sprefix=preemergent%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) weed preventer twice each year: mid-March and mid-September. The pre-emergent will prevent most weed seeds from sprouting in your juniper patch. Your second task is to control perennial grassy weeds like zoysiagrass, bermudagrass and bahiagrass. This can be done with a selective post-emergent grass killer such as [Vantage (click for examples )](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=vantage%20grass%20killer&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=vantage%2Caps%2C169&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). The Vantage label lists specific plants on which it can be used. Chinese juniper and shore juniper are listed on the Vantage label but *Juniperus horizontalis* ‘Blue Rug’ is not. You can try the product on a small area first to see if it hurts your juniper while controlling the grassy weeds. Read and follow all labels exactly**.** The third step is controlling broadleaf weeds. If you have tough perennial broad-leaf weeds like honeysuckle, brambles or dandelions amongst the junipers you can paint the weed leaves (do not spray) with [glyphosate (click for examples )![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b) using a foam paintbrush. [![juniper groundcover](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/juniper-groundcover.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/juniper-groundcover.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Glyphosate, Groundcover, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Weed --- ### [Holes In The Skins Of Apples](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/holes-in-the-skins-of-apples/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I planted two apple trees in 2017, specifically a Fuji and a Honeycrisp. Each year they have grown bigger and stronger. Every year my apples get all eaten up. The holes in the skin are about a quarter-inch deep and wide. This year, the trees are loaded with apples, but I have started noticing the same thing as prior years.** A: Holes that big are caused by creatures with a mouth that big – in other words, caterpillars. The best way to control them is to hit them while they’re small. There are organic products that contain a bacteria called Baccillus thuringiensis, often abbreviated as Bt. Spray now, and follow label directions in the future. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Oak Tree Leaves Bubbled And Misshapen](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/oak-tree-leaves-bubbled-and-misshapen/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: What do you think is wrong with my oak tree? The leaves are bubbled and misshapen. It looks like it has some systemic problem going on.** A: This is a fine description of oak leaf blister. The disease is favored by cool, moist conditions during budbreak and in the early stages of leaf development. It doesn’t seem to damage trees permanently. Given a dry spring next year, you may not see it at all. Be sure to rake and remove leaves in fall. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Brown Turkey Figs Not Ripening](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/brown-turkey-figs-not-ripening/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We planted a Brown Turkey fig two years ago. The first season it had four rudimentary fruit. There are lots of green figs this year but they do not seem to be ripening for us. We’re hungry! Any advice?** A: My friend Rob waited and waited and eventually his figs ripened …because he had a Black Mission fig, not the Brown Turkey he thought he’d purchased. Are the figs growing near the tip of branches? This indicates that they should be ripe now and are not those from early spring’s breba figs. It wouldn’t be uncommon for ripening to be weird on young plants. It takes a while for the ripening hormones and energy storage process to become integrated. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Quickest Way To Grow Northern Sea Oats](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/quickest-way-to-grow-northern-sea-oats/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have grown a small patch of northern sea oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, from seed supplied by a friend. What is the quickest way to make it grow bigger?** A: I have a love-hate relationship with northern sea oats. On one hand, the beauty and gracefulness of the brown seeds hanging from the ends of branches are gorgeous. On the other hand, a small patch of sea oats will soon become a big problem. The seeds germinate easily, and you will see sprouts the year after you admire the seeds. You won’t know anything is problematic, but neither did the girl swimming at the beginning of Jaws. **Categories:** Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [Using Gypsum For Hard Soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/using-gypsum-for-hard-soil/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We’ve been in our new house for our second spring. It has been very difficult getting fescue to grow from seed, so we’re considering Bermuda sod. A friend suggested putting gypsum down with the lime I continue to apply because the soil is so hard. Is gypsum a good idea? Might it help?** A: Gypsum, calcium sulfate, will not affect the soil pH, nor will it help soften the soil. Gypsum is used in large agricultural fields to soften the crust of the soil. In a homeowner situation, this does not occur. Gypsum is sometimes used to neutralize sidewalk salt in winter, and it’s very useful for that. Chemically calcium sulfate does not react with calcium carbonate in garden lime to lower pH. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Fescue, Lawn Care --- ### [Why Are Oak Leaves So Big?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/why-are-oak-leaves-so-big/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I found an enormous oak leaf in my yard cleanup. I regularly have hand-sized leaves but never one this large. Why are some oak leaves so big?** A: Shaded leaves tend to be larger than sun-exposed leaves. Is the tree in the shade? Could it be that this was a leaf from the inner canopy? Young, excessively vigorous trees (or vigorous shoots on mature trees) tend to produce bigger leaves. First and second-year acorn sprouts also make large leaves, more effectively with their larger siblings. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Banana Shrubs - Cold Temperature](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/banana-shrubs-cold-temperature/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have two banana shrubs in our garden. The cold temperatures this winter really gave them a whack. There are little green leaves coming out randomly from big limbs and little twigs. They are quite mature but I don’t feel hopeful about a full recovery. What do you think?** A: I am horticulturally conservative (and also lazy) when dealing with frozen plants. I wait until early May to try to rejuvenate them. We’re discussing banana shrub here but the same techniques could be applied to tea olive, Carolina jessamine, and Confederate jasmine that were badly damaged by cold. Prune the victim down to 5’ high then inspect the limbs that remain for any signs of life. If a limb seems completely and utterly dead, remove it. But some limbs may have green buds or small emerging leaves. They can stay. Then wait to see what happens. My bet is that you’ll have a scraggly but hopeful-looking shrub by the first of September. You’ll definitely see limbs that have not survived. Remove them if you haven’t already done so in the course of the summer. Be sure to water in dry weather and keep the soil around the tree mulched. Around the first of May next year, you can start thinning limbs and twigs growing high in the plant to allow more sunshine to penetrate to the center. If you keep removing live but poorly-placed limbs during the growing season, you’ll have a nice rounded shrub by summer’s end. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Galls On My Oak](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/galls-on-my-oak/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I hope you are doing well. What do you think is wrong with my tree? I think it is a sand post oak – but maybe I’m wrong – and he looks like he has some systemic problem going on here.** A. My best guess is one of the many leaf galls common to oak trees. Leaf galls are usually more of a cosmetic problem rather than a health crisis and do not warrant chemical control. The gall itself is primarily made up of plant tissue that forms when insects lay eggs inside the leaf tissue and either the adult or the developing young insects secrete a growth-stimulating substance. Each insect causes a very characteristic gall. Most leaf galls are nothing to be concerned about from a plant health standpoint, although they may be unsightly. However, once the gall appears, the appearance of the current growth cannot be remedied. Some of the most common landscape plants that develop galls include oaks, maples, hackberries, and roses. More information regarding galls on trees is available in Purdue Extension publication E-56 at **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [White stuff on Rose of Sharon](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/white-stuff-on-rose-of-sharon/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have searched the web to no avail for info on this substance or pest growing on the ends of our Rose of Sharon branches. The white part is very sticky.** A: It’s either aphids or scale insects. My bet is aphids because they are faster to breed and increase in numbers and start excreting sticky honeydew A good blast of water is usually enough to control them **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Ambrosia Beetles - Sweet Gum Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/ambrosia-beetles-sweet-gum-trees/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have ambrosia beetles on 3 recently cut down sweet gum stumps in the area. Due to the location of the stumps, I can’t have them ground (too disruptive to the dry creek bed and proximity to the retaining wall) Any thoughts on what I should do – if anything? I don’t want the nearby magnolia trees to be attacked by these pesky bugs too!** A: Unbelievable, I have never seen ambrosia beetles in a cut stump before! As you know, insecticide sprayed once they are in is useless to kill them. But I don’t think you’ll do any harm by leaving the stump in place. Ambrosia beetles require a certain humidity for the eggs to hatch in the tree. Your sweetgum stump will surely dry somewhat before next spring, making it inhospitable for further beetle attacks. **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Should I Buy A Hummingbird House?](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/should-i-buy-a-hummingbird-house/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I see ads for hummingbird houses. Do hummingbirds actually build nests in birdhouses?** A: Hummingbirds do not build nests in manufactured housing, no matter how cute. They are not mentally programmed to nest in a cavity. Bluebirds, chickadees and purple martins adore a home place that’s dark inside. On the other hand, robins, hummingbirds and brown thrashers build cup-shaped nests out in the open. We rarely see hummingbird nests because they are built so high: 10-40 feet up, usually in the crotch formed by three branches. Look for them after a big summer storm. If you find a nest with eggs or a nesting mother inside, put it high in a small tree and go online to find out how to protect it from predators. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Shamrock Looks Wilted](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shamrock-looks-wilted/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My shamrock was doing very good, then all of a sudden, it began looking** **wilty. At first, it was a lot fuller so I repotted it with a different pot and soil,** **but it still isn’t looking so good.** A: Your shamrock is doing what it’s supposed to do. These plants look their best in fall, winter and spring. But as temperatures warm up outdoors, even if your plant has been kept indoors continuously, its leaves will fade and the plant will go dormant. Store it in a cool place, check on it a couple of times to be sure the soil isn’t completely dry and bring it back out to a semi sunny window in September. Water to keep the soil moist. When several leaves have emerged, you can fertilize with half-strength houseplant fertilizer. It will look like gangbusters in December and will go dormant again in May. **Categories:** Groundcovers, Landscaping --- ### [Brown Spots on Zoysia](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/brown-spots-on-zoysia/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: In the fall, I had my lawn replaced with zoysia. It is rooted and slowly** **growing, but as I mow it, I see big brown spots even though I am watering** **regularly. At what height should I be mowing?** A: Zoysia is best mowed at 2 inches high in most cases. The key to having a good-looking zoysia lawn is regular mowing, whether it looks like it needs mowing or not. If you mow it higher, there will be a steady buildup of harmful thatch at the base of plants. Brown patches are common in fine-bladed zoysia grass varieties, like ‘Emerald’, right now because it is so slow to green up. Have patience, eventually it will all be green. I’m troubled by your remark that you are watering regularly. With new sod, your goal should be to keep the top couple of inches of soil moist but never soggy. Regular watering done at this time of year can easily lead to soggy soil and root diseases. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care --- ### [Squirrels Digging Up Yard](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/squirrels-digging-up-yard/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I am at my wit’s end. My yard has been invaded by a legion of squirrels, digging hundreds of holes in my sod. All my efforts thus far have failed to run** **them off. Is there anything you can suggest that might help?** A: You have a tough row to hoe. There is no consistently effective repellent for squirrels. I have a nice video of squirrels eating peanuts soaked in Hot Pepper Oil. There no discernable reaction to the capsaicin. You could use a live trap to catch a few and carry them off and release somewhere but replacements will arrive pretty quickly at your house. A chase dog would do the trick and local animal shelters have lots of great dogs available but you might not want a dog. Squirrels have been the bane of my efforts to feed birds and not rodents. Although I haven’t completely corrected their marauding ways, I’ve had a lot of fun with commercial and homemade Squirrel bafflers. I even bought a game camera to catch them being ‘punished’ when I’m away. I particularly enjoy the action at my Yankee Flipper, which slings squirrels off when they try to stand on the perch. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Carolina Cherry Laurel - To Keep Or To Kill](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/carolina-cherry-laurel-to-keep-or-to-kill/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have Carolina cherry laurel sprouting up all over my property. It is** **growing wherever there is open space without shade. Should I keep or kill?** A: Get rid of it. If you don’t control it you’ll soon have more than you want. I have a tool called a grass whip that would be perfect for this job. It’s just a wooden handle with a single sharp blade on the end. Walk around your property with your coffee in one hand and a whip in the other. Small Carolina cherry laurel seedlings are tender at the base. One flick with your whip and you’ll slice and kill them easily. If you want to keep a couple of these native trees for your landscape, use a round-point shovel to scoop one up and move it around. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Nellie Stevens Hollies - Yellowish](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/nellie-stevens-hollies-yellowish/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Two years ago we moved into a newly constructed home. The builder planted thirty-three Nellie Stevens hollies to create a green privacy fence in the backyard. Last summer I noticed they were looking yellowish and dropping lots of leaves. They are on a drip line from the irrigation system. This spring they look even worse and I’m worried I’m going to lose them. A landscaper said they were planted incorrectly since the burlap was left on the root ball and that some of the trees were planted too deep. Any advice or suggestions would be so welcome!** A: If the landscaper is correct and the burlap was left on all of the rootballs at planting, this would explain the situation. Burlap should never be left on a rootball when you plant. Blame the behavior of water in soil for an explanation. When soil moisture hits a different texture from the one in which it’s traveling, it stops dead in its tracks. It won’t go through that material until the soil behind it is completely saturated. If your plants are on a drip system, the burlap bags might fill up with water before the water starts seeping into the surrounding soil. Roots growing in saturated soil in each bag have a hard time absorbing fertilizer so leaves turn yellow and drop off. My advice is that you dig up one or two plants to check on the burlap situation. If it is still there, you need to dig them all up, remove the burlap, and replant them six feet apart. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Getting Rid of Mice and Rats](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/getting-rid-of-mice-and-rats/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** Q: I’m having a problem with mice and rats coming up to my second-floor deck and eating all my plants. Any suggestions? A: I think a few wooden snap traps are your best option. Get at least two rat-sized and two mouse-sized traps. The best bait I ever used is Cinnamon-Spice instant oatmeal. Mix a couple of tablespoons of cereal with just enough warm water to make it sticky and gummy. Use your fingers to press some of the glutinous stuff onto each trap trigger. Set them aside for the night to dry. Place each trap at the bottom of a wall or other access near your plants. It’s important to put the traps near a wall because that’s where rodents are most likely to run. Remove the bodies quickly. You should be rodent-free in a week or so. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Olive Tree Recommendations](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/olive-tree-recommendations/) **Published:** August 2, 2023 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I am interested in getting an olive tree to grow indoors. Do you have** **suggestions regarding the variety that would be best suited? Do you sell any** **olive trees that would be suitable? I have 10-foot ceilings and a very bright** **space with extremely large windows and eastern exposure. I think olive trees** **are beautiful, and I like indoor plants. I’m not concerned about whether or not** **the tree would bear fruit.** A: Much to my surprise, I found that olive trees can be grown indoors and you have the perfect space in which to do it. Bright light is key to their success. Arbequina and Picholine are olive varieties suitable for indoor growing. Use a large container filled with fast-draining material, like cactus soil. Little fertilizer is needed; water when your finger, pushed an inch into the soil, comes back dry. You’re not likely to harvest any fruit but the attractive leaves and growth habit make an olive tree a great indoor addition. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Zoysia winter kill - brown lawn in May](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia-winter-kill-brown-lawn-in-may/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** > Q: **It is mid-May and** **most of my Zeon zoysia backyard is still dormant/dead looking for the first time since I had this sod put in 10 years ago. It is very slowly starting to turn a little green along the south edge of my lawn by the woods where there is less sun. My lawn service applied pre-emergent twice and fertilizer earlier this year and had no explanation why it hasn’t greened up. Would applying a little high-nitrogen fertilizer in Jan, Feb, and Mar have helped it green up?** > > A: Figuring out what’s wrong with a lawn involves first observing the pattern of damage you see. > > > > In your case, the pattern does not look like a grass leaf or root disease that would be common in spring, when you see many distinct spots or areas of dead grass in green grass. Instead, you have most of the lawn turned brown. > > > > It looks like environmental damage that happened last year or earlier this spring. Environmental damage might include fertilizing too late last year or mowing too low. Those two things would have made the grass tender so that it would be killed by winter cold. > > > > Different areas of grass in your lawn could be more or less susceptible to damage. One area might get more shade or stay wetter after it rains. They might turn green at a different speed. > > > > In my experience things like soil pH and nutrient levels are important but they don’t cause damage to large areas like you have. > > > > This is what I would do: closely examine the lawn to see if some of the damaged areas are different from others; examine the brown areas to see if there any green sprouts that could be nurtured to bring the lawn back to health. If so, apply any lawn fertilizer THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY SORT OF WEED CONTROL at one-third of the label rate now and again in mid-July > > But if you have a dead lawn, you have a dead lawn, and you’ll have to put in new sod for it to recover. > > ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/zoysia-Pete-3-300x225.jpg)zoysia winter kill > > > > ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0786-300x225.jpg)zoysia winter kill > > > > ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0787-300x225.jpg)zoysia winter kill > > > > ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_0788-300x225.jpg)zoysia winter kill **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Bermuda - Removing from Zoysia Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermuda-removing-from-zoysia-lawn/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have Bermuda grass coming up in my zoysia lawn. Is there a way to eradicate it chemically?** **A:** The selective removing of one perennial grass from another perennial grass is a tedious project requiring a lot of diligence. It is very hard for weed control chemicals to tell grasses apart. Bermuda grass and zoysia grass are similar in growth habit and appearance. So it is very hard to get Bermuda grass out of a zoysia lawn. The post-emergence herbicide Fusilade II (active ingredient fluazifop-P-butyl) is labeled by one manufacturer for control of Bermuda grass in zoysia. However, the label states: For use only by commercial or licensed applicators when applications are to be made in or around homes. Not for use on home lawns. Consider using Acclaim Extra (active ingredient fenoxaprop-p-ethyl). It is labeled for Bermuda grass suppression in a zoysia lawn. Unfortunately, there is no herbicide that will completely kill Bermuda grass in a zoysia lawn. However, you can use Acclaim multiple times to suppress the Bermuda enough to allow the zoysia to fill in and smother it out eventually. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Zoysia, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping **Tags:** Herbicide --- ### [New juniper has dead spots](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/new-juniper-has-dead-spots/) **Published:** July 24, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I purchased a spiral juniper two months ago in May and my plant now has brown patches. What can I use so I don’t lose the whole plant?** A: My best guess is the juniper got too dry at some point after planting. In my experience, junipers and arborvitae are extremely sensitive to underwatering during the first year the plant is in the ground. You have to check the root ball every few days to be sure the soil is not dry. If the roots dry out for just a day or two the needles above will start drying out too. This becomes serious quickly, because dry needles do not recover, they turn brown. Some parts of the foliage are dryer than others so they turn brown first. This would explain the brown patches you see on your Juniper . The dead needles fall off the plant, leaving dead twigs behind. The longer the roots are dry the more needles turn brown. Eventually, the whole plant is brown and dead. Planting shrubs or trees in late spring is always problematic because they can’t grow enough roots before the heat of summer hits. You should immediately soak the soil around the plant and begin checking every few days to make sure it doesn’t dry out again. If the brown patches grow larger and affect the whole plant, it will not survive and can not be brought back to life. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/arborvitae-1-225x300.jpg)\#image\_title ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/arborvitae-2-225x300.jpg)\#image\_title **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Shrubs --- ### [Cherry - Leaf Spot Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cherry-preventing-leaf-spot-disease/) **Published:** July 26, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My wife and I have a cherry tree in our yard that is not doing well. About this time every year the leaves of the cherry begin to show spots, turn yellow, and fall off. The process is gradual as the summer progresses. The tree loses all its leaves by mid-September, only to come back to life in March.** A: Cherry leaf spot is rampant this year. The disease starts with reddish-purple spots on the leaves. Many turn yellow and fall from the tree, leaving an autumn-like appearance in mid-summer. Wet weather favors the disease. It can be controlled with [chlorothalonil (click for examples )](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=chlorothalonil&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Achlorothalonil&sprefix=chlorothalonil%2Caps%2C195&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) or myclobutanil if sprays begin right after flowers fall in spring. When the first leaves start to unfold, use Daconil (chlorothalonil) on a 7- to 10-day interval for four weeks After that , use Captan or Immunox (mycobutanil), or a half rate of Captan in combination with full rate of Immunox. Fungicide applications should continue through the middle of summer. Preventive treatment is key – once the disease is established on leaves, it is difficult to control in rainy seasons. At this point (July) you can spray a couple of times to try to halt disease progression but your major preventative task is to rake and remove all leaves in fall since the fungus overwinters on them. Consider putting fresh mulch on the ground in January to further prevent spread. Mark your calendar to get started applying fungicide next spring. See also [Cherry Leaf Spot](http://www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville/disease_descriptions/omchlfsp.html) [![cherry leaf spot 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-leaf-spot-1-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-leaf-spot-1-scaled.jpg) [![cherry leaf spot 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-leaf-spot-2-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-leaf-spot-2-scaled.jpg) [![cherry leaf spot 3](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-leaf-spot-3-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-leaf-spot-3-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Summer, Fall, Winter, Flowers, Cherry, Disease, Spring, Pots, Mulch --- ### [Japanese Cherry Tree - Trunk Decay](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/japanese-cherry-tree-trunk-decay-2/) **Published:** July 23, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Our Japanese cherry tree trunk is decaying at the base, starting ten inches above the soil line. My wife thinks it’s termite or ant damage. The damage begins where I removed a limb years ago and has gone into the heartwood of the tree.** A: I think the rot started at the top of the wound where the limb was trimmed off and a stub was left. The tree was never able to grow over the stub, rainwater got in and rot grew into the center of the tree. From there it moved downward in the trunk. It broke through the bark and the tree couldn’t cover it to protect the center of the tree from even more water intrusion. All this led to the rot you have now, not termites or ants. The damage to the trunk is likely so severe that the tree may fall someday. My advice is to enjoy the spring flowers until your tree falls or loses so many leaves that it is too ugly to keep. You can then remove it completely and replace it with a tree of your choice. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [School Garden - Resources](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/school-garden-resources/) **Published:** December 17, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** If you’re a teacher or parent involved in setting up a school garden, you know there’s lots more to it than digging the dirt and planting some seeds. Do you have a good garden spot? When will you plant? What will you plant? Who cares for it in summer? What will you do with the produce? Much of your success will depend on the soil, so let’s start there. I’ve been trialing bagged soil for raised beds and have had no problems with Nature’s Care Raised Bed Soil, Kellogg’s All Natural Raised Bed Soil and Dr. Earth Motherland Planting Mix. I have not been satisfied with the bagged topsoil that cost a couple of dollars per bag. There are excellent resources to guide you in this big undertaking. Here are my favorites: [Setting Up a School Garden](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%201101_3.PDF) [School Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%201166_2.PDF) [Good bagged soil products](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/raised-bed-filling-with-bagged-products/) [Setting Up and Running a School Garden](http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0218e/a0218e00.htm) (the [PDF version](ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/012/a0218e/a0218e.pdf) is better than the online text but it takes longer to download) [University of Georgia Gardening Resources](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/uga-vegetable-gardening-publications/) [School Fruit Trees](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/fruit-garden-for-school/) [Fruit Tree Sources](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plant-lists/fruit-trees-sources) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/basket-of-vegetables.jpg "basket of vegetables") **Categories:** Fruits, Vegetables, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Seed, Soil, Summer --- ### [Is It True That The Female Watermelons Are Sweeter?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/is-it-true-that-the-female-watermelons-are-sweeter/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was bragging to a friend that my sliced watermelon is always sweet because I choose the round female ones and not the longer male fruit. He laughed at me at said this was an urban myth! Who is right?** A: Although it is true that watermelon vines have male and female flowers, the fruit is not male or female. Upon further consideration, I suppose it could be said that all watermelon fruits are “female” because they are theoretically capable of producing seed. Look for melons that have a yellow “belly”. These are usually sweeter than those with a white or green part that touches the ground. There are no “female” and “male” watermelons. Another myth involves eggplant. There is no evidence that those with a round blossom scar (“male”) are meatier and have fewer seeds than those showing an elongated scar. But although false, it makes good dinner table conversation. This chart shows how to visually choose a sweet melon. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/IMG_6380.jpeg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Seed, Watermelon --- ### [Watermelon - Choosing a Ripe One](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/watermelon-choosing-a-ripe-one/) **Published:** July 1, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** It’s terribly disappointing to cut into a watermelon and find that it is still mostly pink inside and has little sweetness to the meat. But what do you look for when choosing one at the grocery? How can you pick the ripest one? There are two reliable methods: **Yellow Belly** Examine the underside of a melon. Ripe ones will have a cream or yellow belly, unripe ones will be white or green. A ripe watermelon’s skin will look dull when compared to the bright green of an unripe melon. **Slap Test** Ripe melons will sound hollow when you slap them. But what does “hollow” sound like? Practice on your body. Give your forehead a couple of light slaps. Repeat on your chest. Repeat on your stomach. Notice how the sound changes for each one. The sound your stomach makes when slapped is the “ripe” sound you’re looking for. It’s best to compare three watermelons side by side. You’ll easily be able to pick the one that sounds most hollow when slapped. [How to tell when a watermelon is ripe on the vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/watermelons-ripe-when/) **This chart shows how to visually select a ripe melon.** ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/IMG_6380.jpeg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/watermelon-1-scaled.jpg "watermelon 1") ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/watermelon-2-2.jpg "watermelon 2 (2)") **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Watermelon --- ### [How to tell when a watermelon is ripe on the vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/watermelons-ripe-when/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: This is the first year I have grown watermelons. They are taking over my garden! When is the right time to harvest them?** A: I have a gourd vine right now that seems headed in the direction of I-85. If you hear traffic reports of a green, slimy mess on the interstate, you’ll know it arrived and tried to cross. Watermelons are no less rampant – the typical spacing in a garden is at least six feet between plants. Let the vines spread as best you can. They absorb the sunshine that is turned into the sugar that makes a watermelon sweet. The easiest way to tell when one is ripe is to find the little “pigtail” sprout that occurs on the vine just opposite of where a melon is attached. While the melon is unripe, the pigtail is green. When the melon is dead ripe, the pigtail turns brown. Being the impatient sort personally, I’d wait until the pigtail turns yellow then use a knife to take a deep, narrow plug out of the fruit. If it seems to be ripe enough to eat, dig in! [When to Harvest Garden Produce](http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/C935.pdf) ![watermelon tendril](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/watermelon-tendril-1-scaled.jpg "watermelon tendril 1")watermelon tendril ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/watermelon-tendril-1-2-300x225.jpg)watermelon tendril above the fruit [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/watermelon-11-scaled.jpg "watermelon 1")](http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/C935.pdf) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Watermelon --- ### [Plum, Peach, Nectarine - Black Knot Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plum-peach-nectarine-black-knot-disease/) **Published:** March 7, 2016 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a fruit cocktail tree, bearing plum, peach and nectarine fruit, planted five years ago. It blossomed and had some fruit but the fruit developed a gum-looking disease and eventually fell off. A good number of branches on the tree are infected with black, hard, **scaley cases encircling them. I’ve tried to cut into them but it takes a strong knife. It’s almost like they’re part of the tree.**** A: I don’t have good news. All of the fruit on your grafted tree are susceptible to a disease called black knot and the affected limbs must be pruned out. Infection occurs from April through June, especially on the current season’s growth. It is common on plums and peaches in Georgia. Black knot is a disease that gets progressively worse each year unless controlled, and it will eventually stunt or kill the tree. It is frequently seen in the woods on wild black cherry *(Prunus serotina)* Remove all knots and swellings by pruning three to four inches below the knot during the dormant season before April 1. If the tree is small, the pruning may remove most of the tree. Remove the infected tree and burn or put in your yard waste for removal. No fungicides are effective for control. Chlorothalonil (Daconil) will protect uninfected parts of the tree Read labels to check. See this [factsheet](https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/plant-disease/tree-fruit-disease/an-introduction-to-black-knot) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/blackknot.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/blackknotcherry.jpg) ![Anime 832](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Anime-832-scaled.jpg) ![Anime 835](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Anime-835-scaled.jpg) ![Anime 836](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Anime-836-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Peach, Pruning --- ### [Have you seen an azalea plant bug?](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/have-you-seen-an-azalea-plant-bug/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I need some observational help from you. When working in my azaleas, some creature will bite the living daylights out of me under my shirt…but no matter how quick I am I can never catch it! I suspect it is an azalea bug but I’ve never caught one to be sure. What about you? Have you ever seen or caught the creature that bites in spring? Here are the experiences of one gardener. [Azalea Plant bug](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/azalea-plant-bug-Rhinocapsus_vanduzeei.pdf) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-07-01_11-37-13-300x155.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/azalea-bug2-.jpg)\#image\_title ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/azalea-bug.jpg)\#image\_title **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Azalea - Biting Plant Bug](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/azalea-biting-plant-bug/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Every spring when I am trimming azaleas, I get bit by a little red insect that has a bite fiercer than a fire ant. I only see them for a few weeks in late April or early May.** **They are three-sixteenths inch long and bright red, shaped sort of like a pointed oval. The bite isn’t noticeable the first day but later you get a big bump and a large area of redness and swelling. It really itches and lasts for a week or more.** **Do you know what the bug is?** A: I didn’t know initially but my entomologist colleague Dr. Kris Braman did. She says that it is undoubtedly an azalea plant bug, *Rhinocapsus vanduzeei* . It first attracted interest as a “pest” to gardeners because of its bite. Dr. Braman studies it as a beneficial insect because it eats lacebugs, thrips, caterpillar eggs and whiteflies. It also feeds on plant pollen and so can persist in times when insect prey is absent. Azalea plant bug nymphs and adults are active in early May. They occur on both evergreen and native azaleas. I think the simple answer is for you to wear gloves when you garden. MORE INFORMATION [Azalea plant bug](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/azalea-plant-bug-Rhinocapsus_vanduzeei.pdf) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/azaleaplantbug.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/azalea-plant-bug-1-768x1024.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals **Tags:** Azalea, Caterpillar, Spring --- ### [Plants Whose Leaves Resemble Marijuana](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-whose-leaves-resemble-marijuana/) **Published:** November 2, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I am frequently asked if I get questions about growing marijuana. Oddly, I don’t get those type of questions, but I **DO** get questions about plants that look like marijuana. Here are a few: [Cops Confuse Okra for Pot](http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/us/georgia-okra-marijuana-raid/index.html) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cleomeX-294x300.jpg)cleome leaf ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cleome-flower-3-300x199.jpg)cleome flower [Police confuse hibiscus for pot](https://nypost.com/2017/11/19/police-mistake-hibiscus-plant-for-marijuana-detain-couple/) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hibiscus-scarlet-leaf-3-300x199.jpg)scarlet hibiscus leaf ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hibiscusX-e1509629513520-300x283.jpg)scarlet hibiscus flower [Police Confuse Hibiscus for Pot](https://www.alternet.org/drugs/pennsylvania-cops-abuse-elederly-couple-marijuana-plants-raid) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/vitex-leaf-2-300x199.jpg)vitex ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/vitex-3-300x225.jpg)vitex flower ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tomato-in-cage.jpg)tomato [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/okra-flower-2-2-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/okra-flower-2-2-scaled.jpg)okra flower ### [Landlord mistakes tenant’s tomato plants for pot, calls cops](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwifj9D45r7_AhVRlWoFHSMPDMs4ChAWegQIDxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fblogs%2Fsideshow%2Fcops-mistake-man-tomato-garden-marijuana-farm-212113442.html&usg=AOvVaw1bZDEVjYsbCzRS_z7DDaaL) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/1589361325-name-that-plant-1-199x300.jpg)devil’s elder ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/mugwort-225x300.jpg)mugwort ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bidens-300x175.jpg)Devil’s beggartick ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cannabis-ruderalis-maybe-225x300.jpg)cannabis ruderalis ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/marijuana-e1509588101897.jpg)marijuana **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info --- ### [Tansy - Deterring Japanese Beetles](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tansy-deterring-japanese-beetles/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I read in a book that tansy is good for deterring Japanese beetles. I have roses and other flowers that the beetles have a good lunch on for a few months. I don’t like to use sprays due to my pets and grandkids.** A: For hundreds of years, gardeners have looked for plant combinations that would reduce pests. Despite numerous anecdotes from gardeners, little scientific research has been done to determine the specific combinations in which companion plants really work. We *do* recognize that it’s best to avoid planting a mono culture of a single plant because a diverse environment confuses damaging insects. We *do* know that some plants attract beneficial insects. But we *don’t* know scientifically if tansy repels Japanese beetles or if chives repel aphids or if mint deters cabbage moths. Knowing how voracious Japanese beetles are, I’m doubtful if any plant scent could keep them off roses. You are welcome to experiment with tansy but don’t get your hopes up. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Japanese Beetle, Pests --- ### [Plant Trademarked - Meaning?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plant-trademarked-meaning/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a rose tag that says “The Squire tm” and then has the word “Ausire” underneath. What does this mean?** A: It means that you have a patented rose and can not propagate it from cuttings. Plant breeders, like Star Roses, go to considerable effort to develop superior plants. They protect their work by patenting their best products. The first-ever plant patent was issued to ‘New Dawn’ rose in 1931. Plant patents, however, expire after twenty years. To keep continuous control of their products, breeders also trademark plant names. Trademarks can be extended indefinitely. In most cases, the trademark name is not the same as the patented name. Such is the case with your rose. It was patented as ‘Ausire’ but trademarked as ‘The Squire’. You can propagate cuttings of it when the patent runs out but you’ll have to call it something different, perhaps ‘Payne’s Favorite’. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info --- ### [Fungus in the Ground - Diagnosing](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fungus-in-the-ground-diagnosing/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have an area in my yard where everything I plant there does terribly. I think it is a fungus in the ground. My lilac tree has white-like curled up leaves, the summer phlox turns yellow at the bottom, my hibiscus and Rose-of-Sharon gets big flower buds on them but the buds turn black.** Is there anything I can do? A: “A fungus in the ground” doesn’t say much since the soil is absolutely FULL of fungi – some beneficial, some innocuous and some ready to infect your plants at the drop of a hat. If there are so many fungi and bacteria in the soil, how do plants survive at all? Maybe it would help to think of a disease as the seat on a three-legged stool. The legs of the stool are 1\. a susceptible plant, 2\. the presence of a disease causing fungus and 3\. the correct environmental conditions. If any of the three “legs” are not present, the metaphorical stool is unstable and no one can sit on it, meaning no disease develops. Rust is a common disease that affects zoysia lawns in the fall. Why doesn’t it appear in spring? Because rust likes warm summer days with cool nights that favor heavy dew formation. Rust spores are present in most zoysia lawns… but the disease only becomes a problem when all ^three^ legs of the disease stool are present. You can ward off diseases by planting disease-resistant plants like ‘Miss Kim’ lilac, ‘David’ phlox and ‘Diana’ Rose-of-Sharon. Another way to cultivate healthy plants is to give them good, well-drained soil in which to grow. Try digging up the entire “bad” area this fall and mixing in a two inch layer of soil conditioner before replanting. **Categories:** Fescue, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Pruner - Power Operated](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/pruner-power-operated/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: You mentioned a power-operated pruner on your radio show a couple of weeks ago. I am trying to find one because I raise roses and I now have arthritis in my hands.** A: My friend Jim Kelley is an accomplished rosarian with over 200 roses. He also has mild arthritis in both hands, which makes repetitive use of his hand pruners a painful experience. He invested in a Campagnola Super Star pneumatic (air driven) pruner, from [Peach Ridge Orchard Supply Inc](http://www.peachridge.com). You’ll need both the pruner and a small compressor but Jim really thinks the unit is worth it. Other power pruner models include the Pellenc Electronic Pruner, from [A.M. Leonard](http://www.amleo.com) and the FelcoMatic and FelcoTronic Pruners, from [Ambergs Nursery](http://www.ambergs.com) . **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Peach --- ### [Stump - Covering with Vines](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/stump-covering-with-vines/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We want to use a large root ball from a downed tree as a centerpiece for our front yard. What kinds of flowers, or hanging vegetation, would grow well on the root ball? It is about six feet across and five feet high. It also receives a lot of sunlight. Right now, some plants are growing on the ball, but we would like to add more color on the bare spots.** A: What a good idea! My guess is that you’ll need a selection of tough, drought-tolerant plants since the soil on the rootball is not likely very rich. I might start with seeds of nasturtium near the top. This trailing plant can grow in the toughest situations. If you can make some pockets in the soil into which annuals can be inserted, I’d try portulaca (moss rose). This plant blooms all summer and needs only occasional watering. If the top of the rootball is flat, you could plant some ornamental sweet potato vines. The foliage of either ‘Margurite’ (chartreuse leaves) or ‘Blackie’ (deep purple leaves) would cascade down the mound of stump, soil and roots. Come to think of it, common morning glory could grow there as well. Your big challenge will be to water the root ball without washing off the soil. I’d suggest a coil of soaker hose on top of the mound. When watering seems warranted, set the flow of water very low so moisture gradually seeps into the soil without dislodging it. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Vines, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Moisture, Oak, Pots, Seed, Soil, Summer, Sunlight, Watering --- ### [Fever Tree (Pinckneya) - Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/fever-tree-pinckneya-care/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A few weeks ago on your radio show you had a guest from Callaway Gardens who spoke about a plant that is ideal for a lake or wet area. She called it a fever tree, but I did not get the botanical name. Our home backs up to a small lake. I am very interested in this plant that “looks like a pink poinsettia.”** A: Fever tree (*Pinckneya pubens*) has small yellow flowers surrounded by rose-colored sepals (petals) so it does indeed resemble a poinsettia. The blooms usually emerge in late May or early June. The bark was once used by settlers to make medicine. Fever tree usually has multiple trunks, growing to fifteen feet tall with a similar width. It is usually found along swamp margins or in areas that flood periodically. It has few remarkable attributes during most of the year but is a real conversation piece in early June. Your pond location sounds ideal if you can find the tree to purchase. Contact the Georgia Native Plant Society (www.gnps.org) for a list of native plant nurseries. MORE INFORMATION Fever Tree hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/PINPUBA.pdf **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Native Plant --- ### [Horticultural Oil - Mix with Lime Sulfur](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/horticultural-oil-mix-with-lime-sulfur/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I need to know why the product label says not to mix horticultural oil and liquid lime-sulfur to spray on plants. I take care of a big rose garden and I know fellow horticulturists who do this all the time.** A: According to Dr. Beverly Sparks, Extension Entomologist, it’s primarily because there is a risk of burning the buds and leaves with the mixture. The horticultural oil smothers dormant insects and the lime-sulfur prevents disease. It is true that professionals commonly mix the two, and you can too, as long as you do not spray your roses on very humid days. Also, be extremely cautious when handling the liquid lime-sulfur. It is corrosive and can damage your skin and eyes. Wear protective clothing, gloves and goggles while mixing and spraying. Remember that lime-sulfur is not the same as fungicidal sulfur. Many labels warn against using oils and sulfur together because their chemical reaction does burn leaves. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease --- ### [Turf Insects - Discovering](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/turf-insects-discovering/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My grass looks yellow and is gradually disappearing in a ten foot square area. How can I tell if this is caused by insects or by disease?** A: Bugs in turf are very hard to find with the naked eye. Dr. Beverly Sparks, champion Extension Service bug-hunter, says you can try several methods to make them more visible. DIG THEM OUT The Japanese beetles that ate our roses and plant leaves in June have pretty much disappeared. The females laid their eggs in lawns and then died. Now the eggs have hatched and the C-shaped white grubs have begun feeding on grass roots. If you had tremendous numbers of Japanese beetles this summer, yellow grass might be caused by grub damage. Slide a flat-bladed shovel two inches under a patch of grass and flip it up out of the ground. Examine the roots and soil for grubs. If you find more than eight per square foot, consider killing them with an insecticide labeled for use on grubs. FLOAT THEM OUT If you have St. Augustine grass, chinch bug feeding on the grass blades could cause them to be yellow. A good way to check for chinch bugs is to perform a float test. Cut both ends from a gallon can and press one end firmly into the grass and soil. You might need to cut a circular slit through the turf first so the can sinks an inch into the soil. Fill the can with water and try to keep it full for five minutes. Any chinch bugs present will float to the surface. The adults are approximately one-fifth inch long and dark gray in color. Nymphs are smaller and reddish colored. WASH THEM OUT Sod webworms chew at the base of grass plants and sometimes cause bare areas of turf. They hide in the thatch near the soil line when they are not eating. You can force them to reveal themselves by using a soapy water flush. Stir one-fourth cup of lemon-scented dish detergent into four gallons of water. Pour the mixture over an area of grass and watch what happens. Any insects present will wriggle themselves to the surface where you can identify them. If you find an insect that you don’t recognize, any county Extension office can help you determine what it is and whether treatment is needed. MORE INFORMATION [Insect Pests of Home Lawns](http://wiki.bugwood.org/Insect_pests_of_home_lawns) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Disease, Japanese Beetle, Lemon, Pests, Soil, Summer --- ### [Shrubs - Fertilizing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs-fertilizing/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have some questions regarding fertilizing plants. Are you supposed to fertilize gardenias while they are blooming? If not, then when and how often? How often should I fertilize my roses? I read that during the hot summer months, you should stop feeding them. Is that correct? Also, are you supposed to fertilize azaleas only once a year, right after they bloom?** A: In general, you should fertilize older shrubs twice each year: once in spring after the last frost and once in early fall before the first frost. Young shrubs can be fed monthly with light doses of nutrients. It doesn’t matter whether they are blooming or not. I like plain old 10-10-10, applied at one tablespoon per foot of plant height, each time but many good gardeners prefer a slow-release fertilizer like “Nursery Special” and others. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Fall, Fertilizer, Spring, Summer --- ### [Japanese Beetle Traps - Alternatives](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetle-traps-alternatives/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In you article in June, you said that you preferred hand-picking Japanese beetles and that we should never use traps. Well, I have too many beetles to hand-pick so what should I do?** A: You’re right – some gardeners have too many beetles to hand-pick. If that=s the case, you=ll have to use an insecticide on them. Carbaryl (Sevin, Bug-B-Gon) is very effective but it only lasts a few days. Esfenvalerate and deltamethrin stay on leaves and flowers for several days. If you like seeing an immediate effect on a beetle, insecticides containing permethrin and resmethrin act quickly. Although it is impressive to see hundreds of beetles in a trap, I worry that many of them could be attracted to your property from surrounding yards. The lure used in the traps is powerful stuff. It can entice a beetle which is happily feeding on your neighbor’s rose right over to **your** rose bed. If used, place traps at the furthest corners of your yard so the Japanese beetles will fly **away** from your prized plants. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Flowers, Japanese Beetle --- ### [Daphne - Propagating](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/daphne-propagating-2/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My *Daphne odora* ‘Alba’ has a rose-colored sport that I would like to propagate. Any suggestions?** A: Here’s a good reference: [Shrub Propagation](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-propagate-from-cuttings/) **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Shrub pruning - Water](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-pruning-water/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Will shrubs like azalea, tea rose, and boxwood need less water if I prune them back by one-third?** A: A plant’s water use is affected by a host of factors. Age of leaves, vigor of root system, humidity, light level, and, of course, water availability, all come into play. I suppose your shrubs would use less water if you reduce their size by one-third but they will produce new, water hungry leaves and sprouts next spring. These would have to be removed regularly in order to maintain lower water use. I’m not so sure that pruning now will make your plants markedly more drought tolerant. Prune if they need shaping, but don’t think of pruning as a water saving technique. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Pruning, Spring --- ### [Squirrel - Digging in Pot](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/squirrel-digging-in-pot/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I missed your talk about dealing with squirrels on the radio a week ago. I have a wooded backyard and want to plant some hellebores (Lenten rose) that I have in pots. Every time I put out something the squirrels dig it up. Do you have any suggestions?** A: My information was mentioned more as humor than as a recommendation. I cited a garden writer in Maine who said that “fermented salmon” was a great squirrel repellent for her. I decline to replicate her experience but you can try it if you like! The stuff is available from [Coast Of Maine](http://coastofmaine.com). I do have a recommendation more likely to be effective. Plant your hellebores wherever you like then place chicken wire flat on the ground around them. Cover the wire with straw. This works very nicely to protect fall-planted bulbs and pansies and should keep the furry critters at bay in your garden. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fall, Pots, Squirrels --- ### [Daylilies- Flowering](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/daylilies-flowering/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I started gardening recently and my daylilies make me curious. I judge my five-foot tall stalks as a sign of health, but I’m having trouble keeping new buds. Within a week they will be empty. How do I get more flowers?** A: Daylilies differ not only in the flower form and color but also in their length of bloom. You should investigate the reblooming types. ‘Happy Returns’ and ‘Stella D’Oro” are the most well known but there are dozens more that bloom more than once. Jack Joiner, President of the Georgia chapter of the American Hemerocallis Society says “Reblooming is not a given just because a cultivar is registered as such. Care has a great influence on rebloom. Sunshine, water and nutrition, as with most plants, are extremely important in getting best performance from the daylily.” Here are some of Jack’s recommendations: (editor note: how do you want to handle this chart? It contains variety name, bloom size and bloom color) ‘Moonlit Masquerade’, 5 1/2″, Cream with dark purple eye. ‘Orange Velvet’, 6 1/2″, orange. ‘Aaron’s Lttle Whopper’, 3 1/2″, saffron yellow with poppy red eye. ‘Always Afternoon’, 5 1/2″, Mauve with purple eye and edge. ‘Baby Boomer’, 3 1/2″, yellow with dark purple eyezone. ‘Frilly Bliss’, 9″, powder-pink with rose halo. ‘Pirate’s Patch’, 6″, Ivory Cream with purple eye. ‘Bill Norris’, 5″, Sunny gold ‘Black Ambrosia’, 5″, black purple ‘Long Stocking’, 9.5″, red **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Daylily, Flowers --- ### [Lantana - Allelopathy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lantana-allelopathy/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I listened with interest to your discussion of the possible allelopathic effects of Lantana this morning on your radio show. My experience has been just the opposite. I have 3 plants of ‘Mrs. Huff’, and you know how large Mrs. Huff can get. Growing in among them, in the middle of the plants and well within their root/zone drip zone are (1) swamp sunflower, (2) salvia guaranitica, (3) Penstemon digitalis and (4) Japanese iris. They are thriving and growing in glory, as they have for several years now.** In addition, I had three more Mrs. Huffs in another location. I dug them up and with no soil amendment, replaced them with the rose ‘Cl. Altissimo’, which is growing well and putting out strong new growth from the base of the plant. Also, I have had plants of the common yellow lantana in the garden and have replaced them with other annuals the next year with no ill effects. So, lantana allelopathy ain’t occurring in my patch! A: Lantana allelopathy is documented but not a major worry for us. Since lantana is not very winter-hardy in Georgia, I think we have nothing to fear…and the allelopathic question is yet to be completely sorted out….but it’s all interesting to consider! [MORE INFORMATION](http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_HS186) Q: This year I tried to grow some gladioli in a spot where I had lantana last year. The results were tortured looking. After researching on the Web I find that lantana is allelopathic but I could not find how long this effect stays in the soil. Could you tell me please? A: Dr. Mark Czarnota, University of Georgia weed specialist, has studied the phenomena of plants that chemically interfere with other plants nearby (allelopathy). He comments that although the allelopathy of black walnut trees is well-known, the exact mechanism is not well-understood. Sunflower farmers claim that sunflowers are allelopathic but some scientists suggest that development of fungal antibodies and the increase of soil disease organisms could also play a part. Lantana is a noxious weed in Australia and India, due in part to its documented allelopathic effects. If lantana could survive our winter it might even become a kudzu-like pest in Georgia. Fortunately, allelopathic chemicals are not very persistent. Once a plant dies, the chemicals it once exuded gradually disappear. I have no research to back me up but my guess is that the allelopathy of lantana does not last more than a few months. Your gladiolas might have had a virus that caused them to be malformed. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Flowers, Kudzu, Soil, Sunflower, Weed, Winter --- ### [Squirrel - Disturbing Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/squirrel-disturbing-plants/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I missed your talk about dealing with squirrels on the radio a week ago. I have a wooded backyard and want to plant some hellebores (Lenten rose) that I have in pots. Every time I put out something the squirrels dig it up. Do you have any suggestions?** A: My information was mentioned more as humor than as a recommendation. I cited a garden writer in Maine who said that “fermented salmon” was a great squirrel repellent for her. I decline to replicate her experience but you can try it if you like! The stuff is available from [Coast of Maine](http://coastofmaine.com). I do have a recommendation more likely to be effective. Plant your hellebores wherever you like then place chicken wire flat on the ground around them. Cover the wire with straw. This works very nicely to protect fall-planted bulbs and pansies and should keep the furry critters at bay in your garden. Aug.26, 1994 Q: Squirrels are building a nest using the small branches of the hibiscus on my deck. I run out to yell at them but they scamper up a tree. Can I protect the hibiscus? A: This is the beginning of nest building season for squirrels. Leafy branches from any plant – be it hibiscus or hickory – are their fodder. Try one of the bitter tasting animal repellents; one available product is Ropel. You could also try applying cayenne pepper (mixed with water in your blender) to the plant branches. A small cage made of chicken wire placed around the plant might cause him to look elsewhere for housing materials. May 12, 1995 Q: Squirrels are digging out the bulbs and plants in my flower pots. Is there a repellent for them? A: You could try one of the sprays or granular products for animal control but the best control may be simpler. Try cutting 1 inch mesh chicken wire into circles that fit one inch down inside the pot. If you plant bulbs, just insert them normally, then place the wire on the soil and cover it with another half inch of dirt. If you are planting already growing plants, you may need to cut the wire in a few places to give yourself planting room. The squirrels will retreat when the dig to the wire. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fall, Pots, Soil, Squirrels --- ### [Butterfly Bush - spider mite control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/butterfly-bush-spider-mite-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a mature butterfly bush. This year it is looking really bad. The leaves are curling up, like they are not getting enough water, but all my other butterfly bushes are doing fine. Any ideas?** A: My first guess is spider mites. Butterfly bush is commonly afflicted with these pests. Swat a branch on a sheet of white paper and look for small, orange, moving specks. Spider mite control is difficult. Most insecticides are not effective because a spider mite is not an insect. There are three avenues for control: 1\. Wash them off. Spray plants forcefully with a water hose daily, trying to aim the spray at the undersides of leaves. Do this before late afternoon so the foliage can dry quickly and not be attacked by fungal diseases. 2\. “Organic” control. Use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. The soap kills mites on contact. The oil suffocates them. Again, pay attention to the underside of leaves, where the mites are most numerous. 3\. Miticides. The following homeowner products are labeled for mite control: Bonide Kelthane Green Light Red Spider Spray Ortho Isotox Insect Killer Formula IV Bonide Mite-X Ortho Rose and Flower Insect Control Ortho Houseplant and Garden Insecticide **Categories:** Shrubs, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Butterfly, Disease, Pests, Spider --- ### [Topiaries- Frames/Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/topiaries-framescare/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am interested in topiaries. Where do I buy the frames? How do I care for them? I would like a pair on either side of my front porch.** A: There are two kinds of topiary: those stuffed with moss and covered with vines and those serving as frames for a plant to grow through. In my experience, the latter is easiest for a beginner to manage. I have a chickenwire goose sitting in a garden bed, under which I planted three erect rosemary plants. As the rosemary grew upwards, I clipped and trained it to follow the wire “skin” of the form. Since the rosemary has roots in the earth, it grows happily, needing only an occasional feeding. You could try something similar in pots on your porch. If you choose to use a stuffed form, you’ll have to water it frequently and worry about winter damage. Small-leaved English ivy and creeping fig are commonly used for these type topiaries. There are many vendors of topiary supplies on the Internet. The folks at www.etopiary.com offer a wide selection and helpful tips. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** English Ivy, Pots, Winter --- ### [Cypress Mulch - Problems](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cypress-mulch-problems/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is cypress mulch good for roses? Would it have any bad effects?** A: Cypress mulch won’t hurt your roses but I hope you won’t buy any more of it. One of the causes of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina was that cypress swamps between New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico had been cleared by loggers. With no cypress trees to slow the wind and water, New Orleans was inundated. Pine chip mulch works just as well and comes from pine forests that are less environmentally problematic. I have no doubt that cypress can be harvested environmentally, I just have no way to determine which product came from the swamps and which did not. [Cypress Distress](http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Gardening/Archives/2006/Cypress-Distress.aspx) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Mulch, Pine --- ### [Japanese beetles - Life cycle](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetles-life-cycle/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What’s become of the Japanese beetles? (Not that I miss them, mind you!) So far I’ve not seen any on our roses, magnolia blossoms, plum and cherry trees. Did I do something last year which interrupted their life cycle?** A: You didn’t do it, Nature did. Finally we see a benefit from the drought! Japanese beetle adults lay their eggs in lawns in July, and August. If the environment is conducive, larvae hatch out and slowly burrow into the soil. They become the white grubs you dig up when tilling the earth in spring. The extremely dry soil of last fall killed many eggs and larvae, leading to a much lower incidence of Japanese beetles this summer. Be thankful for small blessings! **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Cherry, Fall, Japanese Beetle, Magnolia, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Neem Tree- Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/neem-tree-growing/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I live in Duluth and wanted to know if we can grow ‘Neem’ plant. If so, how and where can we get this plant. I was also curious if ‘Sandalwood’ ‘Teak’ and ‘Rosewood’ are grown anywhere in U.S. I come from southern state of Karnataka in India which is the top producer of quality sandalwood in the world.** A: Neem is a wonderful tree but it can be grown only in southern Florida. The other trees need even warmer temperatures. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Temperature --- ### [Backyard- Filling](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/backyard-filling/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Three ago our backyard was dug up and hydroseeded with bermudagrass. It never filled in. Now it is mostly weeds. Any advice?** A: What you do depends on how soft the soil is now. If it is not hard and full of clay, you can use a dethatcher (slit seeder) to scarify the soil and then plant bermudagrass seed at 1 – 2 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. If the soil is hard and mostly clay, till in a two inch layer of screened topsoil that has a high proportion of organic matter, then plant your seed. I like ‘Princess 77’ bermuda seed but it is tiny and pricey. Mix 1 pound of seed with 5 pounds of dry sand and use the mixture in your seed spreader to achieve an even application of seed. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Seed, Soil, Weed --- ### ["Shade Champ" Grass Seed](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shade-champ-grass-seed/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My yard gets too much shade from oak trees. I’ve found “Shade Champ” grass seed for sale. It contains creeping red fescue, PennLawn red fescue, Chewings fescue and Pizzazz ryegrass. Can it really grow in Georgia?** A: All of the grasses listed are shade-tolerant but they aren’t Georgia heat and humidity tolerant. Creeping red fescue sometimes makes a tolerable stand but it really suffers at 90 degrees and above. It usually disappears in a year or two. I would not depend on this mixture to solve your shady lawn problem. Either hire an arborist to limb up the trees to admit more light or plant shade-loving plants like ferns and Lenten rose. **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Oak, Pears, Seed, Shade --- ### [Mulch - Reusing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/mulch-reusing/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: You suggest that we replace all mulch under roses. Can we reuse the old mulch elsewhere? We’ve got a ton of hardwood mulch under our roses and I can’t imagine throwing all that away.** A: I like your recycling attitude! The purpose of removing mulch under roses is to take away any source of black spot disease, which only affects roses. You can reuse it under any non-rose shrubs, like azaleas or hydrangeas, or under trees in your landscape. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Azalea, Disease, Hydrangea, Mulch --- ### [Japanese Beetle - Chemical Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetle-chemical-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In you article two weeks ago, you said that you preferred hand-picking Japanese beetles and that we should never use traps. Well, I have too many beetles to hand-pick so what should I do?** A: You’re right – some gardeners have too many beetles to hand-pick. If that’s the case, you’ll have to use an insecticide on them. Carbaryl (Sevin, Bug-B-Gon) is very effective but it only lasts a few days. Most garden insecticide sprays stay on leaves and flowers for several days. If you like seeing an immediate effect on a beetle, insecticides containing permethrin and resmethrin act quickly. Although it is impressive to see hundreds of beetles in a trap, I worry that many of them could be attracted to your property from surrounding yards. The lure used in the traps is powerful stuff. It can entice a beetle which is happily feeding on your neighbor’s rose right over to *your* rose bed. If used, place traps at the furthest corners of your yard so the Japanese beetles will fly *away* from your prized plants. MORE INFORMATION: [Identifying White Grubs](http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/L428.pdf) [Japanese Beetles](http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/trees/ef409.htm) **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Flowers, Japanese Beetle --- ### [Japanese Beetle - Organic Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetle-organic-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is there any organic method to keep Japanese beetles off my plants?** A: Insecticidal soap or products containing pyrethrin could be the answer for you. You’ll have to hit the insect directly with the spray – that can be hard on rose blooms. Neem oil is a product registered for Japanese beetle feeding repellency but research in Ohio has not shown it to be very effective. MORE INFORMATION: [Identifying White Grubs](http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubs/PDF/L428.pdf) [Japanese Beetles](http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/trees/ef409.htm) **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Japanese Beetle --- ### [Cactus - Winter-hardy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cactus-winter-hardy/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is there a list of cactus that will grow here in Atlanta? If so how can I get it and where can I get them?** A: According to Randy Kucera, eponymous owner of Randy’s Perennials and Greenhouse in Lawrenceville, there are several succulent plants, including cactus, that will survive in Atlanta. All demand extremely well-drained soil to prevent root rot. Agave plants range in size from one foot to six feet tall. The rosette of thick leaves will eventually produce a huge flower spike. There are several species of yucca which grow nicely here and flower each year. Prickly pear cactus comes in both a spiny and a non-spiny form. Randy is experimenting with a couple of barrel cactus which show promise for desert gardening in the Southeast. You can visit his cactus garden at the nursery or learn about more succulents at [www.randysnursery.com](http://www.randysnursery.com). **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Greenhouse, Soil, Winter --- ### [Fatsia bushes - Deer](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/fatsia-bushes-deer/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Deer have eaten all of the new growth on my fatsia bushes. They even chewed on the stalk of the plant. My question is should I cut them back or just leave them alone and hope they have new growth?** A: Clip any ragged branch ends but leave them alone until May at least. The sprouts that occur then will guide you on what needs to be removed and what can remain to build the framework for a new shrub. Deer like the new growth on landscape plants. My friend Daryl Pulis reports deer unexpectedly ate the blooms of her Lenten rose. **Categories:** Shrubs, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Shrubs - Replanting](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs-replanting/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We are about to embark on a basement project which will require a good deal of regrading in our back yard. We have a twelve foot tall osmanthus, three very large azaleas and nine well-established roses, plus some hostas, which have to be taken out. I want to preserve the plants and transplant them when the project is finished. What do we do with these babies to keep them safe?** A: You need to “heel in” the shrubs. Dig a trench three feet wide, twelve inches deep and twenty feet long in a semi-shaded part of the yard. Cut back the shrubs by one-third to compensate for the roots they will lose. Dig the affected shrubs (it sure would be nice to borrow the contractor’s backhoe!) and place the root balls alongside each other in the trench. Use the soil excavated from the trench to cover the roots. Water occasionally, keeping the soil damp but not soggy, until you can replant them. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Shade, Soil --- ### [Lizard - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/lizard-control-2/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My wife is deathly afraid of lizards and we just seem to have an abundance at our house. Is there any chemical I can apply to the area where they seem to live?** A: No repellents work effectively and consistently to repel lizards or snakes. Tales of using kerosene, sulfur or lime are just that — tales. The best way to keep either creature from your yard is to remove anything that looks like food or shelter to them. Remove log piles and rock piles near the house. Seal the foundation under the shed, keep the grass mowed regularly and try to keep landscape areas from staying wet. John Monroe, at Magic Gardens in Forest Park says he keeps his “face, fingers, feet and fanny” away from spots he knows would shelter a snake or lizard. You can inform your family that most snakes and all lizards are harmless but I know that phobias are much stronger than logic. If they see you working to eliminate lizard and snake habitat, loved ones will feel more comfortable venturing outdoors. I am hopeful that they may someday accept lizards and snakes as being a natural part of the landscapes we cultivate. **Q: How can I get lizards out of my house?** A: There are no repellents for lizards. They are harmless but it can be startling to see one climb up the draperies! They are likely already trying to escape – help them along by keeping doors open. If they can not find the exit, you can try to trap them. Glue boards sold for mice will catch and hold a lizard. Place them along the baseboards where you see the intruders. If you catch one, take them outside and pour vegetable oil on their feet to release the sticky glue. **Q: I must be living on top of a gecko nest. I have cut the bushes down that are around my house, hoping to eliminate their living area, but to no avail. They are crawling on my brick and have invaded my screened-in porch. They have even gotten into my basement. Yesterday, I opened my screen door on the porch and one landed on my arm – I almost came unglued!! I have tried sprinkling Snake A Way around the foundation, but that doesn’t seem to help. I don’t necessarily want to kill them – just repel them. Any ideas?** A: I don’t know of any effective repellents…you’ve done well by cutting down their shelter in the shrubs. Try spraying garden insecticide on the ground to kill insects they might be eating because changing their food source might help them to move on. [Frog and Toad Biology and Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/pdf/frogtoad.pdf) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pots, Snakes --- ### [Chili Thrips - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/chili-thrips-identification/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My gardener friends in Florida are all anguished about a new pest of roses: chili thrips. Do we have them here?** A: We don’t yet have them here, and thank goodness for that! Chili thrips chew on plant leaves and severely disfigure them. It almost looks like herbicide damage on some plants. Thrips attack dozens of plants: roses, strawberry, cucumber, viburnum, blueberry and many more. They can be controlled by certain insecticides and possibly by predatory mites. Entomologists in Florida have set up an excellent website detailing damage and control. [Chili Thrips](https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/thripslinks.htm) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Herbicide --- ### [Daylily - Rust](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/daylily-rust-2/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What can you tell me about the sad, ugly rust infecting our wonderful daylilies?** A: This [summary](http://www.daylilies.org/ahs_dictionary/daylily_rust.html) from the American Daylily Society gives detailed information. Note the fungicide info.: “*daylily rust can be controlled under greenhouse conditions by fungicide applications,* in particular, mancozeb, [chlorothalonil (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=chlorothalonil&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Achlorothalonil&sprefix=chlorothalonil%2Caps%2C195&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir), azoxystrobin and triadimefon. *Products should be rotated to reduce the risk of fungicide resistant races of the rust developing. Alternate between a systemic fungicide and a contact or protectant fungicide. Application may need to be repeated as often as every seven to fourteen days – follow product label instructions.*” Here some homeowner fungicide products: Banner Maxx = propiconazole Bayer Advanced Fungus Control for Lawns = triadimefon (Bayleton) Bayer Advanced Garden Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs Concentrate = tebuconazole (Elite, Folicur) Bonide Captan = captan Bonide Fung-onil Concentrate = chlorothalonil Bonide Fung-onil = Bayleton (2001 label) Bonide Fung-onil Multi-Purpose Fungicide = chlorothalonil (2002 label) Bonide Fung-onil Lawn Disease Control = Bayleton (2002 label) Fertilome Halt Systemic Fungicide = thiophanate-methyl Green Light Mancozeb = mancozeb Green Light Fung-Away Fungicide = Bayleton (not labeled for lawns) Green Light Fung-Away Systemic Spray = Bayleton (labeled for lawns) Green Light Fung-Away II Systemic Lawn Fungicide (2 oz jar) = hiophanate-methyl (Cleary’s 3336, Topsin-M) Green Light Fung-Away Systemic Granules = myclobutanil Hi-Yield Copper Fungicide = copper hydroxide Monterey Aliette = aluminum tris (O-ethyl phosphonate) Ortho Funginex = triforine Ortho Garden Disease Control = chlorthalonil Ortho Rose Pride Rose & Shrub Disease Control = triforine Scott’s Lawn Fungus Control = thiophanate-methyl Spectracide Immunox(liquid) = myclobutanil Spectracide Immunox(granular) = myclobutanil Daconil = chlorothalonil **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Daylily, Disease, Flowers, Greenhouse --- ### [Mosquito - Garlic Spray](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/mosquito-garlic-spray/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have heard that eating garlic or spraying it around the yard will repel mosquitoes. Is this true?** A: The very first fact to chew on is that mosquitoes have almost no olfactory powers. They do sense odors in a very narrow spectrum related only to their pheromones. So if they can’t smell garlic, they can’t be repelled by it. Mosquito repellents work not by repelling the insect by smell but by blocking their ability to smell things that otherwise would attract them. If they can’t sense you, they ignore you. Mosquitoes are attracted to gaseous carbon dioxide, lactic acid and octenol. The best substance to block a mosquito’s power of detection is N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, commonly called DEET. Truthfully, other chemicals such as those in citronella, cedar, verbena, geranium, lavender, pine, cinnamon, rosemary, basil, thyme and peppermint also block mosquitoes’ senses – but they only last a couple of hours. If you are going to be exposed to mosquitoes for more than an hour or two, you should get a good DEET-based spray or lotion and stick with it. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Garlic, Mosquitoes, Pine --- ### [Zoysia Lawn Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia-lawn-care/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a large zoysia lawn. I’m looking for the best type of pre-emerge to put down now. Is 5-10-15 the way to go?** A: I am totally against fertilizing zoysia, bermuda, centipede or St. Augustine lawns when they are not green. You waste money and you may harm the grass if it is fed too early. Early March is a good time to apply a pre-emergent but it is usually not necessary on zoysiagrass lawns. A vigorous zoysia lawn is quite able to choke out weeds. If you have bare spots, use a straight pre-emergent like Dimension, Halts, or Crab-Ex. Do not fertilize until your zoysia is 90% green. First week Apply a pre-emergent to prevent weeds from sprouting. Do not apply to fescue if you intend to plant seed this spring. Finish pruning peach and plum trees now. Begin disease and pest control sprays. Details at Second week Fertilize fescue lawns, following directions on the bag. Repeat in late April. River birch, red maple and muscadines are notorious for bleeding profusely if pruned in early spring. Though distressing, the leaking sap does not harm the plants and the bleeding will stop in a week. Third week Boxwood roots are very sensitive to too-wet or too-dry soil. Make sure gutter downspouts do not empty nearby. Note that bronze foliage now is usually a normal product of winter cold. Preparing a new bed for flowers or vegetables? For every ten square foot area thoroughly mix in a two cubic foot bag of soil conditioner and two forty pound bags of gritty underlayment sand. Fourth week It may be warm outdoors now but it is still to early to plant tomatoes or summer annuals. Wait until the soil temperature is above sixty degrees at www.georgiaweather.net Fertilize roses. The more leaves a rose has, the more blooms it will produce. **Categories:** Zoysia, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Flowers, Maple, Peach, Pots, Pre-Emergent, Pruning, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Tomatoes, Weed, Winter --- ### [Joseph's Coat - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/josephs-coat-identification/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have received several Joseph’s Coat plants from a friend. Is this plant an annual or perennial? How tall/wide will it grow?** A: This is tough because there are so many plants with this name. Do you have ‘Joseph’s Coat’ amaranth (*Amaranthus tricolor*)? If so, it is a tall, eye-catching annual, usually grown from seed. There is a rose named ‘Joseph’s Coat’ due to its bright red, orange and yellow flowers. My guess is that you have common Joseph’s Coat (*Alternanthera ficoidea*). It is a perennial plant in the tropics but it is treated as an annual in Atlanta. It is typically used as a garden bedding plant. Individual plants grow six to twelve inches tall and twelve inches wide. You can bring a few plants indoors each winter and root cuttings to stock your garden next spring. Three-inch long cuttings stuck in a pot of damp sand root readily when placed in a sunny window. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Winter, Flowers, Spring, Seed --- ### [Japanese Beetle - Controlled by Drought](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetle-controlled-by-drought/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Where have all the Japanese beetles gone? Last year I had thousands, this year only one (and I had to search for that one). I do not spray so I know I had nothing to do with their disappearance. Any clues?** A: I had a few on my roses this year but nothing like years past. My guess is that drought killed most of the eggs and grubs last fall. This is one of the few instances where weather *does* have an effect on an insect population. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fall, Japanese Beetle --- ### [Flowers - Moving and replanting](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/flowers-moving-and-replanting/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We sold our home very quickly. I had roses given as gifts from family and friends, daylilies and irises from my home where I grew up, some inherited from my greatgrandmother’s garden. We dug them up today! Please help with advice or dependable websites as to proper care and replanting.** A: Just get a bunch of cardboard boxes and line each with a garbage bag. Put the plant roots in the box and cover with potting soil. Water moderately. You can keep them this way for a couple of weeks but plant as soon as you can. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Soil --- ### [Grafting A Peach Branch to an Apple Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/grafting-a-peach-branch-to-an-apple-tree/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is it possible to graft a peach branch to an apple tree?** A: Grafting a peach to an apple won’t work. An apple is in the genus *Malus*, while a peach belongs to genus *Prunus*. The two are both in the rose family but they are not close enough kin to be tissue-compatible. Apples have to be grafted to other members of the *Malus* genus (crabapple, etc.) and peaches graft best to members of the *Prunus genus*, (plum, apricot, etc.). If you want to explore fruit grafting you’ll enjoy reading [Fruit Tree Propagation](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruiting-plants-propagation/). ![apples](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/apples-41.jpg "apples 4")apples **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Peach --- ### [Planting for Long Lasting Blooms](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/planting-for-long-lasting-blooms/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have several large annual beds that we are tired of replanting twice yearly. Any ideas for perennials that we can substitute for year-round interest? One bed surrounds the mailbox; another is in front of privet hedges bordering our house.** A: Annuals and perennials present the yin and yang of gardening. Annuals provide colorful flowers for long periods…but they don’t live from year-to-year. Perennials, of course, last for years …..but typically have only a short time of bloom each year. Appropriate annuals can be chosen for either summer or winter color…. but they have to be replaced when the seasons change. Still, I may have a solution. Try planting ‘Homestead Purple’ verbena around your mailbox next spring. It blooms from April to frost and will usually come back each spring. For the shady bed in front of the privet, try planting variegated hosta, Lenten rose and impatiens. The first two perennials supplemented by the self-seeding annual impatiens will give the bed something to look at throughout the year. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Flowers, Seed, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Hellebore Plants - Thinning Them](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hellebore-plants-thinning-them/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a thick carpet of seedlings under my hellebore plants. Should I thin them out or just let nature take its course?** A: Perhaps they compete in a small way with the mother plant but I usually let the smaller plants fight things out undisturbed. If you want lots more Lenten roses, scoop up a shovelful of soil and seedlings and carefully separate them. Plant four inches apart in loamy soil in slight shade and fertilize with liquid plant food in May. Feed again in August. Repeat next year. Plants will be big enough to bloom two years from now. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Seed, Shade, Soil --- ### [Heater malfunction - Plant cleaning](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/heater-malfunction-plant-cleaning/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We had a kerosene heater malfunction in our greenhouse. Soot covers the plants. What is the safest way to clean them?** A: I’d use soap (not a detergent) on your plant leaves. Soaps include Ivory bar soap and castille soap. Grate some into a bucket of warm water and stir it up. Put cotton socks on both hands and wipe the soot off your plant leaves. Sensitive plants may drop leaves but I expect they will put out new foliage if they were healthy to begin with. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Greenhouse --- ### [Japanese Beetle - Control with Milky Spore Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetle-control-with-milky-spore-disease/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I recently read an article about using a product called “Doom” to control Japanese beetles. How does this stuff work? Is it effective?** A: “Doom” contains a bacteria that infects Japanese beetle grubs with a disease that turns their internal fluids white. For this reason, the disease the grubs get from contact with the bacteria is called “milky spore disease”. Fortunately for us, the bacteria only affects Japanese beetle grubs. That’s the simple answer to a more complicated question. Before you use milky spore disease, you must determine if you have the grubs of Japanese beetles or June beetles or May beetles or masked chafer beetles. The information is important because the disease **only affects Japanese beetle grubs** – not the others. Second, you must have a high population of Japanese beetle grubs present in order for the spore to spread throughout the soil and maintain its grub killing activity. Third, even if you kill all of the Japanese beetle grubs in your lawn, what about the adult beetles that fly in from your neighbors’ lawns? The beetles can fly several hundred yards in search of a scrumptious rose bloom or a tasty crape myrtle leaf. How will you control them? Grub control on your own lawn will come to naught if your neighbors are not also vigilant. In my view, it is easier and cheaper to hand-pick adult beetles from infested plants when populations are low and to consider using least toxic pesticides (but never traps) when beetle populations are high. MORE INFORMATION: [Identifying White Grubs](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20940_2.PDF) [Japanese Beetles](https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef451) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Crape Myrtle, Disease, Japanese Beetle, Pesticide, Soil --- ### [Leaves - Using for Mulch](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/leaves-using-for-mulch/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was raking up huge piles of leaves from our ever-struggling Midtown fescue lawn when it occurred to me how pointless and stupid this annual event is. After twenty years of planting, aerating, occasionally sodding, and finally just giving up on grass, here I was, still trying to save it. Why not just use these leaves and make my whole front yard a leaf/mulch pile? Any words of caution, wisdom, or encouragement?** A: I applaud your insight but I wonder why it didn’t hit you years ago! A lawn is not essential for an appealing landscape. However, a pile of leaves is considered unattractive by most of your neighbors. At the very least you’ll have a bumper crop of mushrooms if you continuously maintain a thick layer of leaves. You might also harm the roots of the trees that provide shade. Why not plant beds of shade-loving plants in your front yard? Lenten rose, Japanese painted fern, autumn fern, hosta, variegated Solomon’s seal, bleeding heart and ajuga all love shade and can be part of an attractive design. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Mulch, Mushrooms, Shade --- ### [Plants - Heeling In](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-heeling-in/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We will be moving this winter and I have several plants that I would like to take with me. There are several rose bushes, Indian hawthorn, rhododendrons, azaleas, bulbs and a red twig dogwood. They are healthy and did quite well this past summer. What would be the best way to keep these until they can be planted?** A: You’ll have to “heel in” your plants where they will not be disturbed until you are ready to plant at your new home. Basically all you do is dig a trench three feet wide and twelve inches deep. Pile the removed soil beside the trench, which can be as long as you like. Dig your individual plants and put the root balls side by side in the trench. It is fine to crowd them a bit if you have to. Try to keep the roots buried at the same level at which they were growing originally. Once the plants are all lined up in the trench, cover the root balls with the soil you originally removed. Water them thoroughly to get good root to soil contact. All of your plants should be perfectly happy waiting there until planting time next spring. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Azalea, Dogwood, Soil, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Planter - Filling](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/planter-filling/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I plan on building a large planter and growing roses. I have access to horse manure and also composted fish waste from a hatchery. Would it be a good idea to fill the planter with this stuff or mix it with something else?** A: A good growing soil is porous, so water can penetrate and exit the dirt easily. The soil should contain a moderate amount of nutrients. If there is too much nitrogen or potassium present, tender roots will “burn” and shut down. My bet is that a soil made exclusively of horse manure or fish compost would have too much fertilizer present. I’d mix the rich materials you have with something more coarse. Consider filling the container with a 3:2:1 mixture of porous woods dirt, river sand and manure (or fish compost). **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Compost, Container, Fertilizer, Manure, Soil --- ### [Neem - Grow in Georgia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/neem-grow-in-georgia/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Can we can grow ‘Neem’ plant here? If so, how and where can we get this plant? I am also curious if ‘Sandalwood’ ‘Teak’ and ‘Rosewood’ are grown anywhere in U.S. I come from southern state of Karnataka in India.** A: Neem is a wonderful tree but it can be grown only in southern Florida. See [Neem](http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/A/Azadirachta_indica/). The other trees need even warmer temperatures. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Herbs, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Temperature --- ### [Deer Repellent (Deer Away, Tree Guard) - One Gardener's Experiences and Evaluation](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/deer-repellent-one-gardeners-experiences/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Deer can cause a LOT of damage to a landscape in winter. With their normal green food gone, your shrubbery and pansies look pretty inviting to deer….even when it is close to the house. I have no magic bullet repellent to recommend, but a local gardener contacted me to extol the virtues of the repellents she was using. Here are her comments, trials and results: September 25 I’m sure you are familiar with these products already, but I have only been using them for a short time and I am delighted with them. They are 100% effective and last for three or four months. Both of them are quite reasonably priced. Deer Away deposits an odor that the deer don’t like and Tree Guard deposits a dreadful taste. It is the only thing (except a chicken wire fence over the sides and tops of my azaleas) that has discouraged them from dining in my yard. I’ve been using the DeerAway for about four years. I get the kind that you mix yourself, although they have it ready to spray. I tried the TreeGuard on the recommendation of the company about two years ago and will not ever use anything else. It does not require saturation spraying although I am generous with it (just in case). I spray either in October or early November, depending on when I find deer tracks. The protection lasts for three or four months. Along about February or March, I begin watching for nibbles and as soon as I see some, I spray again. It is the greatest thing since sliced bread. If there is new growth (as in roses or springtime azaleas), the deer will get the new leaves. I don’t do a good job of policing my dogwoods and roses (I lost one whole crop of roses blooming because the deer got the buds), but if I am conscientious in spraying new growth, I have no problems. I got some of the TreeGuard on my hand early this summer and somehow managed to get a finger in my mouth later that day. The taste lingered for a long time and that was just with my tongue grazing my finger (nasty taste). It was also after having undoubtedly washed my hands (with soap) half a dozen times. Neither of the products is poisonous. The company I get my deer repellent from is [Forestry Suppliers in Jackson, Mississippi](http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/c01_pages/about.asp). According to the people there, the product was developed by Weyerhauser to protect their forests out west. The elk, moose, and deer would browse through their newly planted evergreens and nip the terminal bud which made the seedling useless for lumber. The last gallon of Tree Guard that I bought was about $35.00 and the Deer Away was about the same. Oct 02 Seven of the scoundrels were in my yard this morning (my all time record was thirteen). I have a little over five acres and my azaleas cover maybe a half acre of that. My son tells me that I am just providing dessert for all the deer in the county. mid-October I sprayed the TreeGuard on my azaleas, camellias, and dogwoods today. I discovered that the deer had already been snacking on some of the azalea leaves. I’ve noticed that in the fall they seem to “pick” leaves from the same plant or shrub until it is bare. In the spring they tend to nip the new growth buds. (I use the liquid DeerAway in the spring because of the new growth.) I have an evil grin on my face thinking about how surprised the deer will be when they chomp down on the azalea leaves. 02 November Deer wander through the yard morning and afternoon. There seem to be several shifts operating. I haven’t seen more than three in a group, but I know there are more than that. The reason I know is that I have found twigs from azaleas and dogwoods that have been bitten off and spit out. Assuming these dunderheads have average intelligence for deer, one bite of a sprayed shrub is enough to convince them not to taste again. (The spray has a marker scent to remind them that sampling the leaves is not a smooth move.) I am thinking that some new ones come through regularly and haven’t learned their lesson. Before I got around to spraying, the deer had stripped leaves on a few of the higher growth on the azaleas. That has come to a screeching halt. The fact that I have found a few twigs (about five or six) tells me that the spray is doing its job. I have between a half acre and three quarters of an acre in one bed and three other small beds closer to the house. Some of the bushes are taller than I am, so these predators can dine in comfort if I don’t spray. 17 November Deer evidently are still taking off a leaf now and then; it’s hard to tell with the dry, cold weather. I have seen only one twig bitten off in the last week. It is about time for them to be shifting their grazing territory before long so I probably won’t be having much trouble until the end of December. Jan 2 The deer have returned from their hiatus. My roses have put out a few new leaves and they have been chewed off. One small azalea that I thought was dying and skipped when spraying has been chewed down to the ground. I think I’ll go ahead and spray again although the TreeGuard is still effective. The episodes of warm weather are causing azalea buds to swell and they may not have enough of the spray left on them to discourage the voracious appetites. The deer have not eaten any of the sprayed azaleas except as previously noted. There are some good-sized hoofprints in the soft soil showing that they have investigated the possibilities, but I don’t see any missing limbs or shoots. This stuff is good. Jan 11 I spoke too soon. I was piddling in the yard yesterday and discovered that the deer had eaten the top shoots of a small gardenia bush. I guess it is time to reapply the spray indeed. July 5 The deer are back: They defoliated two of my oak leaf hydrangeas, one of my small peach trees, and it looks like they munched here and there on azaleas. I have seen tracks around the outside of my little tomato, cucumber, okra patch (more like a beaten path), but they haven’t tried the fence yet. I will be spraying with Tree Guard tomorrow morning — too hot this afternoon. I have been gifted with some marigold and zinnia plants (and tomato and basil plants) but I’m not going to transplant them until I’ve discouraged the deadbeats. As many dead deer (I call them buzzard banquets) as there are on the roads around here, it looks like there ought to be a reduction in numbers. The neighbors’ dogs all leave their territorial markers in the driveway and along the edges of the flower beds, but the deer evidently pay them no mind. Those dogs aren’t earning their upkeep. Maybe I’ll throw out some mothballs to see if it will discourage the dogs. I also have at least one big black snake; I walked up on it just about dusk one evening and nearly had heart failure. I thought at first glance it was a venomous snake (heavy through the middle) but after I got nerve enough to examine it a little closer, I say that it had big bumps all down its length from neck to tail. I’m guessing he/she had been dining on either the neighbors’ eggs or had found some small animals nest to swallow the offspring. I don’t know whether I told you or not, but I have foiled the squirrel. The painter nailed a piece of 1 x 4 over the area and evidently frustrated the beast. I saw him sidling along the side of the house a time or two and I heard a few gnawing sounds, but I think that problem is solved. I also fire off the 22 any time I can get a bead on him, but the rascal is speedy when he hears the screen door start opening. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Azalea, Dogs, Dogwood, Dogwoods, Fall, Hydrangea, Oak, Peach, Poison, Poisonous, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [SOD Update from Dr. Woodward](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/sod-update-from-dr-woodward/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** from Dr Jean Williams-Woodward April 9, 2004 By now most of you may have already heard that *Phytophthora ramorum*, cause of Sudden Oak Death (SOD), has been positively identified on plants within five Georgia nurseries: John Deere #173, College Park; Greenbrier Nurseries, Evans; Green Thumb-West, Augusta; Cofer’s Home and Garden, Athens; and Craven Pottery, Commerce. The infected plants, all camellias, originated from Monrovia Nurseries in Azusa (Los Angeles county), California. Only these imported plants have tested positive for SOD. No plants grown or originating in Georgia have tested positive for SOD. Hundreds of samples have already been processed through the Extension Plant Pathology laboratory in Athens, and more are in the process of being evaluated. Additional nurseries are likely to be identified as soon as the US Department of Agriculture confirms our results. This only means that even more homeowners will likely contact county agents with questions about SOD on their plants. SOD has killed oaks in California and Oregon, and has the potential to kill eastern oak species as well. Oak tree infection is a virtual “dead-end” for the fungal pathogen. It infects through the bark of oak trees and causes girdling cankers to develop that kills the tree. The cankers are referred to as “bleeding cankers” because the sites of infection ooze sap and are often darkly discolored. I have received many calls concerning oak trees dying across Georgia. SOD has not been identified on oaks in Georgia. Years of drought, followed by very wet conditions in 2003, that has lead to root decay is most often the cause of oak decline and mortality across the state. Insect borers also may have attacked the weakened trees contributing to their decline. Borer infestations often cause sap oozing or bleeding along the trunk that can stain the trunk black. Oak infection is a “dead-end” for the disease because the fungus is not known to produce spores on infected oaks. Therefore, the disease does not spread from infected oaks. Rather, the fungus infects numerous shrub hosts that are often found in association with oak forests or in landscapes. These include camellia, rhododendron, viburnum, rose, honeysuckle, and many more. A complete list of hosts can be found within the links provided below. These hosts are not killed by the disease, but leaf spots and blighting often occur that resembles leaf scorch symptoms. The fungus then produces abundant spores (sporangia) on the infected leaves that are mostly water-splashed to adjacent plants. Research in California also has recovered P. ramorum from soil beneath infected plants, as well as within soil contaminating hiker’s boots, bike tires, and clothing. P. ramorum is unlike other Phytophthora species in that it does not seem to infect the roots of plants – only the aboveground parts of the plant. Provided below are links to various websites containing information on SOD. Many include pictures of infected plants. Take a look at these to familiarize yourself with SOD symptoms, particularly on camellia. One of the other symptoms associated with camellia infection, aside from the tan to brown, zoned, water-soaked leaf spots that begin at the leaf tip and progress down the leaf toward the petiole, is excessive leaf drop. The GA Department of Agriculture (GDA) also has provided answers pertaining to SOD in Georgia in a question and answer format available at this attachment [link](http://search1.georgia.gov/search?q=cache:VnuHR3Zk-54J:agr.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/Sudden%2520Oak%2520Death.doc+sudden+oak+death&site=agr&client=georgia&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=georgia&ie=UTF-8&access=p&oe=UTF-8). Feel free to use any of this information within your newspaper articles or radio programs. When asked if a homeowner should dig up their potentially SOD infected plant, please let them know that we are not recommending the digging up and removing of plants from the landscape. Removal of the plants could actually spread the disease faster and farther as infected plants may wind up in municipal wastes and be shredded for use as landscape mulch. It is better to have homeowners who purchased Monrovia Nursery plants to monitor them and contact county agents to have suspect samples submitted to the Homeowner Plant Disease Clinic in Griffin. The GDA information sheet has more information pertaining to this. Monrovia Nursery plants are “branded” plants in that they are grown and sold in specially labeled pots with “Monrovia” written across the side, as well as larger, colorful plant labels. We are only concerned about plants that may have been purchased and planted within the last year, and possibly conservatively two years. Plants that have been established within a landscape for many years are unlikely to be infected with SOD. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Mulch, Oak, Pots, Soil --- ### [Japanese Beetles - Employment for Son](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetles-employment-for-son/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Few things are more disheartening than finding three little Japanese beetle bottoms sticking merrily in the air as they munch the center of a perfect rose bloom. I have ’em and they are very well fed. Fortunately, I also have an eight year-old who needs money. He earns a penny for each beetle he captures in a cup of water. Compared to other gardeners, I don’t have many beetles so hand-picking serves my needs. The insecticide carbaryl (Sevin, Eight, etc.) can be sprayed on them if you have thousands. MORE INFORMATION [Japanese Beetles](http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/trees/ef409.htm) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Japanese Beetle --- ### [Aphids - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/aphids-control/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** If you want to become an aphid expert, early summer is the best time to easily find them in your landscape. The tips of rose and crapemyrtle branches usually have dozens or hundreds of these sap-sucking insects. Many plants can tolerate a moderate number of aphids without injury. But aphids can feed so heavily that leaves are distorted and flower buds fall off. SOOTY MOLD Aphids have two tubes projecting from the hind end of their body. When the insect ingests too much sap, a sweet liquid called “honeydew” drips from the tubes. The honeydew covers leaves below a group of aphids. A black fungus called sooty mold then grows on the leaf surface and causes much consternation to gardeners. The mold doesn’t hurt the leaves but it does cut down on photosynthesis. BLAST ‘EM OFF One way to control aphids is to blast them off with a stream from your hose. They might be able to migrate back onto the plant but insect predators will have easy pickings while the aphids are on the ground. Use an insecticidal soap on your branch tips if the plant is too remote from a water source. Aphids are also naturally controlled by lady beetles, lacewings and hover flies. Tiny parasitic wasps lay their eggs inside aphids. The hatching wasp larvae consume the inside parts of the aphid, then exit to find another aphid to parasitize. [SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES](http://www.walterreeves.com/wordpress/tools-and-chemicals/systemic-insecticide/) Nature does its best to control aphids with beneficial insects. For this reason I do not recommend spraying an aphid-infested plant with contact insecticide. Some [systemic insecticides](http://www.walterreeves.com/wordpress/tools-and-chemicals/systemic-insecticide/), however, only poison the sap of the plant. I have had excellent results with imidacloprid. It is applied as a drench in spring and gives season-long control of aphids, azalea lacebug and whitefly. ![](/uploads/JPGs/aphidrose.JPG) aphids on rose stem **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Azalea, Fall, Poison, Spring, Summer --- ### [How to Thoroughly Water](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-thoroughly-water/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** You’d think I would know better but this spring I learned even more about what *thoroughly water* means. I started two big flats of coleus and aster seeds, first filling the flats with seed-starting soil then scattering the seeds on top. I watered everything and waited seven days. The seeds sprouted out of the soil and I moved them under my homemade [PVC Light Stand](http://www.walterreeves.com/how_to/article.phtml?cat=26&id=354) to grow for a week. A few days later, the seedlings began to wilt. I sprayed the soil until it was soggy on top. Next day, the seedlings were limp again. I sprayed again. Not until the third wilting did I think to check the soil under the seedlings after I sprayed. Was I surprised!! The top half-inch was wet – – but the bottom two inches were dry! I simply was not *thoroughly watering* the soil. With predictions of summer drought and water restrictions looming, it is more important than ever to place water down where the roots can get it. Don’t turn off your hose just because the soil is soppy. Check with a trowel to make sure the earth is wet six inches deep. You might find, like I did, that your water isn’t penetrating as far as you think. One rule of thumb is to give a plant one gallon of water per foot of height. Since a hose at full blast delivers five gallons per minute, you’d need to water a chest-high rose bush a full minute before moving to the next one. If you’re watering annual and perennial flower beds, spend sixty seconds watering every ten square feet of bed area. **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Watering --- ### [Plant Names - Deciphering](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plant-names-deciphering/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** The caller to my radio show a few Saturdays ago proffered a simple question: “What should I do with my Sammy Chips shrub? It has brown tips on the branches.” Sammy Chips? I’m familiar with banana shrub, sweet shrub, pea shrub and shrub roses but I’d never heard of a Sammy Chips shrub. Muttering to myself, I stammered, “Does this shrub have leaves or needles?” “Oh, it has needles! They are the prettiest gray-green color you can imagine! They told me it was a new kind of Sammy Chips shrub at the nursery.” Bingo! My caller had mis-heard the plant’s name at the garden center. Not a Sammy Chips shrub, her plant was a *Chamaecyparis* (pronounced “Kam-e-sip-a-ris”). It’s easy to understand how, in her hurry to purchase, the name could be mangled. NOT THE FIRST TIME This wasn’t the first time a caller has stumped me with a plant name. Years ago I was asked about the culture of a Confederate rose. I confidently stated that it should be pruned in early spring, two months before it bloomed. I had not yet learned that Confederate rose is not a rose at all: it’s a hibiscus and it blooms in late fall. Rose of Sharon is also a hibiscus, while rose moss is actually Portulaca grandiflora. Moss roses, on the other hand, ARE roses and are close kin to the cabbage rose. Deciphering the common name (as opposed to the scientific name) we attach to plants is enough to make your head pound! HARRY LAUDER Speaking of odd plant names, I recently learned from a radio listener the history behind Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick, *Corylus avellana* ‘Contorta’. I have long admired the big shrub at Mr. Cason’s Vegetable Garden at Callaway Gardens. Sir Harry Lauder was a renowned Scottish singer and entertainer before and during World War I. His stage act consisted of caricatures of Scottish habits and heroes plus a medley of folk and patriotic songs. With his flamboyant personality, kilt and a peculiar curly walking stick, he entertained audiences across the world. “The Laird of the Music Hall” died in 1950 but his name lingers on in landscapes across the country. MY SIGNATURE PLANTS I had occasion to visit Gene Griffith and Elizabeth Dean at Wilkerson Mill Gardens (www.hydrangea.com) a few months ago. Among their extensive collection of woody plants I found my own namesake – a Walter dogwood (*Cornus walteri*). Although little known in the horticulture trade, Dr. Michael Dirr describes it as “a meritorious plant, deserving of wider use” (of course!). I now have a small specimen happily growing in my landscape now, near a Reeves spirea (*Spirea cantoniensis*). I’m still looking for a Reeves skimmia (*Skimmia reevesiana*) or some Walter’s millet (*Echinochloa walteri*) for a second eponymous planting. NAMES ARE IMPORTANT I’m often asked to recommend plants for specific situations. While I can sometimes give a few suggestions, most often, my list closes with this admonition: buy the ‘named’ variety of this plant! I’ve seen time and again the superior performance of plants which have been selected and named by a plant breeder or other horticulturist. The sweet clove scent of ‘Bath’s Pink’ dianthus recently perfumed the air at the University of Georgia Research and Education Garden in Griffin. Selected from her mother’s garden in the early Eighties by Jane Bath at Land Arts Nursery in Monroe (770-267-4500), it has gained a reputation for hardiness across the country. Local landscape designer Jimmy Stewart noticed the superior performance of a particular Shasta daisy in his garden. Named after his wife, ‘Becky’ Shasta daisy is very heat tolerant and disease resistant. Of course, sometimes naming a plant is equal parts humor and horticulture. Atlanta nurseryman Bobby Saul initiated the ItSaul brand name just for the fun of naming his ‘ItSaul White’ dianthus and his ItSaul Natural planting soil. Saul’s recent introductions, ‘Banana’ lantana and ‘Carlos’ lantana, appeal to gardeners who enjoy good plants and good-natured garden conversation. Though scientific names are important when you seek a specific plant, the common name of a plant can help you find exceptional beauty and hardiness plus, perhaps, a short history lesson. And if you discover a chance seedling that deserves merit there is no rule in the world that prevents you from naming it ‘Bubber’s Best’ begonia or ‘Septic Tank Wonder’ weigela. ![](/uploads/JPGs/chamaecyparis.JPG) Chamaecyparis ‘Gold Mop’ **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Dogwood, Fall, Hydrangea, Seed, Soil, Spring --- ### [How To Get Rid of Stumps](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-get-rid-of-stumps/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Mother Nature has been cooking stumps for millions of years. Given moisture and warmth, insects and fungi consume the tissue of the stump, converting it to soil humus. All you need to do is to accelerate the natural process of decomposition. THE RECIPE First, use a drill to bore holes as deeply as possible into the stump. A circular saw or even a hatchet can be used to cut and rough up the exterior. Next, sprinkle a good layer of “woods dirt” over the stump. (“Woods dirt” is just the top layer of soil on the ground beneath your trees.) Try to pack it into any holes in the stump. Sprinkle a cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer over the stump as well. Finish by lightly misting the area – to make a “frosting” of brown soil on the stump. HEAT UNTIL DONE To warm the stump, cover it with clear polyethylene plastic, anchored to the ground with rocks and limbs. The plastic will trap solar heat underneath and make the stump a cozy home for the organisms that will feed on it. Admittedly, the plastic is not very attractive. The look can be softened by laying a few bare branches over the mound and planting fast growing vines around the edges. Morning glory or purple hyacinth bean vines will result in a riot of blooms and color until fall. English ivy makes a more evergreen covering. The stump will be well on its way out in a year. CHEMICALS NO HELP Hardware stores sell products that promise to decompose roots rapidly by chemical action. The chemical is poured into holes drilled into your stump and allowed to soak into the wood.Typically the instructions recommend that after six months you pour kerosene on the stump and light it – burning away the wood. While this process might destroy the stump marginally faster, outdoor burning is usually illegal in most urban areas. **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** English Ivy, Fall, Fertilizer, Moisture, Oak, Soil, Stumps --- ### [How to Mass Propagate Shrubs from Cuttings](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-propagate-shrubs-from-cuttings/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** June is the perfect time to propagate shrubs. Whether it’s your great-grandmother’s rose or just a favorite hydrangea, we all have situations where we want to make clones of a single plant. A garden friend sent me pictures of his propagation setup and they seemed easy to understand. I’ll let him describe it: *Last June, I attempted to root 200 cuttings from camellia, gardenia, rhododendron, azalea and hydrangea. Most (140) of the cuttings rooted successfully and were transplanted to pots in October. I covered these plants, which are between 6 to 12 inches high, with pine straw to protect them during the winter. The plants will be permanently planted in my yard in the spring.* Here’s how I did it: 2″ x 8″ treated pine was used. The big box is 8 ft long with a two foot long piece of 2″ x 8″ between each end. The 3 dividers are two feet long 2″ x 8″ spaced 2 ft. apart to create four 2 ft. x 2 ft. boxes in each big box. (The home improvement store cut the wood for me.) *I put two 8ft. boxes bolted end to end in a protected shaded area.* Weed cloth is stapled to the bottom of the entire 8 ft length to retain soil but allow drainage. The box is placed on a bed of leaves, providing for additional drainage and keeping the water from pooling under the box. The boxes are filled 5″ deep with rooting media I made with the following ratio: 1 bag sand 1 bag perlite 1/8 bag peatmoss *Cuttings were 9″ to 12″ long, each spaced 6″ apart. The cuttings were dipped in Rootone hormone powder.* All plants were watered with mist every other day to keep the soil moist. **Bob P.** ![](/uploads/JPGs/propbox4.JPG) ![](/uploads/JPGs/propbox3.JPG) ![](/uploads/JPGs/propbox1.JPG) **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Azalea, Hydrangea, Pine, Pine Straw, Pots, Shade, Soil, Spring, Weed, Winter --- ### [How to Buy Fertilizer](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-buy-fertilizer/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** For a couple of years now, I have presented a talk entitled “You Can’t Get Any Lower Than Dirt!” to gardening groups in the Southeast. I talk about why organic matter is so important to your soil and why adding lime is one of the most important things you can do. The highlight of the presentation (for me, anyway) is when I select an audience member to help me teach what the numbers on a fertilizer bag mean. As the volunteer nervously stands before the group, I deliver a cockamamie story about how he was once a ‘student’ of John Travolta. I proclaim that my victim is still a closet disco dancer and I invite him to assume the famous pose Travolta made famous in advertisements for “Saturday Night Fever”. One finger in the air, hand clutching a Buzz Lightyear toy; one finger pointed downward, hand grasping an Energizer bunny; his knee encircled by a lace garter, my straight man vows never again to volunteer to help anyone. Grateful that they were not selected, my audience chuckles as they learn that the numbers on a fertilizer bag stand for “Up – Down – All Around”. The pose of the hapless “disco dancer” rivets their attention to the rudiments of fertilizer knowledge. Steve Viner, though, e-mailed me recently inquiring about the merits and uses of *fast release* versus *slow release* fertilizers. “I understand to use the quick release fertilizers per directions monthly through June.” he said. “But with slow release, how does one know how much and how often to fertilize shrubs?” Although they cost a little more, I like slow-release fertilizers for some garden uses. Plants, like people, don’t need to eat one big meal and then starve for several days. Most slow-release fertilizers are manufactured with a coating on the particles. Water dissolves just a bit of the chemical inside each time it rains. Nearby plants are fed slowly, without shocking their system. The “numbers” on slow-release products are typically twice (or more) higher in the nitrogen field (the first number on the bag). You can now purchase slow-release 18-6-12 and 29-3-4 fertilizers versus the old standby 10-10-10. The label will recommend an application rate approximately twice the rate that is normally recommended for 10-10-10 (i.e. 2 tbs./foot of height vs 1 tbs./ foot of height) In other words, the slow-release products recommend applying a twice-as-concentrated chemical at twice the rate of 10-10-10. That gives an effective four months of fertilizing! The coating on the granules plus the chemical make-up of the nutrients allow the high rate to be applied only once a season without burning the plant roots. AND NOW, SOME MATH MAGIC You might wonder how fertilizer makers figure out how much fertilizer to apply to your lawn or landscape. Most outdoor plants need between three and six pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 sq. feet of root area per year (lawns need more, trees need less). Notice the phrase *actual nitrogen*. It is supremely important because the numbers on fertilizer products vary so widely. A bag of 29-3-4 contains twenty nine percent actual nitrogen. A bag of 5-10-15 contains only five percent actual nitrogen. Without going into the magic behind the numbers, you can easily figure out how much fertilizer to apply. Just divide the first number on a fertilizer bag into 100. The result is the number of pounds of that product you’ll need to supply one pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Example: for 10-10-10…….divide 10 into 100. The result is 10. Therefore, you need to apply 10 pounds of 10-10-10 to 1000 square feet monthly in order to apply 1 pound of actual nitrogen to that area during the height of the growing season (April – June). Magic! Example: for 29-3-4……divide 29 into 100. The result is approximately 3. You need to apply 3 pounds of 29-3-3 to 1000 square feet in order to apply 1 pound of actual nitrogen to your lawn. Magic again! Yes, the rates of the other two nutrients (phosphorus and potassium) in a fertilizer bag are important. If your soil is low in one or both, your plants will benefit if you correct the situation…but not as dramatically as applying the correct amount of nitrogen. Dr. Wayne Jordan, head of the Georgia Soil Testing laboratory, says that only thirty six percent of the samples he receives are low in phosphorus and only twenty one percent are low in potassium. The best way to know which fertilizer to use and in what amount is to have your soil tested by a private lab or by the Soil Testing Laboratory, through your county Extension office. FERTILIZERS – CONFUSED WHEN BUYING? I recently saw a description of a fertilizer in a newspaper. It said that a 12 ounce bottle of the stuff provided the same level of nutrients as a 25 pound bag of 20-8-6! Intrigued by the narrative, I called the manufacturer of the product. A spokesperson said that the article had misquoted her, confusing their 5 gallon product with their smaller, homeowner product. That made sense to me because it is impossible for 12 ounces of fertilizer to equal 25 pounds of plant food. Later, I wondered how many other readers had gotten the opposite impression. This leads me into a discussion of fertilizer claims in general. Master Gardeners and Extension agents all over Atlanta report a constant stream of questions about what is the “right” fertilizer for their roses or tomatoes or lawn grass. At garden centers homeowners find many competing brands of “Rose Fertilizer”, “Azalea Fertilizer”, “Tomato Fertilizer” and “Lawn Fertilizer”. Which is the correct choice? The three nutrient numbers on the containers provide little help in determining which product is best for their plants. This confusing situation has been produced by marketers, seeking increased sales, not gardeners endeavoring to have healthier plants. Marketers and advertisers excel at creating “choices” for the gardener. While there are sometimes advantages offered by competing brands of fertilizer, great graphics do not make a good fertilizer product. In my experience, plants do not read fancy labels. (BI) You (EI) read the labels and decide what to buy. So, how do you decide what will best feed your plants? You can give them what they need by remembering this simple phrase: “UP – DOWN – ALL AROUND”. In simple terms, the first number on a fertilizer bag promotes the growth of leaves (UP), the second number promotes roots (DOWN) and the third number promotes resistance to stress (ALL AROUND). If you intend to fertilize your lawn, look for a product that has a higher first number. From this, you know that a bag of 16-4-8 or 29-3-4 will keep your lawn green if you follow the application rate on the label. Similarly, 6-8-8 or 18-29-6 work well as root-stimulating fertilizers. An additional benefit of a fertilizer having a high middle number is that flowering and seed production are also increased. Most “winterizer” fertilizers (22-3-16, etc) contain a high amount of the last number: the nutrient Potassium. Gardeners with heart problems know how important it is to monitor their potassium levels. Potassium helps plants maintain thick cell walls and to resist stress. What fertilizers do I use? I keep bags of 16-4-8, 10-10-10 and 0-0-60 in my garden shed. With them I can feed almost all of my landscape plants. I also use slow-release fertilizer pellets (Osmocote, Sta-Green, DynaMite, etc.) for my annuals when I plant them. I find the water-soluble fertilizer liquids useful when I need to give nutrients to individual plants. My plants are happy and green and my pocketbook is thicker when I use these basic fertilizers. **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** Azalea, Container, Fertilizer, Seed, Soil, Tomatoes, Winter --- ### [Garden Phrases - Misunderstood](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/garden-phrases-misunderstood/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I was reading late at night recently when I came upon a phrase that chilled my soul: “Dress with dried blood to accelerate.” Did it concern the latest Hollywood terror flick? Was it directions for driving a getaway car? Are fashion designers upping the ante on the catwalks of Milan? Actually, none of the above. It came from a gardening tome published in the 1930’s and dealt with their notion of how to promote better peony growth with the addition of organic fertilizer. Unless you know the garden vernacular, your initial reaction might be the same as mine. I relish telling a tale from several years ago when I gave a bag of bulbs as a housewarming gift to my friend Karl and his wife. Never having gardened before, they stared, big-eyed, at the assortment of daffodils and tulips I proffered. “What should we do with them now?”, they inquired. “Oh, just prepare a bed and put them in it”, I casually replied. “Surely you don’t mean we have to SLEEP with them?!” they squealed in unison. I quickly reassured them that “preparing a bed” was a gardening term and had nothing to do with their night time arrangements. Ever since, I have tried to keep them in mind when explaining garden tasks to beginners. I also keep in mind that we are ALL beginners at some aspect of gardening. Even garden experts might run across a term or phrase they’ve never encountered. Today, let’s examine some garden words and phrases that are commonly mis-interpreted. **PREPARE A BED** Just as a lumpy mattress and thin covers make for a miserable night for a couple, heavy soil and skimpy mulch can make life miserable for a plant. Whether you’re planting bulbs, a butterfly bush or begonias, the roots of your plant MUST be happy in order for it to thrive. What makes roots happy? Organic matter! Few gardeners have perfect soil in which to plant. Their soil may be too sandy, too wet, too dry or too full of clay. Mixing organic soil conditioner with the soil to a depth of eight inches or more makes good gardening soil out of the poorest dirt. I have lots of clay in my landscape soil. When I prepare a bed, I spade up the existing soil as deeply as I can with a round-point shovel. Onto my loosened pile I pour a two cubic foot bag of soil conditioner for every ten square feet of bed. On top goes two bags of Quikrete All-Purpose Sand. I also scatter a pint of garden lime and a half-bag of hen manure on the site. My Mantis tiller makes short work of mixing it all together but, if the soil is moderately dry, a shovel is almost as fast. I rake the bed smooth, stand back a minute to admire my handiwork and then drink some iced tea, secure in the knowledge that this PREPARED BED will be a happy home for anything I plant there. **WELL-DRAINED** I was explaining to someone recently that flowering cherry trees absolutely require well-drained soil to succeed. “Well, that’s not a problem,” they responded, “I’m planting on a slope, so water drains right past it.” “Sloping soil is usually *poorly drained*,” I replied. “Your cherry will be dead in a year if you plant it on that eroded clay bank.” It is important to distinguish between *surface drainage* and *soil drainage*. Water inevitably flows down hill. That is surface drainage. Soil drainage, though, is what happens to moisture when it soaks through the earth around a plant’s roots. Roots must have oxygen around them. Clay and water in the soil cut off oxygen. Going back to my recipe for bed preparation above, notice the sand I added. It, plus the organic soil conditioner, helps water soak past roots underground. Once the water is gone, oxygen flows into the soil and roots take a happy breath of life. **THOROUGHLY WATER** You’d think I would know better but this spring I learned even more about what *thoroughly water* means. I started two big flats of coleus and aster seeds, first filling the flats with seed-starting soil then scattering the seeds on top. I watered everything and waited seven days. The seeds sprouted out of the soil and I moved them under my [PVC light stand ](http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/pdf/portpvc1.pdf) to grow for a week. A few days later, the seedlings began to wilt. I sprayed the soil until it was soggy on top. Next day, the seedlings were limp again. I sprayed again. Not until the third wilting did I think to check the soil under the seedlings after I sprayed. Was I surprised!! The top half-inch was wet – – but the bottom two inches were dry! I simply was not ^thoroughly watering^ the soil. With predictions of summer drought and water restrictions looming, it is more important than ever to place water down where the roots can get it. Don’t turn off your hose just because the soil is soppy. Check with a trowel to make sure the earth is wet six inches deep. You might find, like I did, that your water isn’t penetrating as far as you think. One rule of thumb is to give a plant one gallon of water per foot of height. Since a hose at full blast delivers five gallons per minute, you’d need to water a chest-high rose bush a full minute before moving to the next one. If you’re watering annual and perennial flower beds, spend sixty seconds watering every ten square feet of bed area. Garden words that seem to mean one thing may actually mean something else. To keep your garden happy, you have to learn the language of gardeners and properly apply the words to your outdoor tasks. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Butterfly, Cherry, Daffodil, Fertilizer, Manure, Moisture, Mulch, Oak, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Tulip, Watering --- ### [Flowers for Damp Soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/flowers-for-damp-soil/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Special note about coastal plants and plants for wet/damp areas in gardens: Only regionally native plants should be used along beaches, coastal and savannah restoration areas. For home gardens with wet/damp areas, non-native plants that are not invasive are suitable. However, if the wet/damp area in question is along a stream, river, creek or lake then only regionally native plants should be used. Astilbe Full sun -half sun Bee balm *Monarda didyma* Full sun -half sun Black snakeroot *Cimifuga racemosa* Half sun Blue cardinal flower *Lobelia syphilitica* Half sun -shade Blue flag iris *Iris brevicaulis* Full sun -half sun Bluets *Houstonia caerulea* Half sun Calla, common *Zantedeschia aethiopica* Full sun -half sun Canna Full sun Cardinal flower *Lobelia cardinalis* Half sun -shade Cinnamon fern *Osmunda cinnamomea* Half sun -shade Crinum Full sun -half sun Daylily *Hemerocallis* Full sun -half sun Elephant’s ear *Colocasia esculenta* Half sun Foam Flower *Tiarella* Half sun -shade Forget-me-not *Myosostis scorpioides* Half sun Globeflower *Trollius* Full sun -half sun Goat’s beard *Aruncus dioicus* Half sun Golden ray *Ligularia* Half sun -shade Greater celandine *Chelidonium majus* Half sun -shade Horsetail *Equisetum hyemale* Full sun -half sun Iris laevigata Full sun -half sun Ironweed *Vernonia noveboracensis* Full sun -half sun Jack-in-the-pulpit *Arisaema triphyllum* Half sun -shade Japanese iris *Iris ensata* Full sun -half sun Japanese primrose *Primula japonica* Half sun Jewel Weed *Impatiens capensis* Half sun -shade Joe-Pye weed *Eupatorium purpureum* Full sun -half sun Lady fern *Athyrium filix-femina* Half sun -shade Louisiana iris *Iris fulva* Full sun -half sun Marsh marigold *Caltha palustris* Full sun -half sun Marsh fern *Thelpteris palustris* Half sun -shade Mint *Mentha* Full sun -half sun Monkshood *Aconitum* Full sun -half sun Moor grass *Molinia caerulea* Full sun -half sun New England aster *Aster novae-angliae* Full sun Pentas *Pentas lanceolate* Full sun -half sun Queen of the Meadow *Filipendula ulmaria* Full sun Perennial hibiscus *Hibiscus moscheutos* Full sun Rivercane *Arundinaria gigantea* Half sun -shade River oats *Chasmanthium latifolium* Full sun -half sun Rodgersia Half sun Royal fern *Osmunda regalis* Full sun -half sun Rush, common *Juncus effusus* Full sun -shade Sedge *Carex* Half sun -shade Sensitive fern *Onoclea sensibilis* Full sun Siberian iris *Iris sibirica* Full sun -half sun Southern blue flag *Iris virginica* Full sun -half sun Spiderwort *Tradescantia virginiana* Full sun -half sun Swamp Hibiscus *Hibiscus coccineus* Full sun Swamp milkweed *Asclepias incarnata* Full sun Swamp sunflower *Helianthus angustifolium* Full sun Sweet flag *Acorus gramineus* Full sun -half sun Sweet woodruff *Galium odoratum* Half sun -shade White turtlehead *Chelone glabra* Full sun -half sun Yellow flag *Iris pseudacorus* Full sun -half sun **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Daylily, Flowers, Native Plant, Shade, Soil, Spider, Sunflower, Weed --- ### [Plants with Colorful Fall Foliage](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-with-colorful-fall-foliage/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** TREES American beech *Fagus grandifolia* Full sun -half sun Ash *Fraxinus* Full sun Bald cypress *Taxodium distichum* Full sun Beech *Fagus* Full sun -half sun Birch *Betula* Full sun Black cherry *Prunus serotina* Full sun Black gum *Nyssa sylvatica* Full sun -half sun Black locust *Robinia pseudoacacia* Full sun Callery pear *Pyrus calleryana* Full sun Carolina Silverbell *Halesia Carolina* Half sun Chinese pistache *Pistacia chinensis* Full sun Chinese quince *Pseudocydonia sinensis* Full sun Crape myrtle *Lagerstroemia indica* Full sun Dawn redwood *Metasequoia glyptostroboides* Full sun Edible fig *Ficus carica* Full sun Flowering dogwood *Cornus florida* Full sun -half sun Franklin tree *Franklinia altamaha* Full sun -half sun Grancy graybeard *Chionanthus virginicus* Full sun Hackberry *Celtis occidentalis* Full sun -half sun Hawthorn *Crataegus* (some) Full sun Honey locust *Gleditsia triacanthos* Full sun Ironwood *Carpinus caroliniana* Full sun -half sun Japanese maple *Acer palmatum* Full sun -half sun Juneberry *Amelanchier arborea* Full sun -half sun Katsura tree *Cercidiphyllum japonicum* Full sun -half sun Kentucky coffee tree *Gymnocladus dioica* Full sun Larch *Larix* Full sun Linden *Tilia* Full sun Maidenhair tree *Ginkgo biloba* Full sun Maple *Acer* (many) Full sun Mountain ash *Sorbus* Full sun -half sun Oak *Quercus* (deciduous) Full sun Ohio buckeye *Aesculus glabra* Full sun -half sun Osage orange *Maclura pomifera* Full sun Pawpaw *Asimina triloba* Full sun -half sun Persimmon *Diospyros* Full sun Redbud *Cercis canadensis* Full sun -half sun Sassafras *Sassafras albidum* Full sun Shagbark hickory *Carya ovata* Full sun Sourwood *Oxydendrum arboreum* Full sun -half sun Southern wild crab *Malus angustifolia* Full sun Stewartia Full sun -half sun Sweet gum *Liquidambar styraciflua* Full sun Tulip poplar *Lirodendron tulipifera* Full sun Yellow wood *Cladrastis lutea* Full sun Yoshino flowering cherry *Prunus yedoensis* Full sun Yulan magnolia *Magnolia denudata* Full sun -half sun Shrubs -with Colorful Fall Foliage Azalea *Rhododendron* (deciduous) Half sun Beautyberry *Callicarpa americana* Full sun -half sun Bottlebrush buckeye *Aesculus parviflora* Full sun -half sun Chinese jujube *Ziziphus jujuba* Full sun Chokeberry *Aronia* Full sun -half sun Cotoneaster (most deciduous) Full sun Crape myrtle *Lagerstroemia indica* Full sun Devil’s walking stick *Aralia spinosa* Full sun -half sun Dusty zenobia *Zenobia pulverulenta* Half sun Farkleberry *Vaccinium arboreum* Full sun -half sun Fothergilla Full sun -half sun Heart’s-a-bustin’ *Euonymus americanus* Full sun -half sun Japanese kerria *Kerria japonica* Full sun -half sun ‘Miss Kim’ lilac *Syringe patula* ‘Miss Kim’ Full sun -half sun Oakleaf hydrangea *Hydrangea quercifolia* Full sun -half sun Oriental photinia *Photinia villosa* Full sun Persian parrotia *Parrotia persica* Full sun Pomegranate *Punica granatum* Full sun Redvein enkianthus *Enkianthus campanulatus* Full sun -half sun Rose *Rosa* (some) Full sun -half sun Shadblow serviceberry *Amelanchier canadensis* Full sun -half sun Smoke tree *Cotinus coggygria* Full sun Spicebush *Lindera benzoin* Full sun -half sun Star magnolia *Magnolia stellata* Full sun -half sun Sumac *Rhus* Full sun Sweet pepperbush *Clethra alnifolia* Half sun Sweetshrub *Calycanthus floridus* Full sun -half sun Sweetbells *Leucothoe racemosa* Half sun -shade Titi *Cyrilla racemiflora* Full sun -half sun Viburnum (many) Virginia sweetspire *Itea virginica* Full sun -half sun Winged euonymus *Euonymus alata* Full sun -half sun Winterberry *Ilex verticillata* Full sun -half sun Wintersweet *Chimonanthus praecox* Full sun -half sun Witch hazel, common *Hamamelis virginiana* Full sun -half sun VINES Boston ivy *Parthenocissus tricuspidata* Full sun -half sun Crossvine *Bignonia capreolata* Full sun Grape *Vitis* Full sun Virginia creeper *Parthenocissus quinquefolia* Full sun -half sun **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Azalea, Cherry, Crape Myrtle, Dogwood, Fall, Hydrangea, Japanese Maple, Magnolia, Maple, Oak, Shade, Tulip, Winter --- ### [Tropical Plants for Pool Area](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tropical-plants-for-pool-area/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Tropical plants look great around a pool. Look for plants that have big leaves and lots of flowers or colorful foliage. Here are some candidates that come to mind: Trees: Big-leaf magnolia Cucumber magnolia Sweet-bay magnolia Shrubs: Swamp hibiscus (mallow) Scarlet hibiscus Confederate rose Tropical hibiscus (will need to be brought indoors for winter) Perennials: Umbrella plant (papyrus) Canna Elephant ear (needs heavy winter mulch) Banana (needs heavy winter mulch) Annuals: Coleus (many colors and leaf shapes) Sweet potato vine Caladium Morning glory vine Cypress vine Purple hyacinth bean Moon vine **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Flowers, Magnolia, Mulch, Winter --- ### [Plants That Move](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-that-move/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I was recently asked by a writer for a list of plants that have a suggestion of movement in their name. I posed the question to my Florida Extension colleagues who help me with “Your Southern Garden”. Over dinner at a nice Mexican restaurant, we came up with the following: quaking aspen running bamboo running cedar (pine) creeping fig jumping bean wandering Jew climbing fern walking iris climbing hydrangea Flying dragon citrus Rambling rose Walking palm creeping thyme clumping bamboo tumbleweed travelers palm spiral ginger spiral juncus shooting star weeping willow creeping Jenny creeping Charlie creeping fescue creeping raspberry nodding thistle nodding onion I don’t know who came up with this last one, but it wasn’t me! Screw pine And here are even more, suggested by my Facebook friends weeping blue atlas cedar creeping rosemary bleeding heart climbing rose Virginia creeper hearts a burstin’ white runner beans touch-me-nots climbing hempweed climbing milkweed floating bladderwort flaming Katy weeping cherry snapdragon walking onion Johnny jump up climbing hydrangea, Knock Out Rose creeping phlox turnip greens (turn up – get it?) ![](/uploads/JPGs/creepingfig.JPG) creeping fig on garage door **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Beans, Cherry, Hydrangea, Onion, Pine, Raspberry, Travel, Weed --- ### [Jackman clematis](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/jackman-clematis/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Clematis jackmanii* Big, bold, beautiful and deep purple, this summer clematis is hard to miss, especially when you see it adorning its usual spot -a mailbox. This is without a doubt one of the most popular clematis species on the market. There are dozens of cultivars. Easier to grow than some of the earlier blooming varieties, the Jackman clematis is the vine of choice when you need to make a noisy statement with flowers. Growing a bit shorter than other clematis, the Jackman clematis can be used in locations where a smaller-statured vine is needed. Like most clematis, this variety is somewhat bland looking when not in bloom and lends itself well as a “mixer” with other vines or shrubs that are more appealing in appearance. Bloom Period and Seasonal Color Perennial; deciduous; various color flowers, depending on variety, in summer Light Requirements Full sun, Part sun/shade When, Where, and How to Plant Plant Jackman clematis either in fall or spring. Because of its early summer bloom, spring planting is preferable. Install in a location where the top of the plant receives full sun (although light shade is tolerated) but where the roots and base of the plant are protected by shade. The soil should be fertile and moist but well drained. Amend compacted soil with a 3 inch layer of soil conditioner mixed to a depth of 6-8 inches. Growing Tips Water young plants weekly until showing vigorous growth. Once established, they can handle mild drought, but may need supplemental water in extremely dry weather. Use a half-tablespoon of 10-10-10 per foot of height in April with a secondary dose of a “bloom booster” fertilizer about a month later. Mulch 2 – 3 inches thick protect the roots from heat and to retain soil moisture. Care Jackman clematis blooms on the current season’s growth and will often bloom better when pruned in early spring before new growth appears. Remove dead or diseased growth anytime. The vine will sometimes wilt for no apparent reason. Prune out the dead parts and it will likely make new sprouts from closer to the ground. Companion Planting and Design Jackman clematis, with its very showy flowers, makes a great vertical focal point in the garden when trained on a wire obelisk. Because it is shorter, it can be used in large containers or on a small trellis. It mixes well with climbing roses, often blooming at the same time as the repeat blooming rose varieties. For a real eye-catcher, mix the dark purple flowers with a softer pink rose. You might also see this vine used successfully climbing through evergreen shrubs such as holly or loropetalum. My Personal Favorites ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Comtesse de Bouchard’ and ‘Elsa Spath’ are the most common varieties found at nurseries. Try them if you are a clematis novice but look for other cultivars when you perfect your clematis skills. **Categories:** Vines, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Moisture, Mulch, Pears, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Trellis --- ### [Disease Control - Fungicides](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/disease-control-fungicides/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** A friend of mine recently told me about his drugstore bill. “It takes more than $100.00 per month to control my high blood pressure and cholesterol!” he complained. “I guess those hamburgers we enjoyed in college weren’t so good for me in the long run.” His observation was correct. Those Bulldog Burgers (with fries) we once consumed with abandon have insidiously reappeared in our older lives. Sure, we could have chosen rice and tofu back then …. but we were invincible college kids. We ate, drank and played like there was no tomorrow! Tomorrow has finally arrived for my chum. It has also arrived for lawn owners who are dealing with brown patch caused by excess rain this summer. Rose growers report that black spot is defoliating their plants. Both brown patch and black spot are expensive to cure. I won’t claim that they could have been prevented in this exceptionally wet year but I do know how to lessen their spread. **BROWN PATCH** Turf experts agree that overwatering is the biggest condition that leads to brown patch. Even so, I’ve seen irrigation systems merrily spraying the day after a heavy rain soaked a lawn. If there has ever been a summer when irrigation controllers could be turned off, this is the one. No lawn should be watered more than once per week. Irrigate if rainfall doesn’t happen but otherwise let your lawn dry out for at least six days between waterings. Despite letting Mother Nature handle all the irrigation duties, brown patch may still appear. In that case, chemical fungicides are called for. Two chemicals are commonly available: myclobutanil (Fung-Away Granules) and Bayleton (Fung-onil, Bayer Advanced Fungus Control). Both do a good job curing lawn diseases – but the process will be expensive. One product recommends applying eight pounds ($19.99) per 1000 square feet every 14 days. A typical 5000 square foot lawn would eat up $300.00 in a month. It’s a lot cheaper to better manage irrigation and fertilizer! **BLACK SPOT** 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. Earthkind(tm) roses, released by Texas A&M University, are reputed to be excellent in this regard. I have had great results from ‘Knock Out’. Others include ground-cover rose ‘Sea Foam’; dwarf shrub ‘Marie Daly’; small shrubs ‘Caldwell Pink and ‘Perle d’Or’; medium shrubs ‘Belinda’s Dream’, ‘Else Poulsen’, ‘Katy Road Pink’ and ‘Mutabilis Butterfly’; and climber ‘Climbing Pinkie’. Rose fanciers have discovered that black spot can be controlled on susceptible roses with regular applications of fungicide…but again it’s an expensive process. Mancozeb, daconil and myclobutanil are commonly available from local garden centers and should be applied every 7 – 10 days. Two of the best rose fungicides are strobilurin (Compass) and propiconazole (Banner Maxx) but they are only available through specialty retailers on the Internet. The price of these last two? $220.00 per 8 oz. package for Compass and $80.00 per pint for Banner Maxx! To further prevent black spot on susceptible roses be sure to replace their mulch every fall and avoid overhead irrigation. Do your research before you buy a rose; don’t make a decision based on how beautiful it looks on the plant tag. **PREVENTION SAVES MONEY** In retrospect, the burger, fries and pizza diet we enjoyed in college was tasty at the time. The bad effects, however, took thirty years to show up in my friend’s health. If he had chosen a slightly healthier diet, he could be saving $100 a month now. I doubt if brown patch or black spot could have been completely prevented this soggy growing season. A few inexpensive steps of early maintenance and prevention, though, could have made the diseases less severe and less costly. **Categories:** Landscaping **Tags:** Brown Patch, Butterfly, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Irrigation, Mulch, Oak, Summer, Watering --- ### [Ground Covers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ground-covers/) **Published:** December 30, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Q: What would you recommend as a fast growing ground cover in sunny and shady areas? A: For shade, I like Lenten rose or mondo grass. For sun, spreading juniper and purple euonymus are hard to beat. For more groundcover options, visit [ http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/groundcover-for-bank/](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/groundcover-for-bank/). **Categories:** Groundcovers, Landscaping **Tags:** Groundcover, Mondo, Shade --- ### [Apple/Peach Tree Planting](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/applepeach-tree-planting/) **Published:** June 22, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Would it be OK to plant apple and peach trees near each other? I worry the cross pollination would produce a weird fruit.** A: You won’t get an appeach! An apple is in the genus Malus, while a peach belongs to genus Prunus. The two are both in the rose family but they are not close enough kin to be pollen-compatible. Apples pollinate other members of the Malus genus (crabapple, etc.) and peaches pollinate members of the Prunus genus, (plum, apricot, etc.). **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Peach --- ### [Plants with "Daniel" in the name](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-with-daniel-in-the-name/) **Published:** June 22, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Are there any plants with the name Daniel in them? Our children are named Daniel and Heather. We’ve always had heather plants but we’d like to find a plant for Daniel.** A: Using Google, I only found ‘Daniel Ost’ rose but my Facebook Fans came through! Anne H. suggests ‘Daniel Deronda’ clematis; Andrea P. found ‘Daniel Boone’ daylily; Allison H. discovered ‘Daniel’ peace lily; Sarah B. heard about ‘Daniel’ apricot and both Carmen N. and Jana R. propose ‘Daniel Weeks’ hardy ginger. But Marion S.’s husband generously says you can have all the “daniel-ions” you like from his garden. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Daylily --- ### [Eco-friendly Lawn - Plants and Grass](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/eco-friendly-lawn-plants-and-grass/) **Published:** June 22, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I want to convert our backyard to a more eco-friendly lawn. I’d like to see a variety of colors and textures in the area. What do you recommend?** A: I consulted native plant expert Shannon Pable (shannonpable.com). She suggests selfheal, Prunella vulgaris, violets, Viola spp., green ‘n’ gold, Chrysoganum virginianum, mazus, Mazus reptans, and bluestar creeper, Pratia pedunculata. All of these spread readily by seed and runners and stay fairly low. In my experience they are better suited for semi-shade to shade locations. Not many low-growing plants are suitable for a full sun lawn. Consider dwarf yarrow, heat-tolerant bluegrass and groundcover roses in the Drift and Flower Carpet series. **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Groundcover, Native Plant, Seed, Shade --- ### [Deer Resistant Vegetables and Herbs](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/deer-resistant-vegetables-and-herbs/) **Published:** January 23, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Deer Resistant Vegetables and Herbs [taken from NW Farms and Food](http://nwfarmsandfood.com/index.php/deer-resistant-vegetables) If you want to minimize deer damage in an open garden, its best to start with plants that deer don’t like. Deer will “browse” on most anything when wild food sources are low. Some garden edibles, however, are less attractive to these voracious munchers than others. Certain plants, such as rhubarb, are toxic to deer. Deer usually also avoid root vegetables (which require digging) and prickly vegetables such as cucumbers and squashes with hairy leaves. Sharply-odored cultivars like onions, garlic and fennel are not palatable to deer. Similarly, strongly-scented marigolds and herbs can direct deer away from favored munching plants. Please regard the following list of deer-resistant garden plants as a general guide. Hungry deer are unpredictable and at times may eat even the most “deer-resistant” fare! **Deer-Resistant Garden Plants** Tomatoes Asparagus Carrots Cucumbers Eggplant Fennel Garlic Globe Artichokes Leeks Peppers Rhubarb Tomatoes Onions Chives Dill Lavender Lemon Balm Mint Parsley Rosemary Sage Tarragon Thyme Lavender Sage Parsley **Moderately Deer-Resistant** These plants are moderately safe, however, deer may turn to this group of veggies and herbs when favorites are not available. Take care to protect the young shoots, which are always tender and delicious! Beets Bok Choy Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Chard (safest in summer when the deer have other food choices) Corn Kale Melons Potatoes (reports of deer eating “toxic” potato leaves are becoming common) Rutabagas Summer Squash Winter Squash Basil Cilantro **Deer Favorites** Deer love to munch on peas and beans. The also enjoy tree fruit and most berries. If you’re looking to attract deer to your garden, try planting some of these: Apples Beans Berries (most kinds) Lettuce & Leafy Greens (although red lettuces appear to be less palatable to deer) Peas Pears Plums Strawberries If planting resistant vegetables does not deter deer from your garden, consider more serious deer defenses such as barriers and fencing. Whatever you plant or whatever measures you take, one thing is certain, the struggle between determined gardeners and determined browsing deer will continue! **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Beans, Garlic, Herbs, Lemon, Onion, Pears, Peppers, Squash, Summer, Tomatoes, Winter --- ### [Plants - Low-Light Options](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-low-light-options/) **Published:** February 9, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’m trying to spruce up my college apartment with some herbs and plants but it doesn’t get much light. Do you have any recommendations for low-light plants?** A:The best low-light indoor plants are golden pothos, aspidistra, aglaonema and spathiphyllum. They will do okay if put where just a little direct light from a window gets to them each day. Over a year’s time the stems will stretch out and the plants will look ugly but by then you’ll be off for summer and can toss them out! Culinary herbs require something close to full sunshine so the best way to grow them is in a big container (24 inches wide) on a sunny patio. Basil, thyme and rosemary work well for this. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Container, Herbs, Summer --- ### [Creasy Greens - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/creasy-greens-identification/) **Published:** November 23, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My grandmother mentioned eating creasy greens in spring. She said they were a favorite mountain tonic. What can you tell me about them?** A: Creasy greens, also called winter cress, are in the mustard family. The botanical name is *Barbaraea verna*. Mountain folk would look for them in early spring and cook them as you would turnip greens. They have a definite “twang” to the tongue, plus many good vitamins. The leaves grow in a rosette, similar to dandelion. See [Creasy Greens](http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2352/) [Creasy Greens Seed](http://www.localharvest.org/upland-cress-creasy-greens-seed-C9734) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Seed, Spring, Winter --- ### [Goldenrain Trees - Invasive Seed Pods](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/goldenrain-trees-invasive-seed-pods/) **Published:** December 29, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have five goldenrain trees across the front of our yard. They have beautiful seed pods but they are so light they blow all over, dropping seed as they go, and the seeds sprout in our flower beds.** A: I can think of several plants with beautiful flowers or seed (Rose of Sharon, northern sea oats, morningglory, etc) which, like goldenrain tree, are overly enthusiastic about spreading their good looks. Try to gather all the pods you can find and put them in the garbage. Some seed will inevitably escape but they are so big that lawn pre-emergents don’t control them. To control seedlings that sprout unwanted, make a “herbicide dabber”. Stuff a sponge tightly into a four-foot piece of 3/4″ PVC pipe, leaving an inch of the sponge sticking out. Pour in a quarter-cup of properly diluted glyphosate (Roundup, etc) and cap the end with a wine cork. When you see several goldenrain tree seedlings pop up, bring out your tool and dab them with plant killer. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Glyphosate, Herbicide, Pre-Emergent, Roundup, Seed --- ### [Caterpillars - Descending From The Trees!](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/caterpillars-descending-from-the-trees/) **Published:** June 16, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am being plagued by little green caterpillars raining down from oak trees on silk strands. The past two weeks literally thousands have descended onto my cars, home and driveway. They leave copious amounts of tiny black pellet waste.** A: It’s spring cankerworm. The caterpillars mostly feed in trees but I’ve heard reports of damage to roses too. Whatever their origin, they drop down from the plant on a silk thread before pupating in the soil. There is not much to be done when they are in a tree. You could spray the organic Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t., Dipel, Caterpillar Attack, etc) but getting it high enough to be effective would be difficult. I have more information, plus a recipe for cankerworm sorbet at [ http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/spring-cankerworm-identification/](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/spring-cankerworm-identification/). **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Spring, Oak, Soil, Caterpillar --- ### [Hellebores - Growing On Tybee Island](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hellebores-growing-on-tybee-island/) **Published:** June 26, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Will hellebores grow on Tybee Island?** A: If you keep them in the shade all day, I think Lenten rose would find Tybee Island very hospitable. One key factor is the amount of organic matter in your soil there. Since Tybee has soil that is mostly sand, it’s important to plant hellebores in soil that’s been amended with copious amounts of soil conditioner or planting soil. Experiment with some of the newer varieties, like Ivory Prince, ‘Red Lady’ or ‘Pink Frost’. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Shade, Soil --- ### [Creasy Greens - Basic Information](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/creasy-greens-basic-information/) **Published:** June 26, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My grandmother mentioned eating creasy greens in spring. She said they were a favorite mountain tonic. What can you tell me about them?** A: Creasy greens, also called winter cress, are in the mustard family. The botanical name is Barbaraea verna. Mountain folk would look for them in early spring and cook them as you would turnip greens. They have a definite “twangy” taste, plus many good vitamins. The leaves grow in a rosette, similar to dandelion. I have more details plus seed sources at http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/creasy-greens-identification/. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Spring, Winter --- ### [Color - What To Plant For Color!](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/color-what-to-plant-for-color/) **Published:** July 19, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a Bradford pear tree in the front yard and grass does not grow under it. What would suggest I put there for color instead of a pine straw island?** A: You have lots of choices! Some of my favorites include fatsia, Japanese painted fern, variegated Solomon’s seal, hosta, Lenten rose, Italian arum, ajuga, and caladium. I have a bigger list at http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-for-shade/. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Pine, Pine Straw, Shade --- ### [Pomegranate - Blooms Keep Falling Off](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pomegranate-blooms-keep-falling-off/) **Published:** July 26, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a pomegranate bush. Each year the bush is loaded with blooms but soon they all fall off. What could help this situation?** A: It sounds like the blooms are not getting pollinated. Pomegranate flowers are pollinated by insects, so it’s possible your garden has few of these helpers. Plant perennial salvia, annual zinnia, bee balm and rosemary near your pomegranate to bring pollinators. You could also try hand-pollinating the blooms by transferring pollen from flower to flower using a small artist’s brush or a cotton swab. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers --- ### [PLANTING IN THE DROUGHT](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/32138/) **Published:** August 2, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Sometimes I hate following my own advice. I hate it especially when it concerns properly digging a bed for planting. You remember the July Fourth weekend don’t you? Unbroken bright sunshine, temperatures in the nineties and humidity thick enough to can. Those were the climatic conditions when my wife and I decided we didn’t have enough color in our front yard. Garden centers, pinched by the drought, were offering two-for-one deals on flowering annuals and perennials. What better time to grab a shovel and transform the area around our mailbox?! Five minutes into the chore, I could make a lengthy list of better times to plant. “Any time but now” headed the list, followed by “three months ago”. However, the annual “Friends and Family” cookout was coming up in just a few weeks. The best (and only) time to plant was ^now^. SOIL SHOULD ACT LIKE A SPONGE Knowing that I never wanted to dig the bed again, I decided to go whole hog and do it right – heat or no heat. With my round-point shovel I flipped over clod after clod of clay. Our small, two-cycle tiller pulverized the clumps. After an hour’s work, the soil was silky, but any gardener worth their 10-10-10 knows how quickly soft clay solidifies. “More compost!” was the command. Barrow after barrow of composted wood and leaves was heaped onto the clay and mixed in with the tiller. “More?” came the plaintive plea. “More!” I replied. “The plants will thank us now and we’ll thank ourselves next year.” Finally the whole five foot by twenty foot area was finished. The red clay was now brown soil. Trillions of organic morsels were ready to absorb whatever water came their way and the clay particles were thoroughly separated from their brick-making buddies. COLOR? WE GOT COLOR! Pink caladiums now grace our mailbox. Red and white impatiens grab attention. Variegated hosta leaves arch gracefully in front of the darker green leaves of Lenten rose. Bleeding heart vine (^Clerodendron thomsoniae^) climbs a short trellis beside clumps of yellow/red coleus. THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING I can see how much difference a properly tilled and amended bed makes during a drought. Two years ago I sweated buckets digging a smaller bed in deep shade where grass refused to grow. Now an ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea prospers there, covered in white blooms slowly turning green. While the French hydrangeas out back are pitifully wilted and droopy, the ‘Annabelle’ has been watered only by the rain since April. Digging a flower bed in July is not an easy chore. We took frequent breaks to catch our breath and consider our progress. A pitcher of water was always nearby. I feel certain, though, that our efforts will be appreciated by plants and passers-by alike. And, best of all, my new black mailbox with its shiny brass numbers is now properly landscaped. **Categories:** Landscaping **Tags:** Compost, Hydrangea, Shade, Soil, Temperature, Trellis --- ### [Amazon - And Other Winners](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/amazon-and-other-winners/) **Published:** August 2, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We just moved here after eight years Germany and are getting used to all the wonderful plants in the South. Recently I received a plant called “Amazon” and was told it was a Georgia Gold Medal winner. It is growing in the house right now, but I have not been able to find any information on it.** A: Your question gives me an opportunity to promote the entire list of Georgia Gold Medal winners since 1994. The Gold Medal program is sponsored by the University of Georgia and members of the state’s green industry. Their goal is to promote superior plants that grow well in our demanding weather. According to Jim Midcap, Extension horticulture specialist, the winners have been: 2000 Sun Coleus ( ‘Amazon’, ‘Solar Flare’, ‘Red Ruffles’, ‘Purple Ducksfoot’) ‘David’ & ‘Robert Poore’ Phlox ‘Alice’ Oakleaf Hydrangea ‘Little Gem’ Southern Magnolia 1999 ‘Nova’ Pentas Lenten Rose Mohawk Viburnum American Yellowwood 1998 ‘Athens Gem’ Plectranthus Japanese Aster Bottlebrush Buckeye Trident Maple 1997 Blue Fan Flower Three-Lobed Coneflower Pink Chinese Loropetalum ‘Yoshino’ Cryptomeria 1996 ‘Purple Wave’ Petunia Wild Indigo ‘Hummingbird’ Clethra ‘Lipan’ Crapemyrtle ‘Sioux’ Crapemyrtle ‘Tonto’ Crapemyrtle ‘Yuma’ Crapemyrtle 1995 ‘New Gold’ Lantana Blue Anise Sage ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea Athena(tm) Elm 1994 ‘Bath’s Pink’ Dianthus ‘Homestead Purple’ Verbena ‘Mount Airy’ Fothergilla Japanese Plum Yew As you can see, you received an ‘Amazon’ coleus at the botanical garden. It is a summer annual that thrives in full sunshine. Wait until mid-April to plant it outside. In the meantime, try rooting some cuttings from your plant in tumblers of water. You’ll have even more coleus to enjoy this summer! **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Hydrangea, Magnolia, Maple, Oak, Summer --- ### [Leaves - For Mulching Perennials](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/leaves-for-mulching-perennials/) **Published:** November 25, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve been raking the leaves out of my flower beds. After raking the beds over and over, I thought maybe it would be just as good to cover my perennials with leaves for the winter.** A: It all depends on how deep the mulch cover is. If your perennials have green leaf rosettes at ground level, like foxglove or Shasta daisy, you should put a couple of inches of mulch around the plant but not cover the leaves. For plants like hosta or daylily, which die completely to the ground, covering them with a light layer of leaves or straw is fine for winter. You can gently rake off the mulch when things warm up in March. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Daylily, Mulch, Winter --- ### [Ruby Slippers Hydrangea - Dividing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ruby-slippers-hydrangea-dividing/) **Published:** December 22, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted two Ruby Slipper hydrangeas in one pot when they were small. They grew a whole lot faster than I had anticipated. I need to separate them but they are close together and I am afraid of damaging the main taproots.** A: ‘Ruby Slippers’ is a standout oakleaf hydrangea. Although the blooms open white, they quickly change to pink, then rose, and stay that way for weeks. I think December is a fine time to divide the plants. Having no leaves, they should be easy to hoist from their pot and shake the dirt loose from the roots. They can be planted in a new spot and watered once to settle the soil. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Hydrangea, Oak, Soil --- ### [Pears - Where Are They From](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pears-where-are-they-from/) **Published:** December 17, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Does North America have an indigenous pear? Or did all of our pears originally come from Europe?** A: Pears are native to a broad swath of Europe and Asia; they did not originate in North America. Despite their country -specific common names, I found other interesting plant origins: English walnut is native to the Balkans, African marigold is from Mexico, Cherokee rose is from China and French mulberry is another name for American beautyberry, which isn’t a mulberry and certainly isn’t French! And I’m sure you already know that the tomatoes in Italian recipes came from South America and that the Confederate rose blooming now is not a rose but a hibiscus. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pears, Tomatoes --- ### [Fertilizer - The Proper Ratio](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/fertilizer-the-proper-ratio/) **Published:** December 18, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: According to the Atlanta Rose Society I should fertilize regularly with a “balanced” fertilizer like 10-10-10 or 16-4-8. Intuitively, the former is “balanced” with equal percentages (10-10-10), whereas the latter is not. Am I misunderstanding something?** A: Although semantically it seems that 10-10-10 is a “balanced” fertilizer, in truth it is unbalanced, because it contains much more phosphorus than plants need. Imagine if you were fed a pound of protein, a pound of carbohydrates and a pound of vitamins and minerals each day. You’d get a “balanced” diet but it would be wildly mis-proportioned for human health. In truth, most plants thrive with fertilizers that contain a 4-1-2 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. 16-4-8 is an example. This is a fertilizer ratio that’s balanced to most plants’ needs. Lawn fertilizers that contain a high percentage of nitrogen, such as 26-0-4, are balanced to the needs of grass, which demands more nitrogen than flowers or shrubs. I admit that I’m guilty of recommending 10-10-10. My excuse is that it is readily available at garden centers and 16-4-8 is not. If you’re looking for a general purpose fertilizer, try to find a product that semi-sorta has a 4-1-2 ratio. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Fertilizer, Flowers --- ### [Hellebores - Frozen](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hellebores-frozen/) **Published:** December 20, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: The extreme cold seemingly froze the blooms on my hellebores. Is it possible they’ll recover and make seeds this year?** A: My hellebore plants were severely wilted after each of the severe cold snaps we’ve had this winter. Even so, they popped back up when the weather warmed. I think this is a wait and see situation. My bet is that the lenten roses will turn out fine, even if your plants look droopy from time to time. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Seed, Winter --- ### [Oak - Planting Beneath](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/oak-planting-beneath/) **Published:** December 20, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a huge oak that has a lot of moss growing under it. We can’t get anything to grow under this tree.** A: A healthy oak has lots of leaves which catch almost all of the sunshine streaming in its direction. Light-loving plants, like lawn grass and most flowering plants, require lots of light in order to thrive. The oak casts so much shade that these plants slowly wither away. You could cover the soil under the oak with an organic mulch, like pine straw, leaves or pine chips. Or you could install plants that don’t need much sunshine in order to look good. Autumn fern, variegated Solomon’s seal, mondo grass, liriope, hosta and Lenten rose are among my favorites for shady spots under trees. Use a small shovel to remove soil between your oak’s roots. Put the soil in a wheelbarrow and mix it with an equal amount of soil conditioner or planting soil. Fill your excavations with this enriched mix and use some of the plants mentioned above to create a pleasant shade garden. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Liriope, Mondo, Mulch, Oak, Pine, Pine Straw, Pots, Shade, Soil --- ### [10-10-10 or 13-13-13 Downside](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/10-10-10-or-13-13-13-downside/) **Published:** December 6, 2016 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I grow hydrangeas, azaleas, rhodendrons, camellias, and ferns plus my lawn. I notice that fertilizers offer different percentages of the three major nutrients and most plants have a “favorite” blend that is recommended. For example, grass likes high nitrogen, 24-0-11, while roses like a 23-11-8 blend. What is the down side of using 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 for most plants, except a lawn?** A: The downside of using any of the fertilizers you describe is that unless you’ve had your soil tested, you don’t really know what your plants want. Grass does indeed like high nitrogen products. Since most Georgia soils are adequate in phosphorus, the 24-0-11 would be fine (as would any other branded lawn fertilizer). There’s more downside to using 10-10-10 everywhere else. Again, most soils don’t need phosphorus and the shrubs and ferns you name really prefer slow-release organic fertilizers (Milorganite, HollyTone, E.B. Stone, etc). Soil testing is cheap, only $7 – $15. You might be wasting most of your fertilizer dollars if you don’t know what your plants desire. See www.georgiasoiltest.com. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Soil, Fertilizer, Azalea, Hydrangea, Stone --- ### [Pine Shavings - Don't Make Soil Acid](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ph-pine-materials/) **Published:** February 24, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have access to pine shavings with no manure. I want to use it in my rose garden for weed control but I am worried it will change the soil pH.** A: Contrary to popular belief, pine chips, pine straw and pine shavings have little effect on the pH (acidity and alkalinity) of soil. Garden soil has a great capacity to resist immediate pH change so a mulch of pine shavings would have little effect. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Manure, Mulch, Pine, Pine Straw, Soil, Weed --- ### [Saddleback Caterpillars-Get Rid of Them](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/saddleback-caterpillars-get-rid-of-them/) **Published:** May 4, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I discovered four saddleback caterpillars while deadheading my Knockout roses. I want them gone! Should I get rid of the roses?** A: I have good news! Saddleback caterpillars rarely reinfest the plants where you find them. They are very sporadic in the landscape. I’ve found them on canna, iris, pear and redbud. Leave your roses alone and simply wear gloves and keep an eye out for the little green creatures on other plants while you work. Natural predators do a good job keeping their numbers in check. I have pictures of other common venomous caterpillars at http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/venomous-poisonous-caterpillars-photos/. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Caterpillar, Poison, Poisonous --- ### [Beaver Problems-Good Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/beaver-problems-good-plants/) **Published:** May 4, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I live on a lake and we have beaver problems. What can I plant that they won’t be attracted to? They have destroyed azaleas, dogwoods, forsythia, elaeagnus, and Knock Out rose.** A: I think they chew on just about anything. With a nearby lake, you’ll never eliminate them so the best you can do is protect your plants. Wrap tree trunks with thirty-six inch wide, one-half inch mesh hardware cloth. Loosely surround each tree trunk with a couple of layers of wire and secure the ends so they won’t come undone. You could also paint plant trunks with a mixture of one pint of fine sand in a quart of latex paint that’s been color matched to the plant bark. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Azalea, Dogwood, Dogwoods --- ### [How/When To Take Cuttings To Root](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-when-to-take-cuttings-to-root/) **Published:** July 22, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: How do I take cuttings from a Confederate rose, Hibiscus mutabilis, to root? When is best time?** A: I do it in fall so I can give away rooted cuttings in spring but the plant doesn’t much care about timing. Once the stem has hardened (turned from bright green to gray/brown) it is ready to make new roots. If your plant stems are six feet tall, you can usually make several eight inch long cuttings from the hardened part. Include at least one leaf at the top of each cutting. Immerse the lower half of each one in water. A small bucket or large vase works well for this. Situate the cuttings in bright shade and they’ll have roots in four weeks. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Shade, Spring --- ### [Termites – What to do When Found](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/termites-what-to-do-when-found/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** One of my earliest childhood memories is the discovery that termites had taken up housekeeping with the Reeves family. When the termite man came to examine our hallway, his inspection revealed an entire 8′ x 16′ wall whose interior was the consistency of cardboard. He crawled under the house with his tank of potent poisons. We called the carpenter to replace the wallboard. Every April, unfortunate homeowners will notice piles of silvery termite wings beneath windows inside the house. Or they will attempt to hang a picture and send the nail into an adjoining room with a single blow. Or they will find termites in a rotten stump (these are usually no problem). Concern, if not outright panic, ensues as they begin the process of deciding what should be done about their termites. **see [Is it necessary to control termites in a stump? (short answer: No)](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/termites-in-dead-stump/)** see [Termite vs Ant Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/termite-identification) **Scroll down to see termites in a stump** University of Georgia insect experts have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about termite control. Here are their thoughts: **Q: How soon after I discover termites should I have the infested structure treated?** A: In most cases, termites do not damage a structure rapidly. There is time to make an informed decision. **Take time** to obtain several opinions – in the long run, it could save you both time and future problems. **Q: Which termiticide should be used to control a termite infestation in my house?** A: There are several effective products and methods used to control termites. These products are all registered and tested for safety with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Your pest control company may select from any registered chemical. In general, two methods are used to control termites: drenching with a high volume of chemicals or placing bait stations. ****Q:** Will there be an odor with the treatment?** A: Several registered termiticides contain chemical carriers that may create odors. The odors will usually dissipate within several days. Extremely damp or wet conditions may cause the odor to linger longer. These odors should have little impact on the vast majority of people. If, however, you have any health concerns, you should consult your physician. ****Q:** How do I know that the person treating my home knows what they are doing? How should I choose a company?** A: All professional pest control operators must be registered or certified with the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Ask to see their Department of Agriculture registration or certification card. MORE INFORMATION Termite Control Services: Information for the Georgia Property Owner [Termite Control Services](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Termite-Control-Services.pdf) **[TERMITE CONTROL: ANSWERS FOR THE HOMEOWNER ](https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/files/ef604.pdf)** Press Play to see Termites in a stump [https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG\_9743.mp4](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_9743.mp4) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pesticide, Poison, Termites --- ### [Primroses - When To Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/primroses-when-to-plant/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My sweetie gave me beautiful blooming primroses for Valentine’s Day. What do I do with them? Do I plant them outside now or keep them inside until spring?** A: The bright colors of primrose are eye-catching in nurseries and in landscapes now. Although they are technically perennial plants, most Southern gardeners class them as “annual perennials”. Whether due to summer heat or swings of temperature in winter, primroses don’t seem to last outdoors here more than a year or two. Unless yours came from a florist and are unaccustomed to cold, plant them outdoors now. Primroses need a partially shaded spot plus well-drained, rich soil. Sprinkle pine straw mulch over them if we have severe cold and enjoy them for as long as they last. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Mulch, Pine, Pine Straw, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Rose - Rainbows End](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-rainbows-end/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I visited the rose gardens at the Chattanooga Choo Choo last week and found a rose there I must have! It is a multicolored (red-orange-yellow- gold) miniature rose bush. It was labeled ‘Rainbow’s End’. I thought it would be easy to find but it was apparently mislabeled. The only ‘Rainbow’s End’ I’ve been able to find was a miniature type but had only one color (yellow) Are you familiar with such a rose and where it can be purchased?** A: After looking myself for ‘Rainbow’s End’, I can see why you were so attracted to it. The blooms are deep yellow with red edging. As the blooms age the petals become redder all over and stay attractive while on the blossom. It won the American Rose Society Award of Excellence for Miniatures in 1986. There are a couple of good sites for rose variety information. I first looked for it at HelpMeFind (www.helpmefind.com/roses) and found the rose you describe plus a list of suppliers. The American Rose Society (www.ars.org) also has good information on many roses. They note that ‘Rainbow’s End’ produces yellow blooms when grown in shade. The Georgia Extension Service has an excellent rose growing pamphlet at www.ces.uga.edu/pubcd/b671-w.html. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Shade --- ### [Rose- Twisted Leaves](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-twisted-leaves/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have several varieties of roses. This spring all the rose bushes in my center garden, about 15 bushes, never leafed out. They only produced very tiny dwarfed leaves. The rose bushes on the edge of my lawn 15 feet away leafed, flowered and grew as usual. Any suggestions?** A: Sounds like either a virus or herbicide damage. It’s hard to determine which; virus-affected leaves are typically mottled in color…herbicide-damaged leaves are smaller than normal or twisted. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Herbicide, Spring --- ### [Climbing Rose- Encouraging Blooms](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/climbing-rose-encouraging-blooms/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Two years ago we planted Queen Elizabeth climbing roses against trellises at our back fence. I had envisioned the foliage disguising the board fence. What I got was bare branches to the top of the fence and then a little foliage with no blooms last year at all. Is there something I should do to encourage more foliage and blooms along the branches?** A: It is normal for climbing roses to become “leggy” after a few years. One option is to regularly bend lower canes outward (rather than letting them climb upwards). The horizontal canes will then send up vertical sprouts from their lower level. Another option for covering the bottom part of a climbing rose is to plant several clematis beneath it. The clematis provide flowers when the rose does not and leaves where the rose has few. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Vines, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Trellis --- ### [Rose Bush - Butterfly/China Rose](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-bush-butterflychina-rose/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Last year Theresa mentioned a rose bush call “China Rose” as a nice bush rose. It is suppose to bloom all summer and change colors. I have not been able to find this rose. Is there another name for it?** A: Theresa Schrum replies: “The rose is actually known as the butterfly rose. The botanical name is *Rosa chinensis* mutabilis. I haven’t seen it in nurseries this year either as many nurseries seem to be opting for the ‘Nearly Wild’ and ‘Knock Out’ Roses. Try contacting the Greater Atlanta Rose Society for a list of nurseries that carry a wider range of roses.” [Greater Atlanta Rose Society ](http://www.atlantarose.org/) **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Butterfly, Summer --- ### [Tobacco Budworm - On Rose](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tobacco-budworm-on-rose/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: On your radio show a couple weeks back a caller described a rose caterpillar that looked like a water moccasin. Did you guys ever figure out what it was?** A: It was a fascinating description! My best guess is that he was describing a tobacco budworm. This caterpillar has very distinct triangular markings along its body. It is known to bore into rose buds as the caller described. I’m going to add this to my list of weird creatures that I might spot someday in my own roses. See also: [Complejo orugas capulleras](http://www.viarural.com.ar/viarural.com.ar/agricultura/aa-insectos/complejo-capulleras-02.htm) (This site is in Spanish, but has some English translations). [Roses: Insect and Mite Pests and Beneficials](http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7466.html) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Caterpillar, Pests --- ### [Desert Rose](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/desert-rose/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a Desert Rose plant that has flowered and made a seed pod! It looks sort of like a pea pod with little wispy seed. How do I plant them?** A: Sometimes I am completely overwhelmed by the number of plants unrelated to the **real** rose which have “rose” in their name. We have Confederate Rose (*Hibiscus mutabilis*), Rose of Sharon (*Hibiscus syriacus*), Moss Rose (*Portulaca grandiflora*), Rose Verbena (*Verbena canadensis*) and a multitude of others. Add to the list your Desert Rose (*Adenium obesum*) and tears come to my eyes. Fortunately, my high school Latin teacher, Mrs. Inez Hames, made sure I would never be intimidated by Latin plant names. I was able to identify your plant through an Internet search and was then able to turn the question of propagation over to Dr. Paul Thomas, Extension horticulturist. Paul says that when the seeds are mature (pod is yellowish brown), they can be planted just on the surface of good greenhouse potting soil. Put the container in a sunny window and cover the soil surface with clear plastic kitchen wrap. When the seeds germinate, remove the plastic and keep them in the window until the sprouts are an inch tall. Transplant each one into an individual small pot and raise them to full size. [The Adenium Page](http://adenium.tucsoncactus.org/) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Greenhouse, Seed, Soil --- ### [Lady Banks Rose - Naked at Bottom](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lady-banks-rose-naked-at-bottom/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was hoping you could give me some advice on a problem I have with my four year old Lady Banks rose bush. It is on a west-facing brick wall and over the years, I have attached a double trellis up the wall to allow the bush to grow higher.** This past summer, I noticed that the bush is healthy at the top but scraggly at the bottom. How can I encourage better growth near the ground level? A: Pruning at the top won’t make it sprout at the bottom. The best thing to do is to cut a couple of the main canes down to twelve inches tall in late February. They will sprout new growth and that can be trained around the base of the plant to hide the naked lower part. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Pruning, Summer, Trellis --- ### [Confederate Roses - Cutting](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/confederate-roses-cutting/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a Confederate rose that dies back in the winter but I am not sure how far back I should cut the dead canes. Should I cut them back to the ground level or not?** A: I admired a neighborhood Confederate rose, *Hibiscus mutabilis*, for several weeks in late October and early November. The owners wait each year until a hard freeze (28 degrees) kills the foliage and then cut the stems down to four inches tall. They do not cover the stems with insulating pine straw but some gardeners testify that this helps protect the plant’s crown during severe winters. Since the forecast is for a mild winter, follow the technique above this time but apply a mound of straw if temperatures threaten to drop below 15 degrees in future winters.. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Pine, Pine Straw, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Roses- Deadhead](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-deadhead/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have read your recommendation of ‘Knock Out’ rose but didn’t find anything on the proper way to deadhead them. How do you do it?** A: ‘Knock Out’ rose is a plant I can wholeheartedly recommend to any gardener. It blooms so heavily, it is so pest resistant and it is so tough, hardly anyone has a bad experience with it. I get deep red blooms from April until October. ‘Double Knock Out’, ‘Blushing Knock Out’ and ‘Pink Knock Out’ are also on the market. ‘Knock Out’ blooms continuously if the faded blooms are removed regularly. I visit mine every week and twist off the old buds. Every four weeks I cut long stems back by half. This two-step process keeps new growth coming and removes the hormone-filled hips that tell the rose to bloom more slowly. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Rose (Tree Form, Standard) - Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-tree-form-standard-pruning/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two lovely rose trees in pots that did very well this summer. They are five feet tall and two feet wide. As cold weather arrives, should I cut them back? Should I bring them inside for the winter or leave them outdoors?** A: Trained tree-type roses like you have should be treated much like any other rose. Leave them outdoors in winter, but protect the container’s roots if temperatures drop below 20 degrees. Do minor pruning in December and major pruning in late February. At that time you can remove branches that cross through the middle and shorten other branches by half, back to an outward-facing bud. It’s important to keep the main stem from flexing in the wind in winter. Check the ties that attach the support stake to the stem and make sure all are firmly in place. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Pots, Pruning, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Roses - Sources of Good Ones](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-sources-of-good-ones/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Your recent article on disease resistant roses was great but you didn’t tell us where we could buy them!** A: My colleagues Martha Tate and Erica Glasener could teach me a few lessons couldn’t they? Whenever you see a plant mentioned by local writers you should first check with nurseries in the Atlanta area. Pike Family Nurseries, Habersham Nursery, Hastings Garden Center and many other garden stores do an excellent job offering the best plants for our part of Georgia. If local emporiums don’t have what you want, use the Internet to search for them. You might be surprised to find a local or Southeastern nursery on the Web which can supply your needs. The roses I wrote about are available from [Roses Unlimited](http://www.rosesunlimitedownroot.com) and from the [Antique Rose Emporium](http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com). The roses I listed are only one group of disease-resistant roses. Take a note-pad to your garden center and list the roses that most appeal to you there. Then go back home and do your research at [www.helpmefind.com/roses](http://www.helpmefind.com/roses) or the [American Rose Society](http://www.ars.org). The April issue of [Fine Gardening Magazine](http://www.finegardening.com) has an excellent collection of “best rose” lists for different parts of the country. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease --- ### [Bog Rosemary](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/bog-rosemary/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have just received a bog rosemary, *Andromeda polifolia* from my mother. Is this a herb or is it a shrub that is not to be used for cooking?** A: Your plant is so-named because it *looks* like rosemary, not because it *is* rosemary, *Rosmarinus officinalis*. Since bog rosemary prefers the cool soil and boggy conditions of New York and Maine, I doubt it will prosper here. Further, though bog rosemary has been used as a medicinal herb, I think you’d better keep it out of your kitchen. MORE INFORMATION: [Bog Rosemary](http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/shrubs/andromeda.html) **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Tuscan Blue Rosemary - Surviving in the Cold](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tuscan-blue-rosemary-surviving-in-the-cold/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I purchased a potted Tuscan Blue rosemary last winter and kept it inside until spring. I planted it outside in full sun. Now that cooler weather is here, I am concerned about how it will take colder temperatures.** A: Rosemary is completely hardy in Atlanta and environs. No protection is needed. I’m intrigued with the many forms of rosemary plants. ‘Tuscan Blue’, ‘Barbeque’ and ‘Athens Blue Spires’ are strongly upright. ‘Irene’, ‘Huntington Blue’ and ‘Prostratus’ cascade over low walls. The light blue flowers occur repeatedly throughout the summer. Rosemary likes sandy, well-drained soil and full sunshine. Your ‘Tuscan Blue’ can be shaped as needed as long as you never cut back into the brown, leafless interior. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Roses- Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-pruning/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: This year when pruning my roses after blooming I noticed a small hole at the top of the stem. This hole goes back down the stem, which dies back sometimes as much as six inches. Is this caused by a bug or the way I’m pruning?** A: Rose stems are occasionally damaged by rose twig girdlers, small carpenter bees or leafcutter bees. The stem girdler lays eggs on the bark and larvae burrow under it, going around the stem in spiral fashion. A leaf cutter bee or a carpenter bee bores into the soft pith of pruned branches to lay her eggs. From the evidence, I think either a leafcutter bee or a small carpenter bee is your problem. This is usually not a huge bother for rose growers unless there is a big population of the insects nearby. Since both bees are important pollinators, I do not recommend chemical control. In the future, try sealing pruning cuts with Elmer’s glue, Vaseline ™ or a thumbtack pushed into the cut stub. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Pruning --- ### [Lady Banks Rose - Yellow Flowers Turning White](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lady-banks-rose-yellow-flowers-turning-white/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a beautiful and strong growing Yellow Bank Rose but about half of it has White Roses on it. Last year there were a few, this year it is almost half white. What is going on with my Yellow Bank Rose?** A: The original Banksian rose was white. *Rosa banksia* var. banksia was first introduced to Europe at Kew Gardens in 1807. The name honors Lady Dorothea Banks, wife of Sir Joseph Banks, who was director of Kew at that time. A yellow-flowered form, *Rosa banksia* ‘Lutea’ was introduced from China via the Calcutta Botanic Gardens circa 1824. My guess is that your yellow form sported back to the original white form, which is vigorously overtaking the yellow parts of the rose. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers --- ### [Rosemary - Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary-pruning/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When is a good time to prune rosemary? How much?** A: You can prune just about any time but early April would be “best”. Try to leave a few inches of greenery on each stem you shorten. If you cut back into the brown twigs, they will not resprout. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pruning --- ### [Fireplace ashes - for roses](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/fireplace-ashes-for-roses/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Can I use fireplace ashes as a source of potassium for my roses?** A: Ashes do provide a slight amount of potassium for plants. They also counteract the natural acidity of soil, so they are a substitute for garden lime. Because ashes are so very alkaline, only a small amount can be applied at a time. Twenty pounds of ashes per 1000 square feet would be plenty to use at one time on a lawn. If you are preparing a new rose bed, two pounds of ashes per 100 square feet would probably be fine. I think I would be more worried that the potential harm from the alkaline ashes would be more than the benefit from their potassium. Sure, you could use a few tablespoonfuls per plant but you likely have more ashes than that. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Climbing and Shrub Roses - Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/climbing-and-shrub-roses-pruning/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have climbing and shrub roses. Do I need to cut them back to short canes and mound mulch for the winter?** A: Unlike in the northern US, roses here don’t need much more than “neatening up” for winter. Secure loose canes on your climbers so they don’t flop in the winter wind. Remove straggly shoots on your shrub roses. There is no need to cover the whole plant with mulch. In fact, this will lead to problems because disease and rodents will attack your roses under the mulch during winter. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Shrubs, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Mulch, Pruning, Winter --- ### [Rose packages- Blossoms](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-packages-blossoms/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am confused about the numbers on rose plant food packages. What is the ideal number combination to achieve rose blossoms? I have two products, one with 10-60-10 and the other with 12-6-10. Which is best for my needs?** A: In general, fertilizers having the first number (Nitrogen) higher than the middle number (Phosphorus) are designed to encourage the plant to grow bigger. Fertilizers with the middle number higher than the first number are designed to make sure the soil has plenty of phosphorus, which can limit blooming if levels are low. My recommendation is to use the 12-6-10 in spring when the rose first starts growing. Four weeks later, apply the 10-60-10 to give the plant phosphorus. After the first big flush of blooms, go back to the 12-6-10 to maintain the rose for the summer. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fertilizer, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Climbing Knock Out® Roses](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/climbing-knockout-roses/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Any chance there’s a climbing Knock Out® rose in the works? My shrub Knock Out® s have done so well, that’s the only way I’ll go at this point in my life.** A: There are two kinds of climbing roses. Ramblers are those that have a natural tendency to send out long shoots. They usually have many clusters of small roses occurring once each year. Large-flowered climbers, though, are typically sports (mutations) of shorter modern roses. Since their shrubby Knock Out® , Blushing Knock Out® and Rainbow Knock Out® have done so well, I’m sure the Star rose company is hard at work developing a climbing Knock Out® . You’ll find out about it first at www.starroses.com **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Rose Trees - Winter Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-trees-winter-care/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two lovely rose trees in pots that did very well this summer. They are five feet tall and two feet wide. As cold weather arrives, should I cut them back? Should I bring them inside for the winter or leave them outdoors?** A: Trained tree-type roses like you have should be treated much like any other rose. Leave them outdoors in winter, but protect the container’s roots if temperatures drop below 20 degrees. Do minor pruning in December and major pruning in late February. At that time you can remove branches that cross through the middle and shorten other branches by half, back to an outward-facing bud. It’s important to keep the main stem from flexing in the wind in winter. Check the ties that attach the support stake to the stem and make sure all are firmly in place. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Pots, Pruning, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Rosemary - Planting Seeds Produced](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary-planting-seeds-produced/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A group of Teacher Master Gardeners planted rosemary at a nearby elementary school. Some of them have small blue flowers. Will these flowers produce seed we can plant?** A: Rosemary flowers certainly produce seed but I doubt you’ll have success planting them. They are tiny and only about 15% will germinate, if you can collect them in the first place. I never see seedlings sprouting under rosemary plants so my assumption is that your success will be less than that of Mother Nature. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Seed --- ### [Roses- Fragrance](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-fragrance/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Where can I get roses that actually smell like roses? I am tired of smelling nothing! Why do growers breed the fragrance out of roses?** A: Rosarian Jim Kelley says the rose breeders do not intentionally “breed out” fragrance. But one of the unfortunate byproducts of hybridizing for the perfect tea rose is that for some reason fragrance is diminished. By and large, roses with the best fragrance are the ones most susceptible to diseases and winter tenderness. It is not intentional, but your nose knows. I’ve collected a list of good roses for the South at (BROKEN) [Roses – Varieties for the South.](http://www.xrl.us/ROSES) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Winter --- ### [Rose - Seed](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-seed/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I just picked the rose hips off of my climbing ‘Fourth of July’ rose. Are the hips actually the seeds of the plant? If so what do I do with them? When and how should they be planted?** A: The swollen fruits of a rose, occurring just below the flowers, are called “rose hips”. A hip contains several rose seeds, which you can collect by cutting the hip in half when it has turned bright red, orange or yellow. It’s possible to plant the seed in your garden immediately after collection. If we have enough warm weather some may sprout before winter arrives. Another technique is to put the seed in a moistened paper towel and then place the damp package in a sealed plastic bag in your refrigerator for at least eight weeks before planting in spring. Remember though that the seed you collect may not yield plants as spectacular as your ‘Fourth of July’ rose. Pollen from a wild rose might have pollinated your rose flower, causing the offspring to be more of a fizzle than a bang. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Seed, Spring, Winter --- ### [Rose Buds - Protecting and Treating](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-buds-protecting-and-treating/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Many of my rose flowers look like the buds are being eaten before they completely open. Just pink petals around a gooey brown center.** A: I think you have an infestation of tobacco budworm. Despite its name, this caterpillar also bores into geraniums and roses. It’s tough to control since it burrows into the bud and becomes hidden from insecticides. Try regular sprays with spinosad (Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew, etc) and use an imidacloprid systemic insecticide drench (Bonide Systemic Granules, etc) once per year. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Caterpillar, Flowers --- ### [Earth Kind Roses - Sources](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/earth-kind-roses-sources/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I do have three ‘Knock Out’ roses and love them. Do know of a source that I could fine some of the other Earth Kind roses?** A: Call your neighborhood nursery first. Locally, [Autumn Hill Nursery](http://www.autumnhillnursery.com/) in east Cherokee county has an extensive list of roses for sale. If they don’t have what you want, go to [The Antique Rose Emporium](http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/) and [Roses Unlimited ](http://www.rosesunlimitedownroot.com/) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Rose - Budworm](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-budworm/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Many of my rose flowers look like the buds are being eaten before they completely open. Just pink petals around a gooey brown center.** A: I think you have an infestation of tobacco budworm. Despite its name, this caterpillar also bores into geraniums and roses. It’s tough to control since it burrows into the bud and becomes hidden from insecticides. Try regular sprays with spinosad (Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew, etc) and use an imidacloprid systemic insecticide drench (Bonide Systemic Granules, etc) once per year. see [ Tobacco (Geranium) Budworm](http://www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/insect/05581.html) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Caterpillar, Flowers --- ### [Rose - Flowers Change Color](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-flowers-change-color/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A few years ago I planted yellow, pink and red roses. Now the blooms are all red. Why did they change color?** A: The most likely explanation is that you planted grafted roses and blooming sprouts have risen from below the graft union. To make a grafted rose, a twig from a beautiful rose bush is grafted onto the rootstock of an inferior rose. If you examine the trunk of your rose and find a swollen knot close to the ground, that is likely the graft union. If the branches above the graft union die for some reason, sprouts from the inferior rose will take over. If that rose was a common red one, you can see why your blooms might seem to have changed from yellow or pink to red. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers --- ### [Rose - Rooting](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-rooting/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My neighbor has a Lady Banks rose on a fence. He’ll let me have some to root, but I don’t quite know what to do. Can you help?** A: Rooting a Lady Banks rose is easy as pie. In the first place, there may be a sprout or two already growing under your friend’s plant. All you have to do is dig it up and move it to your yard. If you don’t see any sprouts, you can “soil layer” one or several branches. Start by looking for long shoots, which can be bent to touch the ground. Measure 8 to 12 inches back from the shoot tip and dig a narrow trench in the ground under that area. Take a dull kitchen knife and gently scrape the outer bark from the stem there for 1 or 2 inches. Sprinkle a bit of rooting hormone (Rootone, etc.) on the injury and lay it in the trench. A few rose leaves should emerge from the end of the trench. Cover the stem with moist earth and place a brick on top to keep it buried. A length of orange ribbon tied around the brick will remind you where you were working. Three months from now, cut the stem connecting the stem to the mother plant. In late June, the stem will have fully rooted underground. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Rose - Winter Care](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-winter-care/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My wife and I have the same discussion about our rose garden this time every year. I learned from my grandfather in east Tennessee that at the end of the season you cut the bushes down to twelve inches and cover with mulch for the winter. We uncover ours when the threat of frost is over and they have done very well each year. My wife thinks it is unnecessary to cut them back since it does not get as cold here as in Tennessee.** A: I think your wife is on the right track. Winter temperatures are warmer in Roswell than in the mountains of east Tennessee. Rose growers there must protect the graft union by piling mulch around it. If the top of a grafted rose freezes all you’ll have next year are sprouts and flowers from the rootstock, which are never very attractive. Where winter temperatures regularly fall below 10 degrees F. roses must be protected from the cold in some way. Most rose fanciers in our warmer region do not protect their roses for winter. I think you’d be safe to let your roses go through winter uncovered. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Mulch, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Roses - Alfalfa Tea](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-alfalfa-tea/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Someone told me alfalfa tea was good for roses, that they would literally bloom themselves crazy. How do you make it?** A: Some rose growers swear by the magical powers of alfalfa pellets (sold at seed and feed stores as animal food). 1\. Scoop 10 cups of alfalfa meal or pellets into a 32-gallon plastic garbage can that has a lid. 2\. Fill with water, stir, and steep for four or five days, stirring occasionally; you may also add 2 cups of Epsom salts. 3\. The tea will start to smell in three days, so keep the lid ON. Schedule the opening of the container for a day when the family is away. 4\. Use a gallon of brown “tea” each month on large rosebushes to make strong canes and robust green leaves. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Container, Seed --- ### [Rose - Disease from Thorns](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-disease-from-thorns/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A co-worker of mine is having a terrible time because she evidently caught an infection from being stuck with thorn from a rose bush she was moving. She had a place on her leg that wouldn’t heal, then after a series of antibiotics that were not effective, she had to have a port put in her arm so she can have a daily dose of some medication thru an IV for 6 weeks! This has been going on all summer — she has really had a bad time of trying to get healed…..could this really be the reason for this? It’s hard to believe you can ‘catch’ something from a rose bush.** A: Theresa Schrum at [EcoTerra Landscape](http://www.ecoterralandscape.com) replies “Absolutely! You can catch a disease known as Rose Thorn Disease, which is caused by a fungus not a bacterium. It is well known among rosarians . See also [Sporotrichosis](http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/sporotrichosis.pdf) Most folks recover, but it’s a slow process. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Summer --- ### [Rose - Propagation](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-propagation/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have an antique rose, ‘Clotilde Soupert’ to be specific. It is beautiful to look at and the flowers have a marvelous fragrance. It flowers from spring to fall. It is very healthy and has a good size. Is there a way to propagate this bush?** A: Actually, there are TWO good ways to propagate it in early summer. The first is to simply root a cutting. Examine the new branches on your rose. Note the change in color of the bark from the growing tip backwards. The bark will be green for a few inches and then turn woody and brown. The best cutting will be four to six inches long with brown bark surrounding the joint where a leaf joins the branch. Make a slanting cut to remove the cutting just below the joint but carefully snip away this leaf. A couple of leaves should remain on the green end of the cutting. Dust the cut surface with a rooting hormone (Rootone). Prepare a container in which rooting can take place by filling a clay pot with a 1:1 mixture of moist pearlite and peat moss. Insert the cutting two inches into the rooting media. Cover the cutting with an upended clear container, like a pint jar. Place it in a spot that receives bright light but NO direct sunshine. The cutting should root in eight weeks, when the cover can safely be removed. Be sure to keep the rooting media moist but not soggy at all times. Continue to care for the cutting in the pot until next spring, when it can be planted in your garden. Another way to propagate the rose is by *soil layering*: allowing it to root by touching a limb to the earth underneath your plant. Since ‘Clotilde Soupert’ is a small, wiry, rose you should be able to find a limb or two which can be bent to the ground. Lightly scrape the branch at that point with a dull knife and dust the wound with rooting hormone. Dig a shallow trench where the limb will touch the soil and bury the wounded portion with more soil. Use a brick to hold it in place. The leafy portion of the branch should emerge beyond the part that’s buried. Roots will form underground in ten weeks, at which time you can sever the connection with the mother plant. Transplant the rooted branch to a new rose bed next spring. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Fall, Flowers, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Roses- Location](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-location/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My husband and I are contemplating a move to St. Mary’s from Lake Pontchartrain. Although roses will grow here, they don’t thrive. How do roses do in coastal Georgia?** A: Roses grow very well in south Georgia, as long as you pick the right ones. Sandy soil, heat, humidity, and soil nematodes sap the strength of roses that are not suited for the climate. Roses for the coast are usually grafted onto a ‘Fortuniana’ rose rootstock because this rose has a vigorous, nematode-resistant root system. I’ve put together a list of good roses for the South at (BROKEN) [Roses – Varieties for the South](http://xrl.us/ROSES) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Rosemary - Recommended varieties](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary-recommended-varieties/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a lovely eighteen-inch wide decorative pot I wish to center in the middle of an herb bed. I would like to plant an evergreen in this pot. It gets full sun ALL day! What would you recommend? I have looked at the upright junipers but I really am not a juniper fan.** A: I have a single recommendation: rosemary! There are several varieties of rosemary available: ‘Athens Blue Spires’, ‘Tuscan Blue’, ‘Arp’, etc. You could use either an erect or trailing type. Better yet, why not buy a rosemary topiary and plant it in your pot? If you need something to trail over the edge of the pot, try thyme. It is usually winter-hardy and does well under the same conditions as rosemary. Both love fast-draining soil and prefer to be watered once each week. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil, Winter --- ### [Rosemary - Old Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary-old-plants/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have some rosemary that has been in the ground about five years and it is huge and beautiful. I noticed this year it started flowering and the limbs that flowered died. What should I do? Is this normal?** A: Rosemary typically lasts about five years before becoming woody and rangy. Cut back the dead stuff and see if what’s left is attractive, if not, replace it. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening --- ### [Lenten rose – Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lenton-rose-pruning/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When may I prune the old growth from my Lenten rose?** A: It won’t hurt to prune the ugliest foliage now but my wife prunes ours drastically in mid-March. In that way she removes the tattered leaves of winter and makes way for the vibrant new foliage of spring. We leave the flowers in place until May so they have a chance to drop seeds and produce seedlings. This tough, drought-proof and evergreen groundcover remains underappreciated, in my opinion. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Groundcover, Pruning, Seed, Spring, Winter --- ### [History of Knock Out® Rose](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/history-of-knock-out-rose/) **Published:** July 10, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **William Radler Develops Hybrids That Are Knockouts** By STEWART DEMPSEY From the July 9, 2006 edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel It is hard to imagine a garden without roses. Their captivating beauty and lore are entwined in the hearts and minds of gardeners everywhere. So strong is the connection to this flower that gardeners would often spend more time and effort growing their roses than any other flower. But today, in large part because of one local man’s lifetime work, we can enjoy the beauty of roses with little of the effort once required. William Radler is responsible for many of the easy-to-grow new roses that are extremely disease-resistant, drought-tolerant and ever-blooming. In 2000, the All America Rose Selections committee named Radler’s original red Knock Out® shrub rose as one of its winners and it quickly became the best-selling new rose on the market. Last year alone, some 3 ½ million Knock Out were sold, a total only this rose can claim. Radler’s Pink and Blushing Pink (a paler version) Knock Out® roses followed to equal acclaim. And Radler’s Rainbow Knock Out® was just named an All America Rose Selections winner for 2007 and will be available next year. Radler spent his earliest years living with his family at 7th and Burleigh streets in Milwaukee. They were living in Whitefish Bay when he bought his first rose at a local A & P store with money he saved from his allowance when he was 9. His parents warned him that the plant would not survive the winter. Radler was confident it would, and the following year the plant thrived. From this early fascination, he developed a lifelong passion to develop and improve upon the rose. He went on to earn a degree in landscape architecture and served as the director of Boerner Botanic Gardens, all the while working on breeding roses as a hobby. **Hundreds of Roses** He now is a full-time rose breeder. His 1 ½ acre lot in Greenfield with its hundreds of rose bushes is his laboratory. In 1992, when he moved to his current home and garden, it was the yard and not the house that drew him to the property. He calls it the Rosarium. His basement is a facility for developing new roses and an incubation area for seedlings waiting for evaluation and possible inclusion in the outdoor Rosarium. These roses are tested and evaluated for disease resistance, repeat blooming, winter hardiness, resistance to insects and many other desired qualities. “I keep on selecting the best and continue crossing and crossing,” he says. “There are five hundred or more rose seedlings in the basement at any given time.” **What does he look for in a rose seedling?** The three most important characteristics at this early stage are breaking, habit and flower. Breaking is how, when and where the plant naturally sends out additional shoots from the main stem. Habit is the overall growth pattern of the plant (dense and bushy, or tall and spindly, for example). Flowers are rated on color, size, petal count and fragrance, among other things. Initial evaluation is critical, but some characteristics will change once the plant is grown outdoors. Developing a rose, even for someone with a horticultural background, is not an easy task. It takes a rare individual with the skills to recognize what he is looking at, and someone with an enormous amount of patience. At its introduction, Knock Out® set the standard for Black Spot resistance and repeat bloom. This beauty has single, bright flowers all season that seemingly float above dark green, lustrous and disease-free foliage. Knock Out is winter hardy, and is self-cleaning (no dead flower removal is necessary). Its path to market was long and painstaking for Radler. “The very first crosses I made were in the 1970s,” he says. “Knock Out® first saw the light of day in 1989. Knock Out® was the only seed in a hip from a reluctant female.” It can take years to get the right crosses, and there are so many factors including weather, temperature, viability of seeds and genetic unpredictability that can impede the quest for the perfect rose. **Making it disease-free** To ensure disease resistance, the roses in the Rosarium are inoculated with disease pathogens. “I encourage disease on the property,” says Radler. Infected leaves are dried and ground in a blender then spread on the healthy plants when the leaves are wet. Overhead watering during the growing season guarantees the spread of disease. Resistant plants are easily observed and documented, then used in future crosses. “In the fall of the year disease and insects are at their peak. Does a rose still look great? It has to look good. That’s what people are looking for,” he says. The plants are further tested and analyzed by the companies responsible for propagation and commercial sales, such as Conard-Pyle Company/Star, the company testing and producing of many of Radler’s introductions. This year’s introduction is Bright Eyes. It is an upright, pillar-type shrub rose that also can act as a medium sized climber, suitable for smaller gardens. Its flowers are a delicious salmon-pink with a lighter central eye. In addition to superior hardiness and disease resistance, Bright Eyes is a repeat bloomer and has a lemon-spicy aroma. Other recent introductions besides those in the Knock Out® series include Carefree Sunshine, and Ramblin’ Red. Some of the roses credited to Radler actually are mutations of his roses. And what does Radler say of his success? “I’m overwhelmed,” he says. “I can’t believe this has really happened to me. What started as a hobby for me has resulted in what has been called the most sought-after rose in the country. I’m beyond proud. “But what’s truly wonderful is that something that has brought such joy to me has also helped gardeners who never thought they could grow roses.” **Radler’s Roses** A chronology of Radler rose introductions: 2000 – Knock Out® (red) is introduced 2001 – Carefree Sunshine (yellow shrub rose) 2002 – Ramblin’ Red climber rose 2004 – Blushing Knock Out® (pale pink), Pink Knock Out (truer pink) 2005 – Double Knock Out® Knock Out (red with more petals), Lemon Meringue (yellow climber) 2006 – Climbing Carefree Sunshine (a mutation that blooms prolifically), Bright Eyes (a climber that is pink with yellow at the petal base and a strong lemony scent) 2007 – Rainbow Knock Out® (pink with a yellow center that blooms and blooms) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Flowers, Lemon, Seed, Temperature, Watering, Winter --- ### [David Austin Roses for The South](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/david-austin-roses-for-the-south/) **Published:** July 10, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Cyndi Lauderdale, executive director of the Wilson Botanical Gardens, and a North Carolina Extension Service agent, has found that several English rose cultivars grow well in the hot and humid Southeast. Writing in The American Nurseryman, she presents these notes: Rated “A+” Abraham Darby®, “Ambridge Rose,” “Benjamin Britten,” “Charlotte,” “Cottage Rose,” Graham Thomas® (“foliage never has shown signs of disease”), Heritage ®, Mary Rose® (“very resistant to mildew”), “Tess of the d’Urbervilles,” “Winchester Cathedral.” Rated “A” (“vulnerable to some disease damage”): English Garden®, “Sharifa Asma,” “Spirit of Freedom” (“very disease resistant”), “Tamora” (“virtually disease-free”), “The Prince.” Rated “B” (“good growers, but need spraying for insects and diseases”): “Fisherman’s Friend,” “Glamis Castle,” “Pat Austin,” “The Dark Lady” (“struggles to start”). Failures in Lauderdale’s garden: Bibi Mazoon™ (does grow at Wilson Botanical Gardens but produces no flowers), Fair Bianca®, “Grace.” **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Flowers --- ### [Roses - Black Spot Resistant](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-black-spot-resistant/) **Published:** July 11, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Georgia rose growers know all too well the devastation that black spot can wreak on roses. Planting roses resistant to black spot is the best way to avoid problems. The following article lists some of the most disease-resistant roses for the South. **MANAGE ROSE BLACK SPOT WITH DISEASE-TOLERANT CULTIVARS** By John Hartman, University of Kentucky Plant Pathologist Roses are a popular landscape and garden plant in Kentucky. Black spot, caused by the fungus *Diplocarpon rosae*, is the most important foliar disease of roses in Kentucky. It is a serious problem every year under our warm, humid growing conditions. Infected leaves become spotted, turn yellow and drop from the plant. This defoliation decreases plant energy reserves and results in reduced flowering of roses. Kentucky growers wanting to maintain good health of their susceptible rose cultivars are almost obligated to use repeated applications of fungicides throughout the growing season. If rose growers could grow genetically resistant or disease tolerant roses, they would benefit from improved performance and reduced fungicide use. Rose cultivars are evaluated for disease reactions. Plant Pathologists from around the U.S. periodically evaluate rose cultivars for their reaction to black spot disease. The following black spot-resistant rose lists were assembled from reports of evaluations done in Virginia, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Washington. Some of these test results were printed in recent issues of Biological and Cultural Tests for Control of Plant Diseases, an annual journal published by the American Phytopathological Society. Many of these cultivars are also listed in the publication Pest Resistant Ornamental Plants by Deborah C. Smith-Fiola of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service. Disease reactions can vary from one location to another depending on disease pressure. Cultivars with resistance may still develop symptoms under high disease pressure, but they survive black spot without much damage to the plant. It is possible for rose disease resistance to break down due to the black spot fungus adapting to the plant’s resistance, so resistance can be lost. Nevertheless, the roses listed here should perform well during most Kentucky disease outbreaks and with less fungicide than most roses. Black spot resistant hybrid tea roses: Alec’s Red Auguste Renoir Bride’s Dream, Canadian White Star Carla Cary Grant Cayenne Charlotte Armstrong Chrysler Imperial Dainty Bess Duet Electron\* Elina Elizabeth Taylor First Prize Forty Niner Frederic Mistral Granada Great Scott Helmut Schmidt\* Just Joey\* Keepsake\* Lady Lady Rose Lady X Las Vegas\* Love and Peace Marilyn Monroe Marijke Koopman Mikado Miss All-American Beauty Mister Lincoln Nantucket New Day\* Olympiad Otto Miller Pascale Peace Peggy Rockefeller Peter Frankenfeld\* Peter Mayle Pink Peace Polarstern\* Portrait Precious Platinum\* Princess of Monaco Pristine Proud Land Sheer Bliss Silver Jubilee\* Smooth Lady Sunbright Sutters Gold Tansinnroh The McCartney Rose Tiffany Tropicana Uncle Joe Voodoo\* Black spot resistant floribunda and grandiflora roses: Angel Face Betty Prior Bill Warriner Bonica\* Brass Band Candelabra Carousel Cathedral Charlotte Ann City of London Class Act Escapade Europeana\* Fashion First Edition First Kiss French Lace Gene Boerner Goldilocks Gruss an Aachen Hot Cocoa Iceberg\* Impatient\* Ivory Fashion Koricole Lavaglut Livin’Easy Love\* Matangi\* Mirandy Montezuma Nearly Wild New Year\* Orangeade Pink Parfait Playboy\* Playgirl\* Pretty Lady Prima Donna Prominent Queen Elizabeth Razzle Dazzle Red Gold\* Regensburg\* Rose Parade Sarabande\* Sexy Rexy\* Showbix\* Simplicity Sonia Sun Flare Sunsprite Tournament of Roses\* Trumpeter\* Viva\*. Black spot resistant shrub roses: Shrub roses are normally pretty resistant to black spot disease. There are many more black spot resistant cultivars than those listed here. Alba Meidiland All That Jazz Baby Love Belinda’s Dream Caldwell Pink Carefree Beauty Carefree Delight Carefree Sunshine Carefree Wonder Distant Drums Else Poulsen George Vancouver Harrison’s Yellow Katy Road Pink Knock Out Mrs. R. M. Fincn Prairie Harvest Prairie Sunrise Robusta Sea Foam Simon Fraser Simplicity Sir Thomas Lipton The Fairy Wanderin’ Wind Winter Sunset. Black spot resistant climbing roses: Dortmund\* Dublin Bay\* Eden John Davis New Dawn Pinkie Prosperity Rambling Red Red Climber Royal Sunset\* William Baffin. Black spot resistant miniature roses: Always a Lady Angel Darling Anytime Apricot Twist Baby Betsy McCall Beauty Secret Black Jade Centerpiece Cinderella Cuddles Deep Velvet Green Ice Gourmet Popcorn Jennifer Linville Little Artist Loving Touch Magic Carrousel Minnie Pearl Old Glory Pacesetter Queen City Rainbow’s End Red Cascade Red Flush Rose Gilardi Simplex Singles Better Sweet Pickins Watercolor and Work of Art. Black spot resistant Rugosa hybrid roses: Rugosa roses are normally resistant to black spot disease. These and other cultivars should do well. Blanc double de Coubert F. J. Grookendorst Frau Dagmar Hartopp Linda Campbell Polyantha Rugosa Alba Rugosa Magnifica Rugosa Rubra Rosecraie de l’Hay The Fairy Therese Bugnet. \*Also resistant to powdery mildew and rust diseases. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Winter --- ### [Miniature Roses - Indoors for Winter?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/miniature-roses-indoors-for-winter/) **Published:** December 30, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q:** I have several miniature roses growing in containers. Should they be moved indoors for the winter, or will they be all right left outside on a sunny deck? A: Miniature roses are often sold as houseplants but they are not at all suited for indoor conditions. They are plenty hardy enough to be outdoors in winter. I worry about leaving them on a sunny deck. It may be warm enough there to force tender new growth in winter. Instead, find a sunny spot in which to dig a trench two inches deeper than the pots, but just as wide, and place a single layer of bricks in the bottom. Put the pots on the bricks and stuff pine straw around them. The bricks provide good drainage and the straw insulates the roots. Put a thin layer of straw around the plants and let them be until you retrieve them March. If there is much foot traffic near the planting spot, insert a section of bamboo next to each pot to protect them. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Pine, Pine Straw, Pots, Winter --- ### [Spinning Primrose - Winter Preparation](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/spinning-primrose-winter-preparation/) **Published:** February 9, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was given a spinning Persian primrose that blooms in the evening, just as it’s getting dark. What do I do with the stalks during the winter?** A: Spinning primrose, Oenothera biennis, is also known as evening primrose. It has fragrant yellow flowers that “spin” as they open at night then wilt at daybreak. Although the flower opening is interesting, the seeds that follow can be a real nuisance. My advice is to collect the tan seedpods from the stalk as soon as they form. Don’t let them crack open and scatter seed. Plant a few of the seeds in a sunny bed now. Some will sprout and grow the rosette of leaves that marks the first year of this biennial plant. These plants will bloom next year. If you save the seeds to plant in spring, they won’t bloom until the following year. By all means, do not put the seed-filled stalks on your compost pile! **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Compost, Flowers, Seed, Spring, Winter --- ### [Rose of Sharon - Budding](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-of-sharon-budding/) **Published:** February 9, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Both this year and last on our Rose of Sharon bush there have been a considerable amount of blooms on the plant that never fully open. They turn yellow and drop.** A: In my experience, two things cause Rose of Sharon bud fall: soil too dry or soil too wet. Either condition causes root problems that convince the upper part of the plant to abort its blossoms. On the other hand, some experts say some bud drop is a natural thing, similar to the June fruit drop that occurs on peaches. If water stress isn’t your problem, simply enjoy whatever beauty the plant gives you. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Peach, Soil --- ### [Cumberland False Rosemary - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cumberland-false-rosemary-growing/) **Published:** April 8, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I inherited a Cumberland false rosemary planted in a large outdoor pot. Can this plant survive planted in the ground here?** A: Native plant expert Shannon Pable ([shannonpable.com](http://www.shannonpable.com)) says Cumberland false rosemary, *Conradina verticillata*, naturally grows in sandy soil on stream banks. I’d suggest planting it where it can get morning sun and afternoon dappled shade. Add coarse sand to soil before planting. Here’s a link with more info: [Cumberland false rosemary](http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/habitat/esa/southeast04.asp) **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Native Plant, Shade, Soil --- ### [Rosemary - Edible Leaves?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary-edible-leaves/) **Published:** June 16, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted a creeping rosemary last fall and it has little blue flowers on it. Are they edible?** A: Joyce Cotter, president of the Chattahoochee Unit of the American Herb Society, says rosemary flowers are quite edible. She advises that you remove the green, leaf-like calyx at the base of the flowers and then scatter the petals lightly on hors d’oeuvres or salads. The flower taste is more intense than rosemary leaves. The herb society welcomes new members. You can get more information and recipes at www.cuhsa.org. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers --- ### [Roses - Winter Protection Protocol](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-winter-protection-protocol/) **Published:** June 21, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am growing roses in pots on a raised deck. What is the recommended winter protection for a container grown rose?** A: The safest thing to do is to move them into an unheated garage or basement. If this is impossible, move the containers against an east-facing exterior wall in December. If winter temperatures drop into the ‘teens, cover each plant with a blanket. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Winter, Temperature, Pots, Container --- ### [Roses - Avoiding Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-avoiding-disease/) **Published:** June 21, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have Knock Out roses in our subdivision landscape and are planning to add more. We have heard that a virus is beginning to attack roses. Should we be concerned about this to the extent that we not add any more?** A: If the roses look healthy there is no need to substitute other plants. Rose rosette disease is transmitted by mites, not by contaminated soil or water. If you don’t have infected plants in the vicinity, any new roses you add will grow fine. However, examine any new roses for excess thorniness and a distinct reddish cast to the stems. These two symptoms are common on rosette infected plants. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Soil --- ### [Roses - Using Rose Waste](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-using-rose-waste/) **Published:** June 26, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Last year, when I pruned my Knockout roses I clipped the stems into short sections and used them as mulch under the plant. What would be the best method to incorporate rose waste back into the garden?** A: Since roses (even Knock Out) are so susceptible to leaf diseases, I think it’s better to remove leaves and branches from the area completely. Fewer fungi present when new growth begins results in less disease pressure. Use tree leaves, wood chips or pine needles for rose mulch instead. Compost the rose clippings in another part of your landscape. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Compost, Disease, Mulch, Pine --- ### [Roses - No Second Bloom](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-no-second-bloom/) **Published:** June 26, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted several Knock Out roses last year. They bloomed nicely last fall and spring but, unlike my neighbor’s bushes, I don’t see any blooms now.** A: Like all roses, Knock Out blooms occur at the end of a recently produced branch. In my observation, the new branch must be 12″ – 16″ long before flower buds emerge. My guess is that you didn’t fertilize your rose regularly. Regular feeding stimulates new growth throughout the summer, leading to copious blooms from spring until the first hard freeze. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Spring, Summer --- ### [Cumberland False Rosemary - Planting Outside In Atlanta](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cumberland-false-rosemary-planting-outside-in-atlanta/) **Published:** July 19, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I inherited a Cumberland false rosemary planted in a large outdoor pot. Can this plant survive planted in the ground here?** A: Native plant expert Shannon Pable (shannonpable.com) says Cumberland false rosemary, Conradina verticillata, naturally grows in sandy soil on stream banks. I’d suggest planting it where it can get morning sun and afternoon dappled shade. Add coarse sand to soil before planting. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Native Plant, Shade, Soil --- ### [Knock Out® Roses - Pruning In Fall](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/knock-out-roses-pruning-in-fall/) **Published:** July 19, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is it OK to prune Knock Out® roses in the fall?** A: This is a fine time to tidy yours up. Remove empty sprays of flower buds, clip out long branches and remove any dead wood. Your plant won’t produce more flowers this year but it will be ready for any major pruning you do in February and it will be attractive for the winter. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Pruning, Winter --- ### [Lenten Roses - Self Pollinators](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lenten-roses-self-pollinators/) **Published:** December 17, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My Lenten roses are blooming, and I am curious to know if they self-pollinate or is there an insect that does so.** A: They self-pollinate like crazy! Hellebore flowers have the male and female parts close together so self-pollination is inevitable. Seeds form in May and drop in June. You’ll usually find a mass of seedlings underneath mature plants. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Seed --- ### [Exotic Roses - Quick Planting Tips](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/exotic-roses-quick-planting-tips/) **Published:** December 17, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I purchased some seeds for exotic roses, including Black Dragon and Abracadabra but I don’t know beans about growing them. Can you give me quick tips?** A: The best time to plant rose seeds is in late April, in a sunny spot outdoors. You won’t have success sprouting them indoors. The flowers of the roses you get from the seeds will not be like the pictures you saw when ordering. Roses do not come true from seed: they will have characteristics from both parents. Even if both parents were so-called Black Dragon, the offspring will be a mix of colors. That said, I encourage you to plant the seeds next spring and see what you get. When they bloom a year later you may get a flower you like very much. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Beans, Flowers, Seed, Spring --- ### [Tea Roses - Holes And Brown Sticky](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tea-roses-holes-and-brown-sticky/) **Published:** December 31, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Something is eating holes in the buds of my hybrid tea roses, and there is a brown, sticky substance leaking from the holes.** A: Various caterpillars bore into rose buds at this time of year. Sticky sap oozes from the wounds. They can be controlled with organic sprays that contain Bacillus thuringiensis or spinosad. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Caterpillar --- ### [Roses - Disease Resistant Climbers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-disease-resistant-climbers/) **Published:** January 2, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am interested in the disease-resistant qualities exhibited by roses developed by Bill Radler, the originator of Knock Out(tm) roses. Which climber would you recommend?** A: I found online three climbing roses with links to Mr. Radler: Morning Magic(tm), ‘Winners Circle’, ‘Ramblin Red’ and ‘Cancan’. I haven’t had experience with any of them but Radler is well-known for his breeding ability. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease --- ### [Rose - Are Petals Poisonous](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-are-petals-poisonous/) **Published:** December 20, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Are Knock Out rose petals poisonous? I’m not planning to make a meal of them, but I’d like to decorate desserts with the petals.** A: I’m not aware of anything detrimental in the petals, as long as no pesticides have been sprayed on them. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Pesticide, Poison, Poisonous --- ### [Rose - Rosette Disease on Knock Out Rose](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-rosette-disease-2/) **Published:** December 22, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Rose rosette disease has infected all my Knock Out roses. Now I have to dig them up and replace them. I would not recommend these roses unless until the rosette disease has a cure.** A: All roses are susceptible to rose rosette disease, not just Knock Out(tm) roses. The only cure is to remove the entire plant. The incurable virus can even persist in root fragments left behind when you dig out a rose. If you’re careful about getting every one of the root pieces, you could leave the planting spot bare until October, scouting weekly for errant sprouts to appear. If none arise you can plant more roses in the same spot. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease --- ### [Roses - Different Colored Blooms](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-different-colored-blooms/) **Published:** December 22, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have fifteen carpet roses which have bloomed dark red for six years. This year three of them have pink blooms. All were pruned the same in the fall and fertilized the same in the spring. Why did the color change?** A: On grafted roses, the new colors might come from sprouts below the graft union. However, carpet roses are typically not grafted; they are propagated via cuttings. My guess is that the three are reverting to the color of the pink-blooming parent rose from which yours were once bred. It seems unusual that three plants would revert at the same time but this is my best speculation. If red blooms appear on the newly pink plants, prune out the pink flower stems and let the red-blooming stems take over once again. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Spring --- ### [Roses - Sawflies](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-sawflies/) **Published:** December 22, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Will neem oil work to kill sawflies on my roses?** A: Sawfly larvae can quickly riddle a rose leaf. The “worms” chew the leaves and leave characteristic holes. Neem oil, spinosad and insecticidal soap are all good organic means of control. Apply as early as you can in the morning or late in the evening to miss the beneficial insects that are present. If you’re an early riser, simply turning rose leaves to examine the backside will usually reveal the sawfly larvae at work, where they can be squished with your fingers. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Rosemary - Cold Weather](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary-cold-weather/) **Published:** December 28, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two young rosemary bushes outdoors. Should I put them in pots and bring them in the house during the winter?** A: There’s no need to bring rosemary indoors. It’s one of the hardiest herbs you can grow. I’ve also had outdoor success with oregano and thyme. They came through the last two winters unscathed. Both of them are near a wall that provided a bit of shelter. The University of Georgia has an excellent online herb growing guide at [bit.ly/UGAherb](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens). **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Herbs, Pots, Winter --- ### [Rugosa Rose - Growing In Georgia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rugosa-rose-growing-in-georgia/) **Published:** December 28, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: While on vacation in Maine we loved seeing beach roses They smelled beautifully. Would these roses grow here?** A: I’ll bet you were seeing rugosa roses. The leaves have a characteristic corrugated surface. They would be very happy growing anywhere in the northern half of our state. They are rarely affected by disease and sport colorful seed pods in winter. I think we don’t see them commonly in local gardens because they only bloom once a year and they tend to be large and gangly. If you have space for them, rugosa roses are well worth planting. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Seed, Winter --- ### [Replacement for Knockout Roses](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/replacement-for-knockout-roses/) **Published:** May 4, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a virus on all my Knock Out roses and have been told by a nursery to dig up and burn them. I also was told to not plant roses in that spot again. What plants I can use to replace the roses?** A: There’s no good answer. Knock Out rose is unique in its continuous bloom habit and year-round interest. I asked a couple of local designers and they recommended Encore azalea, butterfly bush, dwarf crape myrtle, ‘Sonic Bloom Red’ weigelia, Salvia greggii, ‘Little Lime’ hydrangea, ‘Preziosa’ hydrangea, ‘Crimson Fire’ loropetalum, ‘Color Guard’ yucca, compact nandina, and dwarf abelia. None of these flower continuously like Knock Out rose but I can visualize several combinations that would be interesting to view all year long. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Azalea, Butterfly, Crape Myrtle, Hydrangea --- ### [Will Roundup Kill Rose of Sharon?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/will-roundup-kill-rose-of-sharon/) **Published:** May 4, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: If I spray Roundup on the little plants around my rose of Sharon will it kill the tree?** A: It’s not likely. The sprouts are typically from individual seedlings that sprouted this past spring. They are not attached to the main plant. Be cautious though and examine closely those nearest the trunk. If they are sprouts from the roots of the mother plant, the weedkiller could travel from the sprout back to the original. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Roundup, Seed, Spring, Travel, Weed --- ### [Cherokee Rose - Plant In Pot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cherokee-rose-plant-in-pot/) **Published:** May 14, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Should I plant my new Cherokee rose in a pot in the ground to keep the roots from spreading and taking over? It will grow on an arbor.** A: I remember that the State Botanical Garden in Athens once had a Cherokee rose that engulfed a big arbor but I don’t remember seeing any root sprouts nearby. In other words, this plant is not like bamboo that spreads relentlessly outward 24/7. My bet is if you prevent the canes from touching the ground, where they could reproduce, you could plant it naturally and keep it easily under control. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Dog Pee In Flower Beds - Save Roses](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/dog-pee-in-flower-beds-save-roses/) **Published:** May 14, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: How do you get rid of dog pee in flower beds? What do I do to the soil in order to not have my new roses die?** A: Usually simply adding organic matter, tilling the soil, and leaving it to dry in the sunshine for a couple of days is sufficient to remove the urine. The smell itself is not harmful. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Roses - Kill The Bugs But Not The Bees](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-kill-the-bugs-but-not-the-bees/) **Published:** May 22, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What can I spray for bugs on my roses instead of systemic insecticides that kill honeybees?** A: It’s true that systemic insecticides can harm bees, but despite the brouhaha over their use, insecticides are not the only cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Mites, poor management, less diverse bee genetics, and exposure to pesticides other than systemic insecticides each play a major role. If you want to use fewer chemicals on your roses, consider bio-rational insecticides like neem oil and give them a forceful water spray each week. More details on CCD at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/colony-collapse-disorder/. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Pesticide --- ### [Knockout Roses - Is It Safe To Prune Now?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/knockout-roses-is-it-safe-to-prune-now/) **Published:** May 22, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: With such nice weather recently, is it safe to prune Knockout roses?** A: It is safe only if you can confidently predict there will be no more cold weather this winter. Otherwise, pruning now may stimulate buds to swell and these could be damaged in freezing weather later. I recommend pruning in late February when the buds are easy to see and the chance for a deep freeze is remote. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Pruning, Winter --- ### [Knockout Roses - Treat Before Sawflies Attack](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/knockout-roses-treat-before-sawflies-attack/) **Published:** May 22, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: How do I treat Knockout roses before the leaves are attacked by sawflies this spring?** A: You have reminded me that now’s the time to treat my own roses as a defense against the sawfly larvae that chew holes in the leaves. I’ll treat my hibiscus to protect against the same pest as well. I suppose organic control could be achieved by regular spraying with insecticidal soap when damage is first noticed but I prefer drenching with imidacloprid (Bayer Tree and Shrub, Bonide Systemic Granules, etc). **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping **Tags:** Spring --- ### [Roses - When To Prune In Mild Winter](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/roses-when-to-prune-in-mild-winter/) **Published:** May 22, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is the best time to prune roses when we have had such a mild winter?** A: Late February seems right to me, even when a shrub rose has emerging leaves. I have two tips to keep in mind when pruning shrub roses. Number one, plan to reduce the size by about 50%. Unpruned roses won’t have a dense covering of flowers. Number two, make your cuts about a quarter of an inch above a bud that faces outward. This gives better air circulation through the shrub, which prevents disease and stimulates the production of more leaves which leads to more flowers. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Flowers, Pruning, Winter --- ### [Knock Out Roses - Alternatives](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/knock-out-roses-atlternatives/) **Published:** May 30, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My Knock Out roses have gotten rose rosette disease and I’ve had to remove them. What are some alternatives that I might replace them with?** A: Despite their boring ubiquity, there are lots of reasons to admire Knock Out roses. They bloom from spring until frost. They suffer few insect and fungal issues; they’re drought tolerant, versatile and easily pruned. But rose rosette disease lays them low. In your case, I can think of three good options. Dwarf crapemyrtle, like ‘Pokomoke’, ‘Chickasaw’, ‘Petite Red’ and various ‘Dazzle’ cultivars, ranges in size from three to five feet. Dwarf butterfly bush, like the “Lo & Behold” series, is another option that comes in a multitude of colors. Abelia (‘Kaleidoscope’, ‘Canyon Creek’, ‘Sunrise’, etc) has an incredibly long bloom time and comes in a variety of sizes. Surely one of these would fit your needs. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Butterfly, Disease, Spring --- ### [Knockout Roses - What Is A Safe Distance To Plant Them From A Water Line?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/knockout-roses-what-is-a-safe-distance-to-plant-them-from-a-water-line/) **Published:** June 12, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I want to plant Knock Out roses near a water line but I’m worried the roots may break into the pipe. What is a safe distance to plant them from something like this?** A: Plant roots do not invade water supply lines unless there is a leak. You’d probably notice the leak and fix it before the roots had a chance to grow into the pipe. Occasionally water lines near a tree root will be broken because the tree root grows large and bends the pipe but that would not be the case with roses. I believe you can plant the roses wherever you want without worries. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Rose Disease Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-disease-control/) **Published:** August 31, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I found a formula in a gardening magazine for a rose disease control spray that contains baking soda, cooking oil and vinegar. What do you think?** A: The problem with recipes like this is twofold: First, mixtures like this are not supported by research. In other words, when scientifically tested, it does not consistently prevent diseases. Generally speaking, that’s because different parts of the country have different amounts of disease pressure. A homemade mixture that might work occasionally in one part of the country (Pennsylvania) might not ever work in another part of the country (Georgia) where heat and humidity conspire to favor disease on roses. Secondly, this recipe contains vinegar and baking soda, which any elementary school student can tell you will react and neutralize each other. In Georgia, the best rose disease preventers are synthetic fungicides, like Daconil or Infuse. These materials, in combination with disease-resistant roses, can give you consistently beautiful flowers. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Flowers --- ### [When Can I Propagate My Confederate Rose?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-can-i-propagate-my-confederate-rose/) **Published:** October 11, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a Confederate rose which came from my great-grandmother. I’m selling my house before late fall, which is when I should propagate it. Is there any way at this time of year to save some of it for my new home?** A: I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t root it right now. I would find a leafy stem several feet long and as big around as your little finger. Cut it into pieces approximately 12″ long. Make cuts 1/2″ above a green leaf. Immerse the sections, bottom end down, in a small bucket of water such that the bottom 8″ of each piece is covered with water. Put it in a spot outdoors that gets bright shade. Each piece should have good roots on it by October. It might be iffy to plant it outside then. I would put each piece in an 8″ pot and place it in a bright window indoors until time to plant it next spring. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Fall, Shade, Spring --- ### [Rose Bushes - What To Spray To Kill Weeds Around Them?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-bushes-what-to-spray-to-kill-weeds-around-them/) **Published:** May 21, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What can I spray to kill weeds in and around my rose bushes without hurting them?** A: At a big box store I recently saw a sprayer that had a conical shield attached to the spray wand. The label indicated it was for use near ornamental plants. You can make a homemade shield by cutting the neck of a four-inch plastic funnel so that it fits over the nozzle of your own garden sprayer. Use tape to hold it in place. Or you can cut the bottom off of a gallon milk jug, put the jug over a weed and give it a squirt through the jug neck. With this protection, I’d feel comfortable spraying glyphosate (Roundup, etc) as close as twelve inches from your rose stems. You could also use a large piece of cardboard to shield plants when you spray. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Glyphosate, Roundup, Weed --- ### [Difference Between Roses And Witch's Broom - Rose Rosette Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/difference-between-roses-and-witchs-broom-rose-rosette-disease/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was at a nursery and mentioned to a staffer that one of my roses looked like it had rose rosette disease. He asked if I was sure it wasn’t witch’s broom. It’s important to know because treatment for the two conditions is different.** A: Witch’s broom and the abnormal growth caused by the rose rosette virus appear similar but they are not the same. Witch’s broom is usually found on conifers. It is characterized by a mass of twigs originating from the same point on a branch. On roses, the only thing similar would be when a rose has accidentally been sprayed with glyphosate, not a virus infection. This herbicide injury is characterized by tiny yellow leaves clustered in balls up and down the stem. As you know, rose rosette disease has several simultaneous symptoms: multiple shoots, excess thorniness, deep red foliage, and malformed flowers. Keep a close eye on your suspect rose. If more rose rosette symptoms develop, remove it completely. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Flowers, Glyphosate, Herbicide --- ### [Can I Prune My Climbing Rose Now Or Should I Wait?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-prune-my-climbing-rose-now-or-should-i-wait/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have an old climbing rose I forgot to prune after it bloomed in May. Can I still prune it this late in the year or should I wait until next year?** A: If it needs major surgery, it would be better to wait until after it blooms in spring. Otherwise you’ll be taking off all of your bloom buds. If you only need to trim a few branches, it would not hurt to do it now as long as several branches are left intact. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Spring --- ### [Should I Trim Back My Lenten Rose?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/should-i-trim-back-my-lenten-rose/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Should I trim back the long leggy branches on my Lenten rose? They look healthy.** A: Even though they are green and healthy in early spring, those tall leaves will get big black spots by early summer, turn completely black, and die. The short young leaves you see next to the flowers will soon grow larger. It’s best to clip off all the old leaves on your hellebores in December so the new growth can easily come up. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Pots, Spring, Summer --- ### [Black Spot Disease On Roses - Rotating Chemicals](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/black-spot-disease-on-roses/) **Published:** August 6, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I believe my unhappy roses have black spot disease. What should I do?** A: Black spot disease can rapidly make a rose raggedy. You can prevent the disease from affecting new leaves by spraying with a rose fungicide. The best practice is to rotate between at least two different fungicide chemicals. Propiconazol (Infuse), chlorothalonil (Daconil), and tebuconazole (Bioadvanced All-in-One) are commonly available. Follow label directions exactly. If you haven’t fertilized, you should do that now to encourage new growth. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Tools & Chemicals, General Q & A, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease --- ### [Getting Rid Of Rose Rosette Infested Roses](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/getting-rid-of-rose-rosette-crud/) **Published:** August 6, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Our favorite rose got the rose rosette crud. Does it need to be burned after removal?** A: You don’t need to burn it. The best thing to do is to clip the rose bush into small enough pieces that they can be put into a bag and the bag taken to a landfill. Don’t use a blower to clean up afterward. It could disperse the mites that spread the disease. Use your hands to gather debris and put in the bag. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease --- ### [Can I Plant Cut Roses](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-plant-cut-roses/) **Published:** December 19, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: The cut roses I received are growing sprouts and new leaves. Are they able to be planted?** A: it is not uncommon for cut roses to sprout new leaves. However, they rarely sprout new roots. If the twigs don’t develop roots, they won’t survive being taken out of the water. That said, they won’t last much longer in the water because the stem ends can’t absorb nutrients. You can enjoy the flowers until the leaves begin to turn yellow. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers --- ### [Lady Banks Rose Has Only Long Runners](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lady-banks-rose-has-only-long-runners/) **Published:** December 19, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a young Lady Banks rose. It has multiple long runners but not a single bloom. What could be wrong, and should I prune the long runners?** A: Depending on its age, the rose may simply be getting its root system established in your planting spot. In any case, don’t prune ‘Lady Banks’ rose now. All of the flower buds for next spring have been formed and you don’t want to remove them. If it is young, prune lightly after blooming next year. Remove damaged limbs but not much else. In the future, when it is growing vigorously, you can prune more heavily to keep it in bounds. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Spring --- ### [Should I Cut My Lenten Roses Back](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/should-i-cut-my-lenten-roses-back/) **Published:** January 15, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have lots of very healthy Lenten roses and autumn ferns. My husband wants to cut off all the leaves and fronds from the plants. I think they look great just the way they are. Is there any reason to cut them back?** A: I’m on your side. I think Lenten rose plants look their best in mid-winter if the beds are sheared to the ground in the first couple weeks of November. That is the time when the old leaves are beginning to become black and spotted, before the new green leaves have appeared. The beds will look ragged for a couple weeks but by early December the new green foliage will look great. I don’t think autumn ferns ever need shearing. Some of the older fronds will turn brown during the year but they fall on the ground pretty quickly and are hidden by the new fronds. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Winter --- ### [When To Prune Confederate Rose Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-to-prune-confederate-rose-plants/) **Published:** March 24, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have five Confederate rose plants and the stems are not yet dead. Should I** **prune it down anyway?** A: I did an experiment a couple of years ago. I left my stalks in place all winter. To my surprise, the stems did not die all the way to the ground but did die down to three feet high. New growth came from that spot and below, yielding an interesting shape to the plant. You can choose whatever you want to do with the stems. If stems are green, you can cut foot-long sections and root them in a small bucket of water. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Winter --- ### [Drift Roses - Pros And Cons](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/drift-roses-pros-and-cons/) **Published:** May 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I’m not very familiar with Drift roses but am seeing them more in nurseries. What are their plusses and minuses?** A: Drift roses have been around for a decade but recently their originator, the Conard-Pyle company, decided to market them more heavily. They deserve this because these roses are about as pest resistant and easy to grow as Knock Out roses but smaller. There are more diverse bloom colors and a couple of Drift roses even have fragrance, something I never notice with Knock Out roses. Because they are smaller, Drift roses are adaptable to small landscapes. They only reach 2-3 feet tall and have a spreading habit. Maintenance is simple: clip them down to half their end-of winter size and fertilize with a controlled-release fertilizer when strong growth begins in April. Choose from Drift Pink, Drift Coral, Drift Red, Drift Peach, Drift Apricot, and several other colors. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Perennial Forms of Annual Bluegrass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/perennial-forms-of-annual-bluegrass/) **Published:** April 24, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Sometimes you just want to cry. Lawn warriors valiantly and tenaciously trying to control annual bluegrass with pre-emergent chemicals will be discouraged to learn that this weed also comes in a >**perennial<** form. The darn thing has so much genetic variability that it eventually figures out how to get around weed preventers. It’s done it so many times that **annual** bluegrass has become **perennial** for all intents and purposes. Does that mean it has become impossible to control? **No. it does not!** Annual bluegrass can still be controlled with a correctly applied pre-emergent product and a lawn grass that is properly managed, particularly regarding mowing height and frequency plus fertilizer applied in the proper amount and at the right time. If you want a little chemical help after the weed has emerged in spring. Imazaquin (Image for Nutgrass) is labeled for use in winter on all grasses except fescue to control annual **bluegrass**. Since Image must be absorbed by roots, control may not be evident for several weeks. Professional herbicides like Revolver(foramsulfuron), Tenacity(mesotrione), Poa Constrictor(ethofumesate), or Monument(Trifloxysulfuron-Sodium) may be considered. These products are used by professionals and are available to homeowners, but they are expensive. That said, you have to be very careful to ## **Remember: read and follow the label** on each one. They can be used on some lawn grasses but not others and timing the application correctly is important. **You have to be REALLY careful with mixing.** Remember that “annual” **bluegrass** is a misnomer. There are biotypes that behave more as a perennial plant and some are resistant to these products. ## There is no silver bullet for annual bluegrass control. see [Controlling Poa annua in Sports Turf](http://sportsturfonline.com/2015/03/31/controlling-poa-annua-in-sports-turf) **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Lawn Care --- ### [How to Control Annual Bluegrass in Fall-planted Fescue](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/annual-bluegrass-control-in-fall-planted-fescue/) **Published:** July 7, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** It’s a frustrating situation: you have a thin fescue lawn but you’ve also had problems with annual bluegrass there in previous winters. If you use a [pre-emergent (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=preemergent%20weed%20control&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apreemergent%20weed%20control&sprefix=preemergent%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) to control the bluegrass, you can’t readily plant fescue seed. Annual bluegrass starts germinating in late summer or fall as soil temperatures fall below 70°F. You could try either of the two methods below: **Dr. Clint Waltz, UGA Turf specialist:** “Options are limited it these circumstances. The best I can offer is the use of a product containing benefin (Balan) prior to planting. Even then, seeding should be delayed until 6 weeks after treatment. A September 1 pre-emergence application with a mid- to late-October seeding date may provide acceptable control. “There are several downsides to this program: First, if the application rate is not correct (2 lbs active ingredient per acre) and the chemical is applied too heavy, a six week interval might not be enough and tall fescue inhibition would be expected. Also, seeding fescue in mid- to late-October is not ideal. I like to see tall fescue seeded mid-September when soil temperatures are still warm enough for germination, but once nighttime air temperatures are cooling off. This timing gives the grass the maximum amount of time to grow prior to cold weather. “Another thought is, if the homeowner has had an acceptable stand of tall fescue this past spring then they may not really need to seed fescue over-the-top. An application of a pre-emergence herbicide will be all that is needed. All too often homeowners over-react to the summer thinning of tall fescue and plan to re-seed. “If they are going to interseed in the fall, I suggest placing a blanket or door-mat over a representative area and observing the amount of tall fescue that returns once the environmental conditions become favorable. It is common for the tall fescue to quickly return to a healthy thick stand without additional seed.” **Walter Reeves’ thoughts:** If weather permits planting fescue on the first day of September, it MAY be possible to get good germination before annual bluegrass emerges. Remember: Annual bluegrass starts germinating as soil temperatures fall below 70°F. [Click here to check your soil temperature.](http://www.georgiaweather.net/) The average date in Atlanta of 70 degree soil temperature at a 2 inch depth is in late September. Early-planted fescue would be pretty well established after four weeks in September. Even so, I’d wait until mid-October to apply a pre-emergent. The label on pre-emergent herbicides may give further information on the application interval after planting fescue. [![annual bluegrass 7](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/annual-bluegrass-71.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/annual-bluegrass-71.jpg) **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care **Tags:** Fall, Herbicide, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Timing Spring Pre-emergent Herbicide Application on Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-timing-pre-emergent-herbicide/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Bob K. wrote me recently to ask about controlling crabgrass. “**We’re having pretty good success with our bermudagrass lawn but the crabgrass is overtaking it.”** he related. **“We put down [pre-emergent (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=preemergent%20weed%20control&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apreemergent%20weed%20control&sprefix=preemergent%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) herbicide twice this spring but now we have about fifty percent crabgrass in our lawn. Will the crabgrass die over the winter and not be a problem next spring?”** He probably followed my timing instructions last spring. For several years I have repeated the mantra “Summer weeds: March 15. Winter weeds: September 15.” If you battle weeds in your lawn you know what I mean: Put out your crabgrass prevente[r](http://www.gardenword.com/preemergent.htm) in mid-March and your winter weed preventer in mid-September. “*March 15, September 15*.” It rhymes, it’s easy to remember and that’s what I’ve always recommended. Bob’s question, though, made me do a little research. He put down a [pre-emergent (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=preemergent%20weed%20control&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apreemergent%20weed%20control&sprefix=preemergent%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) *twice* this spring and *still* didn’t get good control. Why? I realize now that my rhyme will have to be discarded. **Crabgrass seed, you see, germinate when spring soil temperatures tend upwards from 50 degrees F. Weed scientists use 52 degrees F. at one-half inch deep as the trigger point for their application of pre-emergence herbicide.** The University of Georgia maintains a network of weather stations around the state that monitor all sorts of weather data. To find your soil temperature, go to [**Georgia Weather Network** ](http://www.georgiaweather.net)and find the station nearest your house. Click on it, then click on **Past Data**, and then **31-Day Summary**. You’ll get a page of data. The column close to the middle is **2″Soil Temp.** Follow the dates and temperatures to easily figure out how soil temperatures are behaving in your area. ### **My timing advice has been wrong!** To get good crabgrass control in Atlanta you should apply the pre-emergent when the soil temperature at 2″ deep is 55 degrees for five days and no cold weather is forecast.” So even though the soil temperature may be 55 degrees some days in January you should wait until your local weather person announces that the current warm weather will continue and it’s clear sailing, weather-wise, until spring. **So March 1, not March 15**, is the best time to start monitoring. Otherwise the seed will sprout beforehand….and most [pre-emergent](http://www.gardenword.com/preemergent.htm) chemicals *do not* control crabgrass seedlings. In Bob’s situation, the crabgrass *will* die this winter – but the seed it has already dropped will sprout next April and he could have even more of the weed next year. So what should he do? **For lawns, the following products give excellent control of crabgrass in summer and annual bluegrass in winter. Some also prevent broadleaf weeds:** [benefin (Amaze, Balan, Crabgrass Preventer ) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2HfCyd0) [oryzalin (Surflan) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2svKYcQ) [pendimethalin (Halts, LESCO 0-0-7) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2stSqVZ) [dithiopyr (Crab-Ex, Bonide Crabgrass and Weed Preventer, Dimension) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2HfMRxu) [prodiamine (Barricade) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2svWmVZ) **Pre-emergent for Ornamental Beds (not lawns)** [Trifluralin and isoxaben (Preen Extended Control ) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2CllChH) **PRE- and POST-emergent combo products** [Prodiamine and sulfentrazone (Bonide Weed Beater Complete) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2CkXR9a) [Quinclorac and dicamba (Ortho Weed B Gon with Crabgrass Control) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2CkMHBB) [Isoxaben, mecoprop, dicamba (Bayer Season Long Weed Control) click for examples](http://amzn.to/2svrB3z) **The key is the timing.** Pre-emergent herbicides MUST be applied BEFORE crabgrass seed germinate. If Bob and other lawn owners choose one of the products above and put it out on March 1, I think summer crabgrass control will be much better. My second (September 15) date still stands. Put out a pre-emergence control for annual bluegrass, henbit or chickweed on that date and you’ll avoid my winter weed “I told you so!” next spring. **REMEMBER: Read all herbicide labels thoroughly to be sure the product can be used on your particular turfgrass and that it controls the weed(s) you are trying to manage.** ![annual bluegrass in bermuda](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/annual-bluegrass-in-bermuda.jpg "annual bluegrass in bermuda")annual bluegrass in bermuda **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** Crabgrass, Herbicide, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Weed, Winter --- ### [Asian Ambrosia Beetle - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/asian-ambrosia-beetle-control/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** There is no more accurate description of Asian Ambrosia Beetle damage than “Toothpicks coming out of the trunk of my tree!” This boring pest came to my attention when a big flowering cherry tree in my back yard just “up and died” one April. I found the toothpicks when I examined it. The tiny female beetle bores into the trunk of susceptible trees (crape myrtle, redbud, dogwood, cherry, etc.) in February and March and deposits her eggs. Lovingly she leaves a deposit of ambrosia fungus in the hole, to provide a first meal for the larvae when they hatch. Unfortunately, the beetle fungus is usually contaminated with other, more virulent, fungi – which often lead to a tree’s demise. **There is no treatment for an Asian ambrosia beetle attack once seen.** The fungus inside the tree can not be eliminated. Asian ambrosia beetle is serious pest. Once it attacks a tree **typically the only option is to see if the tree survives the summer. If not, cut the tree down and remove it from your property.** Crepemyrtles might resprout and grow another trunk to replace what you remove but most other trees do not respond so nicely. If you notice the “toothpicks”, your best bet is to spray susceptible trees **each spring** with [cypermethrin ( click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=cypermethrin&linkCode=ur2&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=7KS3D53QWNKUSOO2)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir), [permethrin (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=permethrin%20spray&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A2972638011%2Ck%3Apermethrin%20spray&sprefix=permethrin%20spray%2Caps%2C142&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&linkId=36UTDMX34IOZUASF)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) or [deltamethrin (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=deltamethrin%20spray&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Adeltamethrin%20spray&sprefix=deltamethrin%2Caps%2C142&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=P5RV2PIJ3J2B2O54)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) in order to protect them from female beetles landing on the trunk and boring in. To know when to spray, you can build a trap to monitor their emergence in early spring (mid-February). [Ambrosia Beetle Trap](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/asian-ambrosia-beetle-trap/) [Ambrosia Beetle Life Cycle](https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/granulate-asian-ambrosia-beetle) [What an Asian ambrosia beetle attack looks like on crapemyrtle](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/asian-ambrosia-beetle-on-crapemyrtle/) [Arkansas Extension Fact Sheet with another home-made beetle trap](http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/pdf/ambrosia3.pdf) ![Ambrosia Beetle](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ambrosia-Beetle.jpg "Ambrosia Beetle")Ambrosia beetle (photo courtesy of Lyle Collins http://southerntrillium.com) ![](/uploads/JPGs/ambrosiabeetle.jpg) ambrosia beetle on crapemyrtle ![ambrosia beetle on fig](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ambrosia-beetle-on-fig-branch.jpg "ambrosia beetle on fig branch")ambrosia beetle on fig ![ambrosia beetle on amur honeysuckle](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/AAB-amur-honeysuckle-1-scaled.jpg "AAB amur honeysuckle 1")ambrosia beetle on Amur honeysuckle [![ambrosia beetle on fig](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/AAB-xxxx.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/AAB-xxxx.jpg)ambrosia beetle on fig ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ambrosia-fig-226x300.jpg)ambrosia beetle on fig **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Cherry, Crape Myrtle, Dogwood, Spring, Summer --- ### [Growing Florist Type Hydrangea Outdoors](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hydrangea-growing-florist-type/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve had a florist hydrangea in a pot for a year. Should I keep it on the deck or can it join the other “ladies” in the garden?** A: Hydrangeas grown for the florist trade are different from those grown in most landscapes. They are selected for short, stout stems that support big blooms. ‘Mathilda Gutges’, ‘Enziandom’, and ‘Leuchtfeuer’ are florist favorites. I don’t know how cold hardy your bloom buds are in Atlanta. I planted one that was given in memory of my Dad and it has survived outdoors just fine for eight years….but it rarely has flowers because the bloom buds get frozen. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/hydrangea-red-300x199.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/hydrangea-purple-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/hydrangea-pink-1-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Hydrangea --- ### [Will A Freeze After A Warm Spell Hurt My Zoysia?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/will-a-freeze-after-a-warm-spell-hurt-my-zoysia/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: With this warm weather, it appears that my zoysia grass is coming out of dormancy too soon. If we get a frost, or a few consecutive days of freezing weather, will it kill or damage the established grass? Michael Hoffman.** A: Low temperatures after a spring warm spell might cause grass tips to turn brown but they certainly wouldn’t kill the grass. Zoysia is very fickle about when it turns green. Much depends on soil temperatures but slow greenup might also be caused by applying nitrogen too early (soil temps need to be 65 degrees or higher). Maybe the thatch layer is too thick, preventing soil warm-up. It could be previous year misapplications of fertilizer or herbicides. And Yes, unpredictable and irregular weather patterns can wreak havoc with greenup. The grass variety plays a big part in when a lawn turns green. In some years zoysia grass won’t be completely green until June. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care --- ### [Stone Pine Trees In Georgia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/stone-pine-trees-in-georgia/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Having visited Italy several times, my wife and I wonder if their lovely stone pine trees would be compatible with the climate here.** A: Your question immediately brought a memory of sitting with friends enjoying a beer at a small outdoor cafe in Positano. There were six lovely stone pines, Pinus pinea, lined up about fifty yards in front of us, perfectly outlined against the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea beyond. “Walter”, I said to myself, “you are one lucky guy. You could be a sixty-year-old bachelor chicken farmer if things had happened differently.” The stone pine is a prominent part of our travel memories but I’m afraid that is where they must stay. They tolerate temperatures common to Zone 8 (south Georgia) but chilly wet winters are absolutely lethal. This is a Mediterranean plant; it wants dry, cold weather in winter. My recommendation? Buy a bag of pine nuts, point your feet toward a toasty fire, pour yourself a beverage of your choice, close your eyes, and dream. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Restoration Along Stream - Plant Recommendations](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/restoration-along-stream-plant-recommendations/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am Stormwater Coordinator for the city of Doraville. We are planning interlace restoration along a stream in Bernard Halpern Park. Your “Shrubs for Damp Soil” web page says that we should only use plants native to the region. Why?** A: Georgia’s beaches, rivers, creeks, and lakes are critical for preserving biodiversity. Native plants, as opposed to non-native plants, support pollination, nectar gathering, seed dispersal , feeding, and many other activities that are vital to local fauna. Non-native plants \*might\* supply some of these things but it is not guaranteed. Non-native plants might be so vigorous that they overrun the natives. Restoring a patch of native plant habitat, like you’re doing, means that it becomes part of a larger living landscape for local birds and other animals. I have a good list of native plants that tolerate damp soil at [bit.ly/GAnatdamp](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs-for-damp-soil/). **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Monkey Grass Prevention](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/monkey-grass-prevention/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Q: How do I keep monkey grass from emerging in several different places in my yard? A: My recommendation will be tedious, and you will hate me before long, but the only way I see to get rid of individual patches is to treat each one individually. Get a foam paintbrush and some nonselective herbicide. I recommend glyphosate or herbicidal soap. Dab the herbicide on each clump. Glyphosate is systemic and will travel down the leaves to the roots. Herbicidal soap kills only the leaves. The foliage will turn yellow by fall, and most of the clumps will be dead by next spring. **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Getting Rid Of Ficus Thrips](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/getting-rid-of-ficus-thrips/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was given a ficus tree as a wedding gift 32 years ago. I keep it inside during the winter, but the rest of the year, it lives outdoors. Three years ago, leaves started curling up, which I learned was caused by ficus thrips. I’ve considered heavily pruning it back and getting rid of the infested leaves.** A: We have to take special care of this heirloom! Living outdoors is good because natural predators love to eat thrips. When you take the plant inside for the winter, spray the whole plant with horticultural oil or neem oil, making sure every surface is covered. Frankly, oil spray will kill only about half of the thrips population, leaving the other half of the crowd happily sucking sap from the leaves. If you want better control, use an insecticide that contains imidacloprid, such as Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control. This will likely kill some of your beneficial insects, but your ficus will be protected for a year. Next spring, don’t use the insecticide, so your beneficial buddies will enjoy fresh thrips for the outdoor season. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Mulch For Mature Oaks](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/mulch-for-mature-oaks/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is the best mulch to use around mature oak trees?** A: The absolute best mulch is hardwood chips from an arborist’s truck. The second-best mulch is pine chips with needles, and the third-best mulch for an oak tree is mixed wood chips and leaves. Pine bark chips and pine straw are easy to purchase and spread, but ultimately, they are not the best mulch for trees. They break down so slowly that the trees get no nutrients. Overall, it’s better for trees to receive fertilizer slowly throughout the year. Although you might not think of arborist chips as fertilizer, that’s what they are. Fungi and bacteria colonize the chips and release nutrients the tree needs. Mushrooms sprout, showing the healthy microsphere below. This, plus the normal functions of preventing weeds and holding moisture in the soil, makes hardwood chips the champ for tree mulch. You can sign up to receive free chips from local arborists at [chipdrop.com](chipdrop.com). **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Opinion On Moisture Meters](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/opinion-on-moisture-meters/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Responding to your column about rocks in pots, I have found that moisture meters are another great way to check soil moisture levels.** A: I’m not sure I trust water meters in all situations. They can be fooled by high fertilizer salts in the soil, particularly soil that has manure in some proportion. You have to be careful with the probes. If you drop the instrument on concrete, the probes can be permanently damaged. But in the right person’s hands, one can be useful. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Can Grocery Bing Cherries Germinate?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/can-grocery-bing-cherries-germinate/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Do the seeds from the Bing cherries we buy at the grocery store germinate?** A: The cherry seed will germinate but I’m not so sure you’ll ever get edible fruit. In the first place, Bing cherries are difficult to grow here. They perish from winter cold when trees are young or the tree blooms early and the blooms freeze, or insects and animals enjoy the fruit before you can get your share. Summer heat and high humidity promote diseases. All in all, growing sweet cherries like Bing will break your heart faster than a teenage fling, for 15 cents worth of fruit. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Is Scilla Invasive?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/is-scilla-invasive/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Should I plant scilla in my garden? I have read about it being invasive.** A: Scilla, sometimes called squill, grows in several environments, in some more readily than others. In a favorable spot, scilla can grow enthusiastically. There are few places like that in Georgia, but this “enthusiasm” leads to their undeserved invasive reputation. I have scilla in my garden; I wouldn’t worry about it being invasive in yours. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Odd Insect Hovering Over Bermuda](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/odd-insect-hovering-over-bermuda/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a strange insect hovering over my Bermuda grass. They look like huge mosquitoes. Some are joined by their rear ends but some are not. Do we need to do anything?** A: You don’t need to do anything. The mosquito look-alikes are crane flies. Their only purpose in life is to do what you see them doing: mating. After the female lays her eggs into your moist lawn soil, they hatch and feed on the roots of your grass. The lawn damage is minimal. These creatures look like they could bite but their motto is “Make love not war.” **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Huge Grubs In My Potted Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/huge-grubs-in-my-potted-plant/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I found two huge grubs in a potted plant. Each one is the length of my index finger and about as big around. The dirt started to undulate when I watered it.** A: I think you’ve found two formerly happy Hercules beetle grubs. They are commonly found in compost piles. I’m guessing that somehow the eggs survived processing at the potting soil plant. They hatched and grew into the monsters you found. These two would normally pupate and emerge as big Hercules beetles. Good thing they don’t have teeth…they might be awful grumpy after being awakened by cold water going down their necks. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Small Bugs With Long Noses](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/small-bugs-with-long-noses/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I found lots of small bugs with long noses in my bird seed. Any idea what they are?** A: Could be granary weevils, rice weevils or maize weevils. These insects are commonly called ‘snout weevils’. They probably got into your seed at the processing factory. The larvae bore into seed and make themselves at home. You won’t know you have them until the larvae hatch into the adult weevils you are seeing. Weevils are harmless to humans. They do not bite or sting but the birdseed should be fed to the birds promptly. Weevils commonly move from bird seed into any beans stored in the home pantry, so never store bird seed indoors. Buy smaller bags of seed in the future so it will be used up before the weevils hatch. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Should Rocks Be Put In Pots?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/should-rocks-be-put-in-pots/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Please settle a bet. Should rocks be put in a houseplant pot to help with drainage?** A: Which side did you take? I sometimes say that folks who put rocks in their pots to improve drainage have rocks in their head. The reason may not be obvious but it is based on soil physics. Imagine the way water moves in a pot. When you water a potted plant, the moisture initially soaks lower and lower through the soil. Eventually some drains out of the bottom. Much, however, stays in the soil at the bottom of the pot. The soil there becomes saturated with water. But soil above that area is only moist and roots thrive. As you know, roots suffocate and die when they are surrounded by water-filled soil because the roots can’t breathe. When rocks are placed in the bottom of a pot and then covered with soil, there is less soil in the pot above the saturation zone in which the roots of your plant can grow. When you add rocks to the bottom of a pot the result is a higher proportion of harmful, water-logged soil. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, General Q & A --- ### [Blue Skies Lilac Not Blooming](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/blue-skies-lilac-not-blooming/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Four years ago I planted a “Blue Skies” lilac in our yard. It gets plenty of sun and water. Every spring it sprouts lots of leaves but has yet to provide a bloom. Is there some kind of fertilizer I should be using to help it bloom?** A: There is no fertilizer that will make it bloom. The fact that it has lots of leaves makes me hopeful that it will bloom when it gets the conditions it likes. Some lilacs absolutely require cold winter weather in order to bloom. ‘Blue Skies’ has supposedly been bred to make flowers in warmer climates. If it doesn’t bloom this spring, contact Monrovia Nursery, the company which patented the plant. Ask them how many years of temperature data they used to declare this lilac to be warm weather tolerant. There are several lilacs that do well in middle Georgia and northward. Get the details at [bit.ly/GAlilac.](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lilac-growing/) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [When To Start Solarizing Bermuda?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/when-to-start-solarizing-bermuda/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q On your website you discuss ways to eliminate bermuda grass, including putting plastic over an area and spraying with Roundup. When is it best to start the two-month solarization project? I want to make sure and get a jump on it this year.** A: The success of solarizing your soil to kill weeds and insects depends on how hot it gets under the clear plastic. That’s why it’s important to support it off the soil a few inches and seal completely around the edges with dirt to hold the heat in. If you want to combine solarization with spraying glyphosate, I’d consider spraying when the bermudagrass is 90% green and spread the plastic immediately. This will contain the evaporation of the herbicide. The young grass plants will be more susceptible to herbicide then. Honestly, I’m not sure the plastic sheet will make a major difference but you won’t know unless you try it. Please let me know what happens. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Lawn Care --- ### [Did Freeze Kill The Mosquitos](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/did-freeze-kill-the-mosquitos/) **Published:** April 12, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is there any chance the Christmas freeze killed enough mosquitoes or fire ants to make a difference this summer?** A: Nope. Cold weather may kill a high percentage of insects in an area but some always survive. With less competition from their species, these survivors become supercharged reproduction machines. More female mosquitoes and more fire ant queens appear. They lay eggs at a furious pace to replace the workers that were frozen. You will not see much difference in the number of insects this coming summer. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Indian Hawthorn - Leaf Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/indian-hawthorn-leaf-spot-2/) **Published:** May 4, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a fifteen-foot tall Indian hawthorn tree in our courtyard that is losing leaves. But most Indian hawthorns are shrubs, right? How can we save it?** A: Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! I did not know Indian hawthorn could grow so big. Much to my surprise, my bet is that you do have an Indian hawthorn tree! It’s probably a ‘Majestic Beauty’, a large shrub that can be pruned into a tree form. Indian hawthorns are famous for getting leaf spot disease…but some (including ‘Majestic Beauty’) are more resistant than others. Here’s what I’d do: 1\. Prune away all of the stubs left by the last pruner. Make the cut about a quarter inch away from the larger trunk/branch the stub comes from. 2\. Clean up all fallen leaves and put clean mulch under the tree. 3\. See the following for excellent control information **[Entomosporium Leaf Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ANR-0392LeafSpot.pdf)** Spray now with one of the products mentioned. Note how often to spray. 4\. Fertilize with Holly-Tone at the rate noted on the bag for landscape shrubs. 5\. Keep fingers tightly crossed! Indian hawthorns that don’t seem to get leaf spot as badly as others: ‘Calisto’, ‘Majestic Beauty, ‘Yedda’, ‘Snowcap’,‘Southern Moon’,‘Spring Sonata’, ‘Eleanor Tabor’, ‘Indian Princess’, ‘Betsy’, ‘Georgia Petite’, ‘Olivia’, and ‘Snow White’. Be sure to purchase plants showing no leaf spot symptoms. Also see ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/hawthorne-spot-2-1024x680.jpg) [![Indian hawthorn 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Indian-hawthorn-1-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Indian-hawthorn-1-scaled.jpg) [![Indian hawthorn 3](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Indian-hawthorn-3-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Indian-hawthorn-3-scaled.jpg) [![Indian hawthorn 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Indian-hawthorn-2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Indian-hawthorn-2.jpg) **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Mulch, Spring --- ### [Entomosporium leaf spot on red tip photinia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/entomosporium-leaf-spot-on-red-tip-photinia/) **Published:** April 4, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** “Experienced” gardeners remember a time when you could not get away from red tip photinia shrubs in Georgia landscapes. In spring the vibrant red leaves in a photinia hedge could take your breath away. It grew everywhere! Millions of them! And because it was easy to propagate, growers pushed the shrub in sales every weekend. But remember the music in the movie “Jaws”? The young woman was idly swimming above. Then “Da, duh………Da, duh……….Da, duh…..Da, duh…..Da, duh….Da, duh Da, duh Da, duh” and with a swish of the shark’s tail and a trail of bubbles the young woman was no more. Much the same happened with red tip photinia shrubs in the Southeast. Their disappearance was slower than a shark attack but it was just as final. “Da, duh………Da, duh……….Da, duh…..Da, duh…..Da, duh….Da, duh Da, duh Da, duh” and entomosporium leaf spot wiped its lips with a napkin and inquired if there were other susceptible shrubs. Sure! Indian hawthorn and cleyera get leaf spot each spring. Red tip photinia shrubs died by the millions and were hauled to the street. Gardeners know now to avoid this disease-prone plant. So where are the remaining photinia shrubs now? The survivors are in folks’ backyards where they have rarely been pruned. They are growing on lots where the house has been demolished and the shrubs are never fertilized. Good gardeners learned that a mono-culture of any plant can result in a calamity in the future. See this excellent guide **[Entomosporium Leaf Spot Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ANR-0392LeafSpot.pdf)** ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/photinia-foliage-2-1024x680.jpg)spring foliage, no leaf spot ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/photinia-spot-1--1024x765.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cleyera-leaf-spot-2-tt-768x1024.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/photinia-leaf-spot-2-1024x680.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/photinia-spot-3-.jpg) **Categories:** Shrubs, General Garden Info --- ### [Red Tip Photinia Trees - Losing A Battle With Leaf Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/red-tip-photinia-trees-losing-a-battle-with-leaf-spot/) **Published:** July 22, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have three huge red tip photinia trees. I have been dealing with leaf spot for two years. This year almost every photinia in our neighborhood has been affected. Am I fighting a losing battle? Or should I replace with ‘Little Gem’ magnolia and tea olive?** A: The battle against photinia leaf spot is not an easy fight to win. The disease loves damp weather, which we’ve had plenty of this spring. With so many other diseased shrubs in the neighborhood, there’s plenty of infectious material around. Do you enjoy fighting? Think about how you’ll feel 10 years down the road if the situation has not improved. Your choice of magnolia and tea olive is good. See the following for excellent control information **[Entomosporium Leaf Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ANR-0392LeafSpot.pdf)** ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/photinia-leaf-spot-2-1024x680.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Magnolia, Disease, Spring --- ### [Cleyera - Leaf Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cleyera-leaf-spot/) **Published:** May 4, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have lived in this house for two years. When we moved in, the cleyera was thick and growing like crazy. Not anymore. I’m thinking my frequent trimming (cutting the shoots off the top to avoid blocking the windows) might have harmed the plants. They receive zero direct sun and no supplemental water or fertilizer. Any tips or recommendations?** A: I’m going to theorize that lack of light and your persistent pruning did have something to do with the decline. Entomosporium leaf spot is virulent on tender new leaves that grow after pruning. Once the leaves became infected, the disease spread to the rest of the plant…but the lack of sunlight prevented those leaves from mounting much of a defense. The leaf spot is hard to stop. I recommend you use loropetalum or another smaller growing shrub to replace the cleyera. See the following for excellent control information **[Entomosporium Leaf Spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ANR-0392LeafSpot.pdf)** ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/cleyera-leaf-spot-1-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/cleyera-leaf-spot-2-tt-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Fertilizer, Pruning, Sunlight --- ### [Bermuda - Weed Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermuda-weed-control/) **Published:** June 30, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **BASIC INFORMATION:** [Weed Identification Pictures](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/weeds-identification-with-pictures/) [General Turf and Weed Info ](https://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/bermudacult.pdf) [Lawn Care Calendars](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawns/article.phtml?cat=6&id=353) **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 weeds you must use a combination of all three practices. The references above give specific information on lawn grasses and lawn weeds to help you devise a line of attack. **HEALTHY LAWN** The first line of defense against weeds is to follow good growing practices that promote vigorous growth and development of the turfgrass or other plants. Weeds do not easily invade lawns that are properly fertilized, watered and mowed at the correct height and frequency. Weeds usually appear first in bare or thin areas of the turfgrass. **MECHANICAL** If your grass can’t oust the invaders, you can lend a little mechanical help. Many weed species do not tolerate frequent mowing. Adhere to the mowing frequency and cutting height guidelines developed by experts to limit the development of weeds. Hand pulling annual weeds is effective, enjoyable and good exercise to boot. However, it is too time consuming and not very effective in controlling most perennial weeds. Hand pulling a strange or a new weed when it first appears in the lawn will help to prevent the spread of that weed later this year. **CHEMICAL** Herbicides are chemicals that are used to control the growth and development of a weed. Before a herbicide is labeled for use in a home lawn it is thoroughly investigated by chemical companies, university researchers and various federal agencies. Herbicides must be proven safe to humans, the environment and the turfgrass and must be effective in destroying the weeds. Herbicides are important if not irreplaceable components of a lawn weed control program. Weed killers are applied at specific times of the year and will control only certain weed species. Also, many herbicides cannot be used on every kind of turfgrass. The product label is the best reference for safe and effective use of any weed killer. Always read the label prior to using a turfgrass herbicide. For a specific plan of how to control weeds in your lawn you need to note three things. You need to know what type of **turfgrass** you have. You need to know what type of **weed** you have and then you need to know what your **control options** are in your environment. **BROADLEAF WEEDS** In general, there are two types of weed leaves: *broadleaf* and *grassy*. The flourishing chickweed I have in a backyard flower bed is an example of a broadleaf weed. Others include henbit, dandelion, spurge and wild onion. Broadleaf weeds are easy to distinguish in a lawn. After all, they’re not a grass so they must be a weed! Broadleaf weeds react differently than grassy plants to herbicides. That’s an important point to remember as you make your scheme. **GRASSY WEEDS** The thin emerald leaves of annual bluegrass show in patches in my winter lawn. Contrasting with the dormant grass, they are easy to spot. In summer, my neighbor notices the coarse grassy appearance of crabgrass, dallisgrass and bahiagrass in his fescue. Grassy weeds aren’t as noticeable as broadleaf weeds but if you walk your lawn regularly you’ll come to recognize what you want and what you don’t want there. Weed control in bermudagrass occurs in two ways: by preventing the weed seed from germinating each year and by killing weeds that already exist. Products known as pre-emergent weed killers are used to prevent weed seed from germinating. There are several different chemicals and products available. They differ in the kinds of weed seed they control and the length of time the product remains active. Pre-emergents should be applied before the weed seed germinate. For summer weeds, like crabgrass, apply the chemical in spring after night temperatures have been in the 60’s for four days, around the time forsythias bloom. For winter weeds, like annual bluegrass, apply the preemergent in September or early October. Products must be watered into the soil after application. Other weed killers are used after the weeds have emerged. There are different products for grassy weeds, like goose grass, and broad leafed weeds, like dandelions. Onions are considered a broad leafed weed. These post emergent chemicals are used when the weeds are actively growing, early in the summer. I once recommended that when bermudagrass is completely dormant in January, a non-selective weed killer containing the chemical glyphosate could be used to kill fescue and other weeds. **I no longer believe it is possible for typical homeowners to determine complete dormancy. I DO NOT recommend spraying glyphosate on winter bermudagrass.** Instead, read the label for [imazaquin (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=imazaquin&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aimazaquin&sprefix=imazaquin%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) to see if it is appropriate for your situation. It is important to know the name of the weed you are trying to control before using any weed control chemical. Once you know the weed, it is simple to read the label of a weed control product to see if it works on your weed. Also be sure to check and see if the chemical can be applied to your lawn grass without harming it. Never apply more of the chemical than the label recommends. Double doses of herbicide can kill your entire lawn before you know it. Moss does not kill or crowd out bermudagrass. Moss grows in places where bermudagrass can not grow because it is too shady or wet. The best way to control moss is to change the environment so the soil dries faster. This can be done by scraping up the moss, digging the soil and planting fescue again. Lime and other moss control chemicals will kill moss for a short time but they are only band-aid solutions. If the soil is dry, moss will not return. **WEED ‘N’ FEED PRODUCTS** In general, use of “Weed ‘N’ Feed” products results in applying one of the ingredients at the wrong time. Bermudagrass lawns should be fertilized during or after green-up. Weed preventers should be applied to these lawns before they green-up. On fescue, a “Weed ‘N’ Feed” having a broad-leaf weed killer could be used in fall – but make sure the lawn is damp so the weed killer clings to the weed leaves. **LABELS ARE NOT JUST FOR DECORATION** The label on any lawn product is there to give you valuable information on how the fertilizer or herbicide or grass seed should be used. Before you purchase any product, read the label to make sure the product does what you want and can be used on your lawn grass. Don’t believe that “If one tablespoon is good, two tablespoons is better!”. Putting down too much herbicide can severely damage even the toughest lawn grass! **ANNUAL BLUEGRASS** (*Poa annua*): The annual nature of this weed supplies its most noxious habit: It re-seeds prolifically. Annual bluegrass is outwardly attractive in the winter, but just wait until April. The thick mat of bluegrass will choke out the better turf underneath. Every blade (of which there are thousands) seems to be covered with seeds in May. These seed are carried by animals, water and lawnmowers to other parts of the lawn. When hot weather comes, the bluegrass dies, leaving a large bare spot and a legacy of thousands of seeds for next fall. The best control for a **heavy** infestation of annual bluegrass is to apply a pre-emergent weed chemical in mid-September and again in early November. The pre-emergent will prevent seeds from germinating. If bluegrass is present in spring, [imazaquin (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=imazaquin&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aimazaquin&sprefix=imazaquin%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) may be appropriate. A possible way to control annual bluegrass in dormant bermudagrass is to wrap an old cotton towel around the end of a garden rake. Tie in place with string and dampen the towel with Roundup. Use the tool to “paint” weedkiller onto green weed foliage while avoiding the turfgrass. Discard the cloth when the job is finished by wrapping in plastic bags and putting it out for your municipal garbage collection. **CHICKWEED:** Chickweed is another winter annual weed. It can be controlled with a pre-emergent such as isoxaben (Portrait). In addition, chickweed can be killed with herbicides that selectively kill broadleaf plants in lawns. [Broadleaf weed killer (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=broadleaf%20weed%20killer&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abroadleaf%20weed%20killer&sprefix=broadleaf%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) In particular, herbicides with the active ingredients 2,4-D and MCPP work well on chickweed. These chemicals can be used on grass that is not dormant, including fescue. Do not use on a fall-seeded fescue lawn until it has been mowed four times. **WILD ONIONS:** Scientifically, the plant is a wild garlic, but the visual effect is the same. Clumps of green wild onions can ruin the appearance of a soft, brown Bermuda lawn. Onions reproduce by seeds as well as via the bulblets underground. Because dormant bulblets can sprout in future months, control will take two sprays in spring, at six-week intervals, with either [glyphosate (click for sources)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b) or a [broadleaf weed killer (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=broadleaf%20weed%20killer&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abroadleaf%20weed%20killer&sprefix=broadleaf%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). Follow with two sprays in fall, beginning when the onion foliage emerges. The chemical imazaquin (Image) can also be used for wild onion control. DO NOT apply when turfgrass is emerging from winter dormancy. DO NOT apply to newly planted or sprigged turfgrasses. **WILD VIOLETS** **Q: How do I control wild violets in my bermudagrass lawn?** A: Violets are difficult to control; the best you can hope for is simply managing the population. Broad-leaf weed killers (Weed ‘B’ Gon, Trimec) give only fair results. You can increase the herbicide’s effectiveness by spraying three times at one month intervals. One important precaution is to avoid spraying when turf is greening-up. Wait until your grass is fully green in late April. Also avoid using weed chemicals during a drought. The violets will take up the herbicide best when they are growing strongly. Several readers have asked if imazaquin herbicide (Image) can be used on grasses other than bermuda. Image can be used on zoysia and centipede lawns but it can not be sprayed on fescue turf. Severe damage will result if it is applied to fescue. Also, be sure to follow the instructions on the Image label for spray frequency – do it no more than every six weeks. **Q: When I originally purchased my home in March, new dormant bermudagrass sod was put in. This sod was overseeded with ryegrass. Here’s the problem. I don’t want to have to maintain a yard year round but because this ryegrass keeps coming back, (now for the 2nd year), I have to either mow or let it grow. I was told that it should have died off by now since we have had 2 summers since the overseeded bermudagrass was put in. That is not the case. What can I do to kill this nuisance?** A: I believe what is happening is your ryegrass has reseeded itself, and because we haven’t had enough cold weather to allow your bermudagrass to go completely dormant, there is no way to kill it back right now. What you can do is be diligent about applying a pre-emergent in the early spring and again early next fall. Doing this will prevent any rye seeds from sprouting next year. **Q: My handyman sprayed Roundup on some weeds in my yard. He didn’t know it would kill weeds AND grass so I now have big dead areas in my spring bermudagrass lawn. Can anything be done?** A: It is fortunate that you have bermudagrass. Roundup will kill most other grasses after just one spraying, but bermudagrass is tougher than most. Water the area regularly to stimulate the grass that survives. No fertilizer should be applied this late in the season. You lawn will soon be brown anyway as cold weather comes. Next spring, if the areas do not recover, plant pieces of bermuda from healthy spots into the dead zones. **Q: In past years I have spread fertilizer with a pre-emergent on my lawn this time of year to help keep the poa annua down. For the past 2 weeks I’ve been digging up parts of my yard (expanding existing beds) and have been taking the sod and patching in some bare spots in the yard. Now I’m concerned that the pre-emergent I usually put down will cause the sod roots difficulty in getting established. Have you any thoughts on this?** A: No worries. Pre-emergent works by creating a thin layer of chemical just at the soil surface. This layer of chemical keeps any weed seeds below from germinating. Since you have been putting down sod, not seed, the only thing that will be affected are the weed seeds that have not yet sprouted. Keep any brand new sod watered and all will be well. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Lawn Care **Tags:** Crabgrass, Fall, Fertilizer, Garlic, Glyphosate, Herbicide, Onion, Pears, Pots, Pre-Emergent, Roundup, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Weed, Winter --- ### [Zoysia - Weeds](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia-weeds/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **BASIC INFORMATION** [General Turf and Weed Info](http://www.commodities.caes.uga.edu/turfgrass/georgiaturf/WeedMngt/index.html) [Lawn Care Calendars](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-care-calendars-and-factsheets/?highlight=lawn%20care%20calendar) **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 weeds you must use a combination of all three practices. The references above give specific information on lawn grasses and lawn weeds to help you devise a line of attack. **HEALTHY LAWN** The first line of defense against weeds is to follow good growing practices that promote vigorous growth and development of the turfgrass or other plants. Weeds do not easily invade lawns that are properly fertilized, watered and mowed at the correct height and frequency. Weeds usually appear first in bare or thin areas of the turfgrass. **MECHANICAL** If your grass can’t oust the invaders, you can lend a little mechanical help. Many weed species do not tolerate frequent mowing. Adhere to the mowing frequency and cutting height guidelines developed by experts to limit the development of weeds. Hand pulling annual weeds is effective, enjoyable and good exercise to boot. However, it is too time consuming and not very effective in controlling most perennial weeds. Hand pulling a strange or a new weed when it first appears in the lawn will help to prevent the spread of that weed later this year. **CHEMICAL** Herbicides are chemicals that are used to control the growth and development of a weed. Before a herbicide is labeled for use in a home lawn it is thoroughly investigated by chemical companies, university researchers and various federal agencies. Herbicides must be proven safe to humans, the environment and the turfgrass and must be effective in destroying the weeds. Herbicides are important if not irreplaceable components of a lawn weed control program. Weed killers are applied at specific times of the year and will control only certain weed species. Also, many herbicides cannot be used on every kind of turfgrass. The product label is the best reference for safe and effective use of any weed killer. Always read the label prior to using a turfgrass herbicide. For a specific plan of how to control weeds in your lawn you need to note three things. You need to know what type of turfgrass you have. You need to know what type of weed you have and then you need to know what your control options are in your environment. **BROADLEAF WEEDS** In general, there are two types of weed leaves: broadleaf and grassy. The flourishing chickweed I have in a backyard flower bed is an example of a broadleaf weed. Others include henbit, dandelion, spurge and wild onion. Broadleaf weeds are easy to distinguish in a lawn. After all, they’re not a grass so they must be a weed! Broadleaf weeds react differently than grassy plants to herbicides. That’s an important point to remember as you make your scheme. **GRASSY WEEDS** The thin emerald leaves of annual bluegrass show in patches in my lawn. Contrasting with the brown St. Augustine, they are easy to spot. In summer, my neighbor notices the coarse grassy appearance of crabgrass, dallisgrass and bahiagrass in his fescue. Grassy weeds aren’t as noticeable as broadleaf weeds but if you walk your lawn regularly you’ll come to recognize what you want and what you don’t want there. Weed control in zoysiagrass occurs in two ways: by preventing the weed seed from germinating each year and by killing weeds that already exist. Products known as pre-emergent weed killers are used to prevent weed seed from germinating. There are several different chemicals and products available. They differ in the kinds of weed seed they control and the length of time the product remains active. Pre-emergents should be applied before the weed seed germinate. For summer weeds, Like crabgrass, apply the chemical in spring after night temperatures have been in the 60’s for four days around the time forsythias bloom. For winter weeds, like annual bluegrass, apply the preemergent in early October. Most products need to be watered into the soil after application. Other weed killers are used after the weeds have emerged. There are different products for grassy weeds, like goose grass and broad leafed weeds, like dandelions. Onions are considered a broad leafed weed. These post emergent chemicals are used when the weeds are actively growing, early in the summer. It is important to know the name of the weed you are trying to control before using any weed control chemical. Once you know the weed, it is simple to read the label of a weed control product to see if it works on your weed. Also be sure to check and see if the chemical can be applied to your lawn grass without harming it. Never apply more of the chemical than the label recommends. Double doses of herbicide can kill your entire lawn before you know it. Moss does not kill or crowd out zoysiagrass. Moss grows in places where bermudagrass can not grow because it is too shady or wet. The best way to control moss is to change the environment so the soil dries faster. This can be done by scraping up the moss, digging the soil and planting fescue again. Lime and other moss control chemicals will kill moss for a short time but they are only band-aid solutions. If the soil is dry, moss will not return. **WEED ‘N’ FEED PRODUCTS:** In general, use of “Weed ‘N’ Feed” products results in applying one of the ingredients at the wrong time. Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and centipedegrass lawns should be fertilized during or after green-up. Weed preventers should be applied to these lawns before they green-up. On fescue, a “Weed ‘N’ Feed” having a broad-leaf weed killer could be used in fall – but make sure the lawn is damp so the weed killer clings to the weed leaves. **LABELS ARE NOT JUST FOR DECORATION:** The label on any lawn product is there to give you valuable information on how the fertilizer or herbicide or grass seed should be used. Before you purchase any product, read the label to make sure the product does what you want and can be used on your lawn grass. Don’t believe that “If one tablespoon is good, two tablespoons is better!”. Putting down too much herbicide can severely damage even the toughest lawn grass! **ANNUAL BLUEGRASS** (*Poa annua*): The annual nature of this weed supplies its most noxious habit: It re-seeds prolifically. Annual bluegrass is outwardly attractive in the winter, but just wait until April. The thick mat of bluegrass will choke out the better turf underneath. Every blade (of which there are thousands) seems to be covered with seeds in May. These seed are carried by animals, water and lawnmowers to other parts of the lawn. When hot weather comes, the bluegrass dies, leaving a large bare spot and a legacy of thousands of seeds for next fall. The best control for annual bluegrass is to apply a pre-emergent weed chemical in mid-September. The pre-emergent will prevent seeds from germinating. If bluegrass is present in spring, the best control is to kill it with a non-selective herbicide (RoundUp, Roots & All, Finale) before it forms seed. Don’t try to drench the soil; just a mist of spray on the foliage is enough. Another way to control annual bluegrass in bermudagrass is to wrap an old cotton towel around the end of a garden rake. Tie in place with string and dampen the towel with Roundup. Use the tool to “paint” weedkiller onto green weed foliage while avoiding the turfgrass. Discard the cloth when the job is finished by wrapping in plastic bags and putting it out for your municipal garbage collection. **CHICKWEED:** Chickweed is another winter annual weed. It can be controlled with a pre-emergent such as isoxaben (Portrait). In addition, chickweed can be killed with herbicides that selectively kill broadleaf plants in lawns. In particular, herbicides with the active ingredients 2,4-D and MCPP work well on chickweed. These chemicals can be used on grass that is not dormant, including fescue. Do not use on a fall-seeded fescue lawn until it has been mowed four times. **WILD ONIONS:** Scientifically, the plant is a wild garlic, but the visual effect is the same. Clumps of green wild onions can ruin the appearance of a soft, brown Bermuda lawn. Onions reproduce by seeds as well as via the bulblets underground. Because dormant bulblets can sprout in future months, control will take two sprays in spring, at six-week intervals, with either a non-selective weedkiller (RoundUp, Finale) or a herbicide labeled for broadleaf weeds (Weed B Gon, Wipe Out, etc). Follow with two sprays in fall, beginning when the onion foliage emerges. The chemical imazaquin (Image) can also be used for wild onion control. DO NOT apply when turfgrass is emerging from winter dormancy. DO NOT apply to newly planted or sprigged turfgrasses. **NUTSEDGE:** **Q: How can I get nutsedge and crabgrass out of my zoysiagrass lawn?** A: Nutsedge is much tougher to control than crabgrass. Fortunately, you can mix two herbicides and get good control of nutsedge and excellent control of crabgrass. Use imazaquin (Image) and MSMA (Crab-E-Rad) in your sprayer. You’ll need three applications spaced ten days apart. Some zoysia discoloration will occur, so water the lawn thoroughly two days after application to keep the grass healthy. **WILD VIOLETS:** **Q: How do I control wild violets in my zoysiagrass lawn?** A: Violets are difficult to control; the best you can hope for is simply managing the population. Broad-leaf weed killers (Weed ‘B’ Gon, Trimec) give only fair results. You can increase the herbicide’s effectiveness by spraying three times at one month intervals. One important precaution is to avoid spraying when turf is greening-up. Wait until your grass is fully green in late April. Also avoid using weed chemicals during a drought. The violets will take up the herbicide best when they are growing strongly. **Q: In past years I have spread fertilizer with a pre-emergent on my lawn this time of year to help keep the poa annua down. For the past 2 weeks I’ve been digging up parts of my yard (expanding existing beds) and have been taking the sod and patching in some bare spots in the yard. Now I’m concerned that the pre-emergent I usually put down will cause the sod roots difficulty in getting established. Have you any thoughts on this?** A: No worries. Pre-emergent works by creating a thin layer of chemical just at the soil surface. This layer of chemical keeps any weed seeds below from germinating. Since you have been putting down sod, not seed, the only thing that will be affected are the weed seeds that have not yet sprouted. Keep any brand new sod watered and all will be well. ——————– Several readers have asked if imazaquin (Image) herbicide can be used on grasses other than bermuda. Image can be used on zoysia and centipede lawns but it can not be sprayed on fescue turf. Severe damage will result if it is applied to fescue. Also, be sure to follow the instructions on the Image label for spray frequency – do it no more than every six weeks. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care **Tags:** Temperature, Crabgrass, Onion, Garlic, Spring, Pears, Soil, Pots, Seed, Weed, Herbicide, Summer, Roundup, Fall, Fertilizer, Winter, Pre-Emergent --- ### [Aspidistra](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/aspidistra/) **Published:** August 7, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Could you tell me where it’s best to grow an aspidistra plant? Are there any instructions on how to transplant?** A: Aspidistra is sometimes called cast-iron plant because it adapts to so many situations. However, until recently, I had never seen what I would call a good-looking clump of aspidistra. The bedding plants all seem to get leaf spot or have bleached leaves or floppy foliage or a generally messy character. Then I visited The Cloister, on Sea Island, and talked with their landscape director Bryce Frazier. Bryce showed me several nice aspidistra beds on the property. In every instance they were in **deep shade**. My jaundiced observations have been of beds that got more than a couple of hours of direct sun. Aspidistra is a plant that can grow happily in the shade under a magnolia or a tree-form Burford holly but more than a few hours of sunshine will cause it to complain loudly. The plant has creeping roots that grow shallowly under the soil so transplanting it is no harder than digging up part of a clump and moving it to a new shady site. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Magnolia, Shade, Soil --- ### [Will Ginseng Grow In Georgia?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/will-ginseng-grow-in-georgia/) **Published:** August 6, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Will ginseng will grow in Georgia very well?** A: Ginseng grows very well in north Georgia. That’s where shady, moist, rich, well-drained sites under hardwood trees can be found. Wild-simulated ginseng production is the most profitable and ecologically sustainable means of growing ginseng. You begin by planting seed in a favorable site. Deer and slugs will be your worst enemies. You can harvest your surviving plants and their roots after about seven years, remembering that older plants are more valuable. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Seed --- ### [Wood Chips As Mulch](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/groundcovers/wood-chips-as-mulch/) **Published:** January 15, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am having some trees removed and would like to have them chipped up and spread around my plants and flower beds. Is this a good idea?** A: Arborist wood chips are an excellent landscape mulch! Unlike other mulch material such as pine straw, bark chips, and shredded wood, arborist wood chips are a mixture of leaves, bark and sapwood. As these constituents slowly decompose, they release nutrients to the shrub and tree roots underneath. And, like other mulches, wood chips suppress weeds and keep the soil moist. You can apply a layer two to four inches deep. The only caution is to keep the mulch three inches away from the trunk of the shrub or tree, to prevent potential damage to the bark. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/wood-chip-mulch-Linda-Chalker-Scott.jpg) **Categories:** General Q & A, Groundcovers **Tags:** Mulch, Pine, Pine Straw, Soil, Weed --- ### [Gardening Newsletters And Magazines](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/gardening-newsletters-and-magazines/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Annie Brisee **Content:** **Q: Since Georgia State By State Gardening magazine went out of business,** **what other gardening newsletters and magazines do you recommend?** A: Where once there were many, now there are few to choose from! I subscribe to Horticulture ([hortmag.com](https://my.hortmag.com/pubs/WS/HCT/HCT_subscription_pubworx_google.jsp?cds_page_id=264581&cds_mag_code=HCT&id=1680205148028&lsid=30891439080029288&vid=1&keyword=horticulture+mag&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_mt=e&hsa_ver=3&campaignid=16090312238&utm_campaign=Circ_Horticulture_FW+-+Feb+22&utm_term=horticulture+mag&hsa_ad=584120981739&hsa_acc=4127303145&hsa_src=g&adgroupid=133426190843&gclid=CjwKCAjw5pShBhB_EiwAvmnNV_5Qgg_rnoM_e3dmTuVFwC-wMwOjcIHHx9lzo_m_KUMtwsfAGc_BphoCaCkQAvD_BwE&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_grp=133426190843&hsa_tgt=kwd-297485605916&hsa_cam=16090312238&hsa_kw=horticulture+mag&device=c&utm_source=adwords)) and Fine Gardening ([finegardening.com](https://www.finegardening.com/)). I receive American Gardener because I’m a member of the American Horticulture Society ([ahsgardening.org](https://ahsgardening.org/ahsmembership/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=MGI&utm_campaign=ACQ&gclid=CjwKCAjw5pShBhB_EiwAvmnNV8mWb5bCFzJ4cjEu784uyamjvMaabKmocsL9j4LFjAEIu3rVN_wM1RoCe44QAvD_BwE)). My landscaper friend Danna Cain ([homegardendesign.com](http://www.homegardendesign.com/)) recommends Garden Design ([gardendesign.com](https://www.gardendesign.com/)). As for gardening newsletters, I hope you subscribe to mine ([bit.ly/newsletterWR](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/subscribing-to-walters-newsletter/)). I also enjoy Neil Sperry’s garden newsletter ([neilsperry.com](https://neilsperry.com/e-gardens/)). From Ohio State University, the BYGL newsletter ([bygl.osu.edu/newsletter](https://bygl.osu.edu/)) often has humorous but science-based articles about insects and gardening. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/FG-mag.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Landscaper --- ### [Is Golden Jackpot barberry invasive here? ](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/is-the-golden-jackpot-barberry-invasive-here/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is the Golden Jackpot barberry invasive here?** A: It is hard to know. Japanese barberry is very invasive in some parts of the country, like New England, but does not seem to be as vigorous in the Southeast. Yellow-leafed forms of barberry are reputed to have fewer flowers and fruit. If you plant it, let me know! For more than you ever wanted to know about barberry invasiveness, see [bit.ly/GAbarberry](https://extension.psu.edu/the-invasive-japanese-barberry#:~:text=Japanese%20barberry%20(Berberis%20thunbergii)%20is,tall%20with%20a%20similar%20width.&text=It%20was%20introduced%20in%20the,care%20and%20is%20now%20naturalized.). ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/barberry-Golden-Jackpot-fm-Monrovia-1024x683.jpeg) **Categories:** Shrubs, General Garden Info **Tags:** Flowers --- ### [Potted Bear Lime Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/potted-bear-lime-trees/) **Published:** December 28, 2020 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I purchased a potted Bears lime tree for my boyfriend. The plan is to keep** **it in a container on his apartment balcony. Any tips?** A: A dwarf ‘Bearss’ lime is very attractive. It only grows six feet high and doesn’t spread much. The problem is protecting the tree from freezing in winter. Put the tree in a pot with dolly wheels so it can be rolled inside at night in winter. You can leave it outside if temperatures don’t go below 40°. For folks interested in growing citrus in the ground all year, I found a great reference for growing citrus in southern and coastal Georgia at [bit.ly/GAcitrus](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B804&title=citrus-fruit-for-southern-and-coastal-georgia). **Categories:** Fruits, Houseplants, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Inexpensive Bagged Topsoil is Bad for Gardens](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/inexpensive-bagged-topsoil/) **Published:** August 13, 2021 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I just had a beautiful stone-raised bed built across the front of my house. It is 17 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 3 feet high. I have been filling it with soil: first from my yard but then with bags of the inexpensive topsoil from a local home center. I hope to plant a Japanese maple in the center. When getting another load of bags the guy helping load my car said this was absolutely the wrong soil to be using. I thought topsoil was supposed to be good dirt. I am very distressed after so much work. I do not want to stunt the growth of the tree, nor do I want to remove all the soil that I have added.** A: I know you have made a big investment in labor and soil material, but I think the landscape person was right. Inexpensive bagged topsoil is rarely any good. In my observation, it is usually composed of poorly composted wood chips, silt, and sand. This mix will not support good plant growth. In addition, having different layers of materials in your raised bed will make for a very poor rooting environment. The expense of your nice Japanese maple could be wasted. I can’t think of a solution other than removing the material in the bed and replacing it with good-quality topsoil from a landscape supply company. Examine the soil before it is delivered to be sure it’s a homogenous brown, sandy loam. Another soil option is to have big super sacks delivered to your site. Erthfood ([erthproducts.com](erthproducts.com)) and Soil3 ([soil3.com)](http://soil3.com) are two local producers. A third option is to use good quality but more expensive bagged products from the local home center. I have the good results of my experience with these products at [bit.ly/GAbaggedsoil.](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/raised-bed-filling-with-bagged-products/) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping **Tags:** Japanese Maple, Compost, Stone, Soil, Maple --- ### [Environmentally Safe Mosquito Controls](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/environmentally-safe-mosquito-controls/) **Published:** August 13, 2021 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Are there any environmentally safe mosquito controls?** A: “Safe” is a fraught word. I feel safe lighting my water heater pilot light but I have a friend that refuses to go near her heater when the pilot goes out. I do not like systems that mist insecticide automatically during the day. With no human oversight, the mister can operate during rainstorms, on a windy day, while kids are playing nearby, etc. Insecticide fog/mist applied by humans is marginally better but I have major reservations. No matter how much the company claims the insecticide is “natural”, it is still something that kills insects. The mist will kill mosquitoes, butterflies, honeybees, and any other insect in its way. On a breezy day, the spray can drift onto neighboring properties. So what do I recommend? For small outdoor spaces, a reciprocating fan works perfectly. Mosquitoes are weak flyers and the fan pushes them away while cooling you. For a hike in the woods, there are several repellents that work well but that do not contain DEET. I like products that contain picaridin. The feel of picaridin spray on my skin is much less oily than DEET. For a picnic out of the reach of electricity, self-heating mosquito repellent devices work nicely if there is not a breeze. These do emit a tiny amount of insecticide but they are MUCH more effective than essential oils, citronella candles, mosquito coils, or mosquito repellent plants. You can read my resources at [bit.ly/GAmosquito.](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/is-there-a-safe-way-to-control-mosquitoes/?highlight=mosquito) **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals, General Q & A **Tags:** Mosquitoes --- ### [Zoysia Lawn - Aerating](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia-lawn-aerating/) **Published:** August 13, 2021 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My lawn maintenance company is telling me that zoysia only needs one pass with an aerator. Is this correct?** A: No, one pass with a lawn aerator accomplishes very little. The purpose of aeration is to make lots of holes in the soil to relieve compaction. A compacted layer of soil as thin as one-fourth to one-half an inch can greatly hinder water infiltration. It also prevents the release of harmful gasses the grass roots make. If your company is using a typical aerator, the machine will not make enough holes to make a difference. Liquid aerator sprays are useless as well. Their main ingredient is soap. Gypsum is useful to relieve compaction, but only in soil high in sodium, which doesn’t occur in our area. I hope I don’t have to tell you what I think about “aerator sandals”. I have more details on lawn aeration at [bit.ly/GAaeration](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-aeration-how-muchproper-method/). **Categories:** Zoysia, Tools & Chemicals, Lawn Care **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Butterfly Puddle - Can I Use Worm Castings?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/butterfly-puddle-can-i-use-worm-castings/) **Published:** August 13, 2021 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I saw your YouTube video about creating a butterfly puddling station with sand and composted manure. Can you use worm castings instead of composted manure?** A: Yes, worm castings would have enough micro nutrients and other salts to keep butterflies healthy. Making an artificial puddle for butterflies is one of the best ways to make them stand still for a bit so you can admire them. All it takes is a wide, shallow saucer, some sand and some composted manure (or worm castings or Milorganite). You can revisit the video, with more butterfly tips (and a much younger me) at [http://bit.ly/GApuddle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN0tKUM4kTU). **Categories:** Insects & Animals, How-To, Landscaping, Water Features **Tags:** Butterfly, Compost, Manure --- ### [Cheap Topsoil for My Stone-Raised Beds](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cheap-topsoil-for-my-stone-raised-beds/) **Published:** January 2, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I just had a beautiful stone-raised bed built across the front of my house. It is 17 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 3 feet high. I have been filling it with soil: first from my yard but then with bags of the inexpensive top soil from a local home center. I hope to plant a Japanese maple in the center. When getting another load of bags the guy helping load my car said this was absolutely the wrong soil to be using. I thought top soil was supposed to be good dirt. I am very distressed after so much work. I do not want to stunt the growth of the tree, nor do I want to remove all the soil that I have added.** A: I know you have made a big investment in labor and soil material, but I think the landscape person was right. Inexpensive bagged topsoil is rarely any good. In my observation, it is usually composed of poorly composted wood chips, silt, and sand. This mix will not support good plant growth. In addition, having different layers of materials in your raised bed will make for a very poor rooting environment. The expense of your nice Japanese maple could be wasted. I can’t think of a solution other than removing the material in the bed and replacing it with good-quality topsoil from a landscape supply company. Examine the soil before it is delivered to be sure it’s a homogenous brown, sandy loam. Another soil option is to have big supersacks delivered to your site. Erthfood (erthproducts.com) and Soil3 (soil3.com) are two local producers. A third option is to use good quality but more expensive bagged products from the local home center. I have the good results of my experience with these products at [bit.ly/GAbaggedsoil](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/raised-bed-filling-with-bagged-products/). **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Soil, Maple, Japanese Maple, Compost, Stone --- ### [Can I Sell My Black Walnut Trees For Lumber?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-sell-my-black-walnut-trees-for-lumber/) **Published:** January 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have two black walnut trees close to my house. I need to get them taken down and I wonder if there are avenues available to sell the valuable lumber.** A: My mother thought the same about a black walnut tree on our property. But although walnut lumber is expensive to purchase, it is not usually harvested from backyard trees. Your trees probably have several branches within ten feet of the ground. This makes the lumber from the tree undesirable due to limb defects. In addition, the trees might have nails, wire or even bullets embedded in the trunk. Sawmill owners do not want to risk their thousand-dollar blades on trees that aren’t clear of metal. I have more details [bit.ly/GAsellwalnut](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/black-walnut-selling-wood/). **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, General Q & A, Landscaping --- ### [Fruits and Nut Plants That Don't Require Spray Programs](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruits-and-nut-plants-that-dont-require-spray-programs/) **Published:** January 5, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I am too cheap and lazy to follow a spray program for insects and diseases. I want fruits and nuts that don’t require spraying. I already have blueberries, muscadines, pawpaws, figs, Japanese persimmon, and a cherry that has produced fruit only one year, but it was delicious. Can you suggest others that don’t require a spray program?** A: You have a fine list. I know you have some “sunk costs” in the cherry tree but to make your life easier I’d replace it with a nice carefree pomegranate. I have details on how to grow them and recommended varieties at [bit.ly/GApomegran](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pomegranate/). **Categories:** Fruits, Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blueberries, Cherry, Disease --- ### [Do Hazelnut Trees Grow In Atlanta?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/do-hazelnut-trees-grow-in-atlanta/) **Published:** January 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Would a hazelnut tree grow in Atlanta?** A: It is not a hazelnut tree but American filbert, Corylus americana, is a reasonable facsimile. The nuts are similar and eminently edible. You’ll have a hard time finding American filbert for sale so I’ve gathered a list of local and online nurseries where you can inquire about it:[ https://bit.ly/GAfruitsource.](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plant-lists/fruit-trees-sources/?highlight=ford) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Nuts, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [When To Trim Overgrown Rose Bushes](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-to-trim-overgrown-rose-bushes/) **Published:** February 13, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I didn’t realize until six months ago that I am supposed to trim back roses every year. Now mine are really overgrown. The bush is six feet high and the branches are spindly. What should I do?** A: Wait until the normal pruning time around Valentine’s Day then remove dead branches and those that cross through the middle. There will be four to ten upward-growing branches from the base of your rose. Remove the oldest ones, leaving four to six to grow. Decide how high up you want flowers in summer and make most of your cuts sixteen inches below that height. I like my flowers to be about three feet from the ground so I prune my shrub roses twenty inches high every time. Make each cut a quarter-inch above a bud that is pointing outward from the center of the rose. I have full details at [bit.ly/GAroseprune.](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/knockout-rose-how-low-to-prune/) **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Pruning, Summer --- ### [What Soil To Put In The Cold Frames At Our Community Garden](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/what-to-put-in-the-cold-frames-at-are-community-garden/) **Published:** April 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Our community garden has two cold frames that are 8 long, 4 wide and 1 deep. We’ll only fill them 6″ high. What should we use to fill them? How much?** A: Since you are making cold frames to nurture plants in winter, you’ll want to be sure you have the best quality soil in them. Calculating the volume is simple: 8 x 4 x 1⁄2′ = 16 cubic feet of material needed for each. I have never found bagged topsoil selling for less than $3.00 a bag to be useful. But I experimented with three bagged commercial raised bed products and was impressed with how well they performed. Details at [bit.ly/GAraisedsoil](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/raised-bed-filling-with-bagged-products/). **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping --- ### [Shipping Blueberries Under A Scorch Virus Quarantine](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/shipping-blueberries-under-a-scorch-virus-quarantine/) **Published:** August 24, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I ordered some Pink Lemonade blueberry plants but discovered that they cannot be shipped into Georgia because we have a state-wide quarantine due to blueberry scorch virus.. I shipped them to a friend in Tennessee. Is there a specific length of time I can keep them quarantined with her and watch for signs of scorch virus before bringing them here?** A: Blueberries are the number one fruit crop in Georgia, so it makes sense that we’d try to protect the plants from imported disease. Blueberry scorch virus devastates blueberries. Any company that wishes to ship plants into Georgia is required to test for blueberry scorch virus. Transmission can occur between early May through early August. Once a plant is infected, symptoms may take 1 to 2 years or more to develop. This makes early detection vital for controlling the disease. ‘Pink Lemonade’ is a garden novelty due to the pink color of the fruit but the pink berries likely wouldn’t be the best tasting blueberries you ever had. Knowing how much is at stake, I’d let your friend have them and buy one of the new varieties listed at [bit.ly/GAbluenew.](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/blueberry-plants-new-varieties/) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Hemlock Tree - White Things At Base](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hemlock-tree-white-things-at-base/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a ten-year-old hemlock tree. We noticed a few tiny white things at the base of the needles on some branches but not that many. I’m worried these could be hemlock woolly adelgid. The temperature got down to 1° F this past Christmas eve. Would that have killed any insects on the tree?** A: Like all living things, hemlock woolly adelgid can be killed by cold temperatures. A high percentage of these sucking insects will die when temperatures drop to -4° F, but some will survive. These individuals will be the basis of a big population surge in spring. I have details on how to control adelgids [here.](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/adelgids-insecticide-2/?highlight=hemlock%20woolly%20adelgid) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Native Shrubs for Damp Soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs-for-damp-soil/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Special note about coastal plants and plants for wet/damp areas in gardens**: Only regionally native plants should be used along beaches, coastal and savanna restoration areas. For gardens with wet/damp areas, non-native plants that are not invasive are suitable. However, if the wet/damp area in question is along a stream, river, creek or lake then only regionally native plants should be used. American elderberry *Sambucus canadensis* Full sun -half sun American arborvitae *Thuja occidentalis* Full sun -half sun Bottlebrush buckeye *Aesculus parviflora* Full sun -half sun Buttonbush *Cephalanthus occidentalis* Full sun -half sun Dusty zenobia *Zenobia pulverulenta* Half sun Dwarf palmetto *Sabal minor* Full sun -half sun Florida anise *Illicium floridanum* Half sun -shade Florida Leucothoe *Agarista populiflolia* Half sun -shade Inkberry *Ilex glabra* Full sun -half sun Leucothoe *Leucothoe axillaris* Half sun -shade Possumhaw Viburnum *Viburnum nudum* Full sun -half sun Red chokeberry *Aronia arbutifolia* Full sun -half sun Redtwig dogwood *Cornus stolonifera* Full sun -half sun Spicebush *Lindera benzoin* Full sun -half sun Sweet pepperbush *Clethra alnifolia* Full sun – half sun Sweetshrub, common *Calycanthus floridus* Full sun -half sun Turk’s-cap *Malvaviscus arboreus* Half sun -shade Virginia sweetspire *Itea virginica* Full sun -half sun Wax myrtle *Morella cerifera* Full sun -half sun Winterberry *Ilex verticillata* Full sun -half sun ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/button-bush-cephalanthus.jpg "button bush cephalanthus")button bush **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Dogwood, Native Plant, Shade, Soil, Winter --- ### [Mowing Liriope in Spring](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/liriope/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Cold weather can leave liriope (commonly called monkey grass) in tatters. Flower bed edging and driveway borders can be come overgrown and unkempt if the liriope is not kept compact. The best time to trim monkey grass is January – March. If you can adjust a lawn mower to its highest setting, it can be used to remove all of the old greenery from the last few years. New sprouts have not emerged yet and will not be harmed by the mower. If you wait much later, the trimming must be done with a hedge trimmer, after first checking to see how tall the new sprouts have grown. Make your cuts just above these sprouts. **Q.When do I cut back my liriope?** A.Start sharpening your shears! If your monkey grass is bedraggled or uneven, a Marine “brush cut” might help them. Look inside your plants to be sure no new green sprouts are emerging. Use hedge shears to make a flat cut 3″ high (or just above new sprouts). Some folks just set their lawn mower to its maximum height and use it to prune off the old growth. **Q: I’m having a terrible time with liriope that is sprouting up all over my yard. Most of the landscape is either pine straw beds or English ivy. I have begun digging up patches of the liriope and then putting down weed fabric covered with straw. This is very labor intensive and the liriope still seems to find escape routes. What is the best way to tackle it? Can I just put the weed fabric directly over it without digging it up, or will Roundup affect it ?** A: You may be dealing with the “evil twin” syndrome! Like Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, “clumping” monkey grass (*Liriope muscari*) has an evil twin: “spreading” monkey grass (*Liriope spicata*). The previous inhabitants of my house were unaware of this when they used monkey grass to line the front lawn and backyard nature trail. Along the trail, the liriope clumps faithfully for ten yards but at one spot it aggressively invades my ferns and azaleas for ten feet from the trail. The two are very similar in appearance. I tell them apart by the width of the leaf: creeping liriope has leaves only one-eighth inch wide, clumping liriope leaves are one-fourth inch or more in width. Creeping liriope flowers are usually white or light lavender. If you’d rather not dig it up, you can achieve control of either liriope with a bit of patience. Spray it with glyphosate (Roundup, KleerAway, etc) three times a year, in spring, summer and fall. Monkey grass will take several weeks to die but you will gradually beat it back in a couple of years. I doubt that covering it with landscape fabric will work. **Q: I seem to have two kinds of liriope. One kind grows in a clump and doesn’t spread much. The other kind has spread from the liriope border deep into my flower bed and I can’t stop it! Is this normal? Is there a weed killer that works?** A: You’re right – there are two kinds of liriope! Most people are familiar with (*Liriope muscari*). It makes a nice evergreen clump and is widely used as a border plant or as a ground cover in shade. The other kind of liriope is (*Liriope spicata*), also called creeping liriope. As you have found out, it spreads rapidly and can be a pest when planted in the wrong place. Creeping liriope has a narrower, lighter green leaf than common liriope. Either one is tough to control with weed killer. The best technique would be to clip the leaves and wait for them to re-sprout, then use glyphosate (Roundup) or diquat (Next Day) on them. Nearby flowers can be shielded with a piece of cardboard. One spraying will not be enough – you’ll need to keep a constant watch this summer until the creeping liriope is totally eliminated. **Q: I have a recently planted bank of liriope. It is being invaded with unwanted grass and weeds. What can I use to kill the weeds and grass and not hurt the liriope? My dilemma is that I am wondering if liriope would be classified as a grass.** A: Grass-B-Gon and Vantage are possibilities. Read their labels to see how to use. **Q: Is there any weed killer that will kill liriope in my flower beds?** A: Liriope is tough to kill. The waxy leaves and tuberous roots help it resist most herbicides. Glyphosate (Roundup, etc) will kill it with two applications. Make a shield out of cardboard to protect your flowers when you spray. You should see some yellowing of the liriope within a week. Not all of the liriope will be killed; you’ll need to spray again a month later. A clean-up spray next spring should take care of any surviving sprouts. **Q: Something is eating my liriope on the tops. Could it be rabbits or possum? We have seen both in the yard at times.** A: More than likely it’s the rabbits that are eating your liriope. They look so cute until you see what they can do to a garden in just one night. The munching won’t hurt the liriope, unless it is severe. You can try sprinkling some hot red pepper around the liriope to discourage the munching. It’s getting close to the time to mow/cut your liriope. If you mow, set your mower on the highest setting possible. The shortened liriope may discourage the rabbits also. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/liriope-trimmed-3-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/liriope-muscari-300x199.jpg) **Categories:** Groundcovers, Landscaping **Tags:** Pine, English Ivy, Summer, Azalea, Fall, Liriope, Flowers, Pine Straw, Spring, Rabbit, Shade, Weed, Herbicide, Roundup, Glyphosate --- ### [Trees for Damp Soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trees-for-damp-soil/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Special note about coastal plants and plants for wet/damp areas in gardens:** Only regionally native plants should be used along beaches, coastal and savannah restoration areas. For gardens with wet/damp areas, non-native plants that are not invasive are suitable. However, if the wet/damp area in question is along a stream, river, creek or lake then only regionally native plants should be used. American ironwood *Carpinus caroliniana* Full sun -half sun Bald cypress *Taxodium distichum* Full sun Bigleaf magnolia *Magnolia macrophylla* Full sun -half sun Black gum *Nyssa sylvatica* Full sun -half sun Box elder *Acer negundo* Full sun -half sun Cabbage palm *Sabal palmetto* Full sun -half sun Dahoon Holly *Ilex cssine* Full sun -half sun Gordonia *Gordonia lasianthus* Full sun -half sun Juneberry *Amelanchier arborea* Full sun -half sun Laurel oak *Quercus laurifolia* Full sun Mayhaw *Crataegus opaca* Full sun -half sun Pond cypress *Taxodium ascendens* Full sun Possumhaw *Ilex decidua* Full sun -half sun Red maple *Acer rubrum* Full sun -half sun River birch *Betula nigra* Full sun Sugarberry *Celtis laevigata* Full sun -half sun Swamp white oak *Quercus bicolor* Full sun Sweet bay *Magnolia virginiana* Full sun -half sun Sweet gum *Liquidambar styraciflua* Full sun Sycamore *Platanus occidentalis* Full sun -half sun Water oak *Quercus nigra* Full sun Water tupelo *Nyssa aquatica* Full sun -half sun White cedar *Chamaecyparis thyoides* Full sun -half sun Weeping willow *Salix babylonica* Full sun **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Magnolia, Maple, Native Plant, Oak, Soil --- ### [Henbit, Deadnettle - Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/henbit-identification/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I thought this was henbit but the leaves are furry purple/magenta besides being green. Do you know what this sort of invasive plant is?** A: It’s purple deadnettle, which has a similar appearance to henbit. Both broadleafed weeds sprout in October and become rampant in early spring. The best treatment in winter and spring is to dig it or spot-spray with a [broadleaf weed killer (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=broadleaf%20weed%20killer&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abroadleaf%20weed%20killer&sprefix=broadleaf%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). You could also apply [imazaquin (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=imazaquin&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aimazaquin&sprefix=imazaquin%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) but be sure to read and follow the label directions. Next September, apply a [pre-emergent (click for examples)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=preemergent%20weed%20control&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apreemergent%20weed%20control&sprefix=preemergent%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) that specifically lists henbit or deadnettle on the label. [Henbit vs Deadnettle](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Henbit-vs-deadnettle.pdf) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/henbit.jpg) Purple deadnettle [![henbit](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/henbit-7.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/henbit-7.jpg)henbit ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/henbit-2-768x1024.jpg)henbit ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/deadnettle-1-1024x680.jpg)deadnettle **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Pre-Emergent, Spring, Weed, Winter --- ### [Rose - Carefree Varieties](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-carefree-varieties/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** My favorite breakfast cereal has been “improved” once again. Now I’m implored to “Try It Hot!”. Never mind that my mother tried oatmeal hot fifty years ago and found that it tasted about as good cold as it did warm. Boiling the water to make the cereal hot, though, warmed our chilly kitchen — so that’s what we children got every day before school: warm oatmeal. Would that oatmeal could keep roses as healthy as it kept the Reeves kids! I recently ran across an interesting report from the horticulturists at Texas A&M University. There they have an endowed professorship devoted entirely to rose breeding, emphasizing disease-resistance. According to the report, the rose team has tested more than one hundred roses for the past five years. They were grown under the harshest conditions: poorly aerated, highly alkaline clay soil, with no amendments. Furthermore, the roses received no fertilizer, pruning, deadheading or pesticide sprays. The only care they got was drip irrigation and a three inch layer of wood chip mulch. Those that did well were further tested at sites scattered across the state. The results? At the end of five years, ninety six of the cultivars “looked terrible”, eleven appeared “promising”, and ten were “magnificent”. The top ten performers were ground-cover rose ‘Sea Foam’; dwarf shrub ‘Marie Daly’; small shrubs ‘Caldwell Pink, ‘Knock Out’ and ‘Perle d’Or’; medium shrubs ‘Belinda’s Dream’, ‘Else Poulsen’, ‘Katy Road Pink’ and ‘Mutabilis Butterfly’; and climber ‘Climbing Pinkie’. Most of these roses bloomed all season (seven months in northern Texas) despite high humidity and heat up to 108 degrees F., and in acid and alkaline soils. Pest damage was negligible. If you are contemplating planting a rose this spring, why not start out with a variety that will give you little trouble? The researchers noted that most modern roses looked good the first year but failed by the third year. Many of the antique cultivars were mediocre at first but spectacular in the third and following years. I planted a ‘Knock Out’ rose two years ago and it has bloomed wonderfully for two seasons with no perceptible leaf damage. Dr. Jean Williams-Woodward, Extension plant disease specialist, says she has seen some powdery mildew on ‘Knock Out’ but not much else. **RULES FOR ROSE SUCCESS** Rose experts in Atlanta attempt to grow all sorts of rose varieties. However, they all know that to have a chance of success there are three basic rules: a minimum of eight hours of sun a day, good air circulation, and no sprinkler irrigation after late afternoon. They also amend the soil liberally with compost or soil conditioner, apply an organic mulch, and feed roses three times: in early and late spring, then lightly in midsummer. **FOR ROSE ZEALOTS** Rose growers can be divided into three classes: lackadaisical, committed and fanatic. Those in the first class dig a small planting hole, shove the rose in place and hope it survives. Committed rose growers follow the rose rules above. Fanatic rose growers develop their very own special rose soil and use it whenever they plant. Pat Henry, the owner of [Roses Unlimited](http://www.rosesunlimitedownroot.com/), digs a hole eighteen inches deep and wide. She fills the hole halfway with the following soil mixture, then packs more around her rose roots as she plants it. Pat swears by the results! **Pat Henry’s Special Rose Soil** In a wheelbarrow, mix enough of the following ingredients, in the proportions indicated, to fill the hole: one fourth part compost one fourth part peat moss one fourth part good topsoil one fourth part red clay Add and mix thoroughly: 1 cup 0-46-0 (superphosphate) 1 cup dolomitic lime 2 cups alfalfa meal (or alfalfa pellets) 1 cup gypsum Despite my mother’s praise for warm oatmeal, I am disregarding my brand’s exhortation to “Try It Hot!”. I’ll stick with cereal and cold milk plus proven, disease-resistant roses to keep myself and my garden healthy. See [Georgia Roses ](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%201001_3.PDF) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GxT7Nk1aiyvo-1-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Butterfly, Compost, Disease, Fertilizer, Irrigation, Mulch, Pesticide, Pruning, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Hercules Beetle Grub](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hercules-beetle-grub/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve seen grubs in my yard from time to time, but yesterday, I ran across a big one.** **This rascal has to be almost 4″ long when fully stretched out! Normally, grubs are about 3/4″, right? What is it later in life…. a bird? Or the largest beetle I hope to never see?** A: And a manly grub he is! It is probably a Hercules beetle grub. The insects which gave rise to the grubs are larger than most but are smaller than the grubs from which they come, after a short pupation in the ground. The grubs are usually found in compost piles or in rotten logs. They do no damage other than scaring the wits out of folks who find them. The adult beetles are prone to flying through open church windows during summer revival meetings, where they entertain youngsters much more than the night’s Scripture lesson! See [Hercules Beetle – Male vs Female](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/hercules-beetle-identification/) [Hercules Beetles](http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/beetles/hercules/hercules.htm) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/herculesbeetlegrub.jpg) ![Hercules beetle grub 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Hercules-beetle-grub-2-scaled.jpg) [![Hercules beetle](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Hercules-beetle.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Hercules-beetle.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hercbeetlemale.jpg) male **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Compost, Summer --- ### [Hercules beetle grub - Large size](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hercules-beetle-grub-identification/) **Published:** April 7, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is this size of grub common?** A: In the Amazon those grubs would be snack size for the local people. I have eaten grubs there and found them tasty. Indigenous families grow the chonta palm, *Bactris gasipaes*, in spots near their homes. When a palm falls they chop holes in the trunk for beetles to enter and lay their eggs. The eggs hatch and turn into grubs which consume the center of the tree. When a native wants a snack they pull the grubs out with their fingers and roast them with a little salt. That said, your grubs are probably Hercules beetle, *Dynastes hercules*, grubs. They over-winter in rotten logs in the landscape. Let me know how they taste! [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hercules-beetle-grubs-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hercules-beetle-grub-identification/attachment/hercules-beetle-grubs/) [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hercules-beetle.jpg)](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hercules-beetle-grub-identification/attachment/hercules-beetle-2/) [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hercules-beetle-grub-2-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hercules-beetle-grub-identification/attachment/hercules-beetle-grub-2-2/) img src=”http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/herculesbeetlefem1.jpg” alt=”” /> female ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hercbeetlemale.jpg) male **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Weeds - Identification with Pictures](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/weeds-identification-with-pictures/) **Published:** March 17, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/violet-8-150x150.jpg)wild violet 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, identify your weed, then choose your method of weed control. R**emember: healthy, vigorous lawn grass is the best weed deterrent. And you always have the option of simply digging up the weed in question.** [**Broadleaf weed killers** (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/33guB24)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) [**Pre-emergent weed preventers** (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/31kekrc)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) **Always read and follow the label.** You might find my [Pinterest “Weed Identification and Control”page](https://www.pinterest.com/georgiagardener/weed-identification-and-control/) helpful. (you’ll have to register for a free account there) **Scroll to the bottom of this page** for pictures of some common Georgia weeds. **Websites with Weed Pictures** [This site from Texas is](https://aggieturf.tamu.edu/turfgrass-weeds/) GREAT! This [collection from the University](https://www.tnturfgrassweeds.org/factsheets) of Tennesse[e](http://www.tennesseeturfgrassweeds.org/pages/weed-id.aspx) is EXCELLENT! This site from [The University of Arkansas is one of my favorites](https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/PDF/MP521.pdf). The University of Minnesota has a nifty identification feature: [**Is This Plant a Weed?**](http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/weed/) The University of California has great drawings of plant parts that are easy to understand: **[Weed Photo Gallery](http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/weeds_intro.html)** The [**University of Missouri**](http://weedid.missouri.edu/) lists lots of weeds and features nifty close-up pictures of the weed leaves, which really help. The [**Virginia Tech Weed Index** ](http://oak.ppws.vt.edu/weedindex.htm)has lots of pictures, but you have to know the common name of the weeds before it will show them to you. ## **Now that you’ve identified the weed, how do you control it?** ## **Click here for [ Weed Control Basics](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-weed-control-basics/)** **Further resources: Books** I prefer “[Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses](https://amzn.to/2MJ9AHq)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)“, a great book of color pictures and descriptions of the 190 most common weeds of the region. With it in hand, you can wander down any sidewalk in town and identify most weeds by sight! [Weeds of the South](https://amzn.to/2GPIbA0)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) by Charles Bryson and Michael DeFelice [Weeds of the Northern U.S. and Canada: A Guide for Identification](https://amzn.to/31ouKP8)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) by France Royer and Richard Dickinson [Color Atlas of Turfgrass Weeds](https://amzn.to/2YPvwDv)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) (Ann Arbor Press) Once you know exactly what weed you have, control gets so much simpler! ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hairy-bittercress-200x300.jpg)hairy bittercress ![](/uploads/JPGs/dallisgrass.JPG) dallisgrass ![](/uploads/JPGs/bahiagrass.JPG) bahiagrass ![](/uploads/JPGs/annbluegrass1.JPG) annual bluegrass ![](/uploads/JPGs/spurge.JPG) spurge [![chickweed](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chickweed-common-2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chickweed-common-2.jpg)chickweed [![crabgrass](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/crabgrass-seedhead-2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/crabgrass-seedhead-2.jpg)crabgrass [![wild lettuce (lt) versus dandelion (rt)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/dandelion-vs-wild-lettuce-1-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/dandelion-vs-wild-lettuce-1-scaled.jpg)wild lettuce (lt) versus dandelion (rt) **Categories:** Lawn Care, Pest Plants **Tags:** Books, Crabgrass, Pre-Emergent, Weed --- ### [Coffee Filter - Covering Pot Drain Hole](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/coffee-filter-covering-drain-hole/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is the scoop on using coffee filters to cover the drain holes in pots rather than small rocks or broken pieces of pots?** A: The coffee filter idea seems reasonable to me. If you don’t cover the hole, potting soil will slowly dribble out. The one thing NOT to add to a pot is a layer of rocks at the bottom – it only lessens the amount of soil available for root growth. I’ve mentioned before that folks who put rocks in their pots have rocks in their head. The reason may not be obvious but it is based on soil physics. Imagine the manner in which water moves in a pot. When you water a potted plant, the moisture initially soaks lower and lower through the soil. In a contest between gravity and the absorption capacity of the soil, some water drains out of the bottom. Most, however, stays in the soil at the bottom of the pot. The soil there becomes saturated with water. As you know, roots suffer when they are surrounded by water-filled soil. Root rot and plant death follow when roots can’t breathe their gasses into, and out of, the surrounding soil. When rocks are placed in the bottom of a pot and then covered with soil, there is less soil in which the roots of your plant *can* grow. Water still moves in the manner described above but it now has *less* distance in which to drain away from the plant roots. The bottom line is that when you add rocks to the bottom of a pot the result is a higher proportion of harmful, water-logged soil. **Categories:** Landscaping, Water Features, General Garden Info **Tags:** Moisture, Oak, Pots, Soil --- ### [Bermudagrass - Killing with Solarization](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermudagrass-killing-with-solarization/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am trying to kill bermudagrass that is spreading thru the centipedegrass in my lawn. I have been told that putting black plastic over the area for two weeks will kill what bermudagrass remains after spraying with herbicide.** A: Bermudagrass is VERY tough to kill. I know of one lawn service that controls weeds in bermudagrass by spot-spraying the weeds with Roundup. Though the weed seems to be killed outright, the bermudagrass usually recovers from this powerful herbicide in a couple of weeks. Your method of covering the grass with plastic is called “solarization”. It works best with annual grasses, particularly when you use clear plastic and cover the soil for six weeks. However, I do not have confidence that anything less than twelve weeks of covering would have an effect on bermudagrass, with or without spraying herbicide beforehand. Honestly, I don’t think solarization will kill bermudagrass in any situation. My best recommendation is to allot two months to your bermuda-busting effort. Spray the plot with Roundup three times at four week intervals and you should be free of the invasive grass. Plant centipedegrass sod in the area and it will be pristine once again. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Ornamental Grasses, Lawn Care, Landscaping **Tags:** Herbicide, Roundup, Soil, Weed --- ### [Can I Grow Plants In Aluminum Boxes?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/can-i-grow-plants-in-aluminum-boxes/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have come into possession of several used aluminum truck tool boxes. I am contemplating making them into raised planters for vegetables and herbs. Can I grow plants in aluminum? Would it get too hot for the plants?** A: I foresee no problems. The aluminum sheet from which the toolboxes are made has a naturally deposited oxidized coating. This oxidation layer will prevent aluminum from leaching into the soil. You can paint the boxes a light color to prevent overheating. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, General Q & A --- ### [Treating Rotted Areas On Oak Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/treating-rotted-areas-on-oak-tree/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a large oak tree growing in a ring of stones in my rock patio. The ring has filled in with leaves and dirt over the years. When we removed the debris some decay could be seen at the base in several spots. How do I treat the rotted areas to stop further damage?** A: When you mention rot at the base of a tree standing close to your home, do not take the advice of a lowly scrivener like me. You desperately need a professional tree health assessor. Go to the website of the Georgia Arborist Association (georgiaarborist.com). Search the member directory using the key word “consultations”. Whomever you hire, make sure they have a current International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certification number. This assures that you are hiring a trained professional. This is not a job you can delay. I predict that you will be told that the tree is unsound and should be removed. Contact one of the members of the GAA and get at least three bids for the job. Be sure the specifics of the job are spelled out and comparable. Also verify their coverage for liability and Workers’ Compensation insurance. Removing a tree near a home won’t be cheap. But imagine how much it would cost to remove a tree that falls on your house and to then also make repairs to the roof and interior. As the guy on TV says ‘Git ‘er Done!’. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Cast-Iron Plants Looking Rusty](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cast-iron-plants-looking-rusty/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My cast iron plants suffered damage from the heavy freeze in December. The leaves are rusty-looking. Can I cut back the damaged ones?** A: You are not alone! Every clump of cast iron plant, also known as barroom plant, I’ve spotted looks exactly like yours. But the name ‘cast iron plant’ is not undeserved. It will grow in bright light or smoky gloom. You can water it every week or you can gallivant off to Indonesia for a month, forgetting to ask someone to water your houseplant: Aspidistra won’t care either way. It laughs at freeze damage. You can clip off rusty leaves now and wait until April to see what sprouts from the ground. If your plants were healthy at the beginning of winter, they will have plenty of reserve energy stored up to make new leaves. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Hard White Stuff In Soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/hard-white-stuff-in-soil/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have this white stuff that is hard, like dried glue, in my pine straw and soil. In places, it has penetrated between the roots of my plants and I can’t get it out.** A: You are witnessing the natural transition of organic matter to humus. Unlike plants, fungi do not have roots: They rely on white, threadlike hyphae to digest organic material and release the nutrients it contains. A mass of hyphae is called mycelia or a mycelial mat, which is what you see in your straw. The white hyphae don’t normally attack healthy plant roots. Even so, I would rake away the straw over the mycelial mat and let it dry out. It will gradually disappear. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Arguments On Leatherleaf Mahonia](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/arguments-on-leatherleaf-mahonia/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was shocked to read in your column that you have the nonnative and invasive leatherleaf mahonia in your garden. It frequently pops up in places where it is not wanted. They require gloves to maintain and are hard to kill. Why risk passing this plant on to others?** A: Sometimes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As you observe, it’s not hard to accidentally have leatherleaf mahonia in your landscape. But some people like the bright yellow flowers and the blue-skinned fruits, which give mahonia the nickname ‘Oregon grape’. Honeybees and native bees love the early spring blooms as well. Speaking as someone who has recently been castigated on Facebook for mentioning nandina, I’m going to leave the discussion of “invasive vs. noninvasive” and “native vs. nonnative” to folks who are more knowledgeable or more fired up than me. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [When To Trim Muhly Grass](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-to-trim-muhly-grass/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Should my Muhly grass be trimmed each year in late winter to maintain proper growth?** A: Yes. Like fountain grass, maiden grass and pampas grass, it’s imperative that ornamental grasses get a yearly trim before new growth starts in early spring. I like to get mine done by late February. The height of the pruning depends on the size of the plant. Examine the brown stems to see where they stop and make your cut just above that point. **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping --- ### [Japonica Camellia - Not Blooming](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/japonica-camellia-not-blooming/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a Japonica camellia that normally blooms in January. Last December, it was loaded with buds, then the cold snap hit. It’s still full of buds but none have opened. Are they ever going to bloom?** A: I doubt it. Temperatures were plenty cold enough to freeze flower buds completely. Unless your camellia was somehow sheltered by a building, the buds are all dead. It’s easy to determine their status: split one in half and examine the center. Live buds will be thoroughly green; dead ones will have dark brown streaks. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Bradford Pear Bans](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bradford-pear-bans/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I get the gardening newsletter that Neil Sperry produces in Texas. Recently he noted that three states (Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina) have enacted bans on the production and sale of Bradford pears. Other states will follow suit, he predicts. When will Georgia act?** A: First, let’s talk about why Bradford pears got the boot in those states. Though they have pretty white flowers, glossy leaves, attractive fall color and fast growth, this last characteristic has become their downfall. When they are young, branches grow close together on top of the trunk. They will inevitably break when they are large. They fall on houses and cars frequently, causing lots of damage. It was once thought that Bradford pear was sterile, but it quickly became apparent that different ornamental pear varieties will quite happily interbreed and produce thousands of small seedy fruit. When the seeds sprout, they become a large, deeply rooted shrub covered with very sharp thorns. If you dig one up, root sprouts will make your life miserable for years. Acres of farmland have been lost to this bad actor. Landscapers and many folks involved in the plant industry have known about Bradford pear’s failings for years. Leaders were able to show legislators that Bradford pear was an invasive thug whose detriments far outweigh their ornamental value. The tree was outlawed because people in the ornamental horticulture industry decided to take action. Georgia will act when legislators are educated about the dangers of Bradford pear **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [American Beech - Opening In Roots](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/american-beech-opening-in-roots/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a big American beech that has developed a large opening between two big roots.. I think it may have been dug by an armadillo. My husband thinks this is a rotting tree, not created by a critter. He wants to fill the area with concrete. Advice?** A: I think it was caused by a damaged root rotting back into the trunk. Once rot gets started in a tree the initial infection slowly grows larger. As it grows it might be used for shelter by wildlife, like chipmunks or rabbits or even an armadillo if it becomes large enough. Your husbad may be right about what caused the rot but I wouldn’t fill the hole with concrete. Things like concrete, expanding foam or tar trap moisture and exacerbate rot. Instead, fill it with a ball of 1/2″ mesh hardware cloth. This will let natural humidity in but keep critters out. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Dwarf English Boxwoods - Branches Chewed](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/dwarf-english-boxwoods-branches-chewed/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Over the past several years I occasionally find a branch of one of my dwarf English boxwoods chewed off and lying on the ground beside it. I think the culprits are squirrels. For several years I have been carrying out a relocation program for the squirrels, but it hasn’t seemed to work.** A: I think you are right, it sounds like squirrels are the culprit. But there’s not much you can do to repel them. There are no odors that offend them and visual repellents would be more irritating to you than to them. Trapping and relocation doesn’t work because there’s always another one to replace the one you take away. I don’t have a solution for your problem unless you want to get a dog. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Getting Rid of Lenten Roses](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/getting-rid-of-lenten-roses/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: The Lenten roses in my backyard have become invasive! How do I get rid of some of them?** A: I recognize that you may have more plants than you expected but I wouldn’t call them “invasive”. Lenten rose is pollinated by insects. They find the blooms irresistible since they are oftentimes the only flowers open in winter. Lenten rose readily sets seed and they geminate easily. You will often see a patch of small plants under a mature Lenten rose. These little plants do not move away by themselves so they can’t be invasive. Over several years you may have a patch of Lenten rose plants where there was once only one or two but I wouldn’t call that “invasive”. It’s easy to control excess plants. Just tell your friends they can have the seedlings and to bring a trowel and a plastic bag. I think you’ll soon be at peace with your “invaders”. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Can I Apply Pre-emergent In January?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/can-i-plant-pre-emergent-in-january/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve read your website advice about applying pre-emergent. You say apply in March when the soil temperature at 2″ deep is 55 degrees and rising. Where we live the soil at that depth is already above 55 degrees but I don’t know if we’re “rising”. I’m tempted to put pre-emergent on even though it’s late January!** A Let’s change my advice to “apply pre-emergent when the soil temperature at 2″ deep is 55 degrees for five days and no cold weather is forecast.” So even though the soil temperature may be 55 degrees some days in January you should wait until your local weather person announces that the current warm weather will continue and it’s clear sailing, weather-wise, until spring. The University of Georgia maintains a network of weather stations around the state that monitor all sorts of weather data. To find your soil temperature, go to [**Georgia Weather Network** ](http://www.georgiaweather.net)and find the station nearest your house. Click on it, then click on **Past Data**, and then **31-Day Summary**. You’ll get a page of data. The column close to the middle is **2″Soil Temp.** Follow the dates and temperatures to easily figure out how soil temperatures are behaving in your area. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/weather-300x259.jpg) **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Lawn Care --- ### [Use a "One-Two Punch" on fire ants in early spring](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/use-a-one-two-punch-on-fire-ants-in-early-spring/) **Published:** February 22, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Remember Popeye? He used his special “One-Two punch” to keep Bluto away from Olive Oil. You can use a different “One-Two Punch” to keep fire ants out of your landscape, starting in early spring:. Fire ant colonies are weaker after winter. They are hungry too: just the right situation to feed them some fire ant bait and see stars float from their eyes. You don’t want to use fire ant **poison** in this situation. Poisons may kill lots of the ants but it’s not likely that you kill the queen, so the mound will be rebuilt before you know it. Baits are great because: - They make the ants do the work. You spread the bait out over the entire yard, and foraging ants will find it and take it back to the nest. - Baits minimize impact on other insects, so we’re not destroying our beneficials. Fire ant bait is very specific for fire ants. - Fire ant baits are photodegradable, so anything that is not picked up by the ants will be rapidly detoxified and rendered harmless. These are some [fire ant baits (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=fire%20ant%20bait&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A2972638011%2Ck%3Afire%20ant%20bait&sprefix=fire%20ant%20bait%2Caps%2C202&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&linkId=IR76L2OCOEUQE4SN)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) that work well for imported fire ants. Amdro bait is widely available. Baits kill the entire colony, but work slowly so it will take a few days for them to have effect; the mounds will not disappear, but the ants in them will die. Do not disturb the mounds. Do not apply the baits directly to the mounds, but rather spread them evenly all over the yard around your house and allow the ants to find them and carry the bait granules back to the nest to kill all their nestmates. If you see an ant trail, you might want to sprinkle a little extra along that trail (outside the house – these products are not to be used indoors). Treat late in the afternoon (just before sunset) when the outside temperature is between 60 and 90 degrees and there is no rain expected for at least 24 hours. Once you open the container, try to use all the product within the next few days (up to one week). After that, the oil carrier for the bait might go bad and ants won’t take it. If you save part of a bag, close it tightly and store in a cool place. Remember to read and follow label directions. ![](/uploads/JPGs/fireant.JPG) courtesy Randy Westbrooks, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org ![](/uploads/JPGs/fireantmound.JPG) I **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Fire Ant Control – Grits Don't Work](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/fire-ant-control-grits/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** There is much to be learned “over the fence” when you’re gardening. Your friends and neighbors can tell you how their plants have behaved in certain situations and you can use their experience as a guide. But some of the information that has been passed from neighbor to neighbor for years is simply worthless. The information might seem logical – but in the hard light of science, the supposed “facts” turn out to be false. A national gardening magazine recently published one of those myths. They recommended using grits to control fire ants. Lest you read the article and believe it to be true, let’s hear what a scientist says. Dr. Beverly Sparks has been studying fire ant control for 20 years. She knows what works and what does not. “Fire ants do **not** explode from eating grits. The worker ants can’t even eat solid food. They have to carry solid particles back to their nest so the larval ants can chew them up and make liquid food. “The larval ants don’t explode because they break down the solid food into such small pieces before it goes to their digestive systems. They regurgitate the food for consumption by the worker ants.” Even though it is amusing to believe that grits kill ants, the attempt is just a waste of good food. Instant mashed potatoes do not kill rats. Chewing gum does not kill moles. Ultrasonic repellers do not repel insects or animals. If you are tempted to spend your money on these supposed pest control products, remember that a donation in that amount to your local charity would accomplish a lot more good. **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fire Ants --- ### [Hemlock wooly adelgid - Insecticidal control options](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/adelgids-insecticide-2/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We own a home in north Georgia and have hemlocks located twenty feet from a small creek. The trees are infested with wooly adelgids. Last year we sprayed them but could not get to the tree tops. We also have one large hemlock, further away, on which we drenched Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insecticide. Since the smaller trees are near water, can a handy homeowner use Pointer insecticide to kill adelgids on them?** A: The imidacloprid chemical found in Pointer and the Bayer drench are effective at controlling hemlock woolly adelgid. The challenge is getting it to the tree needles where the adelgids do their damage. Pointer uses small capsules of insecticide inserted in the trunk at the base of a tree. Chris Hastings, with [ArborMedics,](http://arbormedics.com) says when he does use Pointer capsules it is common for the insecticide to not enter the tree. The capsules do not inject the liquid but rather apply slight pressure and wait for the tree to suck it up. If the vascular system is not active, when a tree is dormant or stressed, the insecticide will not be pulled to the top. Art Morris, with[ New Urban Forestry](http://newurbanforestry.com), says that with the Pointer system it’s a little tricky to drill a hole just deep enough to hit the tree’s xylem layer without going too far. As you know, imidacloprid is toxic to invertebrates like fish. A Bayer representative recommends that their imidacloprid product be drenched onto the soil **no closer than twenty feet from a body of water**. This leaves the Pointer system as the only homeowner alternative for small trees. You are welcome to try it yourself but remember that an ISA certified arborist can use a pressurized system that might be more effective. ![hemlock adelgid](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hemlock-adelgid-3.jpg "hemlock adelgid 3")hemlock adelgid **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Earthworms - Eradicating](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/earthworms-eradicating/) **Published:** November 26, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a photography studio and have numerous earthworm mounds on a grassy spot where I photograph families or people on the grass. My studio is on a wooded lot and this is the only piece of grass I can use for my portraits. I need to know what to do to get rid of these mounds.** A: This site recommends mustard to bring out earthworms [Methods to Count Earthworms](http://greatlakeswormwatch.org/research/methods_worms.html) And this guy uses black walnuts to get his fishbait. [How to Catch Worms with Walnuts](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZutYfFwm8M) (be aware of the staining potential of walnut husks!) You could also use the knowledge here [Pesticide Toxicity to Earthworms](http://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/pesticide-toxicity-to-earthworms/) UGA Entomologist Paul Guillebeau says: “As long as the pesticide is labeled for use on that site, the product does not have to have earthworms on the label. If she took this action well in advance of customers, the risks to people sitting on the ground would be reduced. If I were her, I would consider placing a cloth on the ground for people to sit. It could create the impression of a picnic, and the worms would be saved, and unnecessary pesticide application would be avoided.” ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/earthworm-castings-2-RonThompson-1-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/earthworm-castings-Mike-Hood-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/earthworm-castings-2-Ken-Heinrich-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Pesticide --- ### [Responses to my post on pruning a nandina](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/responses-to-my-post-on-pruning-a-nandina/) **Published:** February 11, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I knew there would be some kickback when I wrote the post on pruning nandina. But the comments went off the rails within the first hour. I did not Close Comments because I was curious how far it would go. Thank goodness the conversation didn’t arrive at Godwin’s Law, which states “As a discussion on the Internet grows longer, the likelihood of a person/s being compared to Hitler or another Nazi, increases.” I suspected it was coming when one person called another a troll but it didn’t. Good for us! Note that I didn’t promote nandina. I simply answered a gardener’s question. Here is a sampling of the unfavorable comments I received. —————————————————————————————————- “Really surprised that a respected plant page would promote an invasive plant like this.” “My thoughts exactly@ “Same… so disappointing” “I was thinking the same” (followed by three quick agreements)/ Invasive and poisonous to Cedar Wax Wings. Cedar wax wings are gorging birds. They have died from eating too many blueberries, hollies and an assortment of other berries at once, all of which contain some cyanide compounds. One reported case in 2009 of a flock gorging and dying does not make reasonably make a conclusion that they are “poisonous to Cedar Waxwings”. Science doesn’t work like that. if you are worried about Cedar Wax Wings dying , advocate for cats to be kept inside. Pull nandina out of your yard immediately!! On GA invasive plant list. Berries harmful to birds. Eliminate this evil plant. Ashton Ritchie please teach Walter Reeves about native gardening. Walter, must you open the nandina can of worms? It hardly ever goes well. LOL And why would Georgia Gardener continue to promote a plant that is known to be harmful to local ecosystems? It’s beyond me. BINGO! I lost a lot of respect for Georgia Gardener today. It is invasive because you can’t kill it! But, I’ll tell you what is more invasive is Bermuda grass- hate it! you can’t reason with the Nandina and Mahonia haters. Lol. They read it on the internet. It is invasive and non-native..leaves & berries contain cyanide..documented cases of cedar waxwings,bluebirds and cardinals dying from eating the berries there is a single case one time about 20 years ago. Many plants contain small amounts of cyanide. .what’s the big deal with nandina..they’re not even that attractive..I swear people will argue bout anything on fb..but I’m done with this..nandina sucks and should be removed..don’t burn them..the fumes will make you sick..plant something attractive & productive..even one bird dying is one too many..birds good; nandina bad.. zero wild habitat has been “destroyed” by Nandina. Can you produce a single picture of Nandina over running a natural area? Google can not produce one. You know what’s invasive? Wisteria!!! Nandina doesn’t come close to the headaches I’ve had with Wisteria. I’ve been a Master Gardener for over forty years. I know what “invasive” vs. “native” means. Thank you for trying to enlighten me. I’m always open to accurate information. I saw your first comment and chose not to respond since you were already regretting your conversation with me. It was you who jumped in trying to correct me when I hadn’t misspoken, not the other way around. Have a blessed rest of your evening ma’am. I didn’t regret the information I posted. I regretted responding to you, because I quickly realized you’re a troll, with yet a lot to learn about gardening, and also maybe about getting along with people. I suspect your wish for me to have a blessed evening is sarcastic and disingenuous, but I’m doing just fine. And am blessed! Your suspect is wrong again ma’am and you’re implying a tone that was never intended. Perhaps, “have a great evening” will suit you better and you can quit calling me names then deleting and rewriting those comments. I’m so sorry that my comment to Karen offended you and your 40 years experience this much. **Categories:** Pest Plants, General Garden Info --- ### [Poisonous Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/poisonous-plants-2/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Through a good part of my childhood, one voice of authority manifested with equal weight alongside the commandments of my parents: that of Mrs. Mabel Prayor. An older neighbor, she was hired to cook meals, settle arguments, iron clothes and keep the house from burning down while my parents worked as school teacher and farmer. “Walter, you come from behind the house right now!”, she’d demand from the back door. “Stop feedin’ those berries to your brother! They are pizen! Robert, come here to me this minute and spit those things out before I have to call Mrs. Reeves to take you to the hospital!” How she knew I was hiding behind the house, force-feeding my brother nandina berries, I cannot say. How she came to her belief that *all* colorful berries were poisonous…… but that an occasional pinch of Bruton’s snuff behind her bottom lip was tasty beyond measure, I don’t know either. All I know is that it took several years of horticulture work before I lost my trepidation regarding bright berries from any landscape plant. In fact, much to my relief, nandina berries are not particularly dangerous. Nor are those of liriope, viburnum and holly, although all can cause stomach upset when consumed in large quantities. A gardener recently e-mailed me to ask if the Christmas tree she planned to erect would be poisonous to her eleven-month-old daughter. She cited one of her baby care books, which said as much and recommended using an artificial tree instead. Remembering the false panic over “poisonous” poinsettias a few years ago, I searched several references and called the Georgia Poison Control Center (404-616-9000) for information. Fortunately, they all agreed that Carolyn’s child has nothing to fear from her first live Christmas tree. Perhaps the baby care book confused the Canada hemlock tree, *Tsuga canadensis*, with poison hemlock, *Conium maculatum*, a tall carrot-like weed, found at the edge of swamps. **INDOOR PLANTS** Other holiday plants could be harmful, though, and bear watching when small children are around. Jerusalem Cherry, *Solanum pseudocapsicum*, is sometimes sold as a holiday houseplant and *does* have non-edible, poisonous, round, bright orange or yellow fruits. Paperwhite narcissus leaves are also poisonous. Poinsettia was once thought to be poisonous but that myth turned out to be truthless folklore. Common houseplants such as anthurium, caladium, dieffenbachia and philodendron have sap which causes tongue irritation, so keep them out of reach from crawling children and curious puppies. **POISONOUS OUTDOOR PLANTS** Several common landscape plants can be dangerous if their leaves are consumed, including boxwood, azalea, cherry, and arborvitae. Most, but not all, poisonous leaves are quite bitter, which limits the number that might be accidentally eaten. Seeds from other common plants, such as mistletoe, castor bean and wisteria are dangerously poisonous since they could be appealing to a small child who finds one. Maybe the fears of our family’s housekeeper weren’t unfounded after all. Even normally edible plants contain toxic compounds. Apple, peach and plum seeds contain a small amount of cyanide. Primitive lima beans were poisonous in large quantities. Perhaps this explains a friend’s total aversion to anything bean- or pea-like in her diet. Gardeners know to avoid the poisonous leaves of rhubarb, although the stems are the main ingredient in pies consumed throughout the Midwest. **WHY ARE PLANTS POISONOUS?** Some plants are poisonous as a natural defense mechanism against pests. Others are “accidentally” poisonous through their innate biology. Sometimes toxins are merely by-products from the essential functions of the plant. Ironically, some toxic plant compounds, such as morphine from poppies, aspirin from willow trees or digitalis from foxgloves, have great medicinal value, even though overdoses can kill. In most cases, normal parental caution (“Don’t eat strange things!”) will prevent harm to you or your family from plants. **MORE INFORMATION:** [Poisonous Plants in the Landscape – UGA](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20957_4.PDF) [Poisonous Plants of North Carolina](http://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/category/poisonous-plants/) [Texas Poisonous Plants](https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/publications/poison/poison.html) [Holiday Plants – Not Very Toxic](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Toxic-holiday-plants_APJMT-2015.pdf) [Cornell Poisonous Plants to Livestock](http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/) [![english ivy on wall 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/english-ivy-on-wall-1.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/english-ivy-on-wall-1.jpg)English ivy can cause headache, fever, anxiety, breathing difficulty, and coma ![](/uploads/JPGs/poinsettiared.JPG)poinsettia is not particularly poisonous **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Azalea, Books, Cherry, English Ivy, Liriope, Peach, Pests, Poison, Poisonous, Seed, Weed, Wisteria --- ### [Prune Nandinas Properly](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/prune-nandinas-with-red-berries-proper-time/) **Published:** May 14, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is proper time to prune nandinas? How is it done?** A: You can prune common nandina (the tall one, usually has berries) any time but the best time to prune is December – March). Do it after you harvest any red berries you need for holiday decorations. On each shrub, count the number of canes. Prune one third of the stems down to twelve inches high, one third at twenty-four inches high, and one third at thirty-six inches high. This will produce an attractive shrub with foliage from top to bottom after a few months of growth. Of course, this won’t work for dwarf nandina. For these miniature shrubs, prune the tallest three stems down to four inches tall. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/nandina-berries-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/nandina-white-berry-3-199x300.jpg) **Categories:** Shrubs, General Garden Info **Tags:** Winter --- ### [Starting Vegetable Seed - Best Timing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/starting-vegetable-seed-best-timing/) **Published:** March 1, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When is the best date in north Georgia to start vegetable seeds so as to be ready to transplant into our garden?** A: It all depends on which plants you want to grow. Some, like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce should be started ten weeks before your last frost. Tomato, eggplant, and pepper seeds need to be started seven weeks before the last frost. Cucumber, squash, and watermelon seeds need only four weeks to be ready for planting. Your last frost date in north Georgia is usually in late April. Count back from there to determine when to start your seeds. See [www.georgiaweather.net](http://www.georgiaweather.net) for weather data for other parts of the state. [This publication has LOTS of gardening info](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201432_3.PDF) [![seedlings 6](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seedlings-6.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seedlings-6.jpg) **Categories:** Vegetables, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Seed, Squash, Watermelon --- ### [Pomegranate](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pomegranate/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Punica granatum* Pomegranates grow as dense, bushy shrubs 6 to 12 feet tall with thorny, slender branches. Where winters are mild they may be trained into small, multi-trunked trees. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book** ](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/)by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also[ Pomegranate Production in Georgia](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C997) [Home Garden Pomegranates in South Carolina](http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/tree_fruits_nuts/hgic1359.html) Orange-red, bell-shaped flowers appear on new growth in the spring and summer. The leathery fruit contains numerous seeds surrounded by sweet pink, juicy pulp. One way to enjoy the fruit is to roll it firmly on a hard surface then cut a hole in the end to suck out the juice. This is best done just before you bathe because pomegranate juice stains are difficult to remove from clothing. Commercially, the juice was once used to make grenadine syrup, the red coloring in a tequila sunrise mixed drink. Pomegranates make nice ornaments for fruit bowls or Christmas wreaths. Plant Pomegranates in full sun. They can tolerate many soil types and some flooding. Proper watering is important in growing Pomegranates because adequate soil moisture is necessary to control fruit splitting. For new plants use 1 ounce of 10-10-10 per foot of bush height three times a year (early spring, late spring and summer) applied evenly in a circle about 18 inches in diameter with the plant in the center. Continue to increase the diameter of the circle and the rate as the plants grow, up to a maximum of 8 ounces per application when the plants are 8 feet tall. Light annual pruning encourages growth of new fruit spurs. Pomegranates may be damaged by unseasonably low temperatures in the fall, winter or spring and in mid-winter by temperatures below 10 degrees F. UGA horticulturist Dan MacLean recommends ‘Nikitski ranni’ and ‘Cranberry’. “They both produce well (30-40 lbs/tree under minimal orchard management conditions). ‘Nikitski ranni’ (ranni means early) produces a bright red, consistently sized fruit, that has a slightly tart, but very appealing taste. ‘Cranberry’ produces a slightly darker red, slightly sweeter fruit (relative to ‘Nikitski ranni’), but also produces a much taller and wider tree (Cranberry has the largest trees in our block). Across all factors we have considered thus far, these are the two best performers under GA conditions.” ‘Wonderful’ doesn’t seem to grow well in Georgia. If you find a heavy-fruiting Pomegranate at an abandoned home place, it can be propagated by hardwood cuttings. Contact your local Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1) for woody plant propagation details. ![pomegranate flower](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pomegranate-flower-5.jpg "pomegranate flower 5")pomegranate flower ![pomegranate fruit](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pomegranate-fruit-4.jpg "pomegranate fruit 4")pomegranate fruit **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Moisture, Pruning, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Watering, Winter --- ### [Strawberry - Fertilizing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/strawberry-fertilizing/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What sort of fertilizer should I use on my strawberry bed?** A: If your bed is more than a year old, you can get by with a single fertilization each spring. You should have done it in mid-March, but go ahead now and feed your plants of you haven’t already. Use two pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet. If you just planted your strawberries, use one pound of 10-10-10 now, one pound again in June and two pounds in mid-September. [Home Garden Strawberries](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C883) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fertilizer, Spring --- ### [Strawberry](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/strawberry/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Fragaria* cv. Growing your own Strawberries means that you can have the makings for a tasty treat, especially with short cake and ice cream, on a hot summer evening. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Strawberries](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C883) [Georgia Vegetable Gardening Publications](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/uga-vegetable-gardening-publications/) Strawberries respond to good treatment and reward your time and effort with plenty of high-quality fruit. Neglect them and the berry patch will rapidly deteriorate. You can choose from 3 types of Strawberries: June-bearing types produce a heavy crop for 2 or 3 weeks in June; everbearing types produce 3 crops per season, a crop in June, in midsummer and in fall; and day-neutral types produce flowers and fruit all season. To have sufficient berries at one time for freezing or preserves, grow June-bearing types. To have fresh berries all summer, choose everbearing or day-neutral varieties. **WHEN TO PLANT** Plant Strawberries in fall or in early spring as soon as the soil dries enough to be workable. Do not try to plant in wet soil. Early planting allows the plants to become established before the arrival of hot weather. **WHERE TO PLANT** Well-drained soil and full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) are essential for growing Strawberries. Although Strawberries will grow in shade, the production will be severely reduced and diseases can become a major problem. Good air circulation is essential. Make sure the bed is not sheltered by a fence, shrub beds, or other taller garden plants. The bed will be in place for 3 years or more, so locate it where it will not be disturbed and will not interfere with other gardening operations. Strawberries are susceptible to verticillium wilt, a fungus disease that infects the soil and plants growing in it. Do not plant Strawberries where potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, etc. have been grown in the last 5 years. **HOW TO PLANT** Prepare the soil as you would for a vegetable garden. Be sure to kill off perennial weeds such as Bermuda grass or nutgrass using a non-selective herbicide. Till the soil to make a fine seedbed, making sure the soil is finely broken up. If you do this work in the fall, the soil will dry more quickly and allow planting earlier in the spring. Buy certified virus-free plants if possible. When plants arrive from the supplier, protect them from drying out until you can plant them by refrigerating them or heeling them in. If wrapped in plastic they will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. To heel-in the plants, find a protected place, dig a furrow deep enough to cover the roots of the plants, lay the plants in the furrow, cover the roots with topsoil and then water. Plants can stay heeled-in for several days. Because of diseases, two very different production systems are used in the Southeast. In the Matted Row System, plants are set out one spring and fruit the next. This system works best in Zones 7a and cooler and production may continue for several years. In the Annual Hill System, plants are set out in the fall and fruit the next spring. The planting is usually destroyed after the crop is harvested. This system works best in Zones 7b and warmer. **MATTED ROW SYSTEM** The matted row system involves planting the mother plants 2 feet apart the first spring, then letting runners fill the bed the first summer. The flowers are removed the first year, so no fruit is produced until the second year. An area approximately eight feet wide and 30 feet long will be needed to produce plenty of berries for a family of four for year-round use. Thirty plants will be needed to start the bed. About a week before planting, broadcast 5 pounds of 10-10-10 over the 8 x 30 foot area where the Strawberries are to be planted. Till the soil and smooth the bed. Allow the soil to be settled by a rain before planting. When soil moisture conditions are ideal for planting (the soil is not wet), lay off two rows that are 4 feet apart. Each of the rows should be 2 feet from the edge of the bed. Set the plants 2 feet apart in the rows (you will need 30 plants for the bed). Set the plants so the top of the crown is just above the soil line. A couple of weeks after the new plants begin to grow, flowers will appear. Remove these flowers the spring of the first year to allow strong plant development to occur. During the summer of establishment, allow the Strawberry runners to develop to form the matted row. Fertilize the bed twice during the first summer. Broadcast 4 pounds of 10-10-10 over the bed in mid-June and again in late September. Always apply fertilizer to the plants when the foliage is dry and sweep the plants with a broom or leaf rake immediately following the application. If the soil is extremely sandy, it may be beneficial to fertilize the bed using the above rates in late-May, mid-July and early October. The desired result the first growing season is to develop matted rows 2 feet wide with a 2-foot walk space between the rows. If the planting is vigorous, you will probably have to cut runners that grow into the middle aisle. During the winter and spring months, periodically check the planting for the development of winter weeds that should be removed. In the late winter of second and subsequent years (mid-February to mid-March broadcast 4 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer over the bed. Following fertilization, mulch the bed with a layer (1 to 2 inches) of pine straw before growth begins. Rake most of the straw off the tops of individual plants. The Strawberry plants will grow up through the straw, and the straw will help keep the berries from getting soiled. **RENOVATE AFTER HARVEST** The day you finish picking the crop for the year is the day you should get the bed into good shape for the next season. This is in late May to late-June, depending on where you live. If it happens to be too wet to till, wait a few days. To renovate the matted rows, mow the leaves from the Strawberry plants. Be sure that you mow them high enough so that the lawn mower blade does not damage the crowns. Next, narrow the 2-foot wide mats with a tiller or turn the soil with a shovel so that the remaining strip of plants is about 8 inches wide. Save mostly the young plants instead of the original mother plants. If you don’t get rid of two-thirds of the plants by tilling, then you’ll have too many plants for next year. After tilling is completed, rake out as many of the plants in the tilled area as possible and smooth the soil surface. Broadcast over the bed 4 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer and turn the sprinkler on. One-half to 1 inch of water should be applied immediately following renovation in the form of rainfall or irrigation. If the bed is still in good condition after two picking seasons, renovate again after harvest and follow the second season recommendations so you’ll enjoy berries from the same bed a third year. If you start a new planting, move it to another area since you may have a disease and/or nematode buildup. Matted row Strawberry plantings usually last only 2 or 3 years. Then the production goes down and disease problems show up. Some gardeners overcome this problem by planting a bed on one side of the garden 1 year and on the other side the next year. While one is in production, the other is becoming established. **CARE AFTER RENOVATION** Be sure to keep the bed free of weeds and irrigate if the rain is insufficient. Strawberries need 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water per week. Fertilizer should be applied two more times during the second and subsequent growing season. In mid-July, broadcast 3 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer over the bed. The last application should be applied in mid to late September by broadcasting 4 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer over the bed. Don’t forget to apply when the foliage is dry, and sweep the leaves free of fertilizer. By late September, the matted rows should again be 2 feet wide. Be sure to remove plants that grow into the aisle in late summer. **WINTER AND SPRING CULTURE** (Third and subsequent years) Check for weeds and remove any that are present. Fertilize using the same rate and timing as you used the previous winter. Don’t forget to mulch and keep your eyes open for fruit rots, particularly during wet weather, and also insects that may eat the fruit or foliage. **ANNUAL HILL SYSTEM – ESTABLISHMENT** In Zones 7b and warmer Strawberry plants can be set in the fall and harvested the next spring. This reduces the danger of diseases destroying your crop. The Chandler variety is by far the best for the hill system but other June-bearing varieties will produce mediocre to fair results. Plants are set 12 inches apart in the row and 12 inches apart between rows on beds that contain two rows. The beds should be 6 inches high at the shoulder and 8 inches high in the center and 26 inches wide. An aisle 22 inches wide between beds should be provided as a place to walk. Before making the beds, broadcast fertilizer over the plots. Spade in 3 pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet of bed. Best results are usually obtained by mulching the bed with black plastic. An optional drip irrigation tube can be placed under the plastic. Apply the plastic before planting. Be sure the bed is well formed, firm, fertilized and very moist. Set plants from September 15 to November 15 (usually October is the best month). Freshly dug plants are planted and watered intensively for the first week after planting. Potted plants can also be used and require less watering to establish. If the planting is initially anthracnose disease free, it may live for several years and can be managed as a matted row system. Cut holes in the plastic to allow the runners to peg down. Contact your county Extension office if you cannot find plants at a local nursery. Everbearing and day-neutral Strawberry varieties can be grown successfully in Strawberry pots or other containers. Place 1 plant in each opening in a Strawberry pot; place 2 or 3 plants in a large pot. Use a high quality potting soil. Take care to cover the roots with soil but if the crown is buried, it will rot. If the roots are exposed, they will dry out. Water the planting thoroughly to settle the soil. **PESTS** You will have few problems with growing Strawberries if you start with disease-free plants and provide adequate air circulation and water. If a planting does develop serious diseases, replace it. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. Because there is not much food available for birds when Strawberries ripen, birds can be a serious problem. The most effective method to keep them from getting most of the fruit is to cover the planting with bird netting. The net will have to be anchored all the way around the planting, otherwise the birds will walk under it. To anchor the net, place 6- to 8-inch stakes around the planting every 2 feet. Angle the stakes out away from the rows so that the net can be hooked over the stakes. This will keep the edge of the net close to the ground, and keep the birds from getting under the net. It takes only a few minutes to remove the net for picking, and to replace it after you are through. [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) **ADDITIONAL INFORMATION** Strawberries in Zones 7a and colder need winter protection. Covering them with straw is one way to do it. After several good freezes, apply clean straw 3 to 4 inches deep over the plants. If winter winds blow the straw off, rake it back. In the spring, begin to remove the straw when daytime temperatures are consistently in the 40-degree Fahrenheit range. Be prepared to reapply it if a late-season frost is predicted. The freezing of open flowers means that the berries will be killed. Other means of protecting blooms from frost include covering the planting with old sheets or blankets, light-weight polyester row covers or running the lawn sprinkler all night to keep free water on the plants. The plants may have ice on them but the flowers will not freeze as long as there is free water on them too. Strawberries are ready for harvest about 30 days after the first bloom. Harvest the berries when they are fully red. Do not allow them to stay on the plants when fully ripe or something else will harvest them for you. Any spoiled berries must be picked off the plants to avoid rotting, which could spread to other berries. Snap the berries off with the cap and a small piece of stem attached, using your thumbnail if necessary. **VARIETIES** Catalogs list so many varieties that determining how a variety will grow in your yard is difficult. Select some varieties that sound promising and try a few of each to see how they perform. After some trials, you will be able to select varieties that do what you want in your garden. Your county Extension office may be helpful in selecting varieties that do well in your particular locality. Strawberries ripen between 30 and 45 days after flowering. June-bearing types can be expected to bear from early June to as late as early July if the weather is cool. Everbearing and day-neutral kinds will flower and fruit throughout the season with the first harvest about the same time as June-bearing kinds. **June-Bearing Strawberries** Varieties Comments Chandler high yield, good fruit color, excellent flavor. Florida 90 good for Zones 7b and warmer Surecrop Large fruit, good disease resistance. Earliglow Early, good disease resistance. Honeoye Large fruit, hardy, good for freezing Apollo Good-size, firm, flavorful, tolerant of leaf diseases. Sparkle Late, excellent flavor. **Everbearing and Day-Neutral Strawberries** Varieties Comments Ft. Laramie Tolerates severe winters with protection. Gem Also known as Superfection; good production. Ogallala Good cold tolerance with protection. Ozark Beauty Late, very productive Tribute Late, good disease resistance, late Tristar Early, resistant to verticillium and red stele [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/strawberries.jpg "strawberries")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/strawberries.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Herbicide, Irrigation, Moisture, Mulch, Peppers, Pests, Pine, Pine Straw, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Tomatoes, Watering, Weed, Winter --- ### [Blackberry](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/blackberry/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Rubus* cv. Blackberries and raspberries are very similar. They are both brambles that grow on biennial canes emanating from perennial roots. The canes grow vigorously the first year, fruit the second year and then die. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also[ Home Garden Blackberries](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C766) [Good blackberry varieties – Louisiana](http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/5dd47469-da9f-4398-ad57-85fdb3e9327e/27320/pub1553blackberriesfinal.pdf) The main difference between Blackberries and Raspberries is that raspberries separate from the receptacle and come off as a fragile cup. Another difference is that Blackberries are not as hardy as Raspberries and thornless varieties are less hardy than the thorny varieties. Blackberries come in two types: upright and trailing. The upright varieties can be planted as a hedge but the trailing types make long vines that need to be supported to keep the berries off the ground and to simplify harvesting. Blackberries are seldom grown for the fresh market, so growing them in the home garden is just about the only way to enjoy them. WHEN TO PLANT Plant Blackberries in fall after the first frost or in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. WHERE TO PLANT Choose a site for Blackberries that has well-drained soil and receives full sun (8 to 10 hours per day). Leave enough room so that you can mow around the beds to control the suckers. Blackberries are susceptible to verticillium wilt, a fungus disease that infects the soil and kills susceptible plants growing in it. Do not plant blackberries where susceptible plants such as potatoes, tomatoes or peppers, have been grown in the last 5 years. HOW TO PLANT Blackberries are usually sold as 1-year-old, Grade No. 1 plants. Buy only certified disease-free plants from reliable nurseries. Prepare the soil as you would for a vegetable garden. Be sure to kill off perennial weeds such as Bermuda grass or nutgrass using a non-selective herbicide. Cut off broken roots and soak bare-root plants in a bucket of water to re-hydrate them and to keep them from drying out while you are planting. Plant Blackberries in rows or along a trellis. Blackberries sucker extensively and the erect ones will develop into a thick hedgerow on their own. Space erect Blackberries 2 feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart. Space trailing Blackberry plants ten feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart. Dig the planting hole at least the diameter of the root spread. Spread out the root system of the bare root or slice roots circling the ball of the container-grown plant before placing it in the planting hole. Set a bare-root or container-grown plant at the same depth it grew in the nursery then carefully cover and firm with soil. Fill the hole with water to firm the soil and force out any air pockets. CARE AND MAINTENANCE After planting, cut back the canes to about 1 foot tall. Burn these prunings or dispose of them in the trash to prevent diseases. Mulch well to conserve moisture and reduce weed competition. Although Blackberries will grow and fruit without support, they are much more attractive and easier to care for when they are trained up in some manner. Blackberries are very drought-resistant but if you want the best berry size, plan to water as the fruit is ripening. For the first two years, fertilize with 2 pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 feet of row or one-fourth pound per plant in spring and again after harvest. After two years, use 4 pounds and one-half pound, respectively, each time. TRAILING BLACKBERRIES In early spring, remove all weak canes and thin the remaining canes. Leave the best 8 to 16 canes per plant. Save only the largest canes. Tie the canes to the wires of your trellis as they grow. As soon as fruiting is completed, remove all canes that bore fruit. Be careful not to injure developing shoots that will bear the next year. Dispose of all trimmings to reduce chances of diseases. UPRIGHT BLACKBERRIES In early spring, remove all weak canes and leave 4 or 5 of the most vigorous canes (1/2 inch or more in diameter) per plant. Thin out and cut back laterals (canes that grow horizontally from vertical canes); leave them about 15 inches long with 15 buds each. In summer, pinch back all vertical new canes as they attain the desired height. Pinch unsupported erect Blackberries at 36 inches. Leave canes 6 inches taller if they are supported by a trellis. As soon as fruiting is completed, remove all canes that bore fruit. Be careful not to injure developing shoots that will bear the next year. Dispose of all trimmings to reduce chances of diseases. Blackberries sucker profusely. Each spring, rototill the perimeter of the planting to eliminate all suckers that have grown outside the row. Hoe out or transplant suckers that develop during the season. Healthy Blackberry plantings should produce for 10 or more years if they are properly maintained. Usually, plantings deteriorate prematurely because of virus diseases. If any plants begin to develop misshapen leaves get rid of them immediately. If the planting begins to produce small berries, consider replacing all plants. There is no cure for virus diseases. Viruses are carried by sucking insects that feed on infected plants or they may be brought in with plants from a non-certified source. PESTS Blackberries can be attacked by insects such as Strawberry weevil and the red-necked cane borer. Diseases such as rust, anthracnose and flower blight can disfigure plants or ruin fruit. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. Weed control, especially grass control, is important. Apply mulches to clean plantings, then hoe or pull weeds as they appear. [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the berries as they ripen. Color is the primary indicator of ripeness: reds are red and blacks are black. They deteriorate rapidly, so don’t leave them on the plants. Birds, squirrels and insects will harvest them if you do not. VARIETIES Blackberries have varying hardiness. Some varieties tolerate severe cold if they are protected; others are only semi-winter hardy. Thornless varieties are recommended only for plantings in hardiness zone 6b or warmer. Remember, though, old time gardeners swear that “a little blood from the thorns makes a better color in the Blackberry jelly”! Blackberries mature in early to mid- summer around the same time, 60 to 70 days following bloom. Variety Comments Arapaho (erect) Thornless; ripens 11days before Navaho; medium size fruit Cherokee (erect) Thorny; fairly sweet; good producer (especially in Zones 7b and colder) Cheyenne (erect) Thorny; slightly tart; very good producer (especially in Zones 8a and warmer) Kiowa (erect) Very thorny; very large fruit; fruiting extends for six weeks Navaho (erect) Thornless; late ripening for an erect Blackberry; medium size fruit Gem (trailing) Thorny; excellent quality; good producer Black Satin (trailing) Thornless; good producer. Hull (training) Thornless; ripens late June to early July; vigorous **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Blackberry, Container, Disease, Fall, Herbicide, Moisture, Mulch, Oak, Peppers, Pests, Pruning, Soil, Spring, Squirrels, Summer, Tomatoes, Trellis, Weed, Winter --- ### [Blackberry Bush - Planting](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/blackberry-bush-planting/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am a science teacher and always tell my students that plants bring out the best in people. I’m planning a garden at my home and would like to place a blackberry bush against a fence row. I have a blackberry bush in the middle of my yard. Would the blackberries from this old bush be better tasting and more plentiful than a new variety?** A: It’s as hard to determine if the old bush will produce good berries as it is predicting on the first day of school which of your students will excel in science. You’ll just have to move it and see what happens. In my experience, training a blackberry onto a fence is not a good idea. The annual pruning they require is made difficult by the fence material. It’s better to put up a two-wire arbor six feet away from the fence. There are several good blackberry varieties to plant, including ‘Gem’, ‘Arapaho’ and ‘Black Satin’. You can get a free pamphlet on “[Home Garden Raspberries and Blackberries](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C766)” from your local Extension service (800-ASKUGA-1). [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/blackberry-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/blackberry-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blackberry, Pruning --- ### [Persimmon](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/persimmon/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Diospyros* spp. Persimmons can be grown throughout the Southeast. Opossums and humans enjoy the fruit each October. Fruit of the native Persimmon (*Diospyros virginiana*) is about the size of a plum. Oriental Persimmons (*Diospyros kaki*) are larger and have less astringency when less than fully soft-ripe. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Persimmons](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C784) Many Southern children have amused themselves by presenting an ostensible “Crabapple” to a friend just to see the look on their face when they bite into a green Persimmon. Persimmons can grow in rich or poor soil. The trees grow to 20 to 30 feet high. They prefer full sun but tolerate shade, although fruiting will be less if planted there. A male tree must be planted nearby to fertilize bearing trees. Fertilize the trees in late winter and in mid-summer, using about 1 pound of 10-10-10 for each inch of trunk diameter. Thin Oriental Persimmon fruit each year. Some people believe that a frost is necessary to ripen Persimmons. This is incorrect as some fruit will ripen well in advance of the first frost. Use clippers to cut the stem and remove fruit, leaving the leathery leaf-like calix attached to the fruit. Persimmons continue to ripen after they are picked. To remove astringency from native Persimmons, the North Carolina Extension service recommends placing fruit in a sealed plastic bucket with a 2″ by 2″ piece of dry ice. After 24 hours, open the bucket and insert another piece of dry ice. A day later, remove the fruit. The carbon dioxide removes astringency without softening the fruit. Varieties to look for: Native Persimmons – ‘Even Golden’, ‘John Rick’, ‘Miller’; Oriental Persimmons – ‘Fuyu’, ‘Jiro’ (almost completely non-astringent), ‘Hannagosho’ **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Shade, Soil, Summer, Winter --- ### [Pears - Fire Blight](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pears-fire-blight/) **Published:** December 28, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I went to a nursery and they sold me a Bartlett pear. Doing my research after the fact, I found this pear is not recommended for Georgia. Why?** A: ‘Bartlett’ pear isn’t recommended because it gets fire blight disease so readily. Fire blight is uncurable. The only homeowner treatment is to prune out the blackened branch tips. ‘Orient’, ‘Baldwin’ ‘Carrick’, ‘Kieffer’ and ‘Warren’ pears are much more resistant to disease. The University of Georgia has a very nice guide to [growing pears](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C742). **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Pears --- ### [Muscadines - Fruit Skin Color Changes](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/muscadines-fruit-skin-color-changes/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My husband and I planted two muscadine grape vines many years ago. One was supposed to be bronze and the other black. Both came up bronze, which was a great disappointment, but we just blamed the nursery. This year, we picked up two new grape vines from a department store. Both were clearly marked as black, but came up bronze again. I am terribly disappointed, because I don’t really care for bronze fruit as much as black!** Is there something in the soil or care of grapes that affects the dark color, or are we just incredibly unlucky? A: You were unlucky but it wasn’t your fault. The selection of a particular plant should not be a matter of chance. When I visit the garden centers of some large stores, though, I see plant labels scattered on the floor. Perhaps children pulled them from their pots or the labels came with a shipment of plants but were never inserted in the pots. In any case, when I check the labels that **are** in the pots, it seems sometimes that someone has randomly labeled the plants. It is easy to see what you’re getting when a plant is in bloom. If you purchase a muscadine and depend on the label for a fruit description, though, you run the chance that the label is incorrect. If you really want a certain particular plant, buy it from a knowledgeable grower, not a mass merchant. Call Bottoms Nursery in Concord, Ga (770-884-5661) or Ison’s Nursery in Griffin (770-599-6970) and ask for their muscadine catalogs. You’ll be bowled over with the selection of superior muscadines you can grow. MORE INFORMATION [Home Garden Muscadines](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C949) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil, Pots --- ### [Apple](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/apple/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Malus cv.* With the availability of dwarf trees, nearly any backyard can accommodate some of these fruit trees. Standard-sized Apple trees reach 30 feet or more tall with an equal width. Semi-dwarfs reach 15 to 20 feet and dwarfs grow to 7 to 10 feet. The mini-dwarfs can be kept to about 5 feet. • Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Apples](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C740) Apples are one of the first fruit trees most gardeners consider planting but remember that you will harvest cosmetically blemished fruit without intensive pest control. Spraying can be kept to a minimum by following good cultural practices and by keeping the area under your trees clean. Some folks prefer Apples to be tart and crisp, other prefer them sweet as honey. The chart at the end of this entry gives you many Apple varieties from which to choose. WHEN TO PLANT Plant Apple trees in fall after the first frost or in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. WHERE TO PLANT Select a full sun spot (8 to 10 hours is sufficient) with well-drained soil. An Apple tree will not tolerate wet feet. Leave sufficient room, depending on the type you are planting, so that you can walk around the mature tree to spray or harvest. HOW TO PLANT Spacing is determined by the kind of trees you plant. Space standard trees thirty five feet apart, semi-dwarfs at twenty feet and fully dwarf trees at seven to ten feet. Plant mini-dwarf Apples in beds, spaced about six feet apart in each direction. Fully dwarf or mini-dwarf trees are the best size for backyard orchards. It is a good idea to decide on the kind you want to plant before you go to a nursery to make your purchase. Do some calculations so that you buy the appropriate number of plants for the Apple area in your yard. (Apples usually need a pollinator, so at least 2 are necessary. See the varieties listed at the end.) Apples are generally available growing in pots at local nurseries or as bare-root, 2-year-old unbranched whips via mail-order. As soon as you receive bare-root trees, plunge the roots in a bucket of water for a couple of hours to re-wet them and keep them from drying out. If planting is to be delayed, heel-in the trees until you can plant them. To plant a tree, dig a hole twice as wide as the spread of the roots and deep enough that the plant will be at the same depth it grew in the nursery. Trim off excessively long and damaged roots (roots should not be long enough to wrap around the hole) and spread the roots out in the bottom of the hole. Supporting the tree with one hand, backfill with the soil you removed and firm it with your boot. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil. Add more soil if needed. Dwarf trees need staking and must remain staked throughout their lives. Set a 4-foot-tall post on the southwest side of the tree, 1 foot from the trunk and loosely fasten the tree to it with a one inch wide rubber strap to protect the trunk. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Annual pruning is necessary to train Apple trees. The ideal time is mid- to late winter. Thinning the fruit is also necessary to produce a good crop each year. Each winter after the Apple reaches its mature size, prune to remove dead or damaged branches, water sprouts (vigorous vertical sprouts growing from the base of the tree or from scaffold branches), vertical suckers and branches touching the ground. Also remove branches growing into the center of the tree and those rubbing on others. Clip out weak, nonproductive branches. Some gardeners mark non-bearing branches with ribbon during harvest to remind them of the ones that need pruning. Do not treat cut branches with tar or a sealant. Some Apple varieties try to grow ascending scaffold branches with narrow crotches. Tie them down or spread and brace them apart so they are about 90 degrees from the trunk. Several kinds of ties or spreaders can be made to do this: for example, a tiedown can be made of wire run through a piece of hose to protect the branches with the end of the wire staked to the ground. Spreaders can be made from narrow sticks braced between trunk and branches to bend them outward. Set sharpened nails in the ends of the sticks to keep them from slipping out of place. Apple trees require water in dry weather, especially when they are growing in light, sandy soils that dry out quickly. Control weeds beneath the trees by hoeing or using herbicides. Apply 2 or 3 inches of mulch under the entire branch system and a few feet beyond. Young dwarf Apple trees should grow 1 1/2 to 2 feet each year. If they do not seem to be growing, fertilize with 10-10-10 in spring, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of ground beneath the tree. If they are growing too vigorously do not fertilize, since excessively vigorous trees do not set fruit. PESTS Apples can be attacked by insects such as codling moth, San Jose scale, Japanese beetles and aphids. Diseases such as scab, bitter rot, flyspeck and white rot can disfigure or ruin fruit. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION When the Apples have developed their characteristic coloring, taste a few; the taste test is the only reliable test for ripeness. If they are ripe, harvest them. Guides are available from your local Extension Service to tell you the approximate date that certain varieties are ripe but the dates vary from year to year. Animals may severely damage Apple trees. Install wire or plastic guards around the trunk to prevent rabbit damage and pull back mulch so that voles (meadow mice) can’t hide next to the trunk. VARIETIES Variety Hardiness Zone (Bloom season) Characteristics Anna 8a-8b A Excellent shaped fruit with blush of red. Very early crisp yellow apple. Dorsett Golden 8a-8b A Yellow apple of good quality; ripens mid-June to early July Ginger Gold 7a-7b B Good for fresh eating, sauce and pies. Excellent-quality apple. Gala 7a-7b B Good for fresh eating or salads. Mollies Delicious 7a-8a B A versatile apple. Good for fresh eating, pies and sauce. Ozark Gold 7a-7b B Yellow, russet-free apple of excellent quality Red Delicious 7a-8a B Large, firm, crisp, sweet. Good for fresh eating or salads. Jonagold 7a-7b C Very large, yellow apple with red blush. Golden Delicious 7a-8a C Ripens one or two weeks after Red Delicious. Good producer. Fuji 7a-7b B Does not color well, but quality is superb. Good for cooking, eating. Mutzu 7a-7b B Yellow apple of exceptional quality. Crisp and juicy. Slightly tart. Rome Beauty 7a C Ripens early October. Red apple that is primarily grown for baking. Stayman 7a C Rusty red finish. Superb-quality all-purpose apple that is tart Yates 7a-8a B Small, dark red. Juicy, mellow, sub-acid. Best keeper. Granny Smith 7a-8a B Yellow-green apple of excellent quality. Good all-purpose variety. Listed in order of ripening. Comments that are preceded by a common letter ( A, B, C ) bloom at approximately the same time. Since most Apple varieties are self-unfruitful (require pollen from another variety to set fruit), plant two or more varieties that have the same letter so fruit set will result. Stayman, Mutzu, and Jonagold have sterile pollen and should not be used as a pollen source for other varieties; therefore, plant at least two other varieties with any of these three varieties. [Apple Pollenizers](http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/pdf/apple_pollinizer.pdf) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Herbicide, Japanese Beetle, Mulch, Pests, Pots, Pruning, Rabbit, Soil, Spring, Weed, Winter --- ### [UGA Fruit and Nut Publications](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/uga-fruit-and-nut-publications/) **Published:** November 1, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Following are good UGA fruit and nut publications: [Citrus Fruit for Southern and Coastal Georgia](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B804) [Experiments and Observations on Growing Mayhaws as a Crop in South Georgia and North Florida](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C966) [Home Garden Apples](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C740) [Home Garden Blueberries](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C946) [Home Garden Bunch Grapes](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B807) [Home Garden Muscadines](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C949) [Home Garden Peaches and Nectarines](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1063) [Home Garden Pears](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C742) [Home Garden Persimmons](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C784) [Home Garden Raspberries and Blackberries](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C766) [Home Garden Strawberries](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C883) [Minor Fruits and Nuts in Georgia](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B992) [Nutritional, Environmental and Cultural Disorders of Pecan](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1332) [Peach Orchard Establishment and Young Tree Care](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C877) [Pecan Trees for the Home or Backyard Orchard](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1348) [Pecan Varieties for Georgia Commercial Orchards](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C898) [Establishing a Pecan Orchard](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1314) [Plums for Georgia Home Gardens ](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1518) [Pomegranate Production](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C997) **Categories:** Fruits, Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blueberries, Peach, Pears --- ### [Can We Burn Hydrangea Wood?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-we-burn-hydrangea-wood/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We just bought a home, The PG hydrangeas were allowed to reach tree height while the property was not occupied. We have cut them back to a reasonable size. The branches we removed are 1″ – 2″ in diameter. We would like to burn the branches in our firepit. We know that hydrangea leaves contain poison if ingested. Will the smoke from the wood be poison in the air?** A: Hydrangea buds, flowers, and leaves all contain a chemical called amygdalin. It is broken down in several ways to produce a small amount of cyanide,. If you’ve heard that raw almonds, apple seeds and peach pits are poisonous, it’s because they contain amygdalin. It is broken down in one’s stomach to make tiny amounts of poison. In theory the heat from your firepit should destroy the amygdalin in the hydrangea wood. However, I make a practice of never describing something as ‘safe’ or that the smoke is not harmful. I recommend that you discard the wood. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [How To Landscape Azaleas?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-to-landscape-azaleas/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I read your technique of removing potting soil and pruning the roots of a houseplant that’s rootbound. Is the same technique used for landscape azaleas?** A: Yes, when you unpot a landscape shrub before planting you’ll almost always find roots circling inside the pot. This will prevent the shrub from rapidly growing new roots as it establishes itself in that spot. Though it seems drastic the easiest way to deal with this is to use a sharp knife to make four vertical slices in the sides of the rootball. When that’s done, remove the bottom 1″ of roots entirely. Splay the four quarters slightly apart when planting. This encourages the roots to grow outward to look for water and fertilizer. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [What To Plant In A Colorful Yard](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/what-to-plant-in-a-colorful-yard/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My wife and I are building a home and are wondering what would be good to plant in our yard: trees, shrubs, etc. We like things that bloom at different parts of the year so there is always some color and would love some fast growing trees for fall color. We’re coming from Los Angeles, so the world outside of succulents and palm trees is a bit new to us.** A: I could give you list upon list of plants that grow well here but you would be much better off hiring a local landscaper. Look online for local Facebook groups and post a request for recommended landscapers on NextDoor.com. You will get the best advice from someone who can visit your site and see the different environments in real time. A good designer will know instinctively what plants your landscape will support. In the mean time you can familiarize yourself with our typical landscape plants at[ bit.ly/GAlandplants,](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20625_6.PDF). **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Serviceberry Tree Moved A Lot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/serviceberry-tree-moved-a-lot/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am in charge of a serviceberry tree that will be part of a religious ceremony. It will have to be brought indoors several times during an upcoming weekend. Will this harm the tree or affect its dormancy?** A: As long as you keep it cool and dark most of the time, it should not suffer harm. The only risk would be if it were planted during or just before frigid weather. No plant likes being subjected to cold temperatures it’s not ready for. To be on the safe side, when your ceremony is over put the tree in a carport or other sheltered spot for ten days before you plant it. It will regain whatever dormancy it lost and can be put in its final spot outdoors. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [What Can Be Done About Root Badly Tangled](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/what-can-be-done-about-root-badly-tangled/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I almost purchased a plant that turned out to be terribly rootbound when it slipped from its pot. Can anything be done when roots are this tangled?** A: When roots fill a pot like this, they can’t easily absorb the moisture and nutrients they need. But even when roots are densely packed there are ways to deal with the situation. The first is to soak the root mass in a bucket of water for several hours and then dig out as much soil as possible. Once you can see where the roots originate, grab some sharp clippers and start pruning. I’m comfortable with removing a third of the roots of a houseplant and up to a quarter of the roots of a potted shrub. Once the roots are removed you can put the plant back in the same size pot, if you want the plant to stay the same size, or in a pot 1″ larger in diameter if you want it to grow bigger. Use high quality potting soil to fill the pot. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Lantanas Have Become Leggy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/lantanas-have-become-leggy/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have some white and lavender colored lantanas that are in their fourth year and have gotten very leggy. They bloom in late summer/early fall. When they come back next year do I need to prune them?** A: Contemplating the Christmas freeze we just endured, I think you had lantana plants. Varieties that are usually winter-hardy, such as ‘Mozelle’, ‘Chapel Hill Gold’ and ‘Miss Huff’ may sprout from their roots. Otherwise, make a local nursery happy and purchase new plants this spring. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Dad Is Cutting Grass Too Low](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/dad-is-cutting-grass-too-low/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My dad (at age 91) cuts our very large yard on a riding mower. He insists on cutting it as low as a golf green. He thinks it saves him more frequent cuttings, but then he complains about all the chickweed he has to control. The grass looks awful: it’s a mixture of fescue and whatever else can survive. We have a circular driveway in the front. I’d like to mow it correctly and show him the difference.** A: Doing comparison planting is the basis of University of Georgia Extension education. My father claimed that he had stack of Extension bulletins a foot high by the time he was twenty. He wanted to know which variety of cotton he should plant, which beans were best and what variety of corn he should plant for his mules. In late March loosen the soil in the circle manually or with an aerator. Scatter turf-type fescue seed at a rate of 5 pounds per1000 square feet. Do not exceed this rate; avoid seed crowding. Apply any lawn fertilizer at the rate specified on the bag. Water as appropriate. Here’s the key practice to show your father: maintain the fescue at three inches high. I have no doubt your part of the lawn will be beautiful! **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care --- ### [Tulip Poplar's Recent Overabundance](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tulip-poplars-recent-overabundance/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am an avid observer of all plant and animal life in and around my abode. I have observed the tulip poplar trees this past year have produced an overabundance of flowers and seed pods. Have you received reports from our area on a poplar super bloom event?** A: I have not noticed anything unusual on my tree but if anyone would know about tulip poplar flowering, it would be local beekeepers, who go out of their way to collect tulip poplar honey. Contact the Forsyth Beekeepers Club (forsythbeekeepersclub.wildapricot.org ) or the Georgia Beekeepers Association, (gabeekeeping.com), they have numerous classes and sources of information for beekeepers. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Confederate Rose - Can I Break up the Rootball To Replant?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/confederate-rose-can-i-break-up-the-rootball-to-replant/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a Confederate rose that we planted years ago in the corner of a raised brick planter. It is now huge. I would like to remove it, but it’s so large I will have to break up the rootball to get it out to replant.** A: Confederate rose grows so vigorously that it can recover from almost any damage. Most of the top limbs are dead from freezing weather so you can cut it down to two feet in height now. I am concerned that the roots have invaded the bricks in the planter and will damage it severely when the plant is pulled up. Get an inexpensive carpenter’s saw and saw between the bricks and the root ball, severing any connection between plant and planter. You can then dig out the roots with a shovel. Even if the root mass breaks apart you can replant any piece that retains a few roots. It will likely sprout into a new plant when spring arrives. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Fruit Tree Planters](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-tree-planters/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Q: I am interested in having some fruit trees planted. Is there anyone in the industry you’d recommend? A: I don’t do house visits anymore but I’m not sure I’d even be the best choice. This is a slow time of year for many landscaping companies. Ask your neighbors or use an online neighborhood group like NextDoor to get names of some smaller landscaping companies that are active in your area. I recommend talking to the smaller companies first because you are more likely to speak with the owner when you call than you would at a large firm. Ask if they have employees who need a little extra cash and who are knowledgeable enough to answer your questions and do the planting. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Garden Hurt By Freeze](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/garden-hurt-by-freeze/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What should I do or not do since the recent freeze. I took a walk around my garden and it looks terrible.** A: The best thing to do is wait a bit to see what was actually damaged. Wax myrtle leaves may look brown and dry but they will soon drop off and be replaced by new leaves. Some shrubs and small trees might have just the tips of the branches killed. You won’t know what to do until April. Some of your non-woody plants may be frozen to the ground but will sprout from the roots when warm weather returns. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Camilla Blossom With A Growing Seed And Root](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/camilla-blossom-with-a-growing-seed-and-root/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a camellia blossom with a seed and root growing out of it. I tore it apart to see if the seed root came from the flower or possibly landed on the blossom and germinated. I now think that the seed somehow landed on the blossom rather than coming out of blossom.** A: Camellia expert Jim Pruckler says the seed is not the size or shape of a camellia. It is shaped more like a sunflower seed. Birds likely dropped the seed into the flower, where there was enough moisture for germination to begin. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Can I Put Mulched Leaves On My Bermuda Lawn?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/can-i-put-mulched-leaves-on-my-bermuda-lawn/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My neighbor told me their “yard guy” advised them not to mulch leaves onto a bermuda lawn. I don’t think mulched leaves will hurt a bermuda lawn. After all, it is pretty much dormant by late fall. Your thoughts?** A: As long as the leaf pieces are dime-sized or smaller, they will settle into a bermuda lawn just fine. It’s best to leave some of the brown grass blades sticking through the leaf layer. Almost immediately earthworms from below and fungi from above will start digesting the leaves, turning them into a source of nutrients for the grass. The UGA fertilizer recommendations for lawns state that you can reduce your fertilizer rates if you use a mulching mower, so you can save money by mulching lawn grass trimmings as well as fall leaves. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Lawn Care --- ### [Larger Leaves On Oak Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/larger-leaves-on-oak-tree/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I noticed that one of the oak trees in our yard has leaves that are significantly larger than in prior years. Do you know why that might be?** A: Larger than normal leaves could be caused by a couple of things. Typically it’s because the previous year’s environment was better than normal. Maybe someone gave it extra fertilizer or more water. Unusually warm or wet weather can cause trees to produce larger leaves than normal. It is possible that some source of shade was removed. The leaves of seedling trees are often quite large for a couple of years so they can grab all the sunshine possible and compete successfully with nearby plants. Let me know if you think of a cause other than these. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Removing Astringency - Persimmons](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/removing-astringency-persimmons/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My persimmon trees fruited prolifically this year. I had heard that one should wait until after a hard frost for the astringency to disappear. The fruit never dropped but the leaves did. Finally, I had one tree with fruit where the astringency was gone. Are there other ways to remove astringency?** A: One way is to put persimmons in a bag with a ripe banana or apple. After a week or two, the persimmons will be ripe. Another way is to carefully put alcohol in the leafy persimmon cap. Replenish the alcohol as necessary for a couple of weeks. I would use only ethanol, vodka, or Everclear for safety. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Unknown Weed - Green With Parsley-Like Leaves](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/unknown-weed-green-with-parsley-like-leaves/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: An odd weed was growing in my neighbor’s centipede lawn. It first showed up last winter and now we have it. It is green and growing now and the leaves look like parsley.** A: You have lawn burweed. In December you can spray with any broadleaf weed killer. Next spring, be sure your lawn maintenance practices are top-notch. Thickly growing grass shades seeds, preventing germination, and will crowd out new seedlings. It’s a winter annual plant so preventing seed germination each year is absolutely vital. Spread a pre-emergent that contains isoxaben in early September to prevent the seed from germinating. Burweed will die when temperatures approach 90 degrees, usually in late May or early June. **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Jade Plant Looking Bad After Trip](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/jade-plant-looking-bad-after-trip/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I had a small jade plant but I went to Indonesia and now it’s looking pretty bad. It has two stems and a few little leaves hanging on. Is it dead?** A: Jade plant is great for people like you who gallivant off to Indonesia at a moments notice! It is a succulent so it is able to store water in its leaves and stems. Growing outdoors in its native South Africa, it would dry out during a drought and restore itself when it rains. Water your puny plant and place it in a sunny window. I bet the stems and leaves will plump up and it will be well on the way to recovery in a few weeks, as long as you have no more long trips planned. But no long trips! **Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Hydroseeding Fescue](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/hydroseeding-fescue/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We are in the process of re-landscaping our yard which is approximately an acre +/-. We had truckloads of dirt and topsoil brought in and are getting ready for grass. Is hydroseeding fescue appropriate? If so, when is the best time?** A: December is a bad time to plant fescue. Your next opportunity is in late March. Hydroseeding is best for large or steep areas or If you choose to hydroseed, the thin layer of mulch slurry will protect the seed better than if you seed by hand. You’ll get a more even application of seed as well. **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care --- ### [Can I Spray RoundUp Without Hurting Daylilies?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-spray-roundup-without-hurting-daylilies/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Ten years ago I planted a 10’ x 25′ area with daylilies. Over the past few years, liriope has invaded the bed. I want to get rid of the liriope and have tried digging it out but it keeps coming back and spreading further. All the daylilies have lost their leaves and gone dormant for the winter. Can I spray the liriope with Round Up without killing the daylilies?** A: This is an ingenious idea. For safety, if there aren’t too many daylilies, I’d put a handful of soil onto each plant. Glyphosate (RoundUp) is quickly neutralized by soil so you could then spray the bed and kill the liriope. In my experience it takes two applications to kill liriope so respray in a couple of months before the daylilies send up leaves. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping --- ### [Grocery Store Tomato Not Decaying](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/general-garden-info/grocery-store-tomato-not-decaying/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: On September 4th I bought three ‘on the vine’ tomatoes at my local grocery. I used two and left the third on the counter. As it sat there week after week showing no indication of decay, it became a challenge to see exactly how long it would last. The first indication of decay started Nov 7. What modifications are being made to produce tomatoes which last at least three months?** A: I don’t know exactly why it lasted so long but I have a theory. The tomatoes you purchased are called Tomato-On-Vine (TOV) tomatoes. They are typically grown in a greenhouse, where plant density and fruit yield can be maximized. By necessity, greenhouse growers try to provide perfect conditions for their tomatoes. Insects, weeds and diseases are tightly controlled. Workers must sterilize their shoes before entering. I think your tomato lasted so long because it was so clean when the cluster was harvested. The skin was fungi-free. The only place fungal invaders could enter was through the stem. They finally did so when you separated this Methuselah from its comrades. The fungi grew slowly but finally broke through..Remember, this is only a theory but if anyone has a better explanation let me know! **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening, General Garden Info --- ### [Deer Rubbing Against American Agave](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/deer-rubbing-against-american-agave/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I had my cactus branches shredded by what I believe was a male deer grooming himself. There were two piles of deer poop nearby. What can I do to prevent this damage?** A: First, a gentle correction: your plant is an American agave, Agave americana, sometimes called a century plant because of the length of time it takes to flower. Usually the flower spike grows10’ – 20’ tall. It’s a spectacular sight but the mother plant will die in the next several weeks, to be replaced by ‘pups’ that emerge around it. There is not much damage to the leaves of your agave, so I don’t think it has been permanently harmed. To prevent deer rubbing on it in the future, drive four 6 lengths of steel rebar two feet into the ground equidistantly around the agave, thus surrounding it with a square formed by the rebar. Wrap the rebar with chicken wire, using steel wire to keep it in place. Deer will be able to rub on the rough chicken wire without damaging your plant. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Patio Peach Tree - Base Branch Not Producing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/patio-peach-tree-base-branch-not-producing/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a Patio Peach tree that I planted in the ground. It’s a beautiful tree with full and wide limbs. A branch has sprouted from near the base of the tree and it has now grown twelve feet tall but has produced no flowers or fruit. Will this branch ever produce or should I cut it back?** A: There are two kinds of ‘patio peach’. Some are genetic dwarves that are natural mutations of seedling trees. They have short internodes between adjacent leaves which yields dense foliage. Subsequent breeding has produced trees with attractive foliage and a rounded shape. The tree is capable of producing medium-sized fruit if it is properly pruned. Examples of genetically dwarf peaches include ‘Bonfire’, ‘Bonanza’ and ‘Southern Sweet’. The other kind of small peach is one that has been grafted to a dwarfing rootstock. These are categorized as ‘patio peaches’ because of their small size but sometimes the peach variety that’s been grafted to the dwarfing rootstock is not noted, leading to peach trees that are simply labeled ‘Patio Peach’. Even though the rootstock dwarfs peaches grafted to it, some rootstocks will grow large. That, I think, is your situation: the rootstock has sent up a vigorous branch. It should be removed immediately, before it affects the growth of your desirable dwarf peach. **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [Blackened Leaves On Aucuba Shrub](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/blackened-leaves-on-aucuba-shrub/) **Published:** January 31, 2023 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My aucuba shrub has many blackened leaves. About half are either totally black or have black spots. What is going on?** A: I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts that your aucuba has phytophthora root rot. This soil-borne disease affects several shrubs: azalea, rhododendron, daphne and aucuba are common victims. I say ‘victims’ because phytophthora dieback is fatal in most cases. The fungus itself is present in most soils. There is no way to eliminate it. The disease attacks susceptible plants when they become vulnerable due to compacted clay soil, drought stress, or winter injury. The disease works its way up from ground level; little can be done once a plant is affected except removing wilted branches. Nonetheless, a healthy plant in the correct environment can keep the disease at bay. If you decide to replace it, remove all the soil from a hole one foot deep and three feet wide and refill it with a 1:1 mix of native soil and mini pine bark nuggets. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Lawn - Weed Control Basics](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-weed-control-basics/) **Published:** March 17, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **BASIC INFORMATION:** [Weed Identification Pictures](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/weeds-identification-with-pictures/) [Lawn Care Calendars](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-care-calendars-and-factsheets/) **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 weeds you must use a combination of all three practices. The references above give specific information on lawn grasses and lawn weeds to help you devise a line of attack. **HEALTHY LAWN** The first line of defense against weeds is to follow good growing practices that promote vigorous growth and development of the turfgrass or other plants. Weeds do not easily invade lawns that are properly fertilized, watered and mowed at the correct height and frequency. Weeds usually appear first in bare or thin areas of the turfgrass. **MECHANICAL** If your grass can’t oust the invaders, you can lend a little mechanical help. Many weed species do not tolerate frequent mowing. Adhere to the mowing frequency and cutting height guidelines developed by experts to limit the development of weeds. Hand pulling annual weeds is effective, enjoyable and good exercise to boot. However, it is too time consuming and not very effective in controlling most perennial weeds. Hand pulling a strange or a new weed when it first appears in the lawn will help to prevent the spread of that weed later this year. **CHEMICAL** Herbicides are chemicals that are used to control the growth and development of a weed. Before a herbicide is labeled for use in a home lawn it is thoroughly investigated by chemical companies, university researchers and various federal agencies. Herbicides must be proven safe to humans, the environment and the turfgrass and must be effective in destroying the weeds. Herbicides are important if not irreplaceable components of a lawn weed control program. Weed killers are applied at specific times of the year and will control only certain weed species. Also, many herbicides cannot be used on every kind of turfgrass. The product label is the best reference for safe and effective use of any weed killer. Always read the label prior to using a turfgrass herbicide. For a specific plan of how to control weeds in your lawn you need to note three things. You need to know what type of turfgrass you have. You need to know what type of weed you have and then you need to know what your control options are in your environment. **BROADLEAF WEEDS** In general, there are two types of weed leaves: broadleaf and grassy. The flourishing chickweed I have in a backyard flower bed is an example of a broadleaf weed. Others include henbit, dandelion, spurge and wild onion. Broadleaf weeds are easy to distinguish in a lawn. After all, they’re not a grass so they must be a weed! Broadleaf weeds react differently than grassy plants to herbicides. That’s an important point to remember as you make your scheme. **GRASSY WEEDS** The thin emerald leaves of annual bluegrass show in patches in my lawn. Contrasting with the brown St. Augustine, they are easy to spot. In summer, my neighbor notices the coarse grassy appearance of crabgrass, dallisgrass and bahiagrass in his fescue. Grassy weeds aren’t as noticeable as broadleaf weeds but if you walk your lawn regularly you’ll come to recognize what you want and what you don’t want there. Weed control in lawns occurs in two ways: by preventing the weed seed from germinating each year and by killing weeds that already exist. Products known as pre-emergent weed killers are used to prevent weed seed from germinating. There are several different chemicals and products available. They differ in the kinds of weed seed they control and the length of time the product remains active. Pre-emergents should be applied before the weed seed germinate. For summer weeds, Like crabgrass, apply the chemical in spring after night temperatures have been in the 60’s for four days around the time forsythias bloom. For winter weeds, like annual bluegrass, apply the preemergent in September or early October. Products must be watered into the soil after application. Other weed killers are used after the weeds have emerged. There are different products for grassy weeds, like goose grass and broad-leafed weeds, like dandelions. Onions are considered a broad leafed weed. These post emergent chemicals are used when the weeds are actively growing, early in the summer. It is important to know the name of the weed you are trying to control before using any weed control chemical. Once you know the weed, it is simple to read the label of a weed control product to see if it works on your weed. Also be sure to check and see if the chemical can be applied to your lawn grass without harming it. Never apply more of the chemical than the label recommends. Double doses of herbicide can kill your entire lawn before you know it. Moss does not kill or crowd out grass. Moss grows in places where grass can not grow because it is too shady or wet. The best way to control moss is to change the environment so the soil dries faster. This can be done by scraping up the moss, digging the soil and planting grass again. Lime and other moss control chemicals will kill moss for a short time but they are only band-aid solutions. If the soil is dry and conditions are good for grass, moss will not return. **WEED ‘N’ FEED PRODUCTS** Many times, use of some “Weed ‘N’ Feed” products results in applying one of the ingredients at the wrong time. Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and centipedegrass lawns should be fertilized during or after green-up. Weed preventers should be applied to these lawns before they green-up. Post-emergent weed killers can be applied to bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and centipedegrass lawns once or twice in summer but feeding them may not be necessary at the same time. On fescue, a granular “Weed ‘N’ Feed” having a broad-leaf weed killer could be used in fall – but make sure the lawn is damp so the weed killer clings to the weed leaves. **Read the label before applying any product.** **LABELS ARE NOT JUST FOR DECORATION** The label on any lawn product is there to give you valuable information on how the fertilizer or herbicide or grass seed should be used. Before you purchase any product, read the label to make sure the product does what you want and can be used on your lawn grass. Don’t believe that “If one tablespoon is good, two tablespoons is better!”. Putting down too much herbicide can severely damage even the toughest lawn grass! **ANNUAL BLUEGRASS** (*Poa annua*): The annual nature of this weed supplies its most noxious habit: It re-seeds prolifically. Annual bluegrass is outwardly attractive in the winter, but just wait until April. The thick mat of bluegrass will choke out the better turf underneath. Every blade (of which there are thousands) seems to be covered with seeds in May. These seed are carried by animals, water and lawnmowers to other parts of the lawn. When hot weather comes, the bluegrass dies, leaving a large bare spot and a legacy of thousands of seeds for next fall. The best control for a heavy infestation of annual bluegrass is to apply a pre-emergent weed chemical in mid-September and again in early November. The pre-emergent will prevent seeds from germinating. If bluegrass is present in spring, the best control is to kill it with a non-selective herbicide (RoundUp, Roots & All, Finale) before it forms seed. Don’t try to drench the soil; just a mist of spray on the foliage is enough. Another way to control annual bluegrass in lawns is to wrap an old cotton towel around the end of a garden rake. Tie in place with string and dampen the towel with Roundup. Use the tool to “paint” weedkiller onto green weed foliage while avoiding the turfgrass. Discard the cloth when the job is finished by wrapping in plastic bags and putting it out for your municipal garbage collection. **CHICKWEED:** Chickweed is another winter annual weed. It can be controlled with a pre-emergent such as [isoxaben (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=isoxaben&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aisoxaben&sprefix=isoxaben%2Caps%2C232&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). In addition, chickweed can be killed with herbicides that selectively kill broadleaf plants in lawns. In particular, herbicides with the active ingredients 2,4-D and MCPP work well on chickweed. These chemicals can be used on grass that is not dormant, including fescue. Do not use on a fall-seeded fescue lawn until it has been mowed four times. **WILD ONIONS:** Scientifically, the plant is a wild garlic, but the visual effect is the same. Clumps of green wild onions can ruin the appearance of a soft, brown Bermuda lawn. Onions reproduce by seeds as well as via the bulblets underground. Because dormant bulblets can sprout in future months, control will take two sprays in spring, at six-week intervals, with either [glyphosate (click for sources)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b) or a herbicide labeled for [broadleaf weeds (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=broadleaf%20weed%20killer&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abroadleaf%20weed%20killer&sprefix=broadleaf%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). Follow with two sprays in fall, beginning when the onion foliage emerges. The chemical imazaquin (Image) can also be used for wild onion control. DO NOT apply when turfgrass is emerging from winter dormancy. DO NOT apply to newly planted or sprigged turfgrasses. ![henbit](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/henbit-7.jpg "henbit 7")henbit ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/rake-applicator-3-300x225.jpg)rake applicator **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** Crabgrass, Fall, Fertilizer, Garlic, Glyphosate, Herbicide, Onion, Pears, Pre-Emergent, Roundup, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Weed, Winter --- ### [Pre-emergent - When To Apply](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/pre-emergent-when-to-apply/) **Published:** September 11, 2012 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Many garden tasks can be done almost any time. I’ve transplanted shrubs in July and in December and had success. I fertilize my St. Augustine lawn two times a year but I don’t do it on exact, specific dates. On the other hand, there are two tasks that must be done before a specific date to get best results: your spring and fall [pre-emergent (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=preemergent%20herbicides&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=preemergent%2Caps%2C184&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=EWC6KADSIRUXFUC2)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) applications. A pre-emergent is a chemical that prevents seeds from germinating. If you wait until after they sprout, the pre-emergent doesn’t work. Therefore, it’s important to know when winter weeds (chickweed, henbit, annual bluegrass) sprout and when summer weeds (crabgrass, goosegrass, etc) germinate. Here’s all you need to know for the metro Atlanta area: Typically, apply fall pre-emergent between **Sept. 1 and Oct. 1** to control winter weeds. Specifically, apply when soil temperature at 2″ is 70 degrees and declining. **[Check your soil temperature here](http://georgiaweather.net).** Apply spring pre-emergent between **March 1 and March 15** to control summer weeds. Specifically, apply when soil temperature at 2″ is 55 degrees and rising and no cold weather is forecast. So even though the soil temperature may be 55 degrees some days in January you should wait until your local weather person announces that your current warm weather will continue and it’s clear sailing, weather-wise, until spring. **Remember that pre-emergents have to be “watered in” with rain or irrigation within a week after application.** All of the following work well: benefin (Amaze, Balan, Crabgrass Preventer) bensulide (Betasan) oryzalin (Surflan) pendimethalin (Halts) dithiopyr (LESCO 0-0-7, Pike Crabgrass Preventer, Dimension, Crab-Ex) prodiamine (Barricade) [Identifying weeds from pictures](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/weeds-identification-with-pictures/) ![annual bluegrass in bermuda](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/annual-bluegrass-in-bermuda-1.jpg)annual bluegrass in bermuda ![henbit](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/henbit-7.jpg)henbit [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/crabgrass-2.jpg "crabgrass 2")](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/crabgrass-2.jpg)crabgrass [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/crabgrass-seedhead-2-1.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/crabgrass-seedhead-2-1.jpg) crabgrass seedhead **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals **Tags:** Crabgrass, Fall, Irrigation, Pre-Emergent, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Weed, Winter --- ### [Can I Leave Orange Trees Outside In The Winter?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/can-i-leave-orange-trees-outside-in-the-winter/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have two healthy orange trees in pots. We have been bringing them into the garage at night to get some heat from the house walls. Can we plant these outside and leave them outside? If not, what is the best way to get them through the winter?** A: There is no variety of orange that will survive winter outdoors in north Georgia. I have seen TV documentaries about religious penitents who endure all kinds of punishment in order to be forgiven. I have friends who successfully overwinter oranges and limes and tangerines but the continual hauling of heavy pots in and out of the garage looks too much like a penance for me to try doing it for just a few fruit. If you want to try, look online for the sagas of those gardeners who have been successful and then decide if you are ready to put on your hair shirt and start hauling. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Cutting Hollies In The Winter](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cutting-hollies-in-the-winter/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My hollies have gotten too tall. I want to cut them two feet lower so I can paint the house. The landscape company I contacted said it might harm them if I didn’t wait till spring. What is your opinion?** A: Pruning in November is not great for the shrubs’ health. It will retard winter cold-hardiness plus you will be looking at ugly bare sticks until spring. Can you remove the bare minimum of shrubbery to get the painting done and do the major pruning in March? **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Japanese Cherry Tree - Trunk Decay](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/japanese-cherry-tree-trunk-decay/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Our Japanese cherry tree trunk is decaying at the base, starting ten inches above the soil line. My wife thinks it’s termite or ant damage. The damage begins where I removed a limb years ago and has gone into the heartwood of the tree.** A: I think the rot started at the top of the wound where the limb was trimmed off and a stub was left. The tree was never able to grow over the stub, rainwater got in and rot grew into the center of the tree. From there it moved downward in the trunk. It broke through the bark and the tree couldn’t cover it to protect the center of the tree from even more water intrusion. All this led to the rot you have now, not termites or ants. The damage to the trunk is likely so severe that the tree may fall someday. My advice is to enjoy the spring flowers until your tree falls or loses so many leaves that it is too ugly to keep. You can then remove it completely and replace it with a tree of your choice. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Fat Alberta Blue Spruce Tree - Dropped Needles](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/fat-alberta-blue-spruce-tree-dropped-needles/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I live in north Georgia and have a two-year-old Fat Albert blue spruce tree. In the last two months, it started looking sad and it has dropped almost all of its needles. Is there anything I can do to save it?** A: Very few blue spruce trees live more than ten years in the Atlanta area. Summer heat during the day and especially at night eventually overcome the tree’s ability to grow fresh needles. High humidity exacerbates needle diseases. Poor drainage around the roots leads to root rot. I never recommend planting blue spruce in any form or fashion but if you are really sold on having one you must prepare an exquisite planting spot. Excavate ALL of the soil in an area eight feet in diameter and twelve inches deep. Discard two thirds of the soil. Thoroughly mix the remaining soil with bagged composted pine bark, gritty paver leveling sand, and a few bags of pea gravel. You should aim for a 1:1:1 ratio between the soil, the bark, and the inert materials. The planting spot should not be in a low spot that holds water after rain. If all goes well your spruce will last for several years. If not, the wood adds a nice scent to your fireplace. Consider planting instead an Arizona cypress, Cupressus arizonica. It grows just fine here. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [How To Kill Buttonweed](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/how-to-kill-buttonweed/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Our lawn service has been trying to kill buttonweed in our lawn for two years. It has taken over our fescue yard. What can we do?** A: Virginia buttonweed is extremely tough to control. This perennial weed is deeply rooted, produces belowground and aboveground flowers, and spreads by rhizomes (underground stems), as well as by stem pieces. If left uncontrolled, this mat-forming weed can smother turfgrass. If you are committed to controlling it, you have to start the previous year. Be sure you are mowing at the right height, that you are fertilizing correctly and that your lawn is not stressed from drought. Purple leaves during their late spring to early summer emergence are a distinguishing characteristic of buttonweed. Although pulling the weed can produce a satisfying mound of stems and leaves, the root pieces left behind will quickly sprout and make your efforts moot. Homeowners can get reasonable, if not total, control by regularly spraying with combination products containing 2,4- D, triclopyr, dicamba, quinclorac, or sulfentrazone. Read the product label carefully to make sure it can be used on your particular turfgrass. **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care, Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Fescue - Pelletized Or Powdered Lime](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-pelletized-or-powdered-lime/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: When you talk about liming your fescue when you say 20 pounds per 1000 square feet are you referring to pelletized lime or powdered lime?** A: They are the same thing. Powdered lime is simply pelletized to make it easier to apply. I hate using powdered lime because it gets all over my hands and pants. Pelletized lime is lots easier to pour into a spreader. Powdered garden lime produces so much dust it looks like you have a house fire. You may run into another lime product as you shop: fast-acting lime. This is simply powdered garden lime that has been especially finely ground, which makes it dissolve faster. It can sometimes be pelletized as well. **Categories:** Fescue, Tools & Chemicals, Lawn Care --- ### [Squirrel Taking Palm Tree Fibers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/squirrel-taking-palm-tree-fibers/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We’ve lived here 18 years but never had a squirrel decide to use the fiber from our palm tree for nest building. The squirrel climbs down and takes pieces of the fiber from around the bottom, peeling it down as you would a banana. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?** A: As long as the squirrel is collecting only dead tree fiber he isn’t really hurting the tree. I would try painting capsaicin oil on places where the squirrel is active. The oil is sold to be mixed with birdseed and drive squirrels away from bird feeders, but it would keep squirrels away from palm trees too. Wear gloves when working with capsaicin! **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Storing Caladiums In Winter](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/storing-caladiums-in-winter/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Do I have to dig up caladiums to store for winter if I’m in zone 8a?** A: It is good exercise but it’s rarely worth the trouble. It’s hard to get them to grow big enough in summer to make it worth your while to keep them over winter. Dig a few and check the size of the corms. If they aren’t at least the size they were when you planted them they won’t produce the leaf size you remember. Moreover, in spring it will take several weeks for them to overcome dormancy after you plant them. By June you’ll be envious of the pretty leaves on the caladiums at your local garden center when your caladium leaves are still puny. All this is true because caladiums are tropical bulbs. In the continuously warm soil of south Florida caladium farms, they don’t go dormant. The beautiful foliage and attached corms can be harvested and potted anytime for shipment to Atlanta. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Chilling Tulip Bulbs](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/chilling-tulip-bulbs/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: How much chilling do tulip bulbs need in order to bloom in early April?** A: Tulip bulbs need to experience 8 – 16 weeks of temperatures below 40 degrees in order to bloom properly. North Georgia has plenty of hours when garden soil is cool enough to put tulips into a blooming frame of mind. Plant your bulbs after mid-October and they will bloom fine in April. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Divots Appearing In Aerated Lawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/divots-appearing-in-aerated-lawn/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Big divots have appeared in our recently-aerated lawn. It is a real mess. We think some animal, like a raccoon, is eating grubs as it digs.** A: Your theory of raccoons eating grubs is a good guess. The white C-shaped grubs of Japanese beetles are getting larger now as they prepare to dig deeper underground to ride out winter. You could try applying a grub poison but I can’t guarantee it will be effective on the larger grubs. Trapping raccoons is not a good idea either. Besides the need for specific training on raccoon trapping, you have to decide what you’ll do with the animal once caught. Raccoons may be released only on private land, with permission of the owner. Though you might think that trapping and release are humane, these animals will likely die due to unfamiliarity with local sources of food, water, and shelter. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Lawn Care --- ### [Getting Rid Of Mulberry Weeds](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/getting-rid-of-mulberry-weeds/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My beds throughout my front and back yard have a lot of mulberry** **weeds in them. I’d rather not use Roundup near them. Do you have** **suggestions on what I can do to kill the weeds in the summer?** A: Sure! You are correct that glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) can volatilize under plants and hurt the leaves. I think the label on organic weed killers that contain ammoniated salts of fatty acids ( Weed-Aside, Finalsan, Monterey Herbicidal Soap) or chelated iron (Fiesta, Iron X) would allow spraying near flowers and vegetables without volatilizing. I would not use organic herbicides that contain clove oil or cinnamon oil. These products have the possibility of evaporating and damaging plants. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Dwarf Boxwood - Dead Looking Branches](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/dwarf-boxwood-dead-looking-branches/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My dwarf boxwoods have brown branches on plants scattered in the bed. I am so afraid this is boxwood blight! What should I do to stop it?** A: Your first task is to find out exactly what disease is present. There are several that kill boxwood branches . The University of Georgia Extension plant disease lab can take a sample of leaves and do the job for you. Contact your local Extension office at 800-ASKUGA1 (800-275-8421) for instructions. They can advise on how to treat any disease your boxwoods might have. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Best foods for feeding birds](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/best-foods-for-feeding-birds/) **Published:** November 9, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** If you like watching birds, there’s no better way than to put a feeder near a window where you can comfortably watch and they can’t see you. Choosing different foods will change the type of bird you see. To attract the widest number of birds, nothing beats black oil sunflower seed. Sunflower seed brings titmice, cardinals, chickadees and wrens by the score. Black oil sunflower seed assures that birds won’t scratch uneaten food to the ground beneath the feeder. There, squirrels, chipmunks, rats and mice can find the food and will establish a settlement nearby. Most bird feeding experts discourage using the inexpensive bird food mixes that contain wheat, sorghum, and hemp seed. These seed are not bird favorites and the birds will simply pick through what they don’t want while looking for the food they desire. Suet attracts birds that cling to vertical surfaces: nuthatches, titmice, chickadees and woodpeckers. Thistle seed is a favorite of finches but requires a special tube with small holes to dispense the seed. Whole and crushed peanuts attract woodpeckers, jays, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, wrens, northern mockingbirds, brown thrashers, starlings, and pine warblers. Provide these in tube-shaped, metal mesh feeders. **Squirrels** are the bane of bird feeders. I went though a half-dozen plastic and wooden feeders before I bought an [Eliminator](https://www.wbu.com/products/squirrel-proof/eliminator-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder/). It has a weighted, adjustable perch which allows lightweight birds to feed but slams a door over the feeding portals when a **squirrel** gives it a try. I recently spent several enjoyable minutes in front of a store video player watching **squirrel**s attempt to master a [Yankee Flipper ™](https://amzn.to/3NRV7qe) bird feeder. A motorized perch spins around when a **squirrel** grasps it. Although pricey, this feeder is guaranteed to tempt you to produce a video of “Stupid **Squirrel** Gymnastics”. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sunflower-seed.jpg)Black oil sunflower seed is **the best** for feeding songbirds ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/bird-feeder-cheap-3.jpg)Bird seed mixes that contain lots of cracked corn or wheat are **not the best** for attracting songbirds. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/squirrel-on-feeder-1-293x300.jpg) A squirrel tried to get into the feeder but its weight shut the feeding portals. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/bird-feeder-300x225.jpg)This feeder is not squirrel-proof. They can hang on the side and pull the wooden bar down to access the seed. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/bird-suet-hot-225x300.jpg)Another way to deter squirrels is to feed suet that’s been treated with capsaicin It’s flaming hot to squirrels but birds can’t taste it. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Bluebird-Suet-300x169.jpg) A suet feeder attracts woodpeckers and bluebirds by the dozens. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/bird-downy-male-5-277x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/bird-suet-feeder-3-225x300.jpg)A suet feeder near a window is great to watch. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [How To Keep Possums Out Of A Horse Barn And Pasture](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/how-to-keep-possums-out-of-a-horse-barn-and-pasture/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is there any way to keep possums out of a horse barn and pasture? Their feces can carry a serious horse disease.** A: The disease is called *Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis* (EPM). I had never heard of this possum problem! I am not a veterinarian but in my brief reading, it looks like contaminated feed and water are the main places where horses can become infected with the parasite in possum feces. When you are trying to manage a nuisance animal, the first step always is to remove sources of food, water, and shelter. Go through your barn and make sure there’s no way for possums to get into the hay or into the feed storage area. Never leave cat food out. Clean up spilled feed in the stalls. Wash feed buckets after every meal. Disinfect water buckets regularly. Although it is possible, I doubt there is much contamination of pasture grass from possum poop. If a possum defecates in the grass, sunshine, rain, and oxygen plus soil creatures will decompose the stuff in just a few days. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/possum-baby-grass-2-300x211.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals, How-To **Tags:** Disease, Soil --- ### [Cedar Blend Mulch VS Cypress Mulch](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/cedar-blend-mulch-vs-cypress-mulch/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I used to use cypress mulch for its longevity properties but my mulch supplier has switched to cedar blend mulch. Does cedar blend mulch have equivalent longevity in flower beds?** A: Pure cypress mulch will last longer than cedar blend mulch. Cedar blend is composed of shredded cedar or juniper trees plus material from other types of trees. This “non-cedar” material will decompose faster than pure cedar or cypress mulch. You might have to purchase a bit more mulch than you did previously but cypress mulch is problematic from an environmental perspective so I prefer the cedar blend product. **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Half of My Wax Leaf Lingustrums Are Dying](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/half-of-my-wax-leaf-lingustrums-are-dying/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted twelve wax leaf ligustrums the last week in May to border my backyard. Eight of them are doing great but one completely died and three more look like they are slowing dying. The leaves are turning brown and most of the lower half of the bushes is bare. They all receive the same amount of watering.** A: Despite your description, I think parts of the root balls got too dry. Despite watering them all the same, soil density and percolation can make water that is applied to the soil surface travel in unexpected ways underground. The last 60 days have had an average high temp of 89. That’s a lot of heat stress to put on a new shrub. Continue watering faithfully but make sure the soil around the root ball of each one is saturated before moving to the next. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Rain Garden - Designing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rain-garden-designing/) **Published:** April 24, 2016 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** No landscape is perfect. Many times, working *with* Nature rather than *against* it will yield better results. If your landscape has a wet area, stop trying to cultivate plants that dislike wet feet. Instead, install a rain garden, using plants that easily tolerate soggy soil. First, check my [lists of plants for damp soi](http://www.walterreeves.com/category/landscaping/plant-lists/)l[https://www.clemson.edu/extension/raingarden/clemson\_rain\_garden\_manual\_2016.pdf](https://www.clemson.edu/extension/raingarden/clemson_rain_garden_manual_2016.pdf) Next, download this [rain garden manual.](http://media.clemson.edu/public/restoration/carolina_clear/toolbox/publication_raingardenmanual_022709.pdf) Now check out this [app for your smartphone](http://marex.uga.edu/rain-garden-app/). Finally, study this [series of rain garden design ideas](http://extension.uga.edu/publications/files/html/EB-101/EB-101.pdf). You should be able to have a gorgeous rain garden despite the downpours! ![rain garden 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/rain-garden-2.jpg) ![rain garden](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/rain-garden.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Plants for damp soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/plants-for-damp-soil/) **Published:** December 4, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** If you find an area in your landscape thats always damp, check out these lists of appropriate plants. Trees for damp soil [https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trees-for-damp-soil/](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trees-for-damp-soil/ "Trees for damp soil") Shrubs for damp soil Flowers for damp soil [https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/flowers-for-damp-soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/flowers-for-damp-soil/) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/0Sys9k3qlUWG-1-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Citron Melon - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/citron-growing/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We used to grow a thing called a citron, a watermelon-type fruit. It looks exactly like a watermelon but the darn thing is harder than a rock. Can you tell me where I might acquire some seeds? My younger buddies think I’m crazy when I tell them how hard it was.** A: In the watermelon fields of south Georgia, the citron melon is a noxious weed, good only for pranks. I have a friend from Reidsville who relates breaking open citron melons and putting them under the tires of cars. The wheels would spin helplessly while the kids laughed their heads off! One source of seeds is [Rare Seeds](http://www.rareseeds.com) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Watermelon, Weed --- ### [Dwarf Mondo Grass Is Reverting To Taller Form](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/dwarf-mondo-grass-in-reverting-to-longer-form/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My twelve-year-old dwarf mondo grass is reverting to a longer form. Is this a thing? What do I do with it? Try to pull out the rogue clumps?** A: It could easily be a thing. Many dwarf plants are spores that were collected growing from a bigger plant. If these notably smaller plants can be propagated easily they can be sold in a nursery. Then a homeowner who wants to grow something in the joints of a brick patio grabs some for their landscape. But hiding in the genes of the dwarf plant are the genes of its parents. Sometimes the dwarf plant sports a larger version of itself: the parent plant. It sounds like that’s what’s happening to you. Pulling out clumps of the taller plant is one option but it would be a lot of work. Could you mow everything to a uniform height once or twice a year? **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping --- ### [Should I Shred Fallen Leaves As Mulch?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/should-i-shred-fallen-leaves-as-mulch/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I live in a huge forest so controlling fall leaves is hard. Am I wrong to shred them with a mower and spread them around the property, some close to the house?** A: They should be at least a foot away from the house foundation to prevent termite access. Otherwise, mulch away! **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, General Q & A, Landscaping --- ### [Japanese Beetles Attacking My Crepemyrtle](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/japanese-beetles-attacking-my-crepemyrtle/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Every year Japanese beetles attack my crepe myrtle, but other crepe myrtles in the neighborhood don’t seem to be affected. Why?** A: Mechanical factors of the crapemyrtle leaves could be part of the answer. By that, I mean that thick or hard-to-chew leaves would be less palatable to a Japanese beetle than thin, lush leaves. If you prune your crapemyrtles in winter the summer leaves will be thinner than on an unpruned plant. Different varieties might have slightly different leaf thicknesses too. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Best Time To Plant Dwarf Mondo Grass?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/best-time-to-plant-dwarf-mondo-grass/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I saw your article about using dwarf mondo grass in a lawn instead of grass. When is the best time to plant?** A: In clay soil, it would be good to loosen the soil beforehand. If you have a way to water, you can plant any time. I fertilize mine once a year with any organic fertilizer (Milorganite, Holly-Tone, etc) I can find. **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping --- ### [Zebra Grass - Winter Maintenance](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/zebra-grass-winter-maintenance/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I planted zebra grass this past May but cannot find good information on how to care for it in winter. When should I cut it back? Do I need to mulch around the base for it to come back next year?** A: Zebra grass, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’, should grow fine in Walker County. You should cut it back to 6-8 inches above the soil surface in February. It’s important to cut it as low as you can without getting down into the living crown of the grass. If you consistently cut it high, the center of the clump will have lots of rotting debris in it and new sprouts won’t push through. **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping --- ### [Ferns - Black Seeds Inside The Red Berries](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ferns-black-seeds-inside-the-red-berries/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My small asparagus garden has gone to ferns, as it should. Are the red “berries” on the ferns seeds? I harvested the red berries, air-dried them, and squeezed out the small black seeds. Can they be planted in peat pots?** A: You bet! The seeds need to be exposed to two months of chilly temperatures and moist conditions to initiate sprouting. I’d fill peat pots with potting soil, put 2-3 seeds an inch down in the pot, moisten the soil, cover with plastic so they don’t dry out, and put somewhere dark outside from now until late April. You should see little green sprouts then. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Should I Plant Creeping Charlie All Over My Lawn?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/should-i-plant-creeping-charlie-all-over-my-lawn/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have creeping Charlie growing in my backyard. I like the way it looks, it doesn’t need mowing, and it can handle my five dogs. I’m thinking of planting the rest of my lawn in creeping Charlie. Would that be a big mistake?** A: This member of the mint family smells good when you walk on it or mow it. Even though it is a perennial plant, it will die back somewhat in winter. There are variegated forms that are used in hanging baskets. To experiment, I think you could collect pieces in your yard after you mow and scatter them in bare areas, and cover slightly with soil. They should all take root and sprout. **Categories:** Groundcovers, Landscaping --- ### [How To Grow Norfolk Island Pines?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-to-grow-norfolk-island-pines/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I love the way Norfolk Island Pines look! I bought a packet of seeds online. How do I plant and nurture them?** A: Put a 3-inch layer of good-quality potting soil into a plastic tub. Arrange the seeds over the surface and lightly press each one into the soil without covering it. Mist the seeds and replace the tub lid. Put the container in a very warm spot in front of a window. It usually takes 10-15 days for the seeds to sprout. Mist them occasionally until you see green growth coming out of the seeds. Gradually expose them to a spot outdoors in bright shade. The trees will continue to grow. When they are 6 inches tall, you can transplant them into individual pots. A lot of folks keep Norfolk Island Pine outdoors in a pot and bring it inside in winter. Nighttime temperature is your guide for the move: You can take it out when night temperatures hit 50 in spring. When they head lower than 50, it’s time to bring it indoors to the brightest window in the house. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Is Herbicidal Soap The Same As Dawn Dish Detergent?](https://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/is-herbicidal-soap-the-same-as-dawn-dish-detergent/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Last week, you recommended spraying herbicidal soap on weeds in an asparagus bed. Is this the same as Dawn dish detergent?** A: Absolutely not! Dawn is a detergent, not a soap. Although both dissolve fat and wax, a detergent works more as a binder, preventing fats and waxes from reattaching to your dishes. Herbicidal soap is a specific mix of ammoniated fatty acids. You could wash your hands with it if you like, but it’s better used to kill weeds. It dissolves the wax on plant leaves and they dry out and die. It is a nonselective weed killer. I recognize that herbicidal soap is somewhat hard to find. Here are some brand names to look for online: Weed-Aside, Finalsan, and Monterey Herbicidal Soap. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals --- ### [How To Know When My Pollinator Garden Is Established?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/how-to-know-when-my-pollinator-garden-is-established/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I recently planted a new pollinator garden with beautyberry, giant hyssop, penstemon, bee balm, and lemon thyme. How long do I need to keep watering? How will I know that they’re established?** A: Fall is the best time to plant because the soil is warm while the air is cool, so less water is needed by the leaves and the roots can grow vigorously. A plant is considered “established” when the roots have grown into the surrounding soil and there is a bit of new growth on branch tips. A gentle tug will tell you when roots are established. You’ve made good plant choices, and they should become established with minimal watering this fall. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Q & A --- ### [When Can I Treat My Centipede Sod For Weeds?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/when-can-i-treat-my-centipede-sod-for-weeds/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I laid centipede sod in mid-August and it’s doing great so far and has taken root. There are some weeds in the sod. When will it be okay to treat the sod for weeds? Do I need to wait until next year?** A: Centipede grass can be persnickety when herbicides are applied. Right now, my advice is to use a pre-mixed weed killer product with a pistol hand sprayer so you can aim accurately. Regularly spot-spraying weeds that have sprouted make a huge difference in the amount of weed pressure you’ll face in the future. If you pay attention to mowing height, fertilizing, and watering plus regular spot-spraying for weeds you might never have to apply area-wide herbicide to your lawn. **Categories:** Centipede, Lawn Care --- ### [English Ivy Bed Covered With Poison Ivy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/english-ivy-bed-covered-with-poison-ivy/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Our once beautiful English ivy bed is overcome with poison ivy and other intruding weeds and vines. We have read your solution to hand paint the leaves with glyphosate using a foam brush. But we have so much and it is on a steep front hill.** A: In my experience, poison ivy and many other weeds are much more sensitive to glyphosate (Roundup) than English ivy is. Spray the bank lightly with glyphosate now and respray late next spring after the weed sprouts and poison ivy leaves have emerged. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Groundcovers, Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Should I Burn Weeds With Kerosene?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pest-plants/should-i-burn-weeds-with-kerosene/) **Published:** November 15, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a rather large asparagus bed with weed issues. I have regularly burned the bed in late fall when the foliage is dead. However, sometimes the fire does not seem to be hot enough to do its job. What are your thoughts about using kerosene in a sprayer to assist in a burn?** A: I was astonished to discover that there are gardeners who do this. Before your inquiry, I had never heard of using kerosene to burn weeds in asparagus. For many reasons, I don’t recommend it. Do this instead: harvest asparagus by snapping seven to nine-inch spears with tight tips. You can do this regularly for two or three weeks in spring. Stop the harvest when the diameter of most of the spears become less than three-eighths inch. At this point, snap all the spears off at ground level. Apply one-half pound of ammonium nitrate fertilizer per fifty feet of row. Since no asparagus greenery is aboveground, spray the patch with herbicidal soap. This will kill any existing weeds. New spears will emerge, fern out, and provide a large canopy to cover the space between the rows. Once a dense fern canopy is formed, weed growth will be shaded out. **Categories:** Vegetables, Pest Plants, Food Gardening --- ### [Rescued tomatoes - Ripening](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rescued-tomatoes-ripening/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Now that I have rescued my large green tomatoes from the coming frost, what now? How do I ensure that they will continue to ripen?** A: If a tomato has just a bit of pink showing on the blossom end, it is capable of ripening fully. If you have a lot of “pinkies”, wrap some in newspaper and store in a cool place. Put a few of the pinkest ones on the kitchen windowsill to finish ripening. If the tomato has no hint of pink, cut it into quarter-inch slices, dredge each one in seasoned corn meal and fry in bacon drippings for a true Southern treat. Alternatively, you could have rescued them like my mother does. She pulls the vines and hangs them, fruit and all, on coathangers arranged before the windows in her garage. She has tomatoes until December! T**omato**es ripen in stages. Commercial growers pick them when there is no color showing and artificially ripen the fruit with ethylene gas. When a **tomato** reaches a full size and the fruit becomes a pale green, it begins the **ripening** process which is regulated by an internal gas produced within the fruit called ethylene. Soon the **tomato** reaches a stage when it starts showing pink on the blossom end (called the ‘breaker stage’). At this stage the **tomato** can be harvested and ripened off the vine with no loss of flavor, quality or nutrition. Red pigments in **tomato**es don’t form above 95°F so **tomato**es ripened in extreme heat will have a orange-red color. **Tomato**es held at cooler temperatures will ripen slower. You can speed up or slow down the **ripening** process by raising the temperature (to an optimum of 85°F) or lowering the temperature (to a minimum of 50°F). **Tomato**es develop their optimum flavor, nutrition, and color when the **tomato** is in the full red ripe stage but this doesn’t have to occur on the plant! [Tomato Ripening Stages](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lagorio-tomato-guide.pdf) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tomatofirstcolor.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Tomatoes --- ### [Can I Find Zoysia Fine-Bladed Grass Seed?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/can-i-find-zoysia-fine-bladed-grass-seed/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a bit of a problem. They had to dig up my lawn and unfortunately left large dirt patches. I’m not 100% sure of the grass I have but I believe it’s fine-bladed zoysia. Do they make a grass seed that I can use to patch this area?** A: I am not quite sure what is the best answer to your problem/question. If it indeed is fine-bladed zoysia, the only available options are Emerald and a couple of variant varieties. Unfortunately, there’s no seed for that, it is only available as sod. I’m not sure if there is zoysia sod available from sod farms at this time of year. The only zoysia seed available is zenith. But you don’t have enough time to get it to sprout before cold weather comes. I think your best bet is to hunt really hard for fine-bladed zoysia sod. If you can’t find that, I think the next best thing would be to cover the dirt with straw and let it sit dormant until time to plant zoysia sod in spring. I would not plant anything there before spring. That would complicate laying sod at the right time. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care --- ### [Watering Bermuda Daily And It Is Dying](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/watering-bermuda-daily-and-it-is-dying/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We sodded with Bermuda two years ago and have been watering regularly early in the morning for 10 – 15 minutes several times per week. We have a lawn service applying weed killer and fertilizer but the sod is dying. We really are at our wit’s end and simply do not know what to do next.** A: This is simple: You have been watering way too much. Bermuda grass hates soggy soil. Your goal should be watering deeply once a week. Soil should be dry before the next irrigation. I can’t predict what will happen now. Your lawn may be too far gone to save it. Turn off your sprinkler, do not fertilize, and let’s see what it looks like in May next year. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Lawn Care --- ### [Can I Store My Tulip Bulbs Next To My Vegetables?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-store-my-tulip-bulbs-next-to-my-vegetables/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I know that spring bulbs have to be chilled in the soil or in the refrigerator for several weeks before planting. I know that if I chill them in my fridge I should keep apples, pears, and other fruits out. But what about vegetables? Do any of them cause tulip flowers to be small?** A: Good thinking! Besides the fruits you’ve listed, tomatoes, avocados, and peppers can release enough ethylene gas to affect tulip blooms. But honestly, we have plenty of chilling hours outdoors each winter in north Georgia. There is no need to chill bulbs if they are planted in mid-October. **Categories:** Fruits, Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Vegetables, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [Sevin Liquid Treatment - How Long Until I Can Harvest Figs?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/sevin-liquid-treatment-how-long-until-i-can-harvest-figs/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: After treatment of my fig trees with Sevin liquid, how long should I wait before harvesting?** A: You’ll have to wait a long time since Sevin is not labeled for use on figs. And because the label is the law, I can’t tell you how to use it on your fig bush. In researching the answer to your question, I got a real shock. The Sevin that gardeners have used for decades as an insecticidal dust or liquid no longer contains carbaryl. The Sevin dust found now at garden centers contains bifenthrin, Sevin RTU contains lambda-cyhalothrin, the active ingredient in Sevin lawn granules is zeta cypermethrin. These ingredients are pyethroid chemicals. Carbaryl is a carbamate. For various reasons, the company that owns the Sevin trademark has chosen to use pyrethroids in its consumer-grade products. Carbaryl is still available to professionals. **Categories:** Fruits, Tools & Chemicals, Food Gardening --- ### [Boxwoods Thinned Out On The Bottom](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/boxwoods-thinned-out-on-the-bottom/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Over several years, my boxwoods have severely thinned out at the bottom. They were planted twenty years ago so I am wondering if they have outlived their lifespan. Can I do anything to fix them?** A: Your boxwoods were improperly pruned. The key to keeping a shrub full and leafy from bottom to top is to never cut the bottom limbs to be narrower than the top. When the top shades out the bottom of a shrub, they look awful. Honestly, I think the best advice for you would be to pull out the shrubs, dig the soil thoroughly, add organic matter, and plant new ones. Meanwhile, I have great pruning instructions with photos and diagrams at [bit.ly/GApruning](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20961_5.PDF). **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Colorful Groundcover Recommendations](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/colorful-groundcover-recommendations/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: What colorful groundcover could I put next to the side foundation of my house? It only gets two hours of sunlight each day. It is on a bit of slope.** A: One of the large varieties of monkey grass would look nice. Liriope muscari ‘Monroe White’ is the gold standard by which all white-flowered liriope are judged. Unlike most liriope, which thrive in sun, this cultivar needs light shade for most of the day to prevent foliar scorch. I am tempted to try to find a shrub for you but with that small amount of sunshine, most will simply decline in a few years. **Categories:** Groundcovers, Landscaping --- ### [Did Pre-emergent Get On My Roses?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/did-pre-emergent-get-on-my-roses/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have a steep hill in my backyard with cotoneaster on the top and Drift roses at the bottom. The weeds in the cotoneaster are terrible so last year I used a pre-emergent. That didn’t help and I am concerned that the pre-emergent ran down into the roses because they didn’t perform too good this year.** A: Pre-emergent chemicals are carefully designed to quickly cling to soil particles and to stay in place, despite the rainfall, while they prevent seeds from germinating and slowly decomposing. Your pre-emergent didn’t run down the hill so I very much doubt it harmed your roses. Your first job is to identify the weeds in your cotoneaster and then match the weed to the best method of control. Some weeds are impossible to control with chemicals in a shrub-covered area. Hand-pulling may be your only option. Take photos of the individual weeds, take them to your local plant nursery when it’s not busy, and ask employees to help. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping --- ### [Sowing A Perennial Flower Garden - Should I Cover Seeds With Mulch?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/sowing-a-perennial-flower-garden-should-i-cover-seeds-with-mulch/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I read about sowing a perennial flower garden in the fall for spring blooms. Instructions said to remove all old grass, prepare the soil and cover with black plastic to kill all grass and weeds. Then after the first frost, sow the seeds. I can’t find out if you cover seeds with mulch or move them into the bed.** A: Visions of a low-maintenance perennial flower bed are quite a contrast with reality. These are the problems you’ll face: Covering the spot with plastic in fall won’t kill the weeds.. Solarizing soil requires eight weeks of very hot sunny weather. I guarantee weed seeds in the cleared area will sprout alongside your wildflower seeds. It is imperative that they be removed before they grow large. How will you tell the difference between weed and flower? The weeds have to be pulled by hand so include stepping stones in the area to kneel on while you work. Plan on thoroughly weeding every week, even in the winter, to keep competition at bay. More details at [bit.ly/GAwildflowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/wildflowers/) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Our Japanese Maple Died - Could Mushrooms Be At Fault?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/our-japanese-maple-died-could-mushrooms-be-at-fault/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We lost our beautiful Japanese maple tree. It was seemingly well established. But in late spring the leaves turned from green to brown and the tree slowly died. Can mushrooms in the soil kill a tree? Several were growing under the tree. What can we plant where the maple tree used to be?** A: There are several fungi species that live in the soil and produce mushrooms. Most of them decompose rotten roots. I think your tree received too much water over a long period and the roots slowly died. Fungi decomposed the dead roots and produced mushrooms. The fungi didn’t hurt your tree. I don’t think it’s a good idea to plant another tree in that spot. Could you put a vine-covered arbor, a big rose bush, or something that is not a tree there? **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [When To Plant Zoysia Sod?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/when-to-plant-zoysia-sod/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: When is it too late to be planting zoysia sod?** A: It would be a real gamble to lay zoysia sod now in September. Zoysia roots grow slower than other grasses, like bermuda. Zoysia plants take around eight weeks to develop a good root system. You might choose to gamble if it’s only a small area you’re working with. However, in my experience, it would not be unusual for sod laid in September to get lots of winter kill, with many dead spots seen in spring. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care --- ### [Oak Trees - Attack Of The Caterpillars](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/oak-trees-attack-of-the-caterpillars/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have an infestation of caterpillars in our oak trees. Their droppings are covering our deck and driveway. Should we spray or just wait it out?** A: You have a big population of orange-striped oak worms. These caterpillars are basically a ‘stomach with legs’ so leaves disappear rapidly during the weeks they feed. The caterpillars are two to three inches long with yellow-orange stripes running the length of their body. Because oak worms ingest such tremendous amounts of food one of the ways they are discovered is through the thickly scattered waste pellets that fall from a tree’s foliage. On a quiet day, the pellets can be heard clattering down through the leaves and hitting the ground below. These fall caterpillars are the offspring of a moth who laid her eggs on the tree several weeks ago. Fortunately, poisons are rarely needed. Mother Nature provides a lifespan of only a few weeks before the caterpillar drops to the ground and pupates. Usually, there is only one generation per year. Since oak trees lose their leaves naturally in the fall even complete defoliation does little harm. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Landscape Company's Excessive Watering Instructions](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/landscape-companys-excessive-watering-instructions/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We recently had our yard landscaped with several shrubs, annual flowers, and Japanese maple. All these plants have a 3″ layer of mulch. The landscape company told me to water every day for two weeks, then every other day for another two weeks, and then two-three times a week for the next six months. This seems excessive.** A: Good call: that much water will be fatal! That sort of watering advice might be fine for early summer but it is horrible for fall planting. After planting in fall, once the soil is soggy and mulched as you describe, it hardly needs watering until next spring. From now until then, check the soil every two weeks. Water only if the soil is dry. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info --- ### [Red Oak - Tight Bunches Of Small Leaves](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/red-oak-tight-bunches-of-small-leaves/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: In the yard of our recently purchased home are two trees the previous owner told me were red oaks. She said they were beautiful when she had them planted two years ago. This year both of them only produced tight little bunches of small leaves scattered along the limbs. Will they leaf out next spring?** A: Those clusters of tiny leaves tell me exactly what is going on. Last winter when the trees were leafless someone sprayed glyphosate (Roundup) on the trunk or roots. Although the herbicide is predominantly absorbed by leaves, tree roots and trunks can also bring in the chemical. The tufts of leaves are an example of classic glyphosate damage. I have seen the clusters of tiny leaves on more trees and shrubs than I can count. If the trees had no normal leaves this year, they are not likely to recover next year. I would plan to replace them this fall. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Stink Bugs On My Tomatoes](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/stink-bugs-on-my-tomatoes/) **Published:** October 4, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I had a bumper crop of tomatoes on my 5th-floor balcony this summer until stink bugs got at them. The damage they do doesn’t show on the outside but makes a hard white spot on the meat of the tomato. Do you know of a remedy?** A: Insecticidal soap and horticultural oil will kill them when they are young but not as they mature. The first stinkbugs hatch in May, so keep your eyes peeled for juvenile insects that fly up from below. Besides the sprays, beneficial insects also prey on stinkbugs. Plant pots of alyssum, thrift, annual salvia, agastache, and yarrow nearby. Their flowers are good habitats for a variety of beneficial insects. **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals, Food Gardening --- ### [Azaleas & Rhododendrons - Is September Too Late To Prune?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/azaleas-rhododendrons-is-it-too-late-to-prune/) **Published:** September 29, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I need to prune my azaleas and rhododendron. Is it too late?** A: Check the ends of the shrub branches. If it has flower buds present, you’ll be cutting off next year’s flowers if you prune now. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Torpedograss Breaking Through Barriers](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/torpedograss-breaking-barriers/) **Published:** September 29, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have been fighting a losing battle with torpedograss in my lawn and** **flower bed. I put down cloth barrier, plastic barrier, and old carpet. However** **the roots of the grass are so aggressive, they go straight through the barrier.** A: Torpedograss has shallow roots (rhizomes) that have a sharp, hard point, giving it the ability to penetrate most barriers. There are no selective herbicides that will control it. Instead, apply glyphosate herbicide to the weed, using a foam paintbrush to avoid contact with your flowers. For larger areas, as in your lawn, spray once then do a follow-up three weeks later. Both your lawn grass and the torpedograss will be killed. After that, you can replant your lawn grass. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/torpedograss-2-Graham-40-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Wax Leaf Ligustrum Is Turning Brown](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/wax-leaf-ligustrums-is-bare-or-brown/) **Published:** September 29, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I planted twelve wax leaf ligustrums the last week in May to border my backyard. Eight of them are doing great but one completely died and three more look like they are slowly dying. The leaves are turning brown and most of the lower half of the bushes is bare. They all receive the same amount of watering.** A: Despite your description, I think parts of the root balls got too dry. Despite watering them all the same, soil density and percolation can make water that is applied to the soil surface travel in unexpected ways underground. The last 60 days have had an average high temp of 89. That’s a lot of heat stress to put on a new shrub. Continue watering faithfully but make sure the soil around the root ball of each one is saturated before moving to the next. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Asparagus - Harvesting and Weeding](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/asparagus-harvesting-and-weeding/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My husband has a very large asparagus patch. The weeds get in there and are difficult to eradicate. Is there a weed killer that would not hurt the asparagus?** A: According to the Ohio Extension Service, harvesting and weed control go hand-in-hand. **SUMMARY: Harvest asparagus by snapping seven to nine inch spears with tight tips. You can do this regularly for two or three weeks. Stop the harvest when the diameter of most of the spears become less than three-eighths inch.** **At this point, snap all the spears off at ground level. Apply one-half pound of ammonium nitrate fertilizer per fifty feet of row . Since no asparagus greenery is aboveground, spray the patch with [glyphosate (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=glyphosate%20herbicide&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aglyphosate%20herbicide&sprefix=glyphosate%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). This will kill any existing weeds. New spears will emerge, fern out, and provide a large canopy to cover the space between the rows. Once a dense fern canopy is formed, weed growth will be shaded out.** **Original text:** Harvest asparagus by snapping seven to nine inch spears with tight tips. There is no need to cut asparagus below the soil with a knife. This may injure other buds on the crown that will send up new spears. The small stub that is left in the soil after snapping, dries up and disintegrates. A new spear does not come up at the same spot, but comes up from another bud that enlarges on another part of the crown. As the tips of the spears start to loosen (known as “ferning out”), fiber begins to develop at the base of the spears, causing them to become tough. The diameter of the spear has no bearing on its toughness. When harvesting, the asparagus patch should be picked clean, never allowing any spears to fern out, as this gives asparagus beetles an excellent site to lay their eggs. The year after planting, asparagus can be harvested several times throughout a three-week period, depending on air temperatures. Research shows there is no need to wait two years after planting before harvesting. In fact, harvesting the year after planting will stimulate more bud production on the crown and provide greater yields in future years, as compared with waiting two years before harvesting. Asparagus spears will start to emerge when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees F. After this, growth of asparagus is dependent on air temperature. Early in the season, 7 to 9 inch spears might be harvested every 2 to 4 days. As air temperatures increase, harvesting frequencies will increase to once or twice per day, harvesting 5 to 7 inch spears before the tips start to fern out and lose quality. The second year after planting, the length of harvest can increase to about 4 to 6 weeks. The third year after planting and thereafter, harvesting can continue for 6 to 8 weeks. Since the length of harvest season will vary from year-to-year depending on air temperature, stop the harvest when the diameter of 3/4 of the spears becomes small (less then 3/8 inch). Experience gained by growing the crop will make it easier for the gardener to know when to discontinue the harvest. When harvest is finished, snap all the spears off at ground level. Apply 1/2 lb. of ammonium nitrate fertilizer per 50 feet of row . At this time, a home garden formulation of [glyphosate (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=glyphosate%20herbicide&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aglyphosate%20herbicide&sprefix=glyphosate%2Caps%2C148&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) can be sprayed on the asparagus patch. This will kill any existing weeds. New spears will then emerge, fern out, and provide a large canopy to cover the space between the rows. Once a dense fern canopy is formed, weed growth will be shaded out. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fertilizer, Glyphosate, Pears, Shade, Soil, Temperature, Weed --- ### [Cedar Blend Mulch Longevity](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/cedar-blend-mulch-longevity/) **Published:** September 29, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I used to use cypress mulch for its longevity properties but my mulch supplier has switched to cedar blend mulch. Does cedar blend mulch have equivalent longevity in flower beds?** A: Pure cypress mulch will last longer than cedar blend mulch. Cedar blend is composed of shredded cedar or juniper trees plus material from other types of trees. This “non-cedar” material will decompose faster than pure cedar or cypress mulch. You might have to purchase a bit more mulch than you did previously but cypress mulch is problematic from an environmental perspective so I prefer the cedar blend product. **Categories:** Groundcovers, Landscaping --- ### [Tomato Fusarium Wilt](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato-fusarium-wilt/) **Published:** December 30, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: To prevent tomato fusarium wilt, I am in the process of solarizing my garden. Do I need to do anything to my cages and red plastic mulch trays in order to keep this disease from returning?** A: Fusarium wilt fungi mostly live in the soil but it’s not a bad idea to sanitize cages and mulch rings each year. Both are made from impervious materials so washing them off thoroughly should be sufficient. Put the cages in the sun for winter storage and let the plastic dry completely before storing it. Also consider planting fusarium-resistant tomato varieties. Their nursery label will have the letters “VFN” on it. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Mulch, Soil, Winter --- ### [Golden Goddess Bamboo - Growing in Atlanta](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/golden-goddess-bamboo-growing-in-atlanta/) **Published:** December 20, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I recently planted five Golden Goddess bamboo plants seven feet apart and about the same distance from the fence line as a privacy barrier. What kind of growth should I expect from them?** A: ‘Golden Goddess’ is a clumping bamboo and it spreads slowly, so your neighbors won’t come banging on your door in a few years, accusing your plants of invading their yard. It grows 8′ – 10′ tall and in the right conditions it makes a good screen. I’d give it four years to reach full screening potential. The main shortcoming of this bamboo is its cold susceptibility. I predict big damage if temperatures around it go down into the ‘teens. We’re due for a cold winter, so prepare beforehand to have coverings that go over your plants down to the ground on all sides. **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping **Tags:** Temperature, Winter --- ### [Bamboo - Control With Chicken Wire? (Ha Ha Ha!)](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bamboo-controlling-speading/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’m planting some running bamboo and I want to be a good neighbor by ensuring it won’t spread out of control. Can I bury a type of fencing that’s like chicken wire but the holes are the size of a pencil point?** A: The diameter of a bamboo root hair is measured in ten-thousandths of an inch, so anything that has visible holes in it can be invaded by a bamboo root. There is no substitute for a solid root barrier, buried at least 22 inches with two inches above ground. **Save your money and install that** or you, and your neighbors, will eventually be sorry. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping --- ### [Bamboo Used for Trellises and Stakes Won't Root](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bamboo-used-for-trellises-and-stakes/) **Published:** June 22, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Some of our gardeners at Alpharetta Community Garden want to go out and cut bamboo for trellises and stakes. Will the bamboo will root in the ground if they do this?** A: No, the freshly cut bamboo stems won’t root. In contrast, privet, locust, willow and alder stems DO occasionally root when used for stakes and trellis work. Since bamboo can be an uncontrollable scourge in a landscape, encourage your gardeners to cut LOTS of it for their gardens! **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping **Tags:** Trellis --- ### [Methods To Kill Bamboo](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/methods-to-kill-bamboo/) **Published:** March 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I heard you say on the radio that no herbicides will kill bamboo. I have had reasonable success killing bamboo by cutting every cane a little above ground level, just below a joint. I then fill the cell, which is now like a cup, with properly diluted Roundup Extended Control. This process seems to kill up to a square yard of bamboo and it doesn’t seem to hurt nearby worthwhile plants. A few days later you can cut the stumps at ground level.** A: Your technique may have merit in some situations if you don’t have too much bamboo. But remember that Roundup Extended Control contains glyphosate plus imazapic, and the second chemical can last in soil up to four months. If you don’t intend to plant anything where the bamboo was growing, this product might work but you will have to wait four months if you want to safely install another plant. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Glyphosate, Herbicide, Roundup, Soil, Stumps --- ### [Timber Bamboo - Not Cold Hardy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/timber-bamboo-not-cold-hardy/) **Published:** February 5, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: This spring, I intend to plant several giant timber bamboo plants. What kind of spacing do you recommend for planting this clumping bamboo? I read online that this type of bamboo grows in zones 8-10. Adam A., Kennesaw** A: Timber bamboo may be cold hardy to Zone 8 but Kennesaw is in Zone 7. The winter cold (6 degrees in 2014) would have killed your plants. Clumping bamboos are typically tropical in nature. Umbrella bamboo, *Fargesia nitida*, is very cold tolerant but not heat and sun tolerant. If you want to take the risk, I have a list of clumping bamboos at[ http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bamboo-clumping](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bamboo-clumping)/. [![bamboo 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bamboo-1-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bamboo-1-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses, Landscaping **Tags:** Spring, Winter --- ### [Best Time To Plant Bamboo? Never!](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-grasses/best-time-to-plant-bamboo/) **Published:** March 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I want to plant bamboo along my fence to add some privacy to my back yard. When is the best time to plant bamboo?** A: The best time to plant a running bamboo screen is **never.** Over my career I have gotten countless questions from people for whom bamboo has become an invasive nightmare. If you don’t have an effective strategy to control the roots before you plant, the bamboo will eventually escape and come up in all sorts of places you don’t want it. Bamboo is very hard to control once it escapes. But if you insist on planting, special barrier material can be used to encircle a bamboo clump. I have details at [bit.ly/GAbamboo](http://bit.ly/GAbamboo). ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bamboo-680x1024.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Grasses --- ### [Bamboo - Recommended Clumping Types](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bamboo-clumping/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** A reader recently asked me “Is there a recommended clumping bamboo for Atlanta? I need one that grows to sixteen feet or more.” Though it grows tall like a tree, bamboo is actually a giant grass. It spreads by means of underground stems called *rhizomes*. Bamboo plants can expand rapidly if the rhizomes grow several feet horizontally before sprouting an aboveground stem: a *culm*. Some bamboo species, though, have short rhizomes. They form a clump rather than running throughout a landscape. Clumping bamboos are typically tropical in nature. Umbrella bamboo, *Fargesia nitida*, is very cold tolerant but not heat and sun tolerant. A few years ago, Extension agent David Linville gathered information from Georgia bamboo experts and collected it in [Growing Bamboo in Georgia](http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications/displayPDF.cfm?pk_ID=7830). It has excellent pictures and descriptions. Suppliers include [The American Bamboo Society](http://www.americanbamboo.org/) [Georgia Bamboo Company](http://Www.gabamboo.com) [Lewis Bamboo]() Name Height (ft) Stem diameter (in) Temperature tolerance (F.) *Bambusa multiplex* 25 1.5 12 deg. Each node bears a large number of branches down to the culm base, making a dense hedge. Hardiest of the *Bambusa* species. *B. multiplex* ‘Alphonse Karr’ 25 3.8 12 deg. Similar to the species, but the culms and branches are bright yellow with irregular longitudinal narrow dark green stripes. New shoots and culms are often reddish. *B. multiplex* ‘Fernleaf’ 20 0.5 12 deg. Usually small in size with 10 to 20 closely spaced, two ranked leaves. Often culms come up that have reverted to the larger leaves. *B. multiplex* ‘Fernleaf Stripestem’ 12 0.5 12 deg. Similar to ‘Fernleaf’ except that the culms are reddish or yellowish and striped with green. *B. multiplex* ‘Golden Goddess’ 10 0.5 12 deg. A dwarf form similar to ‘Fernleaf’ but with larger leaves. The culms tend to be yellowish. *B. multiplex* ‘Goldstripe’ 25 1.5 12 deg. Mature green culms have a gold stripe that bleeds into the green. *B. multiplex* ‘Midori Green’ 15 1.5 13 deg. Similar to ‘Alphonse Karr’, but the culms and branches are light green with dark green stripes. *B. multiplex* ‘Riviereorum’ 6 0.3 12 deg. Has solid culms and tiny leaves; similar to ‘Fernleaf’ but smaller, more delicate looking. *B. multiplex* ‘Silverstripe’ 25 1.5 12 deg. Many leaves have white stripes and some culms are also striped with white. *B. multiplex* ‘Tiny Fern’ 3 0.2 12 deg. A dwarf form with leaves often less than 1″ long. *B. multiplex* ‘Tiny Fern Striped’ 3 0.2 12 deg. Same as ‘Tiny Fern’, but with striped culms. *B. multiplex* ‘Willowy’ 10 0.5 13 deg. Culms droop or arch strongly with small, narrow leaves. *B. dolichomerithalla* ‘’Green stripe’ 35 2.0 15 deg. This cultivar has yellow-green culms striped with dark green. *B. dolichomerithalla* ‘Silverstripe’ 35 2.0 15 deg. This cultivar has culms striped with silver. *Fargesia nitida* 12 0.5 2 deg. Upright culms with thick gray deciduous wax when young, may become nearly black. *F. murieliae* 15 0.5 2 deg. Similar to *F. nitida* but with green culms. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Temperature --- ### [Japanese Beetles – Control Options](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetles-control-options/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Most summers are favorable for Japanese beetles. The coppery-green beetles hatch in the lawn in June each year. Once they have emerged, the beetles head straight for their favorite plants nearby. The leaves of grapes, canna, loropetalum and flowering cherry look like lace doilies after the beetles have dined on them. The insects burrow into the center of rose and hollyhock blooms and rapidly ruin them. The Japanese beetle is the adult form of one of the white grubs that you discovered when digging in your lawn or garden earlier this spring. The adult beetles will feed in June and July and then will lay eggs on the ground in your lawn. The eggs turn into grubs, which feed on the roots of lawn grasses until next spring – and the cycle begins again! **Sprays-** Japanese beetles can be managed after emergence by regularly applying [garden insecticide (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=garden%20insecticide&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A2972638011%2Ck%3Agarden%20insecticide&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&linkId=PVAVMH6K74DSEVHI)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir). Don’t be surprised if the sprays seem to have no effect. You ARE killing the beetles but even more grubs are hatching to take their place. You might have to spray every few days to control the waves of beetles hatching. **Drenches** – A systemic insecticide such as [imidacloprid (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=imidacloprid%20tree&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aimidacloprid%20tree&sprefix=imidacloprid%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) can be applied **20 days before** adults appear. This chemical is not very effective as a contact insecticide. It is not transmitted to flower petals, so rose blooms may suffer while leaves are protected. **Hand Picking-** Hand-picking is an option if the problem is not severe. Follow these tips for successful seizure: 1\. Place approximately an inch of soapy water in the bottom of a small cup. Better still is a long-handled measuring cup, which can be slipped into position without startling your prey. 2\. Begin as early as possible in the morning. Beetles are cold blooded; they move more slowly when they are cool. Notice that beetles show their alarm by raising their hind legs. Stop your movement when you see the legs go up. 3\. Without touching the plant, hold the container just under a cluster of beetles. Gently tap the leaf with a twig. The beetles will scramble off the leaf and drop into your cup. 4\. If the thrill of the hunt pales for you after a few days, you can bet that children can be hired to do the work for you. At a nickel per bug, a trip to the ice cream store can soon be financed! **Grub Control-** The best time of year to control Japanese beetles is in the fall. The eggs and new grubs are very sensitive to pesticides then. [Grub control granules (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=grub%20control%20granules&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Agrub%20control%20granules&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=6WQJVJX2KHI5AXQJ)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) provide excellent control, whether spread in fall or spring. Be sure to water the lawn before putting out the pesticide: your grubs will move closer to the surface. Irrigate afterwards once again to move the chemical down to the grubs’ earthen lair. **Milky Spore-** The white grubs that precede the beetles can be killed by infecting them with milky spore disease. This bacteria is harmless to birds and mammals but lethal to Japanese beetle grubs. For it to be most effective, you must have a moderate population of grubs in the first place. As they die, they release more spores, which infect grubs in succeeding years. **NO Traps-** As any parent of a teenager knows too well, hormones are powerful attractants. Scientists have discovered a hormonal lure for male Japanese beetles. They will come from afar to find the mega-mama beetle bombshell whose perfume scents the air. It is quite impressive to find a gallon of beetles in your trap – but remember that an equal number of them didn’t make it to the bogus boudoir and are now munching on your landscape! MORE INFORMATION: [Japanese Beetles](http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/trees/ef409.htm) [Identifying White Grubs](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20940_2.PDF) ![](/uploads/JPGs/japbeetleonrose.JPG) ![](/uploads/JPGs/japbeetleoncrape.JPG) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Birds, Cherry, Container, Disease, Fall, Japanese Beetle, Pesticide, Spring, Summer --- ### [Panicle Hydrangea - Identification and Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/panicle-hydrangea-identification-and-pruning/) **Published:** August 1, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Panicle hydrangea, *Hydrangea paniculata*, is an excellent flowering shrub for late summer and fall. There is one particular variety of panicle hydrangea called *Hydrangea paniculata* ‘Grandiflora’….which many gardeners abbreviate to PeeGee hydrangea in referring to all of the panicle hydrangeas. This is incorrect, since there are many other cultivars of panicle hydrangeas from which to choose. In recent years, several other hydrangeas of this type have been introduced. I particularly like ‘Limelight’, ‘Pinky Winky’ and ‘Unique’. ‘Pink Diamond’, ‘Floribunda’, ‘Big Ben’ and ‘Silver Dollar’ are also excellent. Several panicle hydrangeas have white blooms that fade to an attractive pink. All bloom in late summer and grow best in full sun. **The larger varieties can be pruned in spring to a multi-trunked tree form.** You can remove the faded flowers as they get ugly and prune out dead or floppy branches as needed. Every few years, take out the oldest stems in the middle (in winter) to reinvigorate growth there. **Pruning in winter does not diminish summer blooms**. ![hydrangea pannicle](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hydrangea-pannicle-1.jpg "hydrangea pannicle 1")hydrangea pannicle ![hydrangea 'Unique'](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hydrangea-panicle-Unique-2-scaled.jpg "hydrangea panicle Unique 2")hydrangea ‘Unique’ ![hydrangea Limelight](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hydrangea-Limelight-scaled.jpg "hydrangea Limelight")hydrangea ‘Limelight’ ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/hydrangea-Limelight-2-2-300x225.jpg)hydrangea ‘Limelight’ ![hydrangea 'Floribunda'](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hydrangea-Floribunda-cropped.jpg "hydrangea Floribunda cropped")hydrangea ‘Floribunda’ **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Hydrangea, Pruning, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Oak apple gall - identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/oak-apple-gall-identification-2/) **Published:** September 4, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is this thing I found? It’s about the size of a table tennis ball.** A: It’s an oak apple gall. It formed when a tiny wasp inserted her eggs in an oak twig. See [ https://bygl.osu.edu/node/344](https://bygl.osu.edu/node/344) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Oak-apple-gall-225x300.jpeg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Cicada killer vs European hornet identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/cicada-killer-vs-european-hornet-identification/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Roman M. Posted on [NextDoor](http://nextdoor.com) some interesting information on how to distinguish a cicada killer wasp from a European hornet. He said it better than I can, so: “European Hornets have a lot more yellow to them, whereas cicada killers have more black. European hornets have yellow bands with only black dots (tear-drop shape). In contrast, cicada killer wasps have just three broken yellow bars and a pointed, mostly black abdomen. Their “aggressiveness” is just a pose. Females can sting, but they sting only cicadas to paralyze them and process them as food for their offspring. It is hard to make them sting a human. Males patrol nesting areas and try to divert attention away from the nesting females, but they cannot sting and rely on a bluff to protect their families. These beneficial wasps are active for only a few weeks and are mostly gone by mid-August. Of note, neither European hornets nor Cicada Killer Wasps are the same as “killer hornets” or “murder hornets.” ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cicada-killer-1.jpg)cicada killer ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/European-hornet-1-300x208.jpeg)European hornet **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Kudzu - Control tips](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-control-2/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I must confess that my grandfather, Walter Cowart, was a hearty promoter of kudzu in its heyday. But where this noxious vine is concerned, I decline to honor my elders. If kudzu had been around during the Civil War, Atlantans could have planted it on the approach routes to the city and handily tripped up Mr. Sherman and his troops. Fall is a great time to spray herbicide on kudzu. The leaves are much more apt to take the chemical deep into the vine’s root system. [Triclopyr (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=triclopyr%20lawn&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Atriclopyr%20lawn&sprefix=triclopyr%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) and [glyphosate (click for sources)](https://amzn.to/315nR5b)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) are very effective on kudzu and other vines like honeysuckle and wild blackberry. February is another good time to chop down all kudzu vines on your property so you can gain access to every part of its range in May. Spray the leaves when they are the size of your hand, then respray the resprouts in September. [How to Grow Kudzu](http://www.walterreeves.com/how_to/article.phtml?cat=26&id=606) [Kudzu recipes](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/kudzu-recipes) [The Amazing Story of Kudzu Documentary ](http://maxshores.com/kudzu/) [Origin of kudzu and privet in the U.S.](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-why-kudzu-and-chinese-privet-were-brought-here/) [Photos of kudzu covered houses](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-covering-things/) [Using kudzu to produce energy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-other-uses/) [Growing kudzu as a farm crop – USDA 1923](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-as-a-farm-crop-usda-farmers-bulletin-no-1923) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/kudzu-on-house-a-300x225.jpg)Using kudzu in the landscape! ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/kudzu-300x199.jpg) Kudzu leaf ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzuflower.jpg) Kudzu flower ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Walter-Cowart-kudzu-717x1024.jpg)“Move to Campbell County and grow kudzu for hay!” Walter Cowart, my grandfather **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Beans, Blackberry, Fall, Flowers, Glyphosate, Herbicide, Kudzu, Seed, Summer --- ### [How/Why Kudzu And Chinese Privet Were Brought Here](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-why-kudzu-and-chinese-privet-were-brought-here/) **Published:** July 4, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Could you tell me how and why kudzu and Chinese privet were brought here?** A: Kudzu came from Japan to the United States at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. Importers thought it could be a nice flowering vine and a good grazing crop for farm animals. In the mid-1930’s the Civilian Conservation Corps and southern farmers planted kudzu to reduce soil erosion. Kudzu grows very well in poor soil and even better in rich soil, leading to its invasive character across the South. Chinese privet was also introduced as an ornamental plant. The white flowers are pretty and the scent is sweet but the seeds are avidly consumed by birds and deposited in unwanted places anywhere there is a bit of soil. I have a humorous essay on how to grow kudzu at [bit.ly/GAgrowkudzu](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-grow-kudzu/). ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/kudzu-1-225x300.jpg)kudzu ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/privet-1-300x225.jpg)Chinese privet **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Vines, Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Birds, Flowers, Kudzu, Seed, Soil --- ### [Kudzu - Using to Produce Energy](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-other-uses/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: As a chemist and a plant lover, you seem to be the best person to answer this question. What’s the hold up on using kudzu to power cars? Think how many problems this would solve: no pollution, land under cultivation instead of covered with subdivisions, no foreign oil dependence, no oil slicks, no drilling – the list is endless!** A: Not to mention the culinary merits of this eminently edible vine! Although it looks like kudzu makes massive amounts of growth, in reality it yields only 2 – 3 tons of dry matter per acre, compared to the 3 – 4 tons per acre bermudagrass hay gives farmers. Also, heavy harvests for just a few years will decimate a kudzu stand, unlike hay crops. Harvesting is also a hold up. I imagine the technique of growing the vine on telephone poles, as hops are grown in Germany, could be adapted to our needs. But imagine the objections you’d get from a farmer who owns land and machinery better suited for row crops. Not to say your idea isn’t without merit. We just need a George Washington Carver of kudzu! [Kudzu History and Uses](http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0065/) **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Kudzu --- ### [Vines - Replacing Wisteria](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/vines-replacing-kudzu/) **Published:** June 16, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am about to dig up some sun-blocking wisteria vines because a swarm of kudzu bugs is all over my windows and door. What type of fast growing vine can I put in it’s place that won’t be attractive to kudzu bugs?** A: Kudzu bug has become a real problem this year. Besides killing new growth on wisteria, they do major damage to garden beans and peas but little to the kudzu vine for which they are named. For substitutes consider ‘Tangerine Beauty’crossvine , ‘Madame Galen’ trumpetvine (shown) or Confederate jasmine. **Categories:** Vines, Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Beans, Kudzu, Wisteria --- ### [Kudzu - Not A Great Idea to Plant, Substitution suggestions](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-not-a-great-idea/) **Published:** June 21, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: You might think I am crazy but I am planning on planting kudzu from seed for erosion control. I have a vacation home in Mexico with a very steep hillside that causes many erosion problems.** A: Having seen the damage done in Georgia by non-native plants like privet, kudzu, stiltgrass and knotweed, I can’t condone your planting a non-native, invasive plant in Mexico. Why not use these groundcover recommendations from Arizona? Trailing acacia, *Acacia redolens*, grows one foot high and ten feet wide. Trailing dalea, *Dalea greggii*, is a bit taller and grows six feet wide with lavender flowers. **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Groundcover, Kudzu, Native Plant, Seed, Weed --- ### [Kudzu - Growing Indoors](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/kudzu-growing-indoors/) **Published:** November 2, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I live in Nevada and would like try growing kudzu as a indoor house plant. Do you know where I can purchase seeds? Margie R.** A: As we say in the South **“Margie, Margie, Margie….are you tetched in the head?”** But we also say **“Here – hold my beer while I try this!**” You obviously know that kudzu is invasive in the South. I don’t think it would survive a Nevada winter outdoors so raising the vine indoors is your only hope. November is a good time to collect seeds so if you have any friends in GA, they could go collect some for you. Otherwise, I found seeds available on EBay. The translation of the German ad text says: **Kudzu is a fast- ranker , which can be about 10-12 m tall / wide. He is very robust and hardy to about -10 ° C , can be planted all year , if the rootstock is protected from frost by mulching greater . The magnificent inflorescences are about 20cm long , stand up and smell strongly of vanilla .** **Straightforward in attitude , ideal as a container plant . Throughout the year suitable for outdoor applications in a protected location .** **Avoid waterlogging .** **Raising from seed is easy and available all year round for beginners.** **Fresh seeds germinate according to experience and the young plants thrive just fine.** **A growing instructions will be provided via email.** **You are bidding on 5 piece seeds .** **Lots of fun !** [![kudzu beans](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu-beans.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu-beans.jpg) [![kudzu2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kudzu2.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Container, Kudzu, Mulch, Seed, Winter --- ### [When Do Kudzu Vines Flower?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-do-kudzu-vines-flower/) **Published:** August 2, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When do kudzu vines flower?** A: They are blooming right now, June 30! I saw several flowers recently when walking on the newly completed South Peachtree Creek PATH near Mason Mill Park in Decatur. The boardwalk is elevated between kudzu-covered trees so it was easy to spot the purple flowers. I could smell the grape-scented blooms as I walked along. Kudzu is a member of the pea family so when the flowers disappear they are replaced by clusters of short pea-like seedpods. All parts of the kudzu vine are edible if you harvest them at the right time. **Categories:** Vines, Pest Plants, Landscaping **Tags:** Flowers, Kudzu, Peach, Seed --- ### [Losing Fight Against Stiltgrass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/losing-fight-against-stiltgrass/) **Published:** August 24, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: For the last few summers I’ve been fighting microstegium (Chinese stiltgrass) at our home. It grows in patches, takes hold randomly and spreads voraciously. I spray with a high concentration of vinegar frequently. But I’m losing the fight as more patches pop up and overwhelm the natives.** A: The vinegar may kill the plant but the stiltgrass has probably dropped hundreds of seeds before it succumbs. You have to prevent seed germination to have any hope of control. Pre-emergent chemicals like dithiopyr, pendamethalin, or prodiamine will prevent microstegium seed from germinating. Since seed germinate throughout the summer, two applications (mid-February and early May) are appropriate. For a heavy infestation a third application in July might be warranted. Read and follow label instructions. **Categories:** How-To, Lawn Care, Pest Plants --- ### [When To Pick Watermelon](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/when-to-pick-watermelon/) **Published:** August 24, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a couple of watermelon vines that have melons on them. I need to know how to tell when they are ready to pick. They don’t sound hollow yet.** A: One way to determine if a watermelon is ripe is to look for the curly pigtail that grows across from the fruit on the main vine. If it’s green, the melon is not ripe. When it’s yellow, the fruit is ripening. When it’s brown, take the watermelon to the icebox and invite your neighbors for a weekend get together. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Tomato - Catfacing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato-catfacing/) **Published:** March 10, 2014 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My Brandywine tomatoes look like some kind of mutants. The plant started off looking very healthy and was mulched and fertilized as I have always done. The first tomato harvested looked ok but did not have a good taste or texture.** A: The odd shape is called catfacing. It seems to be caused by cool or hot temperatures during pollination and fruit set. It can also be caused by too much fertilizer. **Big-fruited** varieties are more prone to the condition than **medium-fruited** varieties. Don’t set out your plants too early in spring. See [Catfacing](https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/tomato-cat-facing) [![tomato catface 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tomato-catface-1.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tomato-catface-1.jpg) [![tomato catface 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tomato-catface-2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tomato-catface-2.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fertilizer, Mulch, Spring, Temperature, Tomatoes --- ### [European Hornet - In House Wall](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/european-hornet-in-house-wall/) **Published:** July 10, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have these insects at my home. I see individuals going behind my house’s fascia. Do I have a huge problem?** A: It’s a European hornet, *Vespa crabro*. Unlike the bald-faced hornets that make gray, football-shaped nests in trees and under roof overhangs, European hornets favor nests in hollow trees and in home walls. The nests are abandoned every year. Like wasps and yellowjackets, these hornets eat aphids, small caterpillars and other landscape pests. But since they can be very aggressive and can forage at night, I recommend you get rid of them. Because the insects can be dangerous, I recommend you hire a professional pest control operator. [European Hornet – Kentucky](https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef600) [European Hornet – Penn State](https://extension.psu.edu/european-hornet) Also see [Hornet nest in attic](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/hornet-nest-found-in-attic) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/European-hornet-1.jpeg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/European-hornet-2.jpeg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Caterpillar, Pests, Yellowjackets --- ### [Hornet nest found in attic](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hornet-nest-found-in-attic/) **Published:** June 11, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I was changing a vent fan in a bathroom when I found this is the ceiling. Do you have any idea what type insect this is?** A: Let’s use logic and the process of elimination: Only four insects build paper nests like this. 1\. **Southern and Eastern yellowjackets** nest in the ground, very rarely in walls or attics. 2\. **Bald-faced hornets** make their home in football-shaped gray paper nests in trees and under eaves. Also, rarely in walls or attics. 3\. **European hornets** commonly make nests in wall voids or attics. Therefore, I believe this is a European hornet nest. QED Nests of all four insects are only used one year. They are abandoned every fall. Since this one is so large, my guess is that it was built some year previously. You can remove it or leave it where it is: your choice. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/European-hornet-1-John-Smith-300x208.jpeg)European hornet [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hornet-nest-attic.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hornet-nest-attic.jpg)European hornet nest in attic ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/yellowjacket-in-pine-straw-2-300x225.jpg)yellowjacket nest in pine straw ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/hornet-nest-199x300.jpg)hornet nest **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Fall, Yellowjackets --- ### [Bare Root Dormant Sassafras Tree - Branches Dead Or Bare](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bare-root-dormant-sassafras-tree-branches-dead-or-bare/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted a bare root dormant sassafras tree in early May. When it arrived I immediately put it in water and the next day planted it in excellent garden soil. I have watered appropriately. Some of the branches have died and some never leafed out. I have been told that these trees may remain dormant all summer and leaf out the next spring.** A: I have unsuccessfully transplanted four sassafras seedlings. All of them behaved like yours even though they had good root systems when planted. Native plant expert William Cullina says that failure in transplanting sassafras may come from attempting to transplant suckers with inadequate root systems. This was not the case for you or me. He reports excellent success with growing them from seed. It’s easy to find sassafras seed online so I suggest you try that and report what happens. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [My Plumeria Is Getting Too Big For Its Pot](https://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/my-plumeria-is-getting-too-big-for-its-pot/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have been growing a plumeria in a pot for six years, repotting to a larger pot when needed. It is now over five feet tall. I bring it in every winter to the garage where it loses its leaves and goes dormant. It is so top heavy now that it falls over easily. My sister says it will die if I plant it outdoors.** A: Trust your sister: freezing winter temperatures will doom the plumeria outdoors. It might tolerate one or two exposures to 32 degrees, but nothing lower. If you can find the space to overwinter it one more time, you can lower the height drastically in early April. Find a joint where two limbs meet at 12″ to 16″ above the soil and make a 45 degree cut there. Put the plumeria outdoors in a semi-shaded spot when night temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. It will makes new sprouts from that point. **Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Yellow Jackets - Do We Have To Use Synthetic Insecticides?](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/yellow-jackets-do-we-have-to-use-synthetic-insecticides/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is there no other way to kill yellowjackets besides using synthetic insecticides?** A: As a matter of fact, there is one way that has been tested and found useful by a UGA entomologist. Dr. Paul Guillebeau read somewhere that putting a clear glass bowl over a yellowjacket nest entrance would kill the inhabitants. He tried it twice and it worked as promised. Why it worked for him and others is still up in the air. Perhaps the insects starved to death. Would it work if the entrance was simply covered by an equivalent piece of wood. Is there something about the clear bowl that prevents the critters from digging under the rim? Inquiring minds want to know! You can aid the research by emailing your experience with using a clear bowl to Dr. Guillibeau at bu\*\*\*\*@\*ga.edu. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Lots Of Hummingbirds At my Feeder](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/lots-of-hummingbirds-at-my-feeder/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Each of my four hummingbird feeders hold 60 ounces of food. I see lots of birds feeding all day and the feeders must be refilled every three days. I live in the country and have only one large butterfly bush in my landscape. People are amazed at the number of birds. Can you explain why?** A: As my mother would say when remarking on another’s success: “It must come from good clean living!” Congratulations! **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Q & A --- ### [Dull Fescue Has Weeds - Should I Fertilize?](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/dull-fescue-has-weeds-should-i-fertilize/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a fescue lawn and it’s taken a beating with the dry, hot weather. It looks a bit dull and there are a few weeds creeping in. Should I fertilize?** A: Fertilizer isn’t the answer. With daytime temperatures in the 80 s and 90 s, it’s just too hot for fescue to grow well. Nights are not cool enough for fescue to recover from daytime heat. I think you could apply Ironite now to make the grass green with soluble iron. Irrigate to avoid wilting, but only to supplement natural rainfall, not to exceed one inch of water per week. **Categories:** Fescue, Lawn Care --- ### [Opinion On Organic Mosquito Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/opinion-on-organic-mosquito-control/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A friend sent me the ingredients a mosquito control company is pushing for a organic mosquito control. They include rosemary oil, clove oil, cedar oil and peppermint oil They seem harmless enough which makes me think the treatment is ineffective. Your opinion?** A: Some, but not all, essential oils like these have been shown to repel mosquitoes. I found research supporting the use of citronellal, α-pinene, and limonene but my search was not exhaustive. Sometimes the combination of different essential oils works better than any one by itself. They are not required to be proven to be effective. Essential oils are allowed to be sold for mosquito control because they are generally regarded as safe to humans. In your friend’s case, I guess the proof is in the pudding. If she sees fewer mosquitoes, the company can be deemed to have done its job. In any case, her lawn will smell better than all of her neighbor’s! **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Insecticide For In-Ground Yellow Jackets](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/insecticide-for-in-ground-yellow-jackets/) **Published:** August 19, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is the best insecticide to treat an in-ground nest of yellow jackets?** A: Any insecticide dust would work well. Locate the hole during the day then drop no more than two tablespoons of the dust into the entrance at dusk, when they have all returned to their nest. A dust works well because each insect has to walk over it as they exit the nest. The two tablespoon limit is just a reminder that there’s no need to dump a whole bag into the nest. A little dust around the entrance is all that’s needed. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Red Insects - On Plants in Spring (wheel bug vs leaf-footed bug)](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/red-insects-on-plants-in-spring/) **Published:** May 18, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Each spring I get pictures of clusters of small red insects on plants or surfaces near a garden. The two most likely suspects are wheel bug nymphs and leaf-footed bug nymphs. But wheel bugs are beneficial insects and leaf-footed bugs feed on tomatoes, squash and okra, right? How to tell them apart? In general, **leaf-footed bug** nymph bodies are all red while **wheel bug** nymphs have a red abdomen and a black head and thorax. Leaf-footed bugs should be eliminated before they become adults. Insecticidal soap will do the job just fine. See below: ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheel-bug-1.jpg)leaf-footed bug nymph ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheel-bug-e1495151517837.jpg)leaf-footed bug nymphs ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/leaf-footed-bug-1.jpg)leaf-footed bug adult ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/leaf-footed-bug-2-scaled.jpg)leaf-footed bug adult ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheel-bug-nymph-Ward-Upham.jpg)wheel bug nymph, courtesy of Ward Upham, Kansas State University ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheelbug-cropped.jpg)wheel bug adult Ward Upham Kansas State University **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Spring, Squash, Tomatoes --- ### [Hornet - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hornet-control/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** It is startling to pass by a shrub or small tree in the yard and suddenly notice a gray, football-shaped hornet nest hanging down. Hornets have received such bad press in cartoons and folklore that you might instinctively cover your face and run. In fact, hornets are **not particularly aggressive** towards humans. If left undisturbed they will go about their business of building their nest and capturing caterpillars, small grasshoppers, flies and bees. The most common hornet is called “bald-faced” because the yellow head contrasts with the dark brown body. Hornets build their nests from chewed wood fiber, which is used to make hollow layers, like an onion, around a branch. They enter and exit the nest from an opening at the lower end. It is often not necessary to destroy a hornet nest. **When their flight path is overhead and the nest is away from curious children, hornets can be left alone.** They are beneficial insects, consuming many insect pests of the garden and landscape. If a nest is too close for comfort, an aerosol Wasp & Hornet spray can be used after dusk, when the insects are in their nest. If the nest is in a shrub you’d like to keep from harm, use a water-based garden insecticide. Otherwise the petroleum insecticide carrier in the aerosol spray will kill plant leaves. Hornets do not overwinter in their nest. Their former home can be taken down in winter after a hard freeze kills any remaining brood. [Hornet eating yellow jackets](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/hornet-eating-yellowjackets) [Wasp and Hornet Control](https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/resource000532_rep554.pdf) ![hornet nest](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hornet-nest.jpg "hornet nest")hornet nest **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Caterpillar, Onion, Pests, Winter --- ### [Torpedograss control](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/torpedograss-control/) **Published:** July 30, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have been fighting a losing battle with torpedo grass in my lawn and flower bed. I put down cloth barrier, plastic barrier, and old carpet. However the roots of the grass are so aggressive, they go straight through any barrier.** A: Torpedo grass has shallow roots (rhizomes) that have a sharp, hard point, giving it the ability to penetrate most barriers. Look online for photos to make sure you identify it correctly. Apply glyphosate herbicide to the weed, using a foam paintbrush to avoid contact with your flowers. For larger areas, as in your lawn, spray once then do a follow up three weeks later. After that you can replant your lawn grass. [Torpedograss in Mississippi](http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/publications/torpedograss) [Torpedograss in Louisiana](https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/home_garden/article_ba2fa642-3be3-5c56-9d8a-ead70bee8ddd.html) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Spacing For Tulip Poplar Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/spacing-for-tulip-poplar-trees/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I want to plant an acre of land in tulip poplar trees. I just want the flowers. How far apart should they be planted? I would like to have them scattered and more natural-looking than in a grid.** A: Reading between the lines, I’ll bet you want to have some tulip poplar honey! These trees get big: 145 feet high and 40 feet wide. They won’t get that large in your lifetime but that’s the mature size. Still, I’d plant them 40’ apart to give them room to get sunshine and not have too much root competition. One of the best things you can do to insure fast growth is to have a [university soil test done](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/how-to-soil-test/) and follow their recommendations. Lime is particularly important for trees, to raise the soil pH and give the roots a good environment in which to grow. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Blueberry Bush Limb Dieback - Root rot](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/blueberry-bush-not-producing-fruit/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I’m having issues with my blueberry bush. Last year it produced more than we could eat and this year it looks like it’s slowly dying, one limb at a time. It is planted beside my home’s foundation.** A: Some would argue that the pH of the soil near your foundation would be too high for a blueberry to tolerate. I don’t think this is likely because several studies have shown that a pH change high enough to affect plants only happens when the concrete is newly poured. It is much more likely that the bush is infected with phytophthora root rot caused by poor drainage near the foundation. Check the soil after rain and look for gutter leaks. One of the symptoms of phytophthora rot is limbs on a plant slowly dying, one by one. If more than half of the limbs have died, replace the plant after thoroughly tilling the planting area. **Categories:** Fruits, Shrubs, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [Where To Find Pecan Shell Mulch](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/where-to-find-pecan-shell-mulch/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Do you know where I can order pecan shell mulch for some garden areas in my yard? I live in a north Atlanta suburb and hate the pine straw!** A: The best source of pecan shell mulch might be from folks who shell the nuts commercially each year. I have a good list of shellers at [bit.ly/GAshellers](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pecan-shellers/). **Categories:** General Q & A --- ### [Can I Use Pine And Fir Chips For My Chicken Runs?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/can-i-use-pine-and-fir-chips-for-my-chicken-runs/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Can I use pine and fir chips in my chicken runs? I’ve read that they could poison my chickens.** A: We used pine shavings exclusively for bedding in our chicken houses when I was a kid. My skin is crawling right now with the memory of tiny wood shavings sticking to my sweaty back when we brought them home from the sawmill in July. The hens seemed to appreciate the pine shavings very much. As for fir chips, see [bit.ly/GApinechips](https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=767475). **Categories:** Insects & Animals, General Q & A --- ### [How Much Space To Give Peas And Butterbeans?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-much-space-to-give-peas-and-butterbeans/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I was in a hurry to get my seed in the ground and planted long rows with the seeds very close together. There are peas and butterbeans in these rows. How much room should there be between each plant?** A: Plant bean seed a little less than my father’s hand spread wide, thumb to pinkie. That man could go down a garden row at fifty miles an hour, bent over and placing his bean seed more precisely than I could hope to repeat. Since he is no longer with us, I stretched my own hand and believe the spacing between seeds should be six inches. Experience will teach you if you need to adjust this for large varieties. I have a planting guide for other garden plants at [bit.ly/GAgdnchart](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/C963/C963VegeChart.pdf). **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening --- ### [Preventing Armyworms](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/preventing-armyworms/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Last year armyworms destroyed 3500 square feet of my fescue lawn. Is there anything preventative I can do in advance to avoid this happening again?** A: Armyworms are voracious! Once the caterpillars hatch from eggs, any lawn is lunch. There is no way to kill the eggs but you can be wonderfully proactive by starting a daily egg scan in your landscape around the time you saw them last year. Eggs are usually laid in a mass of 100-200 on light-colored surfaces, including fence posts, lawn equipment, or tree limbs. The eggs often look moldy or fuzzy because they are covered with grey scales. Eggs hatch in four days and the little caterpillars start chomping. When you find eggs, spray the lawn with carbaryl to kill those worms that have already hatched. Repeat in ten days. Another strategy is to mow more frequently. This will remove eggs from the grass blades and disrupt their life cycle. **Categories:** Fescue, Insects & Animals, Lawn Care --- ### [Nutsedge Taking Over My Bermuda](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/nutsedge-taking-over-my-bermuda/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Nutsedge has taken over a whole section of our front yard. What should I use that won’t kill my Bermuda?** A: Nutsedge is one of the worst weeds to contend with so act quickly to bring it under control. The chemical imazaquin can be used to control both yellow and purple nutsedge in bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustine grass, and zoysiagrass but not in fescue lawns. Since this chemical is absorbed by the roots, be sure to water the area after application. Nutsedge control can also be gotten with halosulfuron but I rarely see it for sale in retail stores. A new product is sulfentrazone. Research suggests you’ll get the best control with split applications thirty days apart. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Lawn Care, Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Rat Snakes Getting Caught In Bird Netting](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/rat-snakes-getting-caught-in-bird-netting/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: In the last week, three rat snakes got caught in bird netting over a raised bed. We tried to untangle but they were deceased. What should we do to prevent this?** A: You can’t simply raise the netting because birds will be able to bypass your garden defense. I think the easiest thing to do is spread a wide layer of mini-size pine chip mulch around your garden. Snakes don’t like to be exposed as they would be crawling in the open over the mulch. I specify mini chips because crickets, lizards, and toads are unlikely to live there and attract hungry snakes. If a snake gets into the netting again, use blunt-tipped bandage scissors (surgical scissors) to slide between the snake’s skin and the netting while a helper holds the snake still. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Caring For An Original Hedge From Sanford Stadium](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/caring-for-an-original-hedge-from-sanford-stadium/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: In 1995, after the Auburn game, UGA fans were able to take some of the original hedges from Sanford Stadium since they were going to be removed for the 1996 Olympics. My father and I took one. It has grown at my parents’ lake house since then. I retrieved it last summer after my father passed. I cut it back and planted it in a 14″ pot. Greenery has really come out. Will it survive the Atlanta winter outside until I move into a house? I cherish this hedge immensely!** A: (UGA fans will appreciate this) Privet is tougher than Nakobe Dean, the 225-pound, award-winning linebacker for the 2021 national champion University of Georgia Bulldogs. Privet can take a licking and keep on ticking. The thicket of privet behind my boyhood home survived fifty years of annually pulling out the trunks and endured several severe icy winters. It is yet undaunted. Your privet should do fine out of the ground but I think it needs a larger pot, perhaps twenty inches in diameter. Privet can grow quite large and it needs adequate root space. If you want to propagate more plants, privet is very cooperative. I have seen privet grow roots and sprout after simply being stuck into moist soil but that won’t always be successful. I have an easy method of propagating shrubs from cuttings at [bit.ly/GAshrubprop](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-propagate-from-cuttings/). **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Can Hostas Be Moved In The Summer?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-hostas-be-moved-in-the-summer/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We had to cut down trees in our property. This exposed our hostas to full sun and high temperatures. Can they be moved in the summer?** A: Soak the soil around each hosta until it’s soggy, then use a spading fork to lift it out of the ground without damaging too many roots. Use old towels and t-shirts to wrap the roots. Keep them damp and shaded until you can plant the hostas in a shady spot. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Jungle Beauty Daylily - Blooms Sprouting From The Base](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/jungle-beauty-daylily-blooms-sprouting-from-the-base/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Last year I purchased and planted a Jungle Beauty daylily. When it bloomed this year, the blooms are coming from the base of the plant and had no stems. Do you know what has happened here?** A: Short stems for daylily flowers are caused by fluctuating high and low temperatures. We’ve had plenty of that this spring and summer. The daylily variety and the stage of growth it was in at flowering also play a part in this phenomenon. The good news is that daylilies grow out of it. Treat your daylily normally and it will likely bloom as expected next year. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Maple Tree - Leaves Are Drooping](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/maple-tree-leaves-are-drooping/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My school class grew maple seedlings that we picked up under a maple tree growing nearby. Mine was growing great until I left it with my mother while I was out of town. I think she gave it too much water. Its leaves are drooping and it has lost a few. How can I revive it?** A: Teach your mother that she (and all of us) have a digital moisture tester that is always available and easy to use. Your index finger works great to determine if a plant needs water. Just push it a little way into the soil under a plant then inspect the fingertip. If it is damp the plant has enough water. If it is dry, the plant needs watering. If your seedling still has leaves, just put it in a sunny window and use your digit to test the soil every few days. With any luck, the tree roots will not suffer from a one-time drowning and you will have a nice maple tree to eventually plant outdoors. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Getting Rid Of Hammerhead Worms](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/getting-rid-of-hammerhead-worms/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have found several hammerhead worms on our patio, usually after a rain or under a pot. What is the easiest way to kill them?** A: Hammerhead worms, Bipalium kewense, are an invasive species of planaria. They feed on earthworms so they are considered a noxious pest that should be destroyed when discovered. Sprinkling salt on their body works well, and so does picking it up with a stick and dropping it on a paper towel, where it will dehydrate. Don’t try to kill it by chopping it into pieces. Like most planaria, a hammerhead worm can grow a complete body from individual pieces. It normally drops sections of its tail into hospitable locations to increase its population. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, How-To --- ### [Spider mite- organic control](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/spider-mite-organic-control/) **Published:** July 26, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My porch plants and small garden started out green and growing, but now most of the leaves, especially the older growth have tiny dots all over them. I see no insects, flying or otherwise.** A: Do you have a sign by the street that says “Spider mites welcome!”? You have them in each plant you sent and probably others. Some plants are more likely to host spider mites than others. One of the more effective and safest ways to control mites is by simply spraying water on the plant leaves each afternoon. Be sure to spray the underside of leaves, where mites are usually found. To prevent disease, do the spraying while there is enough time for the leaves to dry. Check new leaves in a few weeks to make sure the spider mites are gone. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/spider-mites-2-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/spider-mites-3-225x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/spider-mites-1-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Pawpaw](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pawpaw/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Asimina triloba* The Pawpaw is a native American fruit found in Zones 6a to 8a. It grows as a small tree with a short trunk and spreading branches, forming a rounded crown. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Pawpaw](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20992_8.PDF) Trees grow to 30 feet high and half that width. The leaves have a medium green upper surface and a lighter green lower surface; they tend to droop, giving the tree a sleepy appearance during the summer. Pawpaws are borne in clusters of one to six. Fruit size varies greatly, 2 to 6 inches long with an elongated or rounded shape. Pawpaw fruit have a very thin green skin, which turns yellowish-black when ripe, like an overripe Banana. Fruit ripen from September until frost. After ripening, fruit soften and perish rapidly. The flesh has a rich, sweet custard consistency. They are most commonly described as tasting like Banana combined with other fruit. There is a considerable variety of flavors among wild Pawpaws. Ripe Pawpaws should give when squeezed gently, as ripe Peaches do and can be picked easily with a gentle tug. Ripe Pawpaws usually give off a powerful fruity aroma, as well. Pawpaws do best on fertile, well-drained soils that are slightly acid. They do well in full sun or dense shade. Transplanting is difficult and should be done when trees are less than a foot tall. Varieties to look for: ‘Davis,’ ‘Mango,’ ‘Mitchell,’ ‘P A Golden,’ ‘Sun-flower,’ ‘Taylor,’ ‘Taytow,’ ‘Wells,’ ‘Wilson’ and ‘Overleese.’ Pawpaws are self-infertile requiring another cultivar or non-related wild plant for cross-pollination. For more information on Pawpaws, see Kentucky State University’s [Pawpaw Planting Guide](https://www.kysu.edu/academics/college-acs/school-of-ace/pawpaw/pawpaw-planting-guide.php#:~:text=The%20soil%20should%20be%20slightly,seldom%20taller%20than%2025%20feet.). **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Peach, Shade, Soil, Summer --- ### [Epsom Salts - Using](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/epsom-salts-using/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My parents have always told me to put Epsom salts on my roses and tomatoes to make them healthier. Does it really help? How much should I add?** A: Epsom salts is the common name for the chemical magnesium sulfate. The central atom in a chlorophyll molecule is magnesium, so plants definitely have a need for this element. By the way, if you replaced magnesium with iron in the chlorophyll molecule you’d have something very similar to *heme*, an important human blood constituent. Gardeners have heard for years that Epsom salts be added to the soil to make plants healthier. However, if your soil has plenty of magnesium already, the Epsom salts won’t make much difference. Dr. David Kissel, director of the University of Georgia Soils Lab, analyzed soil data for gardeners in the Piedmont region of Georgia and compared it to data from the sandy lower third of the state. In the Coastal Plain, only 12 percent of homeowners samples tested low, 21 percent tested medium, and 67 percent tested high in magnesium. In the Piedmont,17 percent of the samples were low, 33 percent medium, and 51 percent high. In other words, more than half of Georgia gardeners would find ***no benefit*** to applying Epsom salts. For those who need it, a tablespoon per gallon of water once each month is about right. If you want your soil tested for its magnesium level, go to [Georgia Soil Test](http://www.georgiasoiltest.com). [Epsom Salt Myths](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/epsom-salts.pdf) ![Epsom Salt courtest of WalMart](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Epsom-Salt-courtest-of-WalMart.jpg) **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Soil, Tomatoes --- ### [Do Plastic Snakes Scare Off Deer, Rabbits and Birds?](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/do-plastic-snakes-scare-off-deer-rabbits-and-birds/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We read that putting colorful plastic snakes in the garden can help deter** **deer, rabbits, and birds. Is this true?** A: There are plenty of companies and “experts” that claim plastic snakes scare birds and other animals. They may be deterred for a little while but eventually, birds and animals become “habituated” to the snake, especially if it doesn’t move. Plastic owls, balloons, scarecrows, and shiny tape are useless against birds and other creatures. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Training a Vine to Grow Down](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/training-a-vine-to-grow-down/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have an arbor with Confederate jasmine planted on one side. It is growing great up the post and across the top. I am attempting to train the vine to grow down the post on the other side of my arbor because I don’t have room to plant one in the ground there. Is there a way to do it?** A: A vine’s natural habit is to grow towards the light. This is called phototropism. The tips of the branches of your jasmine will always grow upward. But that doesn’t mean you can’t fool it somehow. Your task now is to select two or three limbs growing from the main vine closest to your house and allow them to grow six feet long. It would be best to hang six-foot lengths of twine above the main vine and train these sub-vines to climb up them. When these sub-vines have grown to six feet high, clip the twine and gently bend them down along the bare arbor post. Tie them loosely to the post. As time passes, the sub-vines will send out shoots which will grow upwards, covering the post and showing greenery on both ends of the arbor **Categories:** Vines, Landscaping --- ### [Does Zuni Crape Myrtle Get Powdery Mildew?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/does-zuni-crape-myrtle-get-powdery-mildew/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I purchased what I thought was Zuni crape myrtle. It is showing lots of powdery mildew which it’s supposed to resist. Its flowers don’t resemble Zuni I suspect it isn’t a Zuni.** A: You are absolutely correct. Crapemyrtles have a wide assortment of bloom colors, ranging from white to pink, red, purple, and lavender. ‘Zuni’ is one of the best purple-blooming crapemyrtles. It was released by the U.S. National Arboretum as a superior cultivar due to its resistance to powdery mildew. You didn’t say how the flowers don’t look like ‘Zuni’ but if the flower color doesn’t match, it’s not ‘Zuni’. Contact the store where you bought it and ask them for a replacement. In case you are curious about the huge selection of crapemyrtle colors, sizes, and mildew resistance I’ve collected everything you need at [bit.ly/GAcrapevar](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/crapemyrtle-cultivars/). **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Prevent Mold In Hummingbird Feeder When Traveling](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/prevent-mold-in-hummingbird-feeder-when-traveling/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have several hummingbird feeders that are visited a lot but I have to be out of town for seven days. What can I put in the feeders that will prevent them from getting moldy?** A: Nothing would prevent mold except absolutely sterile containers and liquid. I think those would be impossible for a homeowner to achieve. Put some filled feeders in your refrigerator and ask a friend to come by and put them out after three days. They won’t get moldy if kept cold. **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Tools & Chemicals --- ### [Gardenia Bushes - White Spiky Things](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/gardenia-bushes-white-spiky-things/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have two gardenia bushes that are covered with spiky white things. They have had no blooms. I have watched them closely for flowers but just see dozens of these empty things. I am befuddled.** A: You are seeing the empty calyces where immature flower buds fell off. A little botany: A calyx (plural=calyces) is the green leaf-like part of a bloom that protects the flower petals. A calyx opens up to let the flower emerge. Calyces are usually leaf-like but there are variations. On this particular plant, the calyces are composed of long, narrow sepals. Evidently, the small flower bud fell off when the calyces opened. That’s why you didn’t se any flowers. Gardenia buds can drop off prematurely for several reasons: too dry, too wet, high temperatures, and strong winds can cause it. The calyces, with their long, narrow sepals continued to open and that’s what you are seeing. The gardenia might try to bloom again this season. Keep a sharp eye out and let me know if you see flowers. For now, prune your gardenia calyces off if you don’t like them or keep for a conversation piece. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Fuji and Gala - First Year With Blooms, No Fruits](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fuji-and-gala-first-year-with-blooms-no-fruits/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have two apple trees, Fuji and Gala, which we planted five years ago. Until this year we did not have any blooms. This year both trees had some blooms, but no fruit developed. What can we do to get apples?** A: I suspect a pollination problem. To get good pollination, both trees must bloom around the same time. Both of yours are mid-season bloomers so you’re okay there. If there were only a few blooms and they opened at the same time, a hard rain or chilly temperatures could deter honeybees from visiting. One way to fix this would be to plant a small crabapple nearby. They bloom for a long time and bees love them. Honeybees would surely visit your apples while headed for the crabapple. ‘Donald Wyman’, ‘Dolgo’ or ‘Profusion’ are good crabapple choices. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Fertilizer for Zeon Zoysia](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fertilizer-for-zeon-zoysia/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I planted Zeon zoysia about a month ago and would like to fertilize. What fertilizer should I use?** A: Any lawn fertilizer product can be used if it doesn’t contain a weed control chemical. I’d apply at half strength this first time. Thereafter you can fertilize every six weeks at the rate recommended on the bag. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care --- ### [Native Birds Not Eating Asian Dogwood Berries](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/native-birds-not-eating-asian-dogwood-berries/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I read in a garden magazine that Asian dogwood berries feed monkeys but our native birds don’t eat them. If that is true why not plug disease-resistant native dogwood cultivars instead of the kousa dogwood you recommended recently.** A: Several native plant enthusiasts have made similar complaints. I should have given the gardener choices among the good native dogwoods. But I still love kousa dogwood, whether it is native or not. We don’t have foraging monkeys here but I have not noticed kousa dogwood fruit piling up, uneaten, under a tree. So maybe it’s mice and chipmunks that enjoy the fruit while I enjoy the flowers. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals, Landscaping --- ### [Brown Granular Stuff Under Birch Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/brown-granular-stuff-under-birch-tree/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: There is brown granular stuff dropping underneath my birch tree. It turns to brownish red mud if it gets wet.** A: They are probably droppings from a big population of sawflies. They very much resemble caterpillars but instead are the children of the dusky birch sawfly, a wasp-like insect. Since they are not caterpillars, products containing Bacillus thuringiensis won’t kill them. Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide that can be applied to the soil around the tree in early spring before feeding activity is noticed. **Categories:** Insects & Animals --- ### [Gifted A Friendship Potato](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/gifted-a-friendship-potato/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: A friend was shopping for gardening supplies. He ran into a fellow from south Georgia who gave him this thing in exchange for a purple hyacinth bean plant my friend had. He called it a friendship potato and said to plant it along a fence. Do you know what it is?** A: Friends don’t give friends friendship potato. I checked with plant expert Winston Eason, who agreed with my initial guess that this is a bulbil from air potato, Dioscorea bulbifera, sometimes called tater vine. The bulbils grow from the main vine at intervals and resemble small Irish potatoes initially. They are not edible. The reason this is not a friendly gift is that the vine is terribly invasive in Florida and parts of south Georgia. A vine might drop dozens of bulbils, which are scattered by chipmunks and mice. Ask your friend not to plant this present. Perhaps you could give him a nice crossvine in exchange? **Categories:** Pest Plants, Landscaping --- ### [Big Tree Lists](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/big-tree-lists/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: Who keeps a list of big trees in Georgia? My dogwood tree is 35-40 feet tall. It has a 38-foot canopy spread and the trunk is approximately 40 inches in circumference. It’s the biggest dogwood I have ever seen and anyone who sees it says the same thing.** A: There are champion tree lists kept for Atlanta and for Georgia. I checked both and was surprised to find that four of the biggest flowering dogwoods in the state are within ten miles of my home in north Decatur. They are scored using the traits you listed: height, crown spread, and trunk diameter. I’ll let you figure out your tree’s score and follow the nomination process. I have all the details at [bit.ly/GAchamptree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/champion-tree-nominating/). **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Homemade Weed Killer - Will It Hurt My Trees?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/homemade-weed-killer-will-it-hurt-my-trees/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I am using a mixture of vinegar and salt and detergent to kill weeds. Will it hurt the mature oak, magnolia, or pine trees in my yard?** A: Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (known as Paracelsus by his friends) is considered by some as “the father of modern medicine.” One of Paracelsus’ key observations was that “The dose makes the poison.” In other words, a substance that is harmless in small amounts can be poisonous in large doses. Whether your trees will be hurt depends on how much of your concoction soaks into the soil. If you just spray it on the weed leaves I don’t think there is any danger to the trees. In my experience, your mixture is not dangerous to most weeds either. Commercial herbicidal soap works better. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping --- ### [Apple Trees - Orange Specks on Leaves](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/apple-trees-orange-specks-on-leaves/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I have two apple trees in my yard that have recently developed orange specks on the leaves and started dropping young apples.** A: I’m confident you are seeing the signs of cedar-apple rust. This disease typically doesn’t cause major damage but you should make an effort to limit it’s spread. Cedar-apple rust requires a nearby juniper plant to carry out its full life cycle. The common Eastern redcedar (CQ), Juniperus virginiana, is usually the second host of the disease. Look around your property and decide if you have any of these trees that can be removed. If they can’t be removed, watch for bright orange, gelatinous “blobs” on branch tips in April. These should definitely be removed before they dry out to resemble brown English walnuts on the branches. Rake and remove the leaves and fruit that drop from your trees. One online reference states that Red Delicious, Gala Supreme, McIntosh, and Liberty apple varieties are considered resistant to cedar apple rust, but Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, and York Imperial are highly susceptible. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Encore Azaleas - Top Half Froze](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/encore-azaleas-top-half-froze/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: My Encore azaleas had made buds when we had that spring freeze. The top half of the bushes froze. The bottom half have since bloomed. The tops have put out a lot of new growth. Do I go ahead and prune them as usual?** A: Yes, you can treat them as you normally would, pruning after the first flush of spring blooms. Since they are re-blooming azaleas, you will get sporadic flowers all summer long. **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Bolster Thin Areas For Tifway 419 Bermuda Sod](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bolster-thin-areas-for-tifway-419-bermuda-sod/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: When our sod was laid, the landscaper referred to it as 419 emerald green Bermuda. I’m trying to find that type of Bermuda in seed to bolster some thinned areas.** A: Tifway 419 Bermuda grass is a common sod that does very well in full sun. It is a hybrid plant, which means it does not make viable seed. If your thin lawn areas are in full sun, there’s something else going on besides a disease or low pH. I suspect soil compaction or shade could be the culprits. If the thin grass spots get at least six hours of full sunshine daily, loosen the soil and plant 419 Bermuda sod. **Categories:** Bermudagrass, Lawn Care --- ### [Replacing Diseased Camellias](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/replacing-diseased-camellias/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: We have many old camellias that need replacing. Lots of leaves have a yellow pattern that I believe is a virus. Do we need to replace the soil before planting substitutes?** A: It sounds like your camellias have yellow mottle virus. This virus is spread by physical contact from budding, grafting, or pruning and possibly by insects like aphids, scale and whiteflies. It is almost never spread through the soil. Some say that camellia viruses cause little if any real damage to the plant. In fact, the virus may cause attractive blotches or streaks on the flowers. If you plant new ones, buy cutting tools to use specifically for them. Don’t use pruning tools on them that you have used on your virus-infected camellias. But be on the lookout for interesting flowers; you can root those branches and enjoy the blooms as the plant enlarges. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping --- ### [Native Tree Recommendations](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/native-tree-recommendations/) **Published:** July 18, 2022 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I recently removed a dead Yoshino cherry tree. I am looking to replace it with a native tree. What do you recommend?** A: I love kousa dogwoods, Cornus kousa, which are blooming now. These Asian dogwoods are very similar to our familiar spring dogwoods, but they bloom later, when the tree has leaves. Kousa dogwood has distinctive white flowers and pink fruit in fall, and it can handle more sunshine than native dogwoods. They are also more disease resistant than the natives. There are several varieties: ‘Stellar Pink’, ‘Milky Way’, ‘Constellation’ and ‘Galaxy’ are excellent. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping --- ### [Lawn - Growing in Shade](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/tips-for-lawn-growing-in-shade/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** 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 matter how lush in April, thinned out to bare soil for five years running. This spring I planted hydrangea, white impatiens, golden hosta and variegated ivy there and the spot looks better than it ever has. Trees and shade look nice in the landscape. However, it is difficult to grow grass under trees because not only the **quantity** but also the **quality** of the light changes in the shade. In full sun, light is in the “near red” range of wavelengths. In the shade it shifts to the “far red,” which is less effective for photosynthesis. The result is a reduction in the food needed for turf growth. Leaves and stems of grass plants are thinner in shade. Moisture from dew under trees takes longer to evaporate. The additional moisture may contribute to an increase in disease. With the deck stacked against it, it is remarkable that *any* grass grows under trees. If you let experience, rather than me, be your teacher, these tips will help you grow grass in the shade. Go to **[How Much Light Does a Lawn Need](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawns-light-needed/)** before you read further. **CHOOSE RIGHT GRASS** Under high pine tree shade, bermudagrass and zoysiagrass can grow successfully. Beneath the shade of a dogwood or an oak, both fail miserably. Use turfgrasses adapted to your area of Georgia. Fine and tall fescue are adapted to north Georgia. Dependent on the variety; zoysiagrass, centipedegrass, and bermudagrass can be grown throughout the state. **Cool season grasses** –**Fescue** is the most shade-tolerant grass that is adapted to the Atlanta area but there is little difference between the various named fescue seed brands. Fine fescues may survive in some situations. When establishing cool-season grasses, it is best to seed or sod early enough in the fall so there is sufficient time for the turfgrass to mature before leaves cover the ground. During the fall remove leaves by raking, blowing or bagging when mowing to prevent smothering of the grass. Cool-season turfgrasses will grow long after deciduous trees have dropped their leaves. **Warm season grasses** – In general **bermudagrass** is intolerant to shade. Two newer cultivars, **TifGrand and Celebration** have shown good persistence under shade conditions. These cultivars may be options in environments where the grass receives 6 hours or better of filtered to intermittent shade. Likewise, **centipedegrass** needs the same light conditions as these two bermudagrass cultivars. Some **St. Augustinegrass** cultivars have suitable tolerance to shade. Examples include **Palmetto, Mercedes, and Raleigh**. Similarly, some **zoysiagrass** cultivars are tolerant to limited light environments. Zoysiagrass cultivars that have good tolerance to shade include **El Toro, JaMur, Zeon, and Zorro**. These species have performed well under a heavy hardwood shade for 5 years. **Cavalier** has also been reported to have good shade tolerance while the older cultivar, **Meyer**, has fair tolerance. **PRUNE TREES** Selective pruning and thinning of limbs within the tree canopy will allow better sunlight penetration. Single tall trees should have all limbs removed below 10 feet. Rake and remove leaves or needles before they accumulate. **MOW HIGHER** Grass in the shade should be cut approximately 1/2 to 1 inch higher than the grass growing in full sunlight. This will allow more leaf area to intercept the limited amount of sunlight. Avoid scalping turf in the spring. Decline of turf in shade often begins after a single episode of scalping. **WATER MORE** Tree roots compete with the turfgrass for available soil moisture. In addition, the distribution of moisture from rainfall is poor under a tree canopy. The tree leaves block or deflect the rainfall. This yields an uneven soil moisture pattern. As a rule of thumb, turfgrass in shade needs 1 inch or more of water per week. In the absence of rainfall, wet the soil to a 6-inch depth. This may take 2 to 3 hours for one irrigation application. **MINIMIZE TRAFFIC** During the summer months, minimize the traffic and activities in the shaded grass areas. This will reduce the wear stress on the turf. If the grass is in a path where traffic can not be avoided, place stepping stones or pine bark to mark the trail. **LIMIT FERTILIZER** Grass grown in the shade should receive half the fertilizer than that in the sun. Follow the fertilizer schedule at my [Lawn Care Calendars page](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-care-calendars-and-factsheets/) **LIMIT WEEDKILLERS** Use broadleaf weed controls sparingly on shaded lawns. Spot-spray special weeds like wild violet. Crabgrass controls are not necessary in a shade environment since crabgrass needs a high light intensity to germinate. **USE GROUNDCOVER OR MULCH** In areas where even fescue fails, think about using light-colored groundcovers like I did. A layer of pinestraw or pine chips looks much better than bare dirt. As one of my gardener buddies says, **“Nature always bats last!”** see also **[Using Mondo Grass for a Lawn](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/mondo-grass-making-a-lawn/)** ![shady lawn](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/berm-100-green.jpg "berm 100 green")shady lawn **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** Cherry, Crabgrass, Disease, Dogwood, Fall, Fertilizer, Groundcover, Hydrangea, Irrigation, Moisture, Mondo, Mulch, Oak, Pine, Pruning, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Stone, Summer, Sunlight, Weed --- ### [Turfgrasses (Lawn Grasses) - Comparison and Selection](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/turfgrasses-selection/) **Published:** August 7, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** There are usually several varieties of each turfgrass from which to choose. Which is the best for your situation? The information below, taken from a University of Georgia publication, should help. COOL SEASON GRASSES Cool-season grasses grow well during the cool months (60 degrees-75 degrees F) of the year. They may become dormant or injured during the hot months of summer. Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Perhaps the most popular grass in the mountain and upper piedmont areas of Georgia is tall fescue. This is a perennial bunch-type grass that grows rapidly and requires frequent mowing in the spring and fall. Tall fescue needs more water than the warm-season grasses to stay green during the summer. It is quickly established from seed and grows well in full sun as well as moderate shade. Tall fescue will tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, but like most turfgrasses grows best with a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Lawns planted in tall fescue tend to thin out and become “clumpy” thus requiring reseeding every three or more years. Kentucky-31 (K-31) is the old, common cultivar or variety of tall fescue grown in Georgia. Most of the new cultivars referred to as “turf-type” tall fescues have slightly narrower leaf blades, slower vertical growth rates, greater density and shade tolerance than K-31. As a result, if properly managed, most turf-types will produce a better turf than K-31. More information can be obtained from Cooperative Extension Service Leaflet No. 354, Tall Fescue Lawn Management. Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis). Kentucky bluegrass has a medium leaf texture and a bright, pleasing color. There are many varieties which grow well in and north of the upper piedmont areas of Georgia. Kentucky bluegrass can become semi-dormant during hot weather, and grows best in a fertile soil with a pH of 6 to 7. While it does best in partial shade, it will grow in open sun if adequate moisture is present. Ryegrasses. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) are suited for temporary cool-season turfgrasses throughout Georgia. They can be used as a temporary winter cove on new lawns that have not been permanently established. Ryegrasses are also used for overseeding, that is, to provide a green cover on a warm-season grass during the winter. However, overseeding may damage the warm-season grass unless managed correctly in the spring because the ryegrass competes for moisture, sunlight and nutrients. There are many varieties of perennial ryegrass, and depending upon the environmental conditions, they may behave as an annual or perennial. As its name suggests, annual ryegrass dies as summer approaches. It is also known as common, winter, domestic, Oregon, and Italian ryegrass. WARM SEASON GRASSES Warm-season grasses grow best during the warm months (80 degrees-95 degrees F) of spring, summer and early fall. They grow vigorously during this time and become brown and dormant in winter. Bermudagrasses (Cynodon Spp). All bermudas thrive in hot weather but perform poorly in shade. Bermudas spread so rapidly by both above-and-below-ground runners that they are difficult to control around flower beds, walks and borders. If fertilized adequately, they require frequent mowing. The bermudagrasses are adapted to the entire state and tolerate a wide soil pH. Common Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon). Common bermudagrass is drought resistant, grows on many soils, and it makes a good turf if fertilized and mowed right. Common bermudagrass produces many unsightly seedheads, but in spite of this fault, it is frequently used on home lawns due to the ease and economy of establishment. Common bermuda may be planted from either seed or sprigs and with intensive management will provide a high quality turf. However, the newer hybrid bermudas are generally far superior. Hybrid Bermudagrasses. Compared with common bermuda, these grasses have more disease resistance, greater turf density, better weed resistance, fewer seedheads, finer and softer texture and more favorable color. They also produce no viable seed and must be planted by vegetative means. The hybrids also require more intensive maintenance for best appearance. Frequent fertilization and close mowing, edging, and dethatching are needed to keep them attractive. All of the improved bermudas described here have been developed and released cooperatively by the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station and U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are products of the grass breeding program of Dr. Glenn W. Burton, Principal Geneticist. Tifway (Tifton 419) Bermudagrass. Tifway has several outstanding features that make it an ideal turf for lawns and golf fairways and tees. It has a dark green color and stiffer leaves than Tifgreen. Tifway is more frost resistant than other bermudagrasses. Therefore, it will usually remain growing and green longer in the fall and will develop color earlier in the spring. This trait, along with its ruggedness, has led to its use on football fields. Tifway II Bermudagrass is an improved mutant of Tifway. Tifway II looks like Tifway and has the same desirable characteristics, but makes a denser turf, is more frost tolerant, often greens up earlier in the spring and provides slightly better turf quality. Tifgreen (Tifton 328) Bermudagrass. Tifgreen is a low-growing rapidly spreading grass. It is relatively disease resistant and makes a dense, weed-resistant turf when properly managed. Its fine texture and soft, green leaves are largely responsible for its excellence as a putting green on golf courses. Tifdwarf Bermudagrass. This hybrid is thought to be a vegetative mutant from the original Tifgreen nursery at Tifton. Tifdwarf, as the name implies, is a very short grass with tiny leaves that hug the ground very closely. It has softer leaves and fewer seedheads than Tifgreen. These characteristics contribute to its use on golf greens and make it less desirable than the other hybrids for lawn use. Tifsport (Tifton 94) bermudagrass is emerald green; keeps dark color later in fall.Low-growing, spreads rapidly, resists traffic injury Carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis). Carpetgrass is a perennial, coarse-leaved, creeping grass which grows in the central and southern regions of the state. It grows better on low, wet soils than do other grasses. It will grow well in either sun or shade but is less shade tolerant than St. Augustine and centipedegrass which it resembles. Carpetgrass may be planted by seed or sprigs. It is not winter hardy and should not be planted north of middle Georgia. Carpetgrass is recommended only for lawns on wet, low fertility, acid, (pH 4.5-5.5) sandy soils where ease of establishment and care is more important than quality. Its chief disadvantage is rapid seedhead production. Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides). This is a low, medium textured, slow growing but aggressive grass that can produce a dense, attractive, weed-free turf. It is more shade tolerant than bermudagrass but less shade tolerant than St. Augustine and zoysiagrass. Since centipede produces only surface runners, it is easily controlled around borders of flower beds and walks. It is well adapted as far north as Atlanta and Athens. Centipede is the ideal grass for the homeowner who wants a fairly attractive lawn that needs little care. Centipede does not require much fertilizer or mowing, and compared to other lawn grasses, is generally resistant to most insects and diseases. It will, however, respond to good management and provide a very attractive turf. Centipede can be established from either seeds or sprigs. Since it is slow growing, it takes longer than bermuda and St. Augustine to completely cover. Centipede is subject to “decline” problems that can be prevented by proper management. This includes care not to overfertilize, prevention of thatch accumulation, irrigation during drought stress, particularly in the fall, and maintaining a mowing height of 1-1 1/2 inches. Centipede is well adapted to soils of low fertility with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0 but grows best — like most grasses — at a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5. For additional information see Cooperative Extension Service Leaflets No. 313, Centipede Lawns, and No. 177, Prevent Centipede Decline. Zoysiagrasses (Zoysia Spp). Several species and/or cultivars of zoysiagrasses are available in Georgia. Most are adapted to the entire state and form an excellent turf when properly established and managed. For the best appearance, most zoysias require cutting with a reel mower, periodic dethatching, and more frequent irrigation than other warm season turfgrasses. The zoysias form a dense, attractive turf in full sun and partial shade, but may thin out in dense shade. Most zoysias grow very slowly when compared to other grasses. They usually are established by sodding, plugging, or sprigging. Two-inch diameter plugs planted on 6-inch centers, will cover completely in 12 months if irrigated and fertilized properly. Zoysia japonica is sometimes called Japanese or Korean lawngrass or common zoysia. It has a coarse leaf texture and excellent cold tolerance like Bermudas and it can be seeded. Meyer zoysia, also called “Z-52,” is an improved selection of Zoysia japonica. It has medium leaf texture, good cold tolerance, and spreads more rapidly than the other zoysiagrasses. This is the zoysia often advertised as the “super” grass in newspapers and magazines. These advertising claims are true in part, but do not tell the entire story. *Zoysia matrella*, also named Manilagrass, is less cold tolerant than Zoysia japonica or Meyer but more so than Emerald. It also has a finer leaf texture than Zoysia japonica and Meyer, but is coarser than Emerald. Emerald zoysia is a hybrid between Zoysia japonica and Zoysia tenuifolia that was developed in Tifton, Georgia. It has a dark green color, a very fine leaf texture, good shade tolerance, high shoot density, and a low growth habit. Emerald will develop excess thatch rather quickly if over fertilized and its cold tolerance makes it more susceptible to winter injury from the Atlanta area and north. After this grass has been mowed, new growth originates largely from the base of the plant, rather than from the branches, thereby leaving very few exposed brown stems. Emerald zoysia is moderately winter-hardy and fairly shade tolerant, but it grows more slowly when planted in a shady yard. Because of its thick growth, it is difficult to overseed. El Toro is a relatively new zoysia that was developed in California and looks like Meyer. El Toro is the fastest growing zoysia, tolerates mowing with a rotary mower, and produces less thatch than Meyer, The winter hardiness of this zoysia is not yet well established. The zoysiagrasses are (1) slow to cover completely, thus more costly to establish; (2) less drought-tolerant than Common bermudagrass; and (3) recommended for lawn use only when the homeowner is willing to provide the required maintenance. For more information see Cooperative Extension Service Leaflet No. 395, Zoysiagrass Lawns. St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum). Compared to finer textured grasses like the bermudas, St. Augustine has large flat stems and broad coarse leaves. It has an attractive blue-green color and forms a deep, fairly dense turf. It spreads by long above-ground runners or stolons. While it is aggressive, it is easily controlled around borders. It produces only a few viable seed and is commonly planted by vegetative means. St. Augustine is the most shade tolerant warm-season grass in Georgia. It is very susceptible to winter injury and should only be planted with caution as far north as Atlanta and Athens. Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of this grass is its sensitivity to the chinch bug. While[ lawn insecticides](http://www.walterreeves.com/wordpress/tools-and-chemicals/lawn-insecticides/) can control this insect, frequent applications are required. The more common St. Augustinegrass varieties are Bitter Blue, Floratine and Floratam. Bitter Blue has the best shade tolerance but is sensitive to chinch bugs and St. Augustine Decline Virus (SADV). Floratine has the finest leaf texture but is also susceptible to chinch bugs and SADV. Floratam has the coarsest leaf texture, is resistant to chinch bug and SADV, but is not as shade tolerant as the others. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/berm-100-green.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Irrigation, Moisture, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Sunlight, Weed, Winter --- ### [Fragrant Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/fragrant-plants/) **Published:** February 14, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I don’t think I appreciated the value of landscape fragrance until the last few years in my garden. I was delighted a few weeks ago when I discovered, by nose alone, a newly blooming shrub. Here is a list of fragrant plants that do well locally, in approximate order of blooming: **January** Fragrant wintersweet – *Chimonanthus praecox* Winter honeysuckle – *Lonicera fragrantissima* Paperbush – *Edgeworthia papyrifera* and *Edgeworthia chrysantha* Tea olive – *Osmanthus fragrans* **February** Daphne – *Daphne odora* Paperbush – *Edgeworthia papyrifera* and *Edgeworthia chrysantha* continue **March – April** Koreanspice viburnum – *Viburnum carlesii* Coastal flame azalea – *Rhododendron austrinum* Piedmont azalea – *Rhododendron canescens* Alabama azalea – *Rhododendron alabamense* Lily of the valley – *Convallaria majalis* Sweetshrub – *Calycanthus florida* Banana shrub – *Magnolia figo* (*Michelia figo*) **May** Confederate jasmine – *Trachelospermum jasminoides* Rose – *Rosa* various varieties Gardenia – *Gardenia jasminoides* **June – July** Southern magnolia – *Magnolia grandiflora* Moonflower vine – *Ipomea alba* Stargazer lily – *Lilium* x ‘Stargazer’ Flowering tobacco – *Nicotiana alata* Summersweet azalea – *Rhododendron viscosum* Ginger lily – *Hedychium coronarium* Four o’clock – *Mirabilis jalapa* **August** Eleagnus – *Elaeagnus umbellata* Tea olive – *Osmanthus fragrans* **September** Sweet autumn clematis – *Clematis maximowicziana* October Tea olive – *Osmanthus fragrans* (repeat bloom) [![daphne](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/daphne-flower-41.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/daphne-flower-41.jpg)daphne ![edgeworthia 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/edgeworthia-2.jpg)paperbush (edgeworthia) [![gardenia](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/gardenia-flower-3-WR.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/gardenia-flower-3-WR.jpg)gardenia [!['Stargazer' lily](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/lily-Stargazer-2-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/lily-Stargazer-2-scaled.jpg)‘Stargazer’ lily **Categories:** Landscaping, Plant Lists **Tags:** Azalea, Magnolia, Summer, Winter --- ### [How to kill a hammerhead worm](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/how-to-kill-a-hammerhead-worm/) **Published:** July 15, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have found several hammerhead worms on our patio, usually after a rain or under a pot. What is the easiest way to kill them?** A: Hammerhead worms, *Bipalium kewense*, are an invasive species of planaria. They feed on earthworms so they are considered a noxious pest that should be destroyed when discovered. Sprinkling salt on their body works well, so does picking it up with a stick and dropping it on a paper towel, where it will dehydrate. Don’t try to kill it by chopping into pieces. Like most planaria, a hammerhead worm can grow a complete body from individual pieces. It normally drops sections of its tail into hospitable locations to increase their population. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/planaria-1-600x800-1-e1657922021603-300x272.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/planaria-2a-267x300.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/planaria-1-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Arborvitae Screen - What`s The Deal?](https://www.walterreeves.com/general-q-and-a/arborvitae-screen-whats-the-deal/) **Published:** August 31, 2017 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Any idea what’s going on with my arborvitae screen?** A: Hot, dry weather is the Grim Reaper when it comes to separating well-rooted plants from poorly-rooted ones. Arborvitae is an excellent screening plant but it requires good soil preparation and regular watering for a year after planting for it to thrive. My bet is that yours was planted in an inadequate hole. That said, there’s not much you can do about an arborvitae that’s this far gone. Dig this one out and loosen an area six feet wide before planting a replacement. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/arborvitae-drought-damage-3-225x300.jpg) **Categories:** General Q & A **Tags:** Soil, Watering --- ### [Azalea Lacebug - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/azalea-lacebug-control/) **Published:** July 14, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** 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 out the chlorophyll in a leaf cell, the top of the leaf has hundreds of yellow speckles. Thousands of hungry lace bugs can make an azalea appear yellow all over. Since azalea lace bugs have an active sex life, just a few can produce thousands of offspring in the course of a summer. Dr. Kris Braman says that she has seen adult lace bugs on her research azaleas even during the winter. Inspect your azaleas for **speckled yellow leaves**. Examine the backside of the leaves too. If you see tiny black spots scattered across the leaf and concentrated along the mid-vein, you will have a population explosion of the creatures before many weeks pass. The adult lacebug is barely one fourth inch long, with transparent wings. It feeds on the underside of azalea leaves, sucking juice from the leaf cells. Late spring is a great time to control the first few generations of lacebug larvae and adults. There are two options: 1\. [Insecticidal soap (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=insecticidal%20soap&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ainsecticidal%20soap&sprefix=insecticidal%20soap%2Caps%2C230&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) and most [garden insecticides (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=garden%20insecticide&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A2972638011%2Ck%3Agarden%20insecticide&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&linkId=PVAVMH6K74DSEVHI)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) will kill the insects. The key to good control, though, is **thorough** coverage and **repeat** sprayings in summer, every four weeks. Use a garden sprayer and pump it up vigorously. When spraying, point the spray wand up from beneath so the undersides of the leaves are covered with spray. 2\. Another pesticide option is to use a systemic insecticide like [imidacloprid (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=imidacloprid%20tree&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aimidacloprid%20tree&sprefix=imidacloprid%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) that poisons the sap of the azalea. It can be applied around the roots of azaleas in spring, after the shrubs bloom. This will protect any beneficial insects that visit flowers. The drench poisons the leaves, so lacebugs that suck sap from them are dead within days. **This is usually the easiest method to achieve control.** It is **much** easier to manage azalea lacebugs in spring or summer than it is in August! ![](/uploads/JPGs/lacebug.JPG) Azalea lacebug symptoms ![](/uploads/JPGs/azalealacebug1.JPG) ![](/uploads/JPGs/azalealacebug2.JPG) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Azalea, Pesticide, Poison, Pots, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Oak Leaf Miner - Identification and Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/ornamental-trees/oak-leaf-miner/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: These diseased areas appeared on most of our oak trees. The trees have been healthy for the 40 years we’ve lived here. I think some of the trees are also affected down the street. From the pictures, do you have any idea what’s the problem?** A: The damage is not a disease. It is caused by solitary oak leafminer larvae. The miner is the larvae of a moth, *Cameraria hamadryadella*, that is common on white oaks. Once an egg is laid on a leaf and subsequently hatches, the miner bores into the leaf and feeds on tissue between the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf. Rake fallen leaves promptly and destroy them to destroy pupae in cocoons. If the problem comes back next year, consult an arborist about treatment. Usually, as the miner population grows, the number of beneficial insects that attack the miner increases as well. Unless the tree is young and a favorite specimen, control is rarely needed. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oakleafminer1.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oakleafminer2.jpg) [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_7074-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/oak-leaf-miner/attachment/img_7074/)Oak leaf miner damage. Numerous black dots are miner droppings in the leaf. [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_7081-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/oak-leaf-miner/attachment/img_7081/)Oak leaf miner exposed. See other miners still in the leaf above this one. **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Insects & Animals **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Oak --- ### [Coneflower - Aster Yellows vs Coneflower Rosette Mite](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/coneflower-aster-yellows-vs-coneflower-rosette-mite/) **Published:** July 14, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I discovered deformed blooms on my coneflower, which I suspect to be caused by aster yellows. I immediately dug up the plant and threw it out. After more research I discovered coneflower rosette mites cause similar damage. Can you tell from this picture if my coneflower had aster yellows or did it have mites?** A: I researched the two similar phenomena and prepared a comparative list: **CONEFLOWER ROSETTE MITE** >cone has tufts, flower petals normal in shape or color >only affects cone >tufts/rosettes usually retain some of the original color of the cone >looks more like fuzzy knots or bumps on the cone Mites live inside the developing flower buds and suck nutrients from the base of the flowers. As a result, rosette-like tufts of stunted and distorted flower parts will sprout from the tops or sides of the cones. **Cutting and destroying flower heads deformed by mite activity will reduce mite populations.** **ASTER YELLOWS** >foliage may have yellow mottling >cones produce yellowish-green rosettes. >flowers look more like vegetative growths with green tones, and the petals are typically affected >If you have a plant that normally blooms pink and it starts showing green petals and/or cones, then it is very likely affected by aster yellows. Flower petals may appear as a ring of tiny greenish-yellow spoons arrayed around the base of highly deformed cones and the cones may appear as tightly clustered rosettes. Spread from plant to plant by sucking insects, particularly leafhoppers. Members of the aster family (Asteraceae), such as asters, marigolds, coreopsis and purple coneflower are commonly affected by this disease. There are no sprays that will suppress the disease and, once plants become infected, they remain both infected and infectious. All parts of the plant, including the root system must be removed and destroyed. Pathogen cannot survive outside of the plant so the bacterium will not remain in the soil. My diagnosis? **Aster yellows** [Coneflower mites photos](https://bygl.osu.edu/node/2006) [Odd-looking Coneflower](http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/home/ct-home-1215-garden-qa-20161213-story.html) [Coneflower mites vs aster yellows](https://bygl.osu.edu/node/881) Excellent photos! ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/aster-yellows.jpg) **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Disease, Flowers, Soil --- ### [Passion Vine (Maypop) - Recipes](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/passion-vine-maypop-recipes/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I transplanted a passion vine from a field several years ago. I really enjoy the vines climbing on my fence, giving me stunning flowers, plus many butterflies, chrysalises, and caterpillars!** **Every reference says the fruits are edible but I can’t find a single recipe.** A: Passion vine, *Passiflora incarnata*, is known to me as maypop. The egg-sized fruit makes great ammunition for summertime fights between siblings. If we left a few in the field, they would wrinkle, turn yellow and become pleasantly fragrant. We would break them open with our fingers and suck on the pulpy seeds inside. I found online recipes for maypop jelly, jam and even ice cream. More details at [Maypop Jelly and Ice Cream](http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1746) ![maypop fruit interior](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/maypop-fruit-interior.jpg "maypop fruit interior")maypop fruit interior ![maypop fruit - dead ripe](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/maypop-fruit.jpg "maypop fruit")maypop fruit – dead ripe ![maypop flower](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/passion-flower-bloom-1.jpg "passion flower bloom 1")maypop flower ![maypop ammunition](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/passionflower-fruit.jpg "passionflower fruit")maypop ammunition **Categories:** Vines, Landscaping **Tags:** Caterpillar, Flowers, Seed, Summer --- ### [Mysterious Clay Particles Conclusion](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/mysterious-clay-particles-conclusion/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I **LOVE IT** when science and personal observation prevail! Initially I theorized that cicada killer wasps were dropping the [mysterious dirt balls](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/article.phtml?cat=19&id=930). They certainly excavate holes in the ground in July! But when I presented the situation to University of Georgia bee and wasp expert Bob Matthews, he knew the answer: “The **yellowjacket** is almost certainly the culprit here. “First is the time of year. Nests are expanded rapidly and grow almost exponentially during late June through September. To allow for this expansion the original nest hole must be greatly enlarged to accomodate the growing nest that will ultimately be at least soccer ball-sized and often larger. “After a good rain, excavating activity often approaches a frenzy level, and if you watch the traffic at the nest entrance 7 out of every 10 wasps will emerge with a chunk of clay in their jaws. They always airlift it generally out to within a few yards of the nest and drop the pellets like small bombs from several feet high, then immediately return to repeat the process. In this way they make room for their nest to grow, and it takes a lot of mouthfuls of mud to do so! “I suspect that if the folks who have this problem were to look closely within 50 feet or so of where the pellets appear they would likely discover a yellowjacket nest. Best time to look is late in the day or very early morning when the slanting sun’s rays reflect off the wasps wings. Standing still for several minutes and slowly surveying the field of view in front of you will often reveal a distinct traffic of shimmering wings coming and going to a spot in the ground. You’ve found the nest! “Now, a few comments on other suggestions from readers that relate to wasps. “As for the cicada killer wasps, you are correct that they excavate their nests in the soil and that the soil accumulates as a mound near the nest entrances. Like the dirt daubers, cicada killer wasps are solitary – that is each female makes her own nest with no help from any other wasps. (Yellowjackets are social and cooperate in construction \[and defense!\]. Cicada killers definitely could not be the source of the mud pellets found, as the female, when activly digging her burrow, pushes out the dirt and then immediately reenters her hole to dig some more. Flights furing nest excavation are quite uncommon and I am sure the females don’t ever carry dirt away. “Mud or dirt dauber wasps do occasionally drop pellets of mud. However, these are usually relatively few and almost always fall immediately below where they are constructing their nest. They would not be littering the area with mud pellets which are time-consuming to collect and plaster to construct their nest fortress. “Incidentally, mud daubers are one of my favorite wasps and I have spent many many hours observing their nesting habits. However, one thing I have never seen is to watch them capture and sting a spider, their prey. Nests contain dozens of paralyzed spiders at this season, yet their hunting behavior is very private somehow. So, if any of your readers regularly see wasps capturing spiders I would be most interested in more details.” Can you help? [**Email Bob here**.](mailto:rm******@*ga.edu "This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.") ![](/uploads/JPGs/yellowjacketnest.JPG) Guess where the dirt from this yellowjacket nest went? ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/yellowjacket-clay-particles-1-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Fall, Soil, Spider, Yellowjackets --- ### [Magnolia Scale - Controlling](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/magnolia-scale-controlling/) **Published:** October 17, 2015 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is the best treatment for the bugs causing this mold. I am afraid it is killing my magnolias.** A: Your magnolia has a severe infestation of one of the several species of scale insects. The motionless insects feed under plant leaves, sucking sap from the leaf. They then exude a syrupy liquid called honeydew that falls on leaves below. Honeydew is a great food for sooty mold, which covers the top of the leaves, making them unsightly. There are three steps to control: 1\. Spray as much of the tree as you can now with neem oil, trying hard to spray the underside of leaves. 2\. Apply a [systemic insecticide (click for sources)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)](https://amzn.to/2TanyUf) now (October) to the ground around the tree 3\. In March, wrap several twigs with duct tape, sticky side out. Check the tape flags every few days. When they start catching orange/yellow crawlers, spray the tree with garden insecticide. In May, check the leaves to see if most of the formerly white critters have turned brown (meaning they are dead). If you still have a lot of the white things (and particularly if they seem “juicy” when squeezed with your fingers), repeat the steps above. [![magnolia scale 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/magnolia-scale-1-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/magnolia-scale-1-scaled.jpg) [![magnolia scale 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/magnolia-scale-2-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/magnolia-scale-2-scaled.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/magnolia-scale-1-1-768x1024.jpg) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Fall, Magnolia --- ### [Crapemyrtle Varieties and Cultivars](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/crapemyrtle-cultivars/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Crapemyrtles are one of the most beautiful and carefree flowering plants of the Southern landscape. There are many different cultivars, with different flower colors and growing heights. This publication from the University of Georgia gives information on crapemyrtle care and lists recommended varieties. [Crapemyrtles for Georgia ](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20944_8.PDF) See also [Characteristics of Crapemyrtle Varieties](http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/trees/crapemyrtle/crape_myrtle_varieties.html) [Crapemyrtle World Collection](https://crapemyrtletrails.org/varieties/) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/crapemyrtlered.jpg "Crapemyrtle") **Categories:** Shrubs, Landscaping --- ### [Gardenia has strange spiky things where flowers should be](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs/gardenia-has-strange-spiky-things-where-flowers-should-be/) **Published:** June 20, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have two gardenia bushes that are covered with spiky white things. They have had no blooms. I have watched them closely for flowers but just see dozens of these empty things. I am befuddled.** **A:** You are seeing the empty calyces where immature flower buds fell off. A little botany: A calyx (plural = calyces) is the green leaflike part of a bloom that protects the flower petals. A calyx opens up to let the flower emerge. Calyces are usually leaflike but there are variations. On this particular plant, the calyces are composed of long, narrow sepals. Evidently, the small flower bud fell off when the calyces opened. That’s why you didn’t see any flowers. Gardenia buds can drop off prematurely for several reasons: Too dry, too wet, high temperatures, and strong winds can cause it. The calyces, with their long, narrow sepals, continued to open, and that’s what you are seeing. The gardenia might try to bloom again this season. Keep a sharp eye out and let me know if you see flowers. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gard-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [2005 Homeowner Comments on New Grasses](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/2005-homeowner-comments-on-new-grasses/) **Published:** July 16, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** In 2005 I asked homeowners to evaluate their experiences with some of the newer grass varieties. Their responses are not scientific and should only be taken in addition to your own research when choosing a grass for your lawn. [‘Princess’ bermudagrass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/princess-77-homeowner-evaluation) [‘Thermal Blue’ bluegrass](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bluegrass-thermal-blue-homeowner-comments) [‘Thermal Blue’ bluegrass sod](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/thermal-blue-installation-photos) [‘WaterSaver RTF’ fescue](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/watersaver-rtf-homeowner-comments) [Titan fescue](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/titan-fescue-homeowner-comments) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Nurseryman's advice for watering in high heat](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/nurserymans-advice-for-watering-in-high-heat/) **Published:** June 17, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** [![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/f50bb59f-1b45-45e6-af85-44a797b446f3-300x129.jpg)](http://autumnhillnursery.com) June 17, 2022 Written by Eric Hill, [Autumn Hill Nursery](http://autumnhillnursery.com) **“Looks like we are in a pattern of extremely high heat with very little rain in the forecast. Not the ideal conditions for our plants that are trying to get established.** **Before we make suggestions for more efficient watering let’s point out what plants or areas of our yard that may need extra attention.”** T**rees, shrubs, and perennials installed last fall or this spring** are still getting established and have smaller root systems. Pay attention to **conifers** recently planted as they seldom show signs of drying out until it is too late.![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/arborvitae-drought-damage-2-225x300.jpg) Plants, including well established **plants that have large trees in their proximity**. These large trees have expansive root systems that are usually shallow and they take up all the available moisture in the area, leaving our shrubs to suffer. S**lopes that are in full sun**. When we get these short afternoon showers, the water quickly runs off leaving the slopes as dry as before the rain.. **New and established azaleas**. Azaleas don’t tolerate long periods of drought near as much as many other shade-loving plants. If they are under canopies of trees, we cannot ignore them. **Here are some tips to help us water more efficiently.** **Water in the morning** so moisture has a chance to soak in before the heat of the day increases evaporation. If you can’t water in the am, water late afternoon, but early enough for foliage to dry before dark. This helps prevent fungus. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/watering-plant-w-bucket-3-300x200.jpg)When watering with a hose **allow water to slowly trickle** on shrubs and trees so moisture can soak in deeper without runoff. A stream the diameter of a pencil or slightly less should do the trick. **Water the soil, not the plant** whenever possible. This helps avoid disease on many vegetables, roses and popular perennials. It also helps saturate the soil deeper and further out, so the soil stays moist longer. **Pay particular attention to your containers and hanging baskets** as they tend to dry out![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hanging-basket-300x225.jpg) quicker than plants in the ground. Check them daily. Check before watering as many **symptoms of over-watering appear the same as under-watering**. Don’t assume, check by burying your finger about 3″ into the soil. If the soil feels moist leave it alone. A moisture meter is a better means to do this. It is **better to water deeper and less frequently** than to water for short periods more often. Keep your **beds well mulched**. **![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/soaker-hose-compressed-300x225.jpg)Soaker hoses are a great way to water hedges** of evergreens or groups of plants. Loop soaker hoses over the root zone of the plant then on to the next plant as opposed to just running it along one side of a plant or tree. Run hoses for a couple hours twice a week. **Categories:** Shrubs, Lawn Care --- ### [Treehoppers under sunflower leaves, gardener bitten by carpenter ant](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/treehoppers-under-sunflower-leaves-gardener-bitten-by-carpenter-ant/) **Published:** June 18, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: A couple of weeks ago, I was out weeding under the tall sunflowers we had planted. Something bit me, and I realized it was a huge black ant on the sunflower leaf. It wasn’t a sting, it was literally a bite. When I looked up, I realized the undersides of many of the sunflower leaves had masses of large black ants. They seemed to be congregating, not just wandering aimlessly. Any idea what they were doing?** A: Ah ha! When I looked at your photos on my computer screen I saw that indeed there were other insects besides the ants present under the leaves. You have a population of keeled treehoppers, *Entylia carinata*, insects that suck sap from the leaves and secrete sweet honeydew, which ants love. The carpenter ants are “farming” the treehoppers. If your sunflower leaf dies, they will move the treehoppers to other leaves. They were defending their herd when you were bitten. Curing the problem is simple: blast the treehoppers and ants off the leaves with a water hose. ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ants-on-sunflower-4-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/aph2-300x207.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/aph1-300x225.jpg) ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ants-on-sunflower-3-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** Lawn Care --- ### [Treehoppers - Control](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/treehoppers-control/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have these strange pests on the bottom of my sunflower leaves. We have searched high and low to find what they are. I would greatly appreciate it if you could identify them and tell me how I may safely get rid of them so they do not eat all my vegetables and plants.** A: Your insects are treehoppers. They don’t really hurt sunflowers. They suck small amounts of sap from plant stems but are generally considered harmless. Females may insert eggs in stems but not enough to do much harm. They are close kin to planthoppers, which coat themselves with white, waxy filaments while they rest on stems of hosta, azalea, coneflower, etc. Carpenter ants “farm” treehoppers to get the sweet honeydew these insects secrete. The ants may bite you if you touch them. Blast them off with a water hose if they bother you. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/treehopper.jpg) treehoppers ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/planthopper.jpg) Planthoppers on hosta stem **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Azalea, Flowers, Pests, Sunflower --- ### [Onion](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/onion/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Allium cepa* One of the oldest crops in human history, gardeners grow these members of the lily family for the immature green bunching onions, often called scallions, or for the mature dry bulbs. Onions seem to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean from Palestine to India. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Onion](https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/fruit-vegetable-ornamentals-production/onions.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) The Old Testament describes them as one of the items the Israelites longed for during their long sojourn in the desert. Onions are so easy to grow and so useful in the kitchen that they should be part of every garden. WHEN TO PLANT Onions are completely hardy; put them out as soon as the soil can be worked in mid- to late- winter. Start them from seed sown directly in the garden, from seedling transplants (called stick-outs), or from onion sets (sets are most often available commercially). Sets which are tiny onion bulbs grown the previous season are the easiest way to start onions in the home garden, especially in the late winter. Sow seed for stick-outs indoors under lights about mid-January. WHERE TO PLANT Plant onions in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) in well-prepared, well-drained soil. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Work the soil until it is finely broken up. In rows, space stick-outs 3 inches apart, with 12 to 15 inches between rows. In beds, space the plants 3 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart across the beds, which will allow 12 to 15 plants across the beds. Set the plants somewhat deeper than they were growing, about 1 inch. Water in the plants with a transplant starter fertilizer, such as 10-52-17 or 10-30-10, mixed according to directions on the label. If onion maggots have been a problem in the past and your previous crops have been damaged, mix an approved garden insecticide in water according to the label directions, and use it as a drench as transplants are watered in. Space onion sets 1 inch apart for green onions and 3 inches apart for dry onions. For dry onions, push the sets into the soil surface. For green onions, plant the sets 2 or 3 inches deep to develop the long, white stems. Direct seed 12 to 15 seeds per foot of row, and thin to the proper spacing when they are about 4 inches tall. Thin to 1 per inch for green bunching onions, and eventually to 1 every 3 inches for dry onions. Use the green onions as you remove them for thinning. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Onions are shallowly rooted, so be careful as you hoe or pull weeds. Try to get as much top growth as possible by the first day of summer. Bulbs begin to form when the days reach about 15 hours in length, and the size of the dry onions is determined by the size of the tops. Apply 1 inch of water each week if the weather is dry. Side-dress onions with 10-10-10 fertilizer when the plants are about 12 inches tall. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest green onions when the stems are pencil-sized. Pull any dry onions that form flower stalks, and use them immediately because they will not store well as dry onions. When the tops begin to yellow and fall over, pull them to one side with the back of a rake. Do not walk the tops down or the development of the bulbs will stop. (walking the tops down refers to an old-fashioned idea that you needed to crush the tops to get the bulbs to form.) Pull the dry onions when all the tops have gone down, preferably in the morning during dry weather. Let them dry there in the garden where you pulled them until afternoon, then collect them and spread them on screens or slats so that they can cure for 2 to 3 weeks. After they are cured, knock off as much soil as possible, and cut the dry tops to about 11/2 inches long. Do not peel the bulbs, and do not wash them. Use damaged onions immediately. Store the onions in mesh bags or wire baskets in a dry, cool place, and they will last all winter. VARIETIES Some onions form bulbs when days are short, others when days are long. Short-day varieties such as the Vidalia onions grown in Georgia are grown in the winter in the. Unlike long-day varieties, which are better suited for planting in northern and midwestern states, short-day varieties will not form bulbs in the long days of summers, and they don’t store as long because of higher moisture content. Home gardeners have little choice when buying onion sets; use the varieties that are the easiest to obtain locally. Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Long Day Types: Sweet Spanish Sweet Walla Walla Sweet Mild Yellow Globe Danvers Globe. Red Baron Colorful in salads Southport White Globe Good slicer Ebenezer Slightly flat Stuttgarter Popular Short Day Types: Crystal White Wax Flat, mild Yellow Granex Deep flat, sweet Red Creole Hard, small bulbs, pungent Texas 1015 Very sweet Vidalia Sweet **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Fertilizer, Moisture, Onion, Seed, Soil, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Pea, English and Snap](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pea-english-and-snap/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Pisum sativum* var. sativum *Pisum sativum* var. macrocarpon (Sugar Pea) Peas are decidedly cool-weather plants, intolerant of hot weather. As soon as the weather warms up, production ceases, much to the dismay of many pea-loving gardeners. Plus, peas lose their flavor quickly after harvest, which explains why peas from the market are never as flavorful as those picked fresh. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Snap Pea Information](http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV109) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) “Picking the vines” as the peas develop in your garden is a sure way to have the best-tasting vegetables on your kitchen table. Gardeners grow peas for the immature, edible pods (sugar or snow peas); for the edible pods with immature seeds (snap peas); or for the mature seeds (English or garden peas), which are shelled out for use. WHEN TO PLANT Peas, like onions and Irish potatoes, must be planted as early in the season as possible – experienced gardeners usually “row up” part of the garden in the fall just for these early vegetables. Sow peas in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked in spring, between Valentine’s Day and mid-March. The seeds germinate when soil temperatures reach about 45 degrees Fahrenheit. To produce a fall crop, use heat-tolerant varieties, and sow them in late summer – late August or early September – so they mature in the cool weather of fall. WHERE TO PLANT Peas need full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) for full production. Since they will be planted very early, a soil in a part of the garden that drains well and dries out early in the spring is an advantage. For late production, partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day) shields the plants from intense heat and may prolong the season. HOW TO PLANT By preparing the soil in the fall, you can sow the seeds at the earliest opportunity in the spring without having to wait to till the soil. Peas are legumes; they derive their nitrogen from the air and do not need nitrogen fertilizers. Whether preparing the soil in spring or fall, apply a garden fertilizer, such as 5-20-20, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) Rake out the seedbed and leave it over winter if you till in the fall. Peas may be either bush or vining types. Sow seeds 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Thin seedlings to 8 to 10 inches apart. (You can recognize pea seedlings because they will be in rows and all look the same; weed seedlings will be randomly spaced, and all will look different.) In a bed, sow seeds in rows across the bed, or plant double rows, 6 inches apart along each side of the bed, and set supports between them. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Bush peas are self-supporting. Placing vining types on a support of some kind conserves space, makes picking easier, and keeps the peas from getting muddy every time it rains. Many gardeners use “pea sticks” to support both bush and vining plants. “Pea sticks” are small branches, 2 to 4 feet long, stuck in the ground along the rows to support the plants as they grow. Some enterprising garden centers collect such branches and offer them for sale each spring. Sugar and snap peas are nearly all vining types. Gardeners grow them on various kinds of trellises, fences, or poles, and biodegradable netting supported on stakes is a popular system too. After harvest is completed, the netting and vines are removed for composting. Peas need to be watered only during a dry spring; they require about 1 inch of water every 10 days. Since fall is often dry, fall crops usually need to be watered to get them to germinate and to achieve full production. Peas generally don’t have major pests, but root-rot can be a problem in heavy clay soils during wet winters. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest English or garden peas when they are full sized and before the seeds begin to dry. Pods should be green, not yet turning tan. Harvest snap peas when the pods are full sized for the variety and before the seeds are mature. Harvest sugar peas when the pods are fully formed, but before the seeds begin to develop. VARIETIES Early, midseason, and late varieties of peas are available. Since the season is usually too short anyway, and plants have not finished producing by the time hot weather arrives, plant the earliest varieties. The wrinkled-seeded varieties listed here tolerate cold, wet soils better than smooth-seeded varieties. Varieties Days to Maturity Comments English Peas: Alaska 57 days Early. Little Marvel 63 days Old standard. Mr. Big 58-60 days Sweet flavor, needs no support. AAS. Sparkle 60 days Freezes well. Snap or Edible-pod Peas: Early Snap 60 days Thick pods. Sugar Daddy 72 days Stringless Sugar Lace 65 days Sweet, good producer. Sugar Snap 74 days The original snap type, vining (needs support). AAS. Sugar Peas: Dwarf Gray Sugar 65 days Tall. Snowbird 58 days pods in clusters. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Compost, Fall, Fertilizer, Onion, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Trellis, Weed, Winter --- ### [Squash](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/squash/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita mixta* Squashes are warm-season vine crops with flavorful flesh. The many types are divided into summer squash, grown for the immature fruit, and winter squash, which is harvested mature. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • For more information on squash explore any or all of the following sites: [Home Garden Summer Squash](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/ssquash1.html), [Home Garden Winter Squash](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/wsquash1.html) [ Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [ Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) [Gardening in Containers](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C787&title=Gardening%20in%20Containers) gives good tips on using containers to grow plants [Growing Vegetables Organically](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1011&title=Growing%20Vegetables%20Organically) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) Squash can take a lot of room, so be prepared. Vining types will spread 10 feet or more, but can be grown on trellises with adequate support for the heavy fruits. In recent years, bush types have been developed that take much less space and can even be grown in pots. WHEN TO PLANT Don’t hurry to get squash into the garden very early. The plants need warm weather to develop and may rot off if weather is cool and wet. Sow seeds indoors under lights about 1 week before the frost-free date (average date of last frost). Set out started plants or sow seeds directly in the garden after any danger of frost has passed. WHERE TO PLANT To have the best harvest, plant squashes in well-drained soil in an area with full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), although they will grow and produce in light shade (some gardeners grow squash between rows of corn). Grow bush types in raised beds or containers. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. (See “Soil Preparation” in the vegetable garden introduction.) Because vine crops do not tolerate root injuries common to transplanting, indoors under lights sow squash seeds in peat pots that can be planted without disturbing the tiny roots. After danger of frost has passed, sow 6 seeds or set 2 or 3 transplant seedlings in hills about 5 feet apart, with rows 10 feet apart. Or space the plants 10 feet apart down the middles of beds. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Thin the seedlings to 2 or 3 per hill when they are big enough to handle. If there is danger of disturbing the other seedlings, pinch off the extras instead of pulling them. Bush types are well suited for beds, spaced 3 feet apart down the middles of the beds. Dwarf bush types flourish in 5-gallon buckets, half barrels, or similar-sized containers, but you must make sure they drain. Sow or plant dwarf bush types, 1 per container, in a commercial potting mix. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Squashes require lots of water and fertilizer after they set fruit. Apply 1 inch of water per week if nature does not cooperate. Fertilize with nitrogen when the vines have almost covered the ground, but be sure to rinse the fertilizer off the leaves. Squash has both male and female flowers on the same plant. Usually, male flowers are produced first. Many gardeners are dismayed when these flowers fall off without making any squashes. Female flowers have tiny squashes just below the petals; male flowers have straight stems. Bees play an important role in pollination by carrying the pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers as they feed. Use insecticides carefully in the evening-sometime after the sun sets but before it is too dark to see-to avoid harming the bees. Pay even closer attention to plants in containers than plants in the garden. Water them as often as necessary to prevent wilting, and apply a complete liquid fertilizer every week or so, according to directions on the package. All squashes are susceptible to attack by squash vine borers. These larvae of red beelike moths lay eggs on the bases of the plants, and the eggs hatch into grubs that burrow into the vines, turning them to frass (a mass of shredded plant parts and often insect parts) and eventually killing them. Control these insects by applying an approved garden insecticide to the stems of the plants when the plants begin to vine and then every 2 weeks during the season. Stems that have been invaded may be saved by slitting them lengthwise where the damage is evident to kill the grubs inside, then burying the damaged stem so it can form new roots. Control cucumber beetles with a garden insecticide, and squash bugs with sabidilla dust. Squash bugs will damage the fruits of winter squash so they rot in storage. (See the pest control chart in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest summer squashes while they are still immature, at the proper size for the type. Pick elongated types when they are 6 to 8 inches long and less than 2 inches in diameter. Pick patty pan (scalloped) types when they reach about 4 inches in diameter. Plan to harvest every day when the plants are producing heavily to stimulate continued production and to make sure fruits are not allowed to become overly large. Some people like larger, straight types, which they hollow out and fill with stuffings, or which they grind for baking in breads. Harvest winter squashes when they have developed full color and when the rinds are hardened sufficiently that you cannot cut into them with your fingernail. Cut the handles 3 to 4 inches long using a pair of shears to avoid breaking them. Winter squashes without handles do not keep well. Wear gloves during the harvest because the stems may have sharp spines on them. Keep the winter squashes in a warm place after harvest to harden them off, then store them in a dry place at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Well-grown winter squashes can be stored all winter. VARIETIES Just a few varieties are listed here. There are many more, and new ones are developed each year. Check seed catalogs for additional kinds. Summer squash matures in 50 to 60 days, and winter squash matures in 80 to 120 days. Varieties Comments Summer Squash: Golden Zucchini: Gold Rush Deep gold, superior fruit. AAS. Green Zucchini: Aristocrat Productive. AAS. Black Zucchini Best known and most common summer squash. Chefini Excellent quality, productive. AAS. Spineless Beauty No spines on stem. Scallop (Patty Pan shaped): Peter Pan Light green. AAS. Scallopini Productive. Good fresh or cooked. AAS. Sunburst Yellow. White Bush Scallop Traditional scalloped type. Yellow Crookneck: Early Yellow Summer Crookneck Familiar warty fruit. Sundance Smooth skin. Yellow Straightneck: Early Prolific Straightneck The standard, light cream color. Goldbar Golden yellow. Winter Squash: Acorn: Cream of the Crop White acorn type. AAS. Table Ace Dark green, low fiber, Table Gold Bush. Table King Bush. Table Queen Standard, dark-green acorn. Buttercup: Buttercup Fine-grained, sweet 3 pounds. Emerald Bush Buttercup Bush. Sweet Mama Semivining, sweet, 3 to 4 pounds. AAS. Butternut: Butterbush Bush. Butternut Supreme Early, sweet. Early Butternut Flavorful and early. AAS. Waltham Uniform, 12-inch fruits. Hubbard: Baby Hubbard Smaller. Blue Hubbard Blue skin Chicago Hubbard Midwest favorite. Green Hubbard Green skin. Warted Hubbard Exceptionally warty. Others: Banana 24 inches long, gray-blue or pink, 25 pounds. Cushaw 30 inches long. Turks Turban Turban shaped, orange and green. Spaghetti: High Beta Gold High in beta-carotene. Stripetti Great taste, stores well. Tivoli Bush. AAS. Vegetable Spaghetti Light yellow, good keeper. Sweet Potato: Delicata Long, cream colored with green stripes. Honey Boat Very sweet. Sugar Loaf Dark-green stripes, very sweet. Sweet Dumpling flattened, round, fluted white with Green stripes. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Pine, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Squash, Summer, Trellis, Winter --- ### [Shallot](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/shallot/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Allium cepa* var. aggregatum Shallots are related to onions, but have a milder, more delicate flavor. In some parts of the country people call any green onion a shallot. The difference is that onion bulbs develop only 1 sprout per bulb, while shallots develop 6 to 10 sprouts per bulb. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) The shallots can be pulled when they are the size of green bunching onions and used as green onions would be, for example, in salads or as garnishes for soups. Gardeners grow shallots for the dry bulbs as well. Having originated in western Asia, probably Syria, shallots have been mentioned in literature for centuries. WHEN TO PLANT Shallots are hardy. Plant them in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. WHERE TO PLANT Plant shallots in a full-sun location with well-prepared, well-drained soil. (8 to 10 hours will suffice. See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Work the soil into a fine seedbed (the soil should be finely broken up). Start shallots from clumps of bulbs. Separate the clumps into individual bulbs, and plant them 2 inches deep, 4 inches apart, in rows 1 foot apart, or plant them in rows across a bed. Keep the pointed ends up to have straight shallots. If onion maggots have been a problem in the past and previous crops have suffered damage, mix an approved garden insecticide in the water according to label directions, and use it as the bulbs are watered in. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Provide plenty of water for shallots during dry weather; they need about 1 inch per week. Be vigilant in controlling weeds; since the shallots do not provide complete cover, weeds will germinate all season. Pests and diseases may affect plantings. If thrips become troublesome, treat them with insecticidal soap.The same diseases that affect onions affect shallots, so don’t plant them in the same part of the garden each year, and don’t replant bulbs from plants that are stunted or off-color. To have green shallots with long, blanched stems, hill them up with 2 inches of soil when the shoots are about 4 inches tall, 4 to 5 weeks before harvest. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest green shallots when they are 6 to 8 inches tall, 10 to 12 weeks after planting. As I noted earlier, each bulb produces many sprouts, so pull the individual sprouts and leave the rest to develop later. You may prefer to grow shallots for dry bulbs, which mature in mid- to late summer. Allow the tops to dry down naturally, then pull the dry shallots when all the tops have gone down, preferably in the morning during dry weather. Let them dry where you pull them in the garden until afternoon, collect them, and spread them on screens or slats so that they can cure for 2 to 3 weeks. After they are cured, knock off as much soil as possible, braid them together, and hang them in a dry place. Do not peel the bulbs, and do not wash them. Use damaged ones immediately. The dry shallots keep much better than onions. Save some of the very best bulbs for planting the next season. VARIETIES Most catalogs list only shallots and no varieties. There are some varieties, however, and occasionally, catalogs of exotic garden plants list them. Once you get a supply, try to keep them going. If diseases affect the planting, however, buy new bulbs to obtain a fresh start. Some varieties I have seen include ‘Frog Legs’, ‘Dutch Yellow’, ‘Prince de Bretagne’, and ‘French Epicurean’. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fertilizer, Onion, Pests, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed --- ### [Sorrel](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/sorrel/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Rumex acetosa (scutatus)* Sorrel, commonly called garden sorrel, produces leaves with a sharp, lemony flavor. A high oxalic acid content, which may be troublesome for persons subject to gout, causes the sharpness. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing see also [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Although sorrel leaves are used in salads or cooked as greens, sorrel is best known for its use in French sorrel soup. This hardy plant can become a weed in the garden if it is not contained. Plants spread 2 feet and send up a 2foot seed stalk if it is not cut off. WHEN TO PLANT Finding sorrel in garden centers may be difficult. If you prefer to work with transplants instead of seed, you may want to plan ahead and start your own. Sow seed in starter trays indoors under lights in March. Sow seed or set out started plants as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Sorrel can stand a light frost, so plants may be set out at least 2 weeks before the frostfree date (average date of last frost). WHERE TO PLANT These plants are quite adaptable to conditions in the garden but choose a planting site with welldrained soil in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) for the best production. Give them soil with a high fertility level and they will be even more productive. Since sorrel is a perennial and will stay in the same place from year to year, plant it where it will not be disturbed by other garden activities. A halfdozen plants are probably adequate for most gardeners. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Set started plants, or sow seed directly in the garden, spaced 1 foot apart in rows or beds. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Few, if any, pests bother sorrel. Mites may be the exception and affect the plants in hot dry weather. To combat mites, spray with insecticidal soap and remember to rinse the leaves before using them in the kitchen. Control weeds until the plants are well established. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Remove flower stalks to keep plants producing. Harvest tender green leaves as needed and use them fresh. Divide the plants every 3 years. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Lemon, Pests, Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed --- ### [Pea, Southern](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pea-southern-2/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Vigna unguiculata* To a Southerner, “peas” means blackeyed, not English. Also known as field pea, cowpea, and protopea – or just plain Southern pea – these high-protein bean relatives come in a huge array of pod and seed color, size, shape, and flavor, and on vines or bushes. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Southern Peas](https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/05/superhero-southern-peas/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Small kinds are sometimes called “lady” peas, and other popular kinds are called crowders, creams, blackeyes, pinkeyes, purple hull, and silver skin. They can be cooked fresh, canned, or made into dips, or dried and stored. They are most commonly served with corn bread soaked in their rich “pot liqueur” broth. WHEN TO PLANT This warm-season plant will not tolerate cool soils! Wait until at least two weeks after the last frost, or when the soil has reached the upper 60s, or risk losing seedlings to stem- and root-rot. WHERE TO PLANT Southern peas must have full sun, and grow best in a slightly acidic, well-drained soil. Being legumes, which “fix” their own nitrogen from the air, they need little or no nitrogen fertilizer – in fact, they can be used as a soil-enriching cover crop in rotation with heavy-feeding corn. HOW TO PLANT These bean relatives grow on bushy or semi-vining, drought-tolerant plants. Plant seeds one inch deep in clay soils and two inches deep in sandy soils, four to six inches apart, in rows that are three feet apart. Thin seedlings to six to twelve inches apart. Too much nitrogen fertilizer will increase plant size but reduce yields, so use a low-nitrogen fertilizer at planting time. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Southern pea plants produce enough for three or four harvests. Pick the slender beans as they ripen, when the pods begin to change color (purple-hull varieties: when the hulls are fifty percent colored); for dried peas, let the last flush ripen and dry on the vine, then pick and process as you would dried beans. Southern peas are subject to several diseases, most caused by overfeeding or planting too early or late, over-fertilization, or wet seasons. Stinkbugs and aphids are major insects, and can be controlled with regular applications of approved insecticides – check with a local garden center or Agricultural Extension office for recommendations and waiting periods. VARIETIES There are several major kinds of Southern peas. Most varieties mature in 65-70 days but can be picked 3 or 4 times. Field peas are robust vines with small seeds that produce a dark liquid (“gravy”) when cooked. Crowder peas have starchy seeds “crowded” into pods, and normally cook up dark. Cream peas are smaller, almost bushy plants with light colored seeds that cook up light; black-eyed pea is an intermediate plant type whose seed has a characteristic dark “eye”; and purple hull peas, including “pink eyes” have pods that turn purple or burgundy when mature, and are harvested for fresh cooking. Harvest when the pods are half-colored. Examples of each include: Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Mississippi Purple 70 days Large-seeded crowder pea, very high production Pinkeye Purple Hull 63-65 days Pods change from green to purple when mature California Blackeye 55-60 days Number 1 variety across the country Calico crowder 65-89 days Running vine with heavy production of extra long pods Zipper Cream 66 days Large easy-shelling pea. Low bushy plant RECIPE Good Luck New Year’s Day Hoppin’ John Cover fresh peas, or dried peas that have been soaked overnight, with cold water, bring to a boil for 1 minute, remove from heat, cover pan, and let sit for an hour. Saute a pound of ham, pork, or sausage, then add one chopped onion and a minced clove of garlic, saute until golden. Add to peas, throw in seasonings (black pepper, dash of salt, red pepper flakes, dash of hot pepper sauce), simmer until peas are tender but not mushy (1 to 2 hours). Adjust salt seasoning to taste. Serve over a mound of rice. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Beans, Disease, Fertilizer, Garlic, Oak, Onion, Seed, Soil --- ### [Spinach](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/spinach/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Spinacia oleracea* Spinach is probably native to southwest Asia. Gardeners have cultivated it for centuries as a salad green and cooked vegetable. Even though many youngsters are dissuaded by early experiences with boiled spinach, most adults eventually appreciate its diversity in such treats as salads, quiches, pizzas, crepes, and omelets. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Spinach](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=TP112-10) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Spinach is a cool-weather crop that can produce in spring or fall. It matures when little else is coming from the garden, and some gardeners grow it indoors under lights as well. WHEN TO PLANT These plants can stand a freeze. They must be planted early and harvested before hot weather arrives. In hot weather, spinach sends up a seed stalk (bolts), and the quality quickly deteriorates. Unless you want lots of spinach at one time, however, make several seedings to spread out the harvest. If you prefer to direct-seed, sow seed in the garden as early as the soil can be worked. Some gardeners prepare the soil in the fall and broadcast the seed over the frozen ground. If you want the earliest production, start with transplants, either homegrown or from garden centers. To grow your own, sow the earliest seed for spinach indoors about 2 months before the frost-free date (average date of last frost). Grow the plants under lights or in the greenhouse, and transplant them into the garden when they are large enough to handle, 3 or 4 weeks before the frost-free date. Transplants may be available from garden centers about that time; buy plants that have a good green color, are short and compact, and have no pests. Since the spinach will be harvested and out of the garden by midsummer, plan to replace it with a fall crop. Sow seed directly in the garden in late July or early August, or transplant seedlings in September. WHERE TO PLANT Spinach prefers full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), but to extend its production into the hot summer months, plant it in partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day) to keep it cooler. A well-drained location can provide healthier plants. The plants need lots of water for vigorous growth, but the roots cannot stand soggy soils. Plants in soggy soils will be susceptible to diseases, and leaves may scald at the edges. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. In rows, space transplants 6 to 8 inches apart, with 12 inches between rows. In a bed, space the plants 6 inches apart in each direction, which will allow 6 to 8 plants across the bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. To seed directly in the garden, chilling the seeds in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or soaking them overnight before sowing them will hasten germination, and covering the seeds with a board 4 – 7 days will keep the seed cool and moist until they sprout. Sow spinach seed in rows 12 inches apart, and thin to 1 plant every 6 inches. In a bed, seed in rows 6 inches apart across the bed, or broadcast the seed; thin seedlings to 4 to 6 inches in each direction. For a continuous supply of spinach, make additional plantings every 7 to 10 days. The small seedlings will survive the winter if they are carefully mulched and will produce a crop very early the next spring. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Keep the plants growing, and water as needed to provide about 1 inch per week. Spinach plants are shallowly rooted and easily uprooted, so weed by careful hoeing or pulling while the plants are small. Pests and diseases may affect plantings. Control aphids with insecticidal soap. Leaf miners lay eggs just under the surface of the leaves, then the larvae hatch and mine their way around inside the leaves, making dead brown trails. Covering the plants with cheesecloth or using commercial row covers is the only way to protect them. Plant resistant varieties to avoid disease problems. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest spinach by snipping off outer leaves as soon as they are large enough to use. When plants are large enough to harvest, cut every other one, leaving more room for the others. As soon as the plants begin to bolt (send up seed stalks), harvest all that remain before they are spoiled. VARIETIES Spinach varieties are either savoyed or smooth-leafed. Savoyed spinach has puckered or cupped leaves that can catch grit splashed by rains or watering. Sometimes the grit does not wash out completely despite repeated attempts, and a gritty salad is the result. Commercial growers often avoid the problem by growing spinach on muck soils (black organic soils, often called peat) that have no grit. If your spinach has tended to be gritty, grow a smooth-leafed variety. New Zealand spinach, Tetragonia tetragonioides, is a summer substitute for spinach; there is only 1 variety. It is not a true spinach, but has a similar taste and is heat resistant. Plant New Zealand spinach after danger of frost has passed. Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Savoy: Avon 42 days Good heat tolerance. Bloomsdale 46 days An old favorite. Long Standing Melody 42 days Spring or fall. AAS. Winter Bloomsdale 45 days Slow to bolt, good for overwintering. Smooth Leaf: Catalina 45 days Upright, long-standing, slow to bolt. Giant Noble 43 days Slow to bolt. Olympia 46 days Long-standing. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Greenhouse, Mulch, Oak, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Watering, Weed, Winter --- ### [Potato](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/potato/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Solanum tuberosum* The potato ranks with rice and wheat as one of the world’s leading food crops. It is the number one vegetable crop, grown in nearly every country of the world. The potato is actually a shortened stem called a tuber. It contains dormant buds (eyes), which sprout to start new plants. • More detailed information can be found in **[The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/)** by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Potatoes](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1011&title=Home%20Garden%20Potatoes) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Potatoes originated in the high country of South America and were cultivated by the Incas. They made their way to Europe with the early Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century. After achieving wide acceptance in Europe, they reached North America in the 1700s and had become a staple by the end of that century. People in some parts of the world have relied heavily on potatoes. Their importance to Ireland was evident when early blight ruined the crop, causing the potato famines of 1845 to 1847. The results were starvation and mass immigration to this country. Potatoes continue to be essential to the well-being of people in some parts of the world, particularly Eastern Europe where they are the main source of carbohydrate. Potatoes are less important as staples in this country, but are very popular as snacks, chips, fries, double-baked potatoes, and side dishes. Health-conscious Americans equate potatoes with high calories, but the vegetables are not at fault. The butter and sour cream that are mounded on the spuds cause the problems. Potatoes are actually low in calories and fat, and high in vitamins, complex carbohydrates, potassium, and fiber. WHEN TO PLANT Although potatoes can stand a frost, a freeze will kill them. (With a frost, temperatures do not go below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but water vapor crystallizes on surfaces. A freeze is colder than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and water freezes.) Don’t be in a rush to plant them. If the soil is too wet and cold, the plants will not grow, and the seed pieces may begin to rot. If the weather is moderate and the soils are workable, plant “”seed pieces”” 3 or 4 weeks before the average date of last frost. WHERE TO PLANT Plant potatoes in a full-sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) location that has well-drained and well-tilled soil. Hard, lumpy soil will result in poorly formed potatoes. If the soil is heavy or puddled (hard, compacted condition of heavier soil with a high clay content), incorporate organic matter and till the soil during the preceding fall. Allow it to remain rough over the winter to mellow it. HOW TO PLANT Potatoes are started from seed pieces, not from actual seeds. The seed pieces are sections of tuber 1 1/2 to 2 ounces in size to give the sprout enough energy for a good start. Do not save potatoes for seed because they may carry diseases. And do not try to grow plants from store-bought potatoes, which have been treated with sprouting inhibitors. Eventually, the treatment wears out and store-bought potatoes will sprout, but they will be delayed and are not certified disease free. To get the best start with your plants, buy certified seed potatoes from a reliable outlet. Seed that has already sprouted will develop faster and produce a bigger crop. Some gardeners intentionally sprout the seed potatoes before cutting them for planting. To follow that practice, spread out the seed potatoes in a bright, warm, humid place for 3 or 4 weeks. Cut the seed pieces a couple of days before planting, and spread them out to dry. Each piece should have at least 1 good sprout, and having 2 or 3 sprouts is even better. Be careful not to break the sprouts in planting. Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. In rows, space the seed pieces 12 to 15 inches apart, with 24 inches between rows. In a bed, space the seed pieces 12 by 18 to 24 inches apart, which will allow 2 plants across the bed. Plant them 2 to 3 inches deep with the eyes up, then cover them gently to avoid breaking off any sprouts. In soil that is very heavy, shallow, full of rocks, or poorly drained, grow potatoes above ground (called straw potatoes). Set the seed pieces at the correct spacing but gently firmed into the soil surface, then cover them loosely with 6 inches of clean straw. The potatoes will root into the soil, but the tubers will form at the soil surface. CARE AND MAINTENANCE When the sprouts are about 6 inches high, begin hilling soil around them. With a hoe, pull soil from the spaces between the rows, being careful not to dig too deeply and injure roots. The hills eventually should be about 6 inches high and 1 foot wide. Potatoes that develop in light will be green and inedible. Hilling covers them and also cultivates the soil to loosen and aerate it while eliminating weeds. Fluff up straw over the straw potatoes, and as it thins out, add more straw to cover the developing tubers. Potatoes develop better in moist, cool soil. Water to provide 1 inch a week if nature does not cooperate because drought seriously reduces production, and uneven moisture causes knobby tubers. Soil temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit are optimum for tuber production. Pests and diseases may affect the plantings. Protect the plants from leaf hoppers, potato beetles, or flea beetles by applying an approved garden insecticide or using floating row covers. Avoid planting potatoes and other solanaceous crops (peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, etc.) in the same place in the garden 2 years in a row because these plants are susceptible to the same diseases. Scab is a common potato disease that causes a rough surface to the tuber. Buying resistant varieties is the best prevention. The disease does not develop in acidic soils, but most attempts to lower the alkalinity are usually less than successful. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest new potatoes about 10 weeks after planting. When the first flowers on the potatoes appear, small tubers are usually ready. If you dig to remove a few, be very careful not to damage the others. New potatoes are easy to find under straw; simply lift the straw and steal a few. Be sure to replace the straw, and try to avoid damaging the roots or other tubers. When vines begin to yellow, dig the potatoes as soon as possible because potatoes left in the ground after they are ready for harvest may be harmed by insects or diseases. Cut off yellowing, old vines. The potatoes are usually 4 to 6 inches below ground, so carefully lift them with a fork or spade. Start far enough from the row to avoid cutting into any of the potatoes. Harvest straw potatoes by collecting them from the soil surface. If the soil is in good condition beneath the straw, some tubers may develop in the ground; be sure to dig after them too. Spread the potatoes on the ground for a couple of hours to dry off before collecting them. Do not wash them or they will not keep. Store them in the dark in a warm place to cure for a week or so, then store them at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the winter. Always keep them in the dark to prevent them from turning green. VARIETIES The most commonly grown potatoes are either white or red skinned with white flesh. Less common are the potatoes with yellow, pink, blue, or purple flesh. Yellow potato varieties are gaining popularity because they are moist and seem to have better flavor than the more typical commercially grown varieties. While most commercial varieties are dry and tasteless as dust, home garden varieties are moist and flavorful. Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Blue: All Blue 100 days Blue through and through. Red: Norland 110 days Scab resistant. Red Pontiac 120 days Does well in heavy soil. Viking 120 days Unusually productive. White: Green Mountain 120 days Heirloom, many misshapen tubers, but the best-tasting baking potato ever. Katahdin 130 days Good looking, but marginal quality. Kennebec 130 days Our favorite for excellent quality and production, large tubers. Irish Cobbler 110 days Irregularly shaped. Russet Burbank 110 days The most common commercial variety, needs cool soil, marginal quality. Yellow: Yukon gold 100 days Good flavor, moist. [![potato Irish](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/potato-Irish1.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/potato-Irish1.jpg) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Moisture, Peppers, Pests, Seed, Soil, Temperature, Tomatoes, Weed, Winter --- ### [Tomato](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Lycopersicon lycopersicum* Tomatoes are unquestionably the most popular garden vegetables in the United States. The flavor of a newly picked red tomato from your garden easily surpasses that of premium, greenhouse-grown fruit and no other vegetable comes close to producing as much in a limited space. • More detailed information can be found in [The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book by Walter Reeves](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Tomatoes](http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8107.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Native to the Americas, tomatoes were introduced into the gardens of Europe in the 1500s, but people considered them poisonous and grew them only as ornamentals. Tomatoes were reintroduced into American gardens in the late 1700s but did not become popular as edible vegetables until about 1850. Gardeners immigrating from overseas often bring a few seeds of precious varieties grown by their families in the Old Country. Even gardeners visiting Italy or Greece are tempted to remove a few seeds from a salad tomato and secret them away to be planted when they arrive home. (This isn’t a good idea, however, because they may introduce a disease or insect that could destroy tomatoes here.) Tomatoes are tender, warm-weather plants. You set them out after danger of frost has passed, and they will grow until frost arrives in the fall. Hundreds of tomato varieties are available to home gardeners. Newer varieties have eliminated many of the problems associated with these plants. More predictable habit, better fruit set in inclement weather, and disease resistance have been bred into modern tomatoes to make growing them as easy as possible. People with an interest in heirloom plants have preserved inbred lines for gardeners who remember and appreciate the characteristics of traditional varieties. Researchers have improved many of these older, standby varieties so that they are more disease resistant. Selecting varieties to grow in your garden can be quite a challenge. The over 4,000 varieties of tomatoes come in an incredible range of sizes, shapes, colors, growth habits, and maturity dates. Seed catalogs present tantalizing selections of many of these varieties, each with a glowing description and luscious photo. But not all of them may be suited to your growing conditions. Local garden centers, especially those affiliated with greenhouses that grow their own plants, usually limit choices to plants that do well in their locality. Garden departments of some larger chains import plants grown elsewhere, but offer good varieties if you know what to look for. Two distinct growth habits of tomato plants determine how you handle them in the garden. Determinate plants form low bushes. A cluster of flowers is set at the ends of stems, stopping the growth on the plant so that all of the fruit forms about the same time. These varieties are good for processing. You can pick and can all of the fruit in a few days. After 1 or 2 pickings, all the fruit is harvested, and you can pull out the plants. Some determinate varieties produce fruit very early in the season, especially when you start them indoors. You will want to make successive plantings and choose varieties of different maturity dates if you want to use determinate varieties to produce fruit for picking throughout the entire season. Indeterminate varieties set fruit clusters along a vining stem, which continues to grow all season. They never set a terminal flower cluster, so they grow indefinitely. They produce fruit throughout the season until killed off by frost. These varieties are excellent for growing on trellises or stakes. Tomato greenhouses, once common throughout the Midwest, produced indeterminate varieties that grew up to 10 feet tall on strings attached to the rafters of the structures. Recently, some intermediate varieties have been developed and classified as semideterminate. These varieties are suitable for growing in cages because they stay short and produce all season. Dwarf varieties have been developed for growing in containers, hanging baskets, planters, or areas with limited space. Some produce small salad tomatoes, but other varieties have large, slicing-sized fruit. WHEN TO PLANT Tomatoes are tender plants. A light frost may not kill them but will set them back. Sow seed at the frost-free date (average date of last frost), or set out plants in the garden at the frost-free date if some protection is available. Row covers could be used, but old bed sheets, comforters, and blankets will do. Since the plants do not grow much until soils warm up, plants set at the latest date of last frost will usually develop as fast as those set earlier. For continuous production, make successive plantings of early-, mid-season-, and late-maturing varieties. (The seed packs usually indicate when varieties mature, but the listings in the Varieties chart are better guides.) WHERE TO PLANT These plants prefer well-prepared, well-drained soil in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice). Plant indeterminate varieties or those in cages or on stakes to the north side of the garden to avoid shading lower-growing plants. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil by spading or tilling. Incorporate organic matter and fertilizer such as 1 pound of 5-20-20 or 1/2 pound of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet. To plant tomato seeds directly in the garden, sow seeds in hills spaced 2 feet apart for smaller determinate varieties and staked plants; sow seeds 36 to 42 inches apart for caged or larger indeterminate plants on the ground. After seedlings have sprouted, thin to 1 plant per hill. Start tomato transplants indoors, or buy plants from greenhouses or garden centers. Transplants should have 3 to 4 sets of leaves with a healthy green color. Purple or yellow plants will have difficulty getting started. Check plants carefully for signs of insects because aphids and whiteflies often gain entrance to the garden on infested transplants. Remove the plants from the containers, and set the plants at the same depth they were growing in the containers. Firm the soil gently around each plant, and water in with a cup of transplant starter fertilizer mixed according to directions on the package. Homegrown transplants may become weak and leggy, but do not plant them deeper to compensate, or the roots will suffocate. Plant them on their sides, and lightly cover the long stems with soil. The tips of the stems will quickly turn upward, and the buried stems will sprout new roots. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Tomatoes are easy to grow, but various problems may affect them. Plant disease-resistant varieties to eliminate verticillium and fusarium wilts, and yellows. Control foliar diseases with maneb fungicide. Use insecticidal soap on aphids and mites; apply carbaryl insecticide to take care of caterpillars and beetles. Other troubles include blossom-end rot and lack of fruit set. Blossom-end rot appears as a leathery-brown spot on the bottom of a tomato. It is more common on certain varieties and on staked plants. It is not a disease, but a result of poor growing conditions or a lack of calcium in the soil; usually, only the problem can be corrected by adding a heaping tablespoon of lime (or two finely-crushed eggshells) to each planting hole, and watering deeply during dry weather without keeping plants too wet. Poor pollination may cause catfacing (malformed fruit). Unusually high or low temperatures or extremely wet weather can interfere with pollination. To help things along, tap flower clusters in early morning to shake pollen from the flowers onto the pistil. Use a pencil to tap the flowers. Some means of support will keep the plants off the ground, reducing fruit spoilage and making harvesting easier. Tie indeterminate types to stakes, then prune these plants to a single stem by pinching off shoots that develop at each leaf axil. Grow determinate and semideterminate plants in cages. The tiny wire cages sold in garden centers are far too weak and the holes are too small to be worth the cost. Make cages from concrete reinforcing wire, which comes in 5-foot-wide rolls. A 10-foot piece, cut down the middle, will make two 21/2-foot-tall cages about 3 feet in diameter. This wire has holes 6 inches square, so the tomatoes have plenty of room to come through the sides. As they grow, keep the shoots tucked in the cages. When the plants have grown above the tops, pinch them off to control them. Tomatoes need sufficient water, about 1 inch per week. Fruit on plants that are under intermittent water stress are more likely to suffer from blossom-end rot and from fruit cracking. Drought-affected plants produce smaller and fewer tomatoes. Mulch plants to maintain even soil moisture, but delay mulching early plantings until the soil warms up. Cold soils interfere with development of the plants. When the tomatoes bloom, or when they set the first fruit, is a good rule of thumb to indicate that the soils are warm. Mulching plants that are sprawling on the ground will keep the fruit out of the mud. After the plants have set tomatoes about the size of golf balls, side-dress with a complete fertilizer. Use 10-10-10 at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet of bed. Repeat every 3 to 4 weeks until harvest is completed. Harvest the fruit as it ripens, or if frost is imminent or squirrels and birds are getting the tomatoes quicker than you are, pick them when the green fruit start showing red color – they won’t get any riper, but they will “red up” more after being picked. Do not refrigerate or quality will rapidly diminish. VARIETIES Dwarf types have been developed for container planting, and they are suitable for large pots, boxes, hanging planters, or patios where space is limited. Porches and galleries of high-rises often support crops of juicy, red tomatoes all summer. Because of the limited soil in a container, special attention to watering and fertilizing is essential. Containers may need watering as often as once or twice a day in warm weather. Use a dilute liquid fertilizer such as Miracle Gro, Peters, or something similar every 2 weeks. Early variety plants are usually more compact. Because the foliage is often sparse, sunburn can be a problem. Fruit is smaller than main-season varieties. Extra-large tomatoes are novelties, and they are often misshapen with catfacing and blossom-end rot. By the time you cut out the bad parts, you lose the advantage of the large size. Main-crop varieties should be preferred for most gardens. The plants are more vigorous, have better foliage, and are more easily trained to cages or stakes. The fruit is produced over a longer period of time, and it is of the best quality, essentially free from catfacing and cracking. All top varieties (including the AAS winners) are in this category. Medium-early varieties have normal-sized fruit and better-developed plants. They can serve as main-crop types if several plantings are made to spread out production. Best for processing, the Roma types are fleshy and drier than fresh-eating types. Lately however, Romas have become more popular for fresh eating. These plants set a lot of fruit that ripens at one time, so you need to do processing only once. Cracking is usually the biggest problem with salad tomatoes. One plant will usually be enough for a family; they come back from seed each year. **Below are just a few of the many tomato varieties available. see [Heirloom Tomatoes – Sources](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/heirloom-tomatoes-sources/)** Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Earliest Harvest: Bush Early Girl 52 days VFNT; space saver, large fruit. Early Girl 54 days VF; indeterminate, earliest of the full-sized tomatoes. Jetsetter 55 days VFFNTA; this one is really something to try! Quick Pick 60 days VFFNTA; indeterminate, good quality smooth fruit, popular among farm and community market producers, often grown staked and picked only once. Medium Early: Mountain Spring 65 days VF; determinate, smooth and well rounded. Red Sun 65 days Very large, beautiful fruit, fantastic production. Main Crop: Better Boy 72 days VFN; indeterminate, most common variety in garden centers. Burpee’s Big Girl 78 days VF; Indeterminate. Celebrity 70 days VFFNT; semideterminate, large fruit, very dependable; we rely on this variety for a crop, no matter what the weather; good for fresh use and processing. Fantastic 70 days Indeterminate, has no proven disease resistance; it has been around a long time and is still worth growing if verticillium and fusarium aren’t problems. Floramerica 75 days VF; determinate, good red color, a reliable performer. AAS. Mountain Delight 70 days VF; determinate, good where green shoulders are a problem. Supersonic days F; indeterminate, never cracks, one of the best for staking. Dwarf: Husky Gold Hybrid 70 days Same as Husky Red and Husky Pink but with yellow fruit. AAS. Husky Pink Hybrid 72 days VF; indeterminate, same growth habit as Husky Red, pink fruit. Husky Red Hybrid 68 days VF; indeterminate, large fruit, producing over a longer period. Patio Hybrid 65 days Determinate, nearly normal-sized fruit on a dwarf plant. Tiny Tim 45 days Determinate, cherry type. Extra-Large: Beefmaster 81 days VFN; indeterminate, old favorite, 1 big slice goes well on a hamburger. Delicious 77 days OP; indeterminate, very large fruit, including the world record at nearly 8 pounds. Supersteak 80 days VFN; indeterminate. Roma: Roma 75 days VF; OP; determinate, the standard red plum tomato. San Marzano 80 days OP; determinate, lots of meat, very little juice, cooks down easily. Salad: Christmas Grapes 65 days Indeterminate, productive through winter indoors with adequate light and warmth. Jolly 70 days Clusters of pink crack-free fruits. AAS. Juliet 70 days Indeterminate, elongated 1-ounce fruits in clusters like grapes. AAS. Mountain Belle 65 days VF; determinate, crack resistant, ripens evenly. Sun Gold 70 days Golden fruit, outstanding flavor. Super Sweet 70 days VF; indeterminate; large clusters, cherry-sized, red. Sweet 100 65 days VFN; heavy-producing, very sweet, indeterminate vine Sweet Million 65 days FNT; indeterminate, crack resistant. Colored: Yellow types may be less acidic than reds, and people who have trouble eating the red types may be able to enjoy yellows without difficulty. Yellow tomatoes for canning will need added acid; check the recipe or contact your county cooperative extension service for recommendations. Pink: Brandywine 80 days OP; indeterminate, heirloom, large but rough with ridges and furrows. Pink Girl 76 days VF; indeterminate, smooth pink. Yellow: Jubilee 70 days OP; indeterminate, orange. Lemon Boy 72 days VFN; indeterminate, lemon yellow. Mountain Gold 70 days VF; OP; determinate, deep orange. Vita-Gold 70 days Determinate, golden orange, unusually high in beta-carotene. Other: Evergreen 82 days OP; indeterminate, green at maturity, the original for fried green tomatoes. Green Zebra 80 days OP; heirloom, green and white at maturity. Long Keeper 80 days OP; keeps for months. ABBREVIATIONS FOR DISEASE RESISTANCE: V=VERTICILLIUM WILT; F=FUSARIUM WILT; FF=FUSARIUM WILT RACES 1 AND 2; N=NEMATODES; T=TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUSES; A=ALTERNARIA. OTHER ABBREVIATIONS: AAS=ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS; OP=OPEN POLLINATED (VERSUS HYBRID). **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Caterpillar, Cherry, Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Greenhouse, Lemon, Moisture, Mulch, Pears, Poison, Poisonous, Pots, Seed, Soil, Spring, Squirrels, Summer, Temperature, Tomatoes, Trellis, Watering, Winter --- ### [Asparagus](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/asparagus/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Asparagus officinalis* Asparagus is a cool-climate perennial plant that is fairly well adapted to all but the hottest areas of the South. Its tender spears, which arise from the crowns in the spring, make it an appetizing product of the home garden. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Asparagus](https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/asparagus) [Asparagus Harvesting and Weeding](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/asparagus-harvesting-and-weeding/) [Georgia Vegetable Gardening Publications](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/uga-vegetable-gardening-publications/) Asparagus is native to Europe and Asia where it has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years. The earliest settlers brought it to America, and abandoned plantings can still be found around old farmsteads and in volunteer patches along roadsides where is has “escaped” from cultivation by seed. WHEN TO PLANT Planning is essential for these plants because a well-prepared asparagus bed can last many years before needing reworking. The asparagus planting will take a few years to get into full production, so you will not want to move the bed around. Plant asparagus as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Asparagus plants consist of a crown with many dormant buds and several fleshy roots. One-year-old crowns are preferred, but 2- and 3-year-old crowns are available. They are more expensive, but produce earlier. WHERE TO PLANT Position the bed in a full-sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) location away from trees or shrubs that may send roots into the bed. A poorly drained bed will deteriorate, and the plants will rot and eventually die out. Asparagus prefers sandy soil, which is generally better drained, warms up earlier in spring, and makes harvesting easier. Any well-prepared and well-drained soil will suffice, however. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil by spading it over and incorporating organic matter. Open a trench 6 inches deep and 15 inches wide, the length of the bed. Set the plants in the trench about 1 foot apart with the buds pointing up, then spread the roots in a uniform pattern around each crown. Replace 2 inches of the soil from the trench over the crowns, and water the plants thoroughly to settle the soil. Reserve the remaining soil to gradually cover the crowns as the plants grow during their first year; all of the soil is to be used in the first year. CARE AND MAINTENANCE In the first year, the plants will produce weak, spindly growth. As the root system develops, the spears will become larger each year, but the spears are not ready for harvesting until the third season. As soon as you complete the harvest, apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet of bed. The nitrogen stimulates the growth of the ferns that replenish the roots for the next year. Water the plants to provide about 1 inch per week during the season. Weed control is the most challenging part of growing any perennial plant, and asparagus is no different. Weeds compete with the asparagus for water and nutrients and make harvesting difficult. Because the bed is always occupied, there is no good time to get rid of the weeds without the chance of damaging the plants. Hoe or pull weeds as they appear, and use lots of mulch to keep more from coming up. No serious diseases affect asparagus. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest asparagus spears beginning in the third season, and limit harvesting to 3 weeks after the start of harvest. The following year and thereafter, harvest spears from the time they appear in spring until late may or June. Cut the spears when they are 6 to 8 inches long; discontinue harvesting when spears become noticeably smaller. Europeans and recent immigrants to the U.S. prefer blanched asparagus. They hill the plants with sand carefully packed over the developing spears. When spears begin to emerge, cracks appear in the sand, and they pull back the sand to reveal the white spears. After they cut the spears, they replace the sand and pack it down again. they often peel the spears to remove any fiber and make them very tender additions to a meal. Blanching is not commonly done in the South. VARIETIES Asparagus plants are either male or female. The female plants produce more but smaller spears than the male plants. The female plants produce seeds, an activity that takes energy that could be stored up in the plants for better production the next year. Male plants direct the energy into making spears. The old-line varieties such as ‘Waltham’ or the ‘Mary Washington’ or ‘Martha Washington’ are still available but are mixed male and female plants. They are not nearly as productive as the newer kinds. Recent introductions are either mostly male or all male. Syn 53, Syn 4-362, UC-157, Viking KBC, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince, and Jersey Giant are vastly improved varieties derived from a selection that produces only male plants. Try to plant the latest introductions; the bed will last a long time, so it pays to plant the very best. Varieties Comments Jersey Giant Hybrid, good yield, mostly male. Jersey Knight Good producer, disease resistant, mostly male. Jersey Prince Mostly male, cold tolerant, hybrid. Syn 4-362 Mostly male, hybrid, large spears. Syn 53 Newer, mostly male, hybrid. UC-157 Large yield, male, hybrid. Viking KBC Hybrid, mostly male, good producer. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fertilizer, Mulch, Pears, Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed --- ### [Pecan - Choosing, Planting, Maintaining](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pecan/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Pecans](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201348_4.PDF) Crows may have contributed to the selection and distribution process before man, since they select thin-shelled nuts and can carry them several miles. Most of the South (Zones 7b and warmer) is blessed with a marvelous climate for producing Pecans. Spring frost damage limits Pecan production in mountainous regions. Unfortunately, many backyard trees produce few edible nuts due to genetics, disease and bird and animal thievery. If you have a tree that always produces small nuts it may be impossible to improve your harvest. The tree may simply be genetically unable to produce anything bigger. If your tree has a good crop of large nuts some years but few nuts in other years, the tree may be seriously infected with scab disease. Controlling this disease on susceptible trees is almost impossible without powerful sprayers so you might have to be content with a tree that provides shade every year and nuts only occasionally. The best situation you can have is to possess a mature, “named”, scab-resistant Pecan tree. Fruiting occurs 4-6 years after transplanting, although maximal yields may not be achieved for 10 or more years. WHEN TO PLANT Plant in fall, after the first frost, to take advantage of root growth during the winter. Otherwise, plant in spring as soon as the soil dries enough to be worked. WHERE TO PLANT Plant in full sunshine. Pecans prefer a sandy loam soil but can prosper in almost any situation except constantly wet soil. Trees can grow 60 feet high and at least as wide. Although Pecans are partially self-fertile, planting two different varieties will result in better nut set. If you have wild trees within 200 feet, they will usually provide the pollen your tree needs. Plant the trees well away from your residence and other buildings. Don’t forget to check for the presence of overhead power lines. Space the trees 60 to 80 feet apart so they will not crowd each other. HOW TO PLANT If possible, plant trees the day they are received from the nursery. Bare root trees bought from mail order catalogs or garden centers will have been out of the ground for several days. If these trees have been stored and handled properly, they should survive and grow. Container trees can be planted any time. If your trees appear to have dry, shriveled roots soak them in water for several hours. Spray the entire tree with water to freshen the buds prior to planting. Drying before planting and failing to supply adequate moisture for the first two years following transplanting are the major causes for death (or very slow growth) in young Pecan trees. Pecans have long taproots and require a deep planting hole. The hole should be 36 inches wide so that all side roots can be properly positioned as the hole is refilled. Dig the hole deep enough so that the tree can be set at the same depth that it grew in the nursery. Firm the soil occasionally with your shoe as you fill the hole to soil surface level. Pour ten gallons of water at the base of the tree to insure the soil around the roots gets thoroughly wet. Do not place fertilizer in the hole. Mulch trees with a two inch layer of pine straw, leaves or wood chips. This helps hold moisture and limits competition from grass and weeds. CARE AND MAINTENANCE The primary after-planting chore for Pecans is to supply the trees’ moisture needs for the first two or three years. During the growing season, apply 10 to 15 gallons of water at weekly intervals, either by rainfall or irrigation. If no soil test was done, spread one pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer distributed in a 25 sq. ft. area around the tree in March after the tree is planted. For the first four years after planting, in late February, apply a pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer for each inch of trunk diameter (measured one foot above soil surface). Do not place fertilizer within 12 inches of the trunk; instead broadcast the fertilizer in a broad band around the drip line of the tree. Fertilizing Bearing Trees: In the absence of a soil test, broadcast a pound of 10-10-10 for each inch of trunk diameter (measured 4 1/2 feet above soil level) in late February. Repeat in June and September. Apply one pound of zinc sulfate to 4 – 10 year old trees and three to five pounds for large trees each year. During the first 3 years, trees are trained to a central leader with scaffold limbs at 12-18 inch intervals, and the lowest one beginning at 4-6 feet from the ground. Because Pecan wood is brittle, select only branches with a wide crotch angle (greater than 60 degrees). After 3 years, very little pruning is necessary, since trees form a natural, vase-shaped canopy. Only dead, diseased or broken limbs are removed on a regular basis. Pecan scab disease can severely limit nut production. The best way to control scab is to plant resistant varieties listed below. You can lessen the effects of scab by completely removing all fallen limbs, twigs and leaves each fall. Removal of limbs touching the ground promotes air movement under the tree which in turn helps reduce the leaf wetness necessary for disease infection. Insects such as pecan weevil, aphids and stink bugs attack Pecans, but infestations rarely result in crop failure; trees quickly become too tall to spray anyway. Pick up nuts as they fall in late autumn; store in a cool, well-ventilated, dry place. Birds and squirrels are often serious Pecan pests, especially if trees are located near a wooded area. Barriers and trapping can give you some protection from squirrels. Individual trees, not close to others, can be banded with a metal shield about 24 inches wide, encircling the trunk about five feet above ground. Slots on the metal, instead of holes, will allow the metal band to slip past the fastening nails as the tree grows. Partially withdraw the nails each year to prevent them from becoming embedded in the trunk. HARVEST Prevent nut loss by harvesting regularly as soon as you notice nuts falling from their shucks. Harvesting the nuts as soon as they mature ensures best quality and avoids insect and animal damage. One of the quickest ways to lose nut quality is to let them lay on wet ground. Store nuts in a clean, cool, dry place. If you choose to shell the nuts before storing, they can be frozen in sealed plastic bags for two years without losing quality. VARIETIES – PECAN Variety Size Kernel Quality Scab Resistance ‘Stuart’ large excellent resistant ‘Elliott’ small good very resistant ‘Curtis’ small excellent very resistant ‘Gloria Grande’ large excellent resistant ‘Sumner’ large excellent resistant ‘Excel’, ‘Gafford’, ‘Jenkins’ and ‘Amling’ are excellent as well. ‘Avalon’ is a new introduction with excellent resistance to scab. **The following varieties are not recommended:** Desirable – cold sensitive, has weak tree structure and poor scab susceptibility. Mahan – nuts fill poorly, highly scab susceptible. Schley – low yields, highly scab susceptible, soft shells result in bird and squirrel problems ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pecans-1.jpg) **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Irrigation, Moisture, Mulch, Oak, Pests, Pine, Pine Straw, Pruning, Shade, Soil, Spring, Squirrels, Weed, Winter --- ### [Peanut](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/peanut/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Arachis hypogaea* Peanuts, 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 flowers, from which “pegs” or roots grow from the flower into the soil; pods of nuts form in the ground from the ends of the pegs. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Peanuts ](http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/pdf/hgic1315.pdf)(from Clemson University) Peanuts are divided into three general categories according to plant and nut types: “Spanish” (bunch) types produce nuts in clusters close to the main stem; “runner” types produce nuts scattered along their low-growing branches from tip to base; and “Virginia” types can be either runner or bunch. Virginia and Runner types, mostly low-growing plants with usually two large seeds per pod, are the best producers for most gardens; Spanish types are mostly erect plants, and produce pods often having three or four small seeds per pod. WHEN TO PLANT Peanuts are very sensitive to wet or cold soils. Plant two or more weeks after the last frost, when temperatures have reached the upper 60s or higher. WHERE TO PLANT Peanuts grow best in hot, sunny gardens on coarse-textured, sandy loam soils; on fine-textured soils they are difficult to harvest and many pods are left in the ground. Peanuts, being legumes, do not need a lot of nitrogen fertilizer; however, they love calcium and are very sensitive to low pH levels, and should be limed at planting to increase both the soil alkalinity and calcium content. HOW TO PLANT Using one-half pound of seed per 100 feet of row, carefully remove seeds that are still in pods, being careful to not damage the seed coat or split the seed. Place seed 2 or 3 inches apart on a wide, slightly-raised bed with rows two feet apart, and cover them with 1-1/2 or 2 inches of coarse soil (1 inch is plenty on fine-textured soils). Where peanuts or southern peas were not grown the year before, buy a fresh commercial peanut inoculamt (at a garden supply store) and mix with the seed immediately before planting. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Because peanut plants are low-growing and multi-branched, close cultivation is difficult. Keep weeds under control early on, but do not throw soil up to plants during cultivation as this can cause stem diseases and bury flowers. As the crop grows, hand-cultivation is the best way to go. Peanuts plants are very tolerant of dry soils; however, a weekly good soaking is important during vigorous flowering and when pegs are entering the ground. For good development of well-filled nuts, an adequate supply of calcium must be available in the pegging zone; when plants begin to flower and peg, sprinkle a light application of gypsum or basic slag over the rows. Do not water as harvest approaches, or risk seed sprouting. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION About two months after the plants bloom, leaves will begin to turn yellow. Test for harvest time by digging a few peanuts and checking the inner hulls – when most of them are brown, dig the entire plants using a turning fork, being careful to break off as few pods as possible. Freshly-dug peanuts are excellent for boiling; for drying for later use, move plants to a warm, airy place for two or three weeks to complete curing before pulling nuts from the plants. If caterpillars, aphids, and grubs are a problem, check with your county extension service office for recommendations on approved garden insecticides. VARIETIES Comments (all peanuts take at least four months to harvest). Florigiant Virginia type Florunner Runner type; most commonly-grown variety Sunrunner Similar to Florunner, with slightly larger and more uniform pod and seed Starr Spanish type, earlier maturing than most others (about 120 days) Valencia Popular small-seeded variety, 3-4 seed per pod **RECIPE** **Home-made peanut butter** Note: Roast shelled raw peanuts on a pan one layer deep in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (20-25 minutes if peanuts still in shells). Remove from heat just short of desired doneness, as peanuts continue to cook as they cool. Season to taste with salt, seasoned salt, garlic salt, etc. Home-made peanut butter is easily made in a food processor. Simply put two cups of roasted shelled peanuts (with or without red skins), and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and process 2 or 3 minutes using the metal blade. The ground peanuts will form a ball which will slowly disappear. If necessary, stop the machine and scrape sides with a rubber spatula. Yields 1 cup of smooth peanut butter. For crunchy peanut butter, mix in a half a cup of chopped cooked peanuts. Store in the refrigerator. If oil rises to the top, stir before using. [![peanut flower a](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/peanut-flower-a.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/peanut-flower-a.jpg) **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Caterpillar, Disease, Fertilizer, Flowers, Garlic, Oak, Seed, Soil, Temperature, Weed --- ### [Black Walnut](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/black-walnut/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Juglans nigra* Black 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 found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Black Walnut](https://site.extension.uga.edu/townsandunionag/2019/01/black-walnut/) (broken link) Black Walnut leaves change to a golden yellow color in fall. The nut meat is almost impossible to remove whole from the shell but the effort is rewarded by a delicious addition to cookies and cakes. WHEN TO PLANT Black Walnut is difficult to transplant due it its long taproot. Trees less than three feet tall may be attempted but be sure to dig a deep root ball and a corresponding planting hole. Nuts can be planted in a small nursery bed in fall. Cover with 1-inch mesh chicken wire held down with bricks to thwart squirrels digging them up. Plant year-old seedlings in fall, to take advantage of root growth during the winter. Otherwise, transplant in spring as soon as the soil dries enough to be worked. WHERE TO PLANT Walnuts prefer deep, sandy, well-drained soil but can grow tolerably well in most soils of the South. They cannot tolerate constantly wet soil. They must have full sunshine in order to produce many nuts. Trees grow fifty to seventy feet tall with an equal spread. Since Walnut roots exude a potent plant herbicide, do not plant near your garden or fruit trees. (SEE BELOW) If you must garden nearby, use raised beds exclusively. HOW TO PLANT Dig a hole deep enough so that the tree can be set at the same depth that it grew in the nursery bed. The taproot may be two feet long after only a year’s growth. Firm the soil occasionally with your shoe as you fill the hole to soil surface level. Pour ten gallons of water at the base of the tree to insure the soil around the roots gets thoroughly wet. Do not place fertilizer in the hole. Mulch a three foot diameter circle around trees with a two-inch layer of pine straw, chopped leaves or wood chips. This helps hold moisture and limits competition from grass and weeds. CARE AND MAINTENANCE If no soil test was done, spread one pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer distributed in a 25 sq. ft. area around the tree in March after a young tree is planted. For the first four years after planting, in late February, apply a pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer for each inch of trunk diameter (measured one foot above soil surface). Do not place fertilizer within 12 inches of the trunk; instead broadcast the fertilizer in a broad band around the drip line of the tree. Fertilizing Bearing Trees: In the absence of a soil test, broadcast a pound of 10-10-10 for each inch of trunk diameter (measured 4 1/2 feet above soil level) in mid- to late February. Repeat in June and September. During the growing season, apply 10 to 15 gallons of water to trees less than five years old at weekly intervals, either by rainfall or irrigation. Older trees can usually fend for themselves during drought. Young trees should be pruned to develop a central leader. Pruning mature trees is usually not needed, except to remove broken limbs. HARVEST Black Walnut trees begin producing nuts when they are about 10 years old but the best nut production begins when trees are 30 years old. Good nut crops occur in approximately two out of five years. The nut is contained in a thin, green, leathery skin (the husk). The husk-covered nuts begin falling in late September. Pick up nuts regularly to avoid insect damage to the kernels. Remove husks immediately after harvest. This can be done by hand if you are sure to wear rubber gloves and old clothes to avoid stains. If you have a quantity of nuts, another method is to fill a burlap sack one quarter full and run over it two or three times with an automobile. The tire will loosen the husks so they are easy to peel off. Years ago, when small Southern farms grew corn to feed their animals, a cast iron corn sheller was reputed to be the very best Black Walnut de-husker available. After removing husks, rinse nuts in water. Discard nuts that float; nuts that sink have full kernels and are worth your time to crack. A small hammer and a brick are the only tools some people use although long-handled adjustable pump pliers are said to do a good job as well. VARIETIES Named walnut varieties are occasionally found in the trade but it is usually simpler to plant Walnuts using nuts you harvest from a tree that is known to yield good nuts. Following are varieties you might run across in catalogs: Variety Comment Thomas Myers very large, thin shell, 20 nuts per lb. Stabler large nut with a large single lobe, cracks easily, Sauber#1 large nut, nut separates freely from husk, 23 nuts per lb. Ridgeway large nut, heavy producer Daniel’s thin shell, medium sized nuts, heavy producer, tree has very straight and up-right growth. SIDEBAR Black Walnut trees have a chemical known as juglone in their roots, husks, leaves and bark. Juglone inhibits the growth of many plants which may be growing in your garden or landscape. This inhibition of plant growth is called *allelopathy*. Small amounts of juglone are released by live roots; even decaying Walnut roots can inhibit nearby plants for years after a treet is removed. Leaves, bark, or wood chips of black Walnut should not be used to mulch landscape or garden plants. PLANTS SENSITIVE TO JUGLONE Cabbage, Eggplant, Pepper, Potato, Tomato, Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Azalea, White Birch, Crabapple, Hackberry; Amur Honeysuckle, Lilac, Saucer Magnolia, Silver Maple, Mountain Laurel, loblolly Pine, Scotch Pine, white Pine, Privet, Rhododendron, Autumn Crocus (*Colchicum*), Peony PLANTS TOLERANT OF JUGLONE Lima Bean, Snap Bean, beet, Corn, Onions, Cherry; black Raspberry, red Cedar, Crabapple, Elm, Forsythia, Hawthorn, Hemlock, Hickory, black Locust, most Maples, Oak, autumn Olive, Pachysandra, Pawpaw, Persimmon, Sycamore, most Viburnums, Virginia Creeper, Bluebells, Kentucky Bluegrass, Daffodil, Daylily, Ferns, Fescue, Iris, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Liriope, Narcissus, Phlox, Poison Ivy, Shasta Daisy, Trillium **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Azalea, Blackberry, Cherry, Daffodil, Daylily, Fall, Fertilizer, Herbicide, Irrigation, Liriope, Magnolia, Maple, Moisture, Mulch, Oak, Onion, Pine, Pine Straw, Poison, Pruning, Raspberry, Seed, Soil, Spring, Squirrels, Weed, Winter --- ### [Chestnut](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/chestnut/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Castanea* spp. American Chestnut once grew throughout the Northeast, Midwest and Southern mountains. Farmers depended on the nuts to feed their families and livestock and they were a major part of forest animals’ diet. The rot-resistant lumber was used for everything from furniture to fence posts. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Chestnut](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B992&title=Minor%20Fruits%20and%20Nuts%20in%20Georgia) (broken link) Unfortunately, Chestnut blight fungus *Endothia parasitica* was introduced from Asia in the late 1800s. It spread through the North American forests and by the early 1950s virtually all American Chestnuts were destroyed. The blight does not kill the root system, so new sprouts grow and form small trees that are reinfected and killed. Still, there are other members of the Chestnut family which can be grown for their nuts. The major Chestnut species found in the South are the American Chestnut (*Castanea dentate*) and Chinese Chestnut (*Castanea mollissima*). Minor Chestnut species such as chinkapin (*Castanea pumila* and *C. floridana*) are occasionally seen in undisturbed woodlands. The blight resistance of the Chinese Chestnut was recognized in the early 1900’s. Chinese Chestnut is as hardy as the peach and can be planted throughout the South. The burr (fruit) of the American and Chinese Chestnuts normally contains three nuts. The chinkapins have one nut per burr. WHEN TO PLANT Plant in fall, after the first frost, to take advantage of root growth during the winter. Otherwise, plant in spring as soon as the soil dries enough to be worked. Chestnuts require at least 2 varieties for pollination. WHERE TO PLANT Chinese Chestnuts and Chinese-American hybrids grow best in well-drained soil in full sunshine (8-10 hours/day) They are small, spreading trees, reaching 40-50 ft in height. Plant as far away from your house as possible: the flowers have a disagreeable, rancid odor in spring. Trees have lustrous green foliage, turning yellow-bronze in fall. Avoid planting low on a hillside where frost pockets (areas of cold air) occur. Some nuts are produced on solitary trees but they will bear more nuts with cross-pollination from two different varieties. A spacing of 30 feet apart is ideal. HOW TO PLANT Dig the hole deep enough so that the tree can be set at the same depth that it grew in the nursery. Firm the soil occasionally with your shoe as you fill the hole to soil surface level. Pour ten gallons of water at the base of the tree to insure the soil around the roots gets thoroughly wet. Do not place fertilizer in the hole. Mulch trees with a three-inch layer of pine straw, leaves or wood chips CARE AND MAINTENANCE Do not fertilize the first year after planting. After the first year fertilize young trees with 1 1/2 pounds of 10-10-10 scattered in the area under the branches of the tree. The rate is increased by 1 pounds each year until reaching 10 pounds of 10-10-10 per tree. Chestnuts generally develop an attractive shape on their own. Head back branches that are too long and prune off lower branches to aid lawn mowing. Stems that form a sharp angle with the main stem should be removed as soon as possible. The tight V-crotch formed by such branches is weak and susceptible to splitting. HARVEST The nuts drop during a two week period. Chestnuts must be harvested every other day. Numerous fungi and bacteria attack the nuts on the ground, causing rapid decay and spoilage. Use gloves when harvesting; the burrs can be painful to handle. Dip nuts into hot water (kept at 150 F) for 30 minutes to eliminate surface molds and chestnut weevil. Afterwards, place the nuts in a shady, cool, and well-ventilated spot to cure them. In the curing process starches change to sugars enhancing flavor. After curing for a week, nuts should be refrigerated before consumption. PESTS The most serious problem for chestnut growers is chestnut weevils, which lay their eggs in the ripening nuts. When the nuts fall to the ground the eggs hatch and the larvae eat their way out of the nuts and burrow into the ground. They stay there until the following year, when they emerge to mate and lay more eggs. Only the adult weevils are controllable with insecticides. Contact you Extension service for recommendations. Spray the burrs weekly for the last month before nuts are released from the burrs. An organic control that could be reasonably effective is the use of chickens or Guinea fowl under the trees to eat the larvae and pupae of the weevils. After several years of this control, few weevils will remain. VARIETIES Variety Comment Chinese Chestnuts AU Homestead released by Auburn Univ., very productive, 30 – 35 nuts per lb. Meiling large, good-flavored nut, early and heavy bearer, good keeping qualities, 20 – 25 nuts per lb. Eaton flavor, texture and sweetness are among the best, ripens 3 to 7 days earlier than most Chinese Chestnuts, 30 to 40 nuts per lb. Crane nuts are dark-red to brown in color, well adapted to the South. 26 to 32 nuts per lb. Colossal produces very large nuts, moderate resistance to blight, 18 to 20 nuts per Lb. Hybrid crosses between a blight resistant American Chestnut and naturally resistant Chinese Chestnut trees were introduced several years ago to replace the vanished American Chestnut. These ‘Dunstan’ Chestnuts show a combination of American and Chinese traits. Carolina nuts are dark brown, 24 to 28 nuts per lb. Willamette large upright tree, very heavy crops, 18 to 22 nuts per lb. Carpenter very vigorous, upright growth habits, very good for the South, 20 to 25 nuts per lb. **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Mulch, Peach, Pests, Pine, Pine Straw, Soil, Spring, Winter --- ### [Angelica](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/angelica/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 the seeds as a flavoring in cooking, cook the roots as a vegetable and candy the stems. Essential angelica oil is used to flavor vermouth and Benedictine. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Angelica](https://extension.unh.edu/resource/how-grow-angelica-angelica-archangelica) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Plant angelica in early spring, as soon as the worst of the freezing weather is over. It can tolerate frost but not temperatures that get down to the teens at night. WHERE TO PLANT This tall-growing herb needs room because it will reach 5 feet tall and spread 2 to 3 feet. Angelica prefers a location with light, moist soil that is in partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day). These plants fit equally well in a perennial border and the vegetable garden. HOW TO PLANT Buy started plants in the spring. Space the plants at least 2 feet apart in the garden in well-prepared soil. Usually, a couple of plants are sufficient for culinary needs. Since these are biennial plants, they flower the second year after planting and then die out. To have flowering plants each year, plant or sow seed each year. You may collect seeds in the fall and sow them immediately, or you may save seeds in an airtight jar in the refrigerator and sow them the following spring. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Control weeds until the plants are large enough to shade them out. Mulching is not recommended as weed prevention because of its potential to attract slugs. The plants prefer cool weather and moist soil; as with most aromatic herbs, these plants do better in soil with low fertility. Water angelica in dry weather. Giving them 1 inch per week is probably okay but too lush growing conditions cause overly tall, weak plants. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest leaves as needed during the season. Pick pieces of fresh stem with the leaves for candying. At season’s end, collect and dry the leaves. Harvest the seeds as they ripen in the flower heads. If flower heads are removed, these plants will last several years, growing as short-lived perennials. If the plant is allowed to flower and the seed is allowed to ripen on the plants and fall to the ground, angelica can become naturalized in the garden. Plant it where it can grow undisturbed by other gardening activities. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Herbs, Mulch, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Temperature, Weed --- ### [Anise](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/anise/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 licorice. • More detailed information information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Anise](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/florida-anise/) WHEN TO PLANT Anise is an annual. Sow seeds in the early spring as soon as the soil has warmed and the danger of a hard freeze has passed. WHERE TO PLANT Plant anise in fertile, well-drained soil that receives full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice). Give these plants plenty of room because they reach a height of 2 feet or more, with an equal spread. HOW TO PLANT Sow seed in well-prepared soil, 1/2 inch deep and space it about 1 inch apart in rows 1 foot apart. Sow seed thickly because the seed germinates poorly, then thin the seedlings to 12 inches apart when they are big enough to handle. Buy started plants of anise, or start plants indoors under lights in early spring. Set started plants at 12 inches by 12 inches in beds. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Keep weeds under control by light cultivation; mulching is not recommended for weed control of herbs because of slug problems. Anise will stand dry weather but water if it wilts, about 1 inch per week. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The plants develop a low rosette of foliage early in the season, then quickly produce a tall flowering stem. Harvest the leaves when they reach full size. Cut the flower heads as soon as the seeds begin to turn brown. If the flower heads are left on the plant, they will shatter and the seeds will be lost. Dry the flower heads in brown paper bags so the seeds can be caught as they dry and fall from the heads. Use the leaves in fruit salads, apple salads, or applesauce. Flavor cookies or candies with the seeds. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Herbs, Mulch, Pine, Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed --- ### [Anise Hyssop](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/anise-hyssop/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Agastache foeniculum* Anise hyssop is a large perennial plant, a member of the mint family, with showy purple spikes that attract bees in abundance. The flavor and aroma are definitely licorice. The leaves are good for teas or garnishes. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Anise hyssop](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Finding started plants at garden centers is difficult, so you will need to grow your own if you prefer to set out transplants. Start anise hyssop indoors under lights in late winter. Then set out plants or sow seed when the danger of a freeze has passed and the soil has warmed. WHERE TO PLANT Locate these large plants in the garden where they will not shade out smaller plants and where they can be left undisturbed. Anise hyssop prefers well-prepared, moist soil in a sunny spot. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. For transplants, set them into the garden after the latest date of last frost, spacing the plants 2 feet apart in each direction. For seed, sow it 1/4 inch deep directly in the garden in hills 2 feet apart in each direction or down the row, then thin to 1 plant per hill when the seedlings are big enough to handle. CARE AND MAINTENANCE The plants will bloom until frost if the spent flowers are removed. Leaving a few flowers to mature will allow the plants to reseed themselves, which is especially helpful where winterkill occurs. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest leaves when the plants are well established and use the leaves fresh or dried. Remove flowers to become garnishes or to create bouquets. Anise hyssop is very attractive to honeybees, which make anise-flavored honey from the nectar. Bees attracted to the anise hyssop will stay around to pollinate other garden plants, too, such as the vine crops, which require bees for good production. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Seed, Shade, Soil, Winter --- ### [Basil](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/basil/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Ocimum basilicum* A very familiar and popular herb, Basil is the basis for pesto. Many cooks consider Basil the premier culinary herb. Every gardener needs at least 1 Basil plant to have the fresh leaves to toss into casseroles, sauces and salads or to add to eggs, fish, pizza, spaghetti and tacos. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Basil](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) WHEN TO PLANT Basil will not tolerate cold weather. At temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it suffers injury that looks similar to frost damage. Sow seeds indoors under lights about 2 months before the latest date of last frost. After the soil has warmed, move started plants into the garden. Unless you are a real fan of Italian cooking, it is cheaper and easier to set out seedling plants obtained from a garden center or mail-order nursery. Many times the seedlings in a 3 inch nursery pot can be carefully separated to give you a dozen plants from one purchased pot. WHERE TO PLANT Plant Basil in a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours is plenty) that has well-drained soil. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. For direct seeding, sow seeds in warm soil in hills 12 inches apart, then thin seedlings to 1 plant per hill when the seedlings are big enough to handle. Growing from seed may get the plants off to a slower start than you want. If you use transplants, set them in the garden on a 12-by-12-inch spacing. Two to six plants are usually more than enough for a family. CARE AND MAINTENANCE When the plants are 6 inches tall and vigorously growing, pinch out the growing tips to stimulate branching. Basil plants cannot stand wilting, so be sure to apply water to keep the soil evenly moist. They need about 1 inch of water per week. Pests such as aphids and mites can infest Basil. Pinch off affected shoots or spray them with insecticidal soap. After harvesting, be sure to wash off the soap. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest sprigs as needed but before flowers form. Cut each stem with a sharp knife or scissors, leaving 2 leaves on each stem to develop new shoots. You can harvest just the leaves but harvesting the sprigs causes branching and more growth. If flowers have formed, pinch them off and let them regrow. Finish harvesting Basil before the first frost. For winter use, trim the plants back and pot up 1 or 2 plants. Dig small but healthy plants, shake off as much soil as possible and set them in artificial potting soil. Place the pots indoors over the kitchen sink or in another bright, humid place. VARIETIES There are many Basil selections and named varieties. Sweet Basil is the best known and most commonly available. Lemon Basil, *Ocimum basilicum* ‘Citriodorum’, has a fresh lemon flavor. ‘Napolitano’ has large, crinkled leaves. ‘Cinnamon’ provides a cinnamon flavor and fragrance. ‘Dark Opal’ and ‘Purple Ruffles’ have strong flavors and are better for ornamental bedding plants than for eating. ‘Siam Queen’ has a licorice flavor. ‘Minimum’ has small leaves and a compact form. ‘Russian Blue’ is a large plant with purple stems – very attractive to bees and hummingbirds. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Flowers, Lemon, Pests, Pots, Seed, Soil, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Caraway](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/caraway/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Carum carvi* Gardeners like caraway for the seeds, for the foliage and for the roots, which are used like parsnips. Caraway joins carrots, parsnips, angelica and anise as members of the *Umbelliferae* family. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Caraway](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Caraway is a biennial plant, that is, it takes 2 seasons to produce seeds. Sow seeds in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Or sow seeds in the fall; fall-seeded plantings will not germinate until early the next spring. WHERE TO PLANT These plants will be in the garden for 2 years, so plant them where they will not be disturbed or interfere with other garden activities. Grow caraway in a location with full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) and reasonably well-drained soil. It will tolerate clay soil. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Sow seed directly in the garden in a place where you can leave the plants until they mature. Sow seed 1 inch apart in rows 2 feet apart, or sow seed in hills 1 foot in each direction. In hills, thin seedlings to 1 per hill; in rows, thin seedlings to 6 to 8 inches apart. Caraway will reseed itself readily. When it does, thin seedlings to the appropriate spacing. (The seed grows so readily that gardeners seldom use transplants.) CARE AND MAINTENANCE Keep weeds under control by hoeing or pulling; using mulch for weed control is not necessary. Water the planting when the weather is dry, providing about 1 inch of water per week. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION In the first season, caraway will make rosettes of low foliage, which will die down after the first freeze. During the first season, plants may be dug for the roots while they are young and tender and then cooked like parsnips and served with butter and white sauce. In the second season, the plants will send up flowering stalks with heads of white flowers resembling Queen Anne’s lace. After flowering, the plants die. Harvest the seedheads as they begin to turn from green to tan, before they shatter and put them in paper bags to dry. Rub the dry seeds from the heads over a sheet of paper and store the seeds in sealed glass jars in the refrigerator or a dry, dark place. A few plants will produce enough caraway seed for a year’s supply. Many gardeners grow this herb when the supply gets low rather than every year. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Mulch, Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed --- ### [Chamomile, German](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/chamomile-german/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Chamaemelum nobile, Matricaria recutita* Chamomile, sometimes called Roman chamomile, is a low-growing 4 to 6-inch tall perennial. German chamomile is a tall, erect, 3-foot annual. Both chamomiles are members of the composite (daisy) family and the flowers of both are brewed for chamomile teas. The flavor is the same. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Chamomile](https://extension.uga.edu/content/dam/extension-county-offices/paulding-county/anr/2018%20Care%20Cards%20for%20Perennials%20and%20Herbs.pdf) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Set out started plants from a garden center or catalog supplier in the spring, or sow seeds in the spring or fall. Freezing and thawing seem to improve germination, so planting when the weather is still cold doesn’t pose a problem. For German chamomile, 1 to 2 plants are probably plenty. For Roman chamomile, which is smaller, more plants will be needed. WHERE TO PLANT Both Roman and German chamomiles prefer a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours will suffice) that has dry soil. HOW TO PLANT Because seeds of Roman chamomile grow well in cracks and crevasses and it has flowers, you may want to plant it in a rock garden if not the vegetable garden. Grow German chamomile in any open sunny spot in the garden. Be aware that after it is started, German chamomile will reseed easily and may become a nuisance. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Roman chamomile will spread if the flowers are mowed off the first year. Pull or hoe out any weeds that appear. These plants need water only in a severe drought, otherwise they withstand dry weather well. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the flowers when the florets begin to reflex (bend back). Remove the flowers from the stems because the stems will cause the flavors of the tea to be bitter. Air-dry the blooms on a screen tray and store them in tightly sealed glass jars. Over the years, people have credited soothing, refreshing chamomile teas with all kinds of medicinal cures for things such as digestion, upset stomach and nightmares. You’ll need several flowers to brew the tea; the number will depend upon your taste. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed --- ### [Chives](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/chives/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Allium schoenoprasum* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Chives are perennial plants belonging to the Onion family that produce foot-tall clumps of hollow, upright leaves. Allowed to go to flower, they make mounds of lavender-pink flowers. Chives add a delicate Onion-like flavor to soups, stews, salads, omelets and sauces. Garlic Chives, *Allium tuberosum*, produce long, flat leaves with a Garlic flavor. In late summer they produce showy white blossoms. Garlic Chives spread by rhizomes and by self-seeding. Garlic chives are equally at home in the herb garden, the vegetable garden, a flower bed or as an edging plant along a mixed border. It takes the heat better than true Chives and doesn’t die back in summer. Garlic Chives usually is treated as a semi-permanent plant and can be left in place for several years. • See also [Home Garden Chives](https://site.extension.uga.edu/walkgeorgia/mint-tea/) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Spring is the usual time to plant Chives, although they can be divided and replanted just about anytime during the season. Buy small plants that are available in garden centers in spring. You can also purchase and sow seeds in early spring. Plants from seeds are not as uniform as those from seedling plants; some will have larger or smaller leaves, so dig out the less desirable ones. WHERE TO PLANT A few plants will probably meet your needs. Plant Chives in a corner of the garden where they will not be disturbed and will not interfere with other gardening operations. Chives will tolerate shade but choose a site in full sun (10 hours or so) to have the best growth. Chives do well in containers and are less likely to spread. HOW TO PLANT Set started plants or divisions in well-prepared soil, spacing them 12 inches apart. Sow seeds on the soil surface and cover them lightly. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Once started, Chives need little, if any, care. They just grow. You do need to watch out for the same problems that affect Onions. To control thrips, use insecticidal soap and remember to wash it off the Chives after harvesting. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION As soon as the plants begin to grow, harvest the leaves. Snipping them off with a pair of sharp scissors works as well as anything. Keep the plants clipped to eliminate flowering, which is to be discouraged for at least 2 reasons. First, after a shoot flowers, the leaves become tough and unusable. Second, plants that are allowed to flower will reseed. The seedlings are seldom as good quality as the parent and they become weeds. The plants will continue to make more leaves after flowering but the ones that flowered will be lost. Divide clumps every 3 years so they do not become crowded. Separate them into bunches of 5 or 6 bulblets each and discard the extras or give them to friends. To have Chives all winter, dig a plant before the first frost, shake off as much soil as possible and pot it up using artificial potting soil. Set the plant over the kitchen sink where it will be convenient to take a snip. Some gardeners insist that to have the best Chives indoors in pots they must be frozen in the garden several times before digging and potting them up. Try them both ways and see which works the best for you. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Flowers, Garlic, Onion, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Garlic](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/garlic/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Allium sativum* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Garlic is a hardy perennial bulb that is grown as an overwintering annual. The bulb actually consists of a cluster of small bulblets called cloves or toes, covered in a papery wrapper. Garlic is an ancient vegetable, native to the Mediterranean. The Romans fed it to their slaves and soldiers because they thought it would impart extra strength to the hardworking people. The Romans themselves despised it because of its objectionable odor. Health benefits are attributed to garlic today, and it is a common item in health food stores. Garlic is used primarily as a flavoring in European and Asian dishes, although more people are using it more often in all kinds of cooking. Roasted garlic, which loses much of its pungency, is a tasty appetizer, especially with Italian or Greek cuisine. • See also [Home Garden Garlic](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C854&title=Garlic%20Production%20for%20the%20Gardener) WHEN TO PLANT Plant garlic in the fall; it requires a long growing season to develop large bulbs. In some upper parts of the South, some gardeners plant garlic in late winter; though the garlic will make a crop that summer, the bulbs will be small. WHERE TO PLANT Garlic prefers a location in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) with well-prepared, well-drained soil. Planting in compacted soil will result in small, misshapen bulbs. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Then work the soil into a fine seedbed (make sure that the soil is finely broken up). Start garlic from the cloves (sometimes called toes) which you have separated from the bulbs. Plant individual cloves 2 inches deep and 4 inches apart in rows 1 foot apart. In beds, plant in rows 4 inches apart. To have straight necks on the bulbs, keep the pointed ends up. If onion maggots have plagued your plants in the past, mix an approved garden insecticide in water according to label directions, and use it as you water in the bulbs. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Make sure the garlic has plenty of water if the weather turns dry; it requires about 1 inch of water per week. Keeping weeds under control is an ongoing task. Since the garlic does not provide complete cover, weeds will germinate all season. If thrips become troublesome, treat them with insecticidal soap. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Garlic begins to bulb when the days get longer in May and June. The larger the plants at that time, the larger the bulbs will be, so it is important to keep the plants growing. If a flower head begins to develop (it looks like a round spear), snip the stalk off to force energy back down into the bulb. Harvest garlic as soon as most of the leaves have turned yellow, usually in early summer. Do not wait for all the leaves to turn yellow. You can begin harvesting when 5 to 6 green leaves still remain. If the plants are allowed to stay in the ground too long, the papery covering may begin to deteriorate. The ideal situation is to dig in the morning during dry weather. Let the bulbs dry where they are in the garden until afternoon, then collect them and spread them on screens or slats where they can cure for 2 to 3 weeks. After they are cured, brush off as much soil as possible, and cut off the tops. Or braid them together, and hang them in a dry place. Do not peel the bulbs, and do not wash them. Use damaged ones immediately. Dry garlic keeps much better than onions. Save some of the very best bulbs for planting the next season. VARIETIES Elephant garlic, which is actually a leek that forms a large bulb, smells and tastes like garlic, and it is grown the same way as common garlic. Some gourmet seed catalogs list several kinds of garlic. For example, topset garlic develops bulbs on the tops of the leaves. These tiny bulbs can be planted closely in rows and grown like green onions. The entire small plants are harvested and chopped for use in soups, spaghetti sauces, or wherever garlic would typically be added. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Fertilizer, Garlic, Onion, Seed, Soil, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Rosemary](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Rosmarinus officinalis* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Rosemary is a small, woody shrub, marginally hardy north of zone 7. Even so, gardeners grow it as a perennial, dutifully lifting and potting the plant for overwintering indoors. The needle-like leaves add a distinctive, vaguely “piney” flavor to a variety of dishes. It can be trimmed to any size and shape but is usually kept about 1 foot tall. Leaves are used in soups, stews and sauces, as well as with poultry and other meat dishes. • See also [Home Garden Rosemary](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Set started Rosemary plants in the garden after danger of frost has passed. WHERE TO PLANT Grow potted plants on the patio, or set the plants directly in the garden. On the patio or in the garden, Rosemary prefers a location in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) or partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day) and the soil must be well drained. Choosing a spot near the end of a bed is ideal because it makes the plants more easily accessible to snip off a piece anytime it is needed. HOW TO PLANT New plants may be started from cuttings or fresh seed but plants from seed may develop more variation in flavor. Start seed indoors under lights in early winter, or start seed in a cold frame in early spring. Prepare the soil well. Set the plants in the garden at the same depth they were growing and place them 18 inches apart in both directions in beds. The number of plants you set out depends on your use. One may be enough for adding to food dishes but you may want more if you use it in an ornamental way as well. Use artificial potting mixes in containers, setting the plants at the same depth they were growing. One plant per 12inch container is about right. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Rosemary requires very little attention in the garden. It does well in soil with low fertility and it will stand all but the most severe drought. Plants in pots require more care: see that they have enough water on a regular basis, making sure that they never dry out completely and add dilute liquid fertilizer (mixed according to label directions) once in spring and again in summer. Before the onset of freezing weather, dig up 1 or 2 plants, shake off as much soil as possible and pot them up using an artificial potting soil. Move plants indoors that are already potted. No significant insects or diseases affect Rosemary. Poorly drained soil may cause root and stem rots to develop; correcting the drainage cures the problem. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest Rosemary as soon as sufficient new growth has developed. Cut sprigs 8 to 10 inches long and strip the leaves as needed. Or tie the sprigs in loose bunches and hang them to dry or dry them over window screens. Strip the leaves from the dried stems and store the leaves in airtight jars. Rosemary plants make attractive potted shrubs when you keep them trimmed to shape and they make interesting topiaries as well. Some gardeners have plants that they have maintained for many years, producing sizable shrubs and providing the desirable leaves for culinary uses. They produce bright white or blue flowers in summer. VARIETIES The varieties ‘Athens Gem’, ‘Athens Blue Spires’, ‘Arp’ and ‘Hill’s Hardy’ may stand cold weather better than the common types. ‘Prostrata’ is a creeping type, which may be used for a scent garden and for edging. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fertilizer, Flowers, Pine, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Oregano, Greek](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/oregano-greek/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Origanum heracleoticum* (True Greek Oregano) taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Oregano is an easily grown semi-hardy perennial that will reach 18 inches in height. Cooks flavor Mexican and Mediterranean dishes with the leaves. The most familiar use may be in pizza. • See also [Home Garden Oregano](https://site.extension.uga.edu/walkgeorgia/herbal-basics/) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Set out plants in early spring; they can stand a freeze. Divide them in spring or fall. WHERE TO PLANT Oregano needs a fullsun location (8 to 10 hours is fine) with reasonably good garden soil; it should drain well and should not be puddled or compacted. This is one instance where too much of a good thing can be a drawback because toofertile soil results in rank growth and reduced flavor. Oregano can be grown in a pot or other container with an artificial potting soil. HOW TO PLANT Buy plants of the varieties you need from a garden center or nursery that grows the real thing. The best varieties, even though they are rarely named, are vegetatively propagated, which maintains the richness and flavor that you want in these herbs. Seedlings may be flavorless. The common oregano, *Oregano vulgare*, sold in many garden centers and virtually all oregano seed, will grow into invasive plants with little, if any, flavor. When you find a selection that has good, intense flavor, propagate it yourself by dividing it to make sure you are growing plants that you can actually use in cooking. Prepare the soil. Set plants in the garden 18 inches apart in 18 inch rows. For many households, 1 plant is probably enough. CARE AND MAINTENANCE You will not have to spend a lot of time caring for Oregano in the garden. It needs little waterabout 1 inch per weekand is vigorous enough to squeeze out most weeds. In the colder areas of the South, winter survival may be aided by applying 6 to 8 inches of straw mulch. Remove it in the spring before plants begin to grow. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest Oregano as soon as the first blossoms appear, usually in May. Cut the tops back several inches and keep them cut to stimulate more production. Only the newer leaves are tender and flavorful. If the plant goes to seed, the growth of new leaves stops. Use the leaves fresh, or dry the plants quickly over a window screen, strip the leaves from the stems and store the leaves in airtight containers. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Fall, Herbs, Mulch, Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed, Winter --- ### [Dill](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/dill/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Anethum graveolens* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Dill is a common herb that has a place in every garden because of its many culinary uses. Just a few plants provide enough Dill for most households. The soft, fernlike foliage, called Dill Weed, is used fresh. Small plants that are harvested in spring and fall are known as Salad Dill. Dill Weed and Salad Dill are great in soups, salads, eggs, or fish or poultry dishes. The flower heads and dried seeds are important for pickling processes and the dried seeds may be added to rye bread. Mature plants are about 3 feet tall. • See also [Home Garden Dill](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Sow seeds or set out started plants in early spring. Make successive plantings throughout the summer to assure a continuous supply of dill weed. It gets old and tough when it goes to flower. WHERE TO PLANT Plant Dill anywhere in the garden that it can have well-prepared, moist soil. It thrives in either full sun (8 to 10 hours) or partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day). HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Sow seeds 1 inch apart in rows 1 foot apart. Thin the seedlings when they are about 6 inches tall and use the discarded seedlings as Salad Dill. Make more seedings every 2 weeks. Obtaining started plants from a garden center may be a good way to begin to grow Dill. Set the plants 1 foot apart in beds or 2 feet apart in rows in well-tilled soil. The plants readily reseed themselves and can scatter throughout the garden. Dig up extraneous seedlings and plant them where you want them in the garden. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Dill requires little care after it has started to grow. Water it when the weather is dry, providing 1 inch per week. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the Salad Dill when it is 6 to 10 inches tall. Keeping the plants cut back will extend the harvest of the foliage but eventually the plants will bolt and make flower stalks. Cut the flower heads when they are in full bloom and use them either fresh or dried. For seeds, cut the heads when the seeds are mature but before they begin to shatter. Hang the heads upside down in brown paper bags to finish drying, catching the seeds as they fall. Dry Salad Dill, flower heads and seeds and store them in airtight containers for later use. Late in the season, allow a few heads to mature and the seed to drop in the garden. This will produce seedling plants for the next year. If they grow where they are not wanted, transplant them into the proper places in the garden. Dill, along with Fennel and Parsley, is a favorite food of black swallowtail butterfly larvae. These large black-and-yellow-striped caterpillars do not eat much but make spectacular butterflies. Collect the chrysalises that form and hatch them in a screen cage for a fun summertime project with kids. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Butterfly, Caterpillar, Container, Fall, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed --- ### [Fennel, Finocchio](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fennel-finocchio/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Foeniculum vulgare* *Foeniculum vulgare* var. dulce taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Fennel is a European herb known for its aromatic seeds and tender, fragrant leaves. This herb has a wonderful anise-like or licorice-like flavor. Florence Fennel, commonly called Finocchio, develops a bulb-like base used fresh or steamed. Common Fennel develops a plant that can be 4 feet tall when it is in flower. Finocchio develops a bulb-like rosette of foliage, which is harvested before it bolts. Both are tender perennials grown as annuals. • See also [Home Garden Fennel](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT You may start Fennel or Finocchio indoors under lights about 6 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost) for a summer crop and start them under lights in late summer for a fall crop. You can also sow seed directly in the garden after the last heavy freeze. Seed can withstand a frost but if plants are already up, they may be nipped. Started plants are not likely to be available in garden centers; they do not transplant well because they have tap roots. The number of plants depends on your tastes; you may want 6 or more if you like Fennel or Finocchio (or swallowtail butterflies!). WHERE TO PLANT Plant Fennel and Finocchio in a sunny location with well-prepared soil. Since they get quite large and reseed vigorously, locate them where they will have room and will not shade out lower-growing plants. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Sow seed directly in the garden. Thin seedlings to about 8 inches apart when they are 4 inches tall and use them in soups or sauces. Fennel and Finocchio do not tolerate transplanting well. Start them in peat pots, which you can plant without disturbing the roots. Sow several seeds per pot and thin to 1 apiece when they have germinated. Set the plants 8 inches apart in well-prepared soil. CARE AND MAINTENANCE After it has started to grow, Fennel or Finocchio require little care. Water them during dry weather, providing 1 inch per week. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the tender leaves when the plants are 6 to 10 inches tall. Keeping the plants cut back will extend the harvest but eventually the plants will bolt and make flower stalks. To harvest seeds, cut the heads when the seeds are mature but before they begin to shatter. Hang the heads upside down in brown paper bags to finish drying, catching the seeds as they fall. Tie harvested leaves into small bundles and hang them in a warm, dry place, or dry leaves on a window screen. Store dried leaves and seeds in airtight containers for later use. Cover Finocchio bulbs with soil to blanch them when they are 2 or 3 inches in diameter. Harvest the bulbs before they bolt in hot weather. In the cool weather of fall, production may be extended until freeze-up. Late in the season, allow a few flower heads to mature and the seed to drop, which will produce seedling plants for the next year. Since they do not transplant easily, harvest the tender leaves and then hoe out the plants if they are in the way of other things. Fennel, along with Dill and Parsley, is a favorite food of black swallowtail butterfly larvae. These large black-and-yellow-striped caterpillars do not eat much but make spectacular butterflies. Collect the chrysalises that form and hatch them for a fun summertime kids’ project. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Butterfly, Caterpillar, Container, Fall, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Summer --- ### [Hyssop](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/hyssop/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Hyssopus officinalis* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing A native of southern Europe and Asia, hyssop has been used for centuries as a flavoring in soups, stews, or teas and may be used with sage in stuffings. It is also used as a cough medicine. It has a strong camphorlike fragrance and a little goes a long way. • See also [Home Garden Hyssop](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Sow seed indoors under lights in late winter. Set out started plants in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked or seed directly in the garden. Plants are sometimes available at garden centers or nurseries about that time; buy ones that are a healthy green color and are short and compact. WHERE TO PLANT Hyssop makes a good edging because it is attractive and can be kept trimmed to about 6 inches tall. It is a short-lived perennial that will be in the same place in the garden for 3 to 4 years. The plants prefer full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) but tolerate shade. Plants located in somewhat poor soil will have a more intense fragrance and taste. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Sow seed 1/4 inch deep in rows 1 foot apart and thin the seedlings to a 1-foot spacing when they are big enough to handle. Set started plants 1 foot apart in each direction. Hyssop will do well in raised beds, too, if it is not overfertilized or overwatered. Divide overgrown plants and replant in spring or fall. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Hyssop grows with little care. Few pests will damage hyssop in the garden. Generally, watering is not needed but if no rain falls for a couple of weeks, apply 1 inch of water. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest flower spikes just as the blooms begin to open. Dry them quickly over a screen and store the dried spikes in airtight jars. Grind the dried spikes as needed for use. After a few years, the planting will begin to decline; the plants will thin out and die out. Either divide the plants, or start a new planting. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Watering, Winter --- ### [Lavender](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/lavender/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Lavandula* spp. taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Perennial. English Lavender (*Lavandula angustifolia*) is the best known but least adapted to growing in the Southeast. Look for hybrids such as ‘Dutch’, ‘Provence’ and ‘Grosso’. Spanish Lavender (*Lavandula stoechas*) does well. The bushy, branching shrub has mature stems that become dense and woody. The small lavenderpurple flowers form terminal spikes 6 to 8 inches long. Plants can grow 36 inches tall with an equal spread. Plant in full sun in a light, well-drained soil. Pick the flower stalks before the last flower on the spike has opened. Harvest on a dry day before the sun is too hot. Hang in bundles upside down in a shady, airy place. Store whole spikes or remove the flowers from the stems. Store in airtight containers. The dried flowers scent sachets, potpourris and pillows. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Flowers, Soil --- ### [Lemon Balm](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/lemon-balm/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Melissa officinalis* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Perennial. Thomas Jefferson grew Lemon Balm in his garden at Monticello. This upright plant (24 inches) has hairy, square, branched stems. The dark green leaves are used in meat sauces, fruit dishes and drinks. It grows best in full sun, preferably with midday shade. The easiest way to propagate Lemon Balm is through divisions from another plant. It is somewhat invasive and giving “pieces” of the plant to friends is a good way to keep it under control. Lemon Balm will recover quickly from shearing. Cut back severely 2 to 3 times throughout the season Harvest leaves before the plant flowers. The tender, young leaves have the best flavor. Cut the entire plant about 2 inches above ground. Dry quickly or the leaves will turn black and lose flavor. Place on a wire rack to dry and store in an airtight container. The dried leaves scent potpourris. It also is used in teas, beers and wine. The flowers attract bees to the garden. • See also [Home Garden Lemon Balm](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Flowers, Lemon, Shade --- ### [Lemongrass](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/lemongrass/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Cymbopogon citrates* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) 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. *C. nardus* is the source of citronella, a popular, oldfashioned insect repellent. It grows well in full sun. Buy started plants or divide old clumps and plant when the weather is safe. Cut off the outer leaves at the base as needed. Use them fresh or dry them in a dark room to preserve the green color. The lower sections of the stalks are peeled, chopped fine and pounded to release their flavor for stir frying. The dried leaves make an excellent tea or addition to tea. In Zones 7b and colder, take a few starts inside for the winter. Dig up a section with a short piece of root in October while it is still warm outdoors. Cut the long leaves back and plant it in a small pot. It will survive fine in a very sunny window. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Lemon, Winter --- ### [Mint](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/mint/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Mentha* spp. taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) 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 with a distinctive flavor. The most commonly grown are peppermint (*Mentha piperita*) and spearmint (*M. spicata*). The plants can reach a height of 1- 2 feet and spread rapidly from the original plant. WHEN TO PLANT Set out started plants whenever they are available during the season. Certain specialty nurseries and garden centers carry them. Doublecheck that the plants are correctly labeled before you take them home. WHERE TO PLANT Most Mint varieties will thrive in full sun (8 to 10 hours per day) or partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day). Plant them where you can control them because they spread and will eventually invade the rest of the garden, the lawn or your neighbor’s yard. A lined raised bed keeps plants under control very well. The most damaging disease of the mints is verticillium wilt. Do not plant mint where Tomatoes, Potatoes, etc. have been grown because they all carry the disease and infect the soil. HOW TO PLANT Set out started plants in wellprepared soil. Separate the various types with barriers so they do not spread and grow together or you will not know which one you are harvesting. Some gardeners construct elaborate barriers to help contain mint by using concrete blocks or timbers buried so that the tops are slightly above the soil surface. Space plants 2 feet apart in beds. For most gardeners, 1 or 2 plants of a kind are sufficient. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Care of Mint consists of controlling weeds by pulling them, keeping the soil moist but not wet (about 1 inch of water per week) and restricting the spread of the plants. Commercial growers renew the growth of their plantings by plowing the beds each fall to a 6inch depth. Doing this cuts up the underground stems and stimulates new growth in spring. Some gardeners add 3 or 4 inches of straw mulch to protect the plantings over winter. The mulch must be removed before plants begin to grow in the spring. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the sprigs of Mint when flower buds first appear. Cut sprigs 6 to 10 inches long as needed and use them fresh in drinks. You can also dry them by hanging small bunches in a warm, dry place or placing them onto a window screen. Strip the leaves from the dry stems and store the leaves in airtight containers. Use dried Mint in teas, flavorings and potpourri. VARIETIES You may be more familiar with some varieties of Mint than others. Spearmint (*Mentha spicata*) flavors chewing gum. Peppermint (*M. piperita*) does not come true from seed, so use only vegetatively propagated plants. Apple Mint (*M. suaveolens*) has a fruity flavor and aroma; Pineapple Mint (*M. suaveolens* ‘Variegata’) bears green and white variegated leaves and has a Pineapple flavor. Corsican Mint (*M. requienii*) carries a cr\_ **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Mulch, Pine, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Tomatoes, Weed, Winter --- ### [Cilantro/Coriander](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cilantrocoriander/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Coriandrum sativum* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Cilantro and Coriander are 2 stages of the same annual plant. The parsley-like foliage, which is picked before the seed stalk forms, is called Cilantro. Mexican and Asian cuisine often calls for Cilantro. Among U.S. consumers, salsa is the number one use of Cilantro. Mature seeds, which are collected and dried for use in cooking and baking, are called Coriander. Coriander is a major ingredient in curry powder. • See also [Home Garden Coriander/Cilantro](https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/cilantro-coriander-in-the-garden) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Cilantro is a short-lived 2-foot-tall annual. Plant seed directly in the garden, starting in early spring as soon as the worst of the freezing weather has passed. Make repeated sowings every 3 weeks to have a continuous supply of Cilantro. Summer sowings may bolt (send up flower stalks) before the rosettes of leaves form and these can be left to mature into Coriander. Seeding is preferable to using transplants because transplants bolt too quickly. WHERE TO PLANT Plant seeds in a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours is fine) that has well-drained, well-tilled soil. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Sow seeds 1 inch apart in rows 2 feet apart. Or if you have raised beds, sow the rows across the beds. Do not thin the seedlings. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Few pests find Cilantro before it is harvested. Water weekly during dry weather to provide about 1 inch. Hoe or pull weeds that appear. If mites become troublesome, spray them with insecticidal soap and remember to wash it off after harvesting foliage. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The plants will bolt very quickly in hot weather. For Cilantro, harvest fully developed rosettes of the foliage as soon as you notice evidence of seed stalks and cut individual leaves from the seed stalks. For Coriander, allow the seed heads to develop and harvest them as they turn tan and before they begin to shatter. Don’t be too hasty to harvest the seeds because immature green seeds have poor flavor. Tying a paper bag over the flower clusters to catch the seed as they drop will result in mostly mature seed. Be sure to clean out and dispose of any immature seed and foliage before storing the seed. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pests, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed --- ### [Salad Burnet](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/salad-burnet/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Sanguisorba minor* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Salad burnet is a graceful perennial plant that forms a 15inch mound of compound leaves. The leaves taste and smell like fresh cucumbers and are much more flavorful than many more commonly used herbs. This herb is a pleasant addition to salads, salad dressings, vinegars, beverages, sandwiches and a variety of other foods. Salad burnet should have a more prominent place in trendy gourmet foods. • See also [Home Garden Salad Burnet](https://web.extension.illinois.edu/herbs/salad-burnet.cfm#:~:text=Salad%20burnet%20prefers%20a%20full,the%20plant%20from%20forming%20seeds.) (broken link) WHEN TO PLANT Sow seeds directly in the garden in late fall or in spring. These hardy plants will withstand frost. Established plants can be divided in spring. WHERE TO PLANT Salad burnet prefers a location in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) or light shade (a little shade from a distant tree or some shade in the middle of the day) and it tolerates alkaline soils quite well. A welldrained but moist soil is best. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Sow seeds in hills 12 to 15 inches apart, then thin to 1 plant per hill when the seedlings are big enough to handle. If necessary, divide established plants in spring before growth begins. A half dozen plants are probably sufficient for most gardeners. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Once established, salad burnet takes little care. Remove the flowers to encourage more foliage. If flowers are allowed to develop and drop seed, salad burnet may become weedy spreading throughout the garden. Pull or hoe seedlings that appear. Apply 1 inch of water when there is no rain for a week. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest tender new leaves once the plants are well established and before they begin to flower. Older leaves left on the plants will become bitter. Salad burnet makes an attractive mound of foliage that is appropriate for the ornamental perennial border as well as the vegetable garden. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Herbs, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Weed --- ### [Savory](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/savory/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Satureja hortensis, Satureja Montana* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Both summer savory and winter savory are available to gardeners. Summer savory (*S. hortensis*), an annual of the mint family, is the more commonly grown of the two. The plant reaches 15 inches tall and 1 foot wide. Winter savory (*S. Montana*) is an evergreen perennial that makes a mound of foliage about 1 foot high and 2 feet wide. Savories have been used to flavor wild game and meats for centuries. In a notable story found in the biblical book of Genesis, Jacob prepared savory game when he outwitted his brother, Esau, to gain their father Isaac’s blessing. Savories have a pungent, peppery flavor and winter savory is the more intense of the two. WHEN TO PLANT Sow summer savory seeds in starter trays or peat pots indoors under lights in March; do not cover the seed. Set started plants in the garden after the last hard freeze. Sow summer savory seeds directly in the garden after the frostfree date (average date of last frost). Start winter savory from cuttings in the spring or from divisions; winter savory doesn’t need to be brought in for the winter. Set out winter savory 2 weeks before the frostfree date. Plants of either type may be available in garden centers in early spring. WHERE TO PLANT Savories prefer welldrained soil in a fullsun location (8 to 10 hours will suffice) and they produce more intense flavors in soils of low fertility. Grow perennial winter savory in a part of the garden where it will not be disturbed and will not interfere with other garden activities. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Space summer savory plants about 8 inches apart. Set winter savory plants 12 to 15 inches apart. A half dozen plants are more than enough for most gardeners. Or sow seeds of summer savory a few inches apart directly in the garden. The seed is very tiny and needs light to germinate, so do not cover it with soil. Thin the seedlings to 6 inches apart. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Savories require little care after they are established. Keep weeds under control until the plants are large enough to shade them out. Apply 1 inch of water per week if nature does not cooperate. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest or pinch off shoot tips of summer savory to stimulate bushy growth. Cut back winter savory to a low mound after flowering and in the spring before growth begins. Harvest leaves as needed, or harvest 6 to 8inch stems and hang them to dry in small bunches or dry them on a screen. Strip the leaves and store them in airtight jars. Most people use only dried leaves but there is no reason not to use fresh leaves. Winter savory provides a much longer harvest season than summer savory. It will stand a freeze and may be harvested well into winter. Severe trimming will keep the plants bushy and dense within the boundaries you have established for them. Some people consider winter savory to be too heavy and prefer the less intense flavor of summer savory. Winter savory is hardy to zone 5a but it may overwinter even farther north if it is protected by adequate snow cover or 4 to 6 inches of straw. Green savory leaves crushed and rubbed on bee stings are said to take out the pain almost immediately. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Sage](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/sage/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Salvia officinalis* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Sage is a hardy, semi-woody perennial plant that makes a loose shrub about 2 feet tall. The leaves are harvested and used fresh or dried in stuffings, sausages and dressings. One or 2 plants is usually sufficient for most gardeners. • See also [Home Garden Sage](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) WHEN TO PLANT Start Sage indoors under lights in late winter. Sow seed in peat pots and thin seedlings to 1 per pot. It is probably easier to buy started plants from garden centers or mailorder suppliers. Set out started plants as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring; they can withstand a frost. WHERE TO PLANT Choose a site to plant sage where it can have welldrained soil and receive full sun (8 to 10 hours or more). The plants will eventually become quite big, so place them where they will not shade other plants and where they will not interfere with other garden operations. HOW TO PLANT Work the soil deeply and well. Set out the started plants in the garden 15 to 18 inches apart so they have room to develop. CARE AND MAINTENANCE After it is established, Sage is a lowmaintenance herb requiring only a bit of weeding and pruning. Keep weeds under control by pulling or hoeing them. Prune established plants each spring to remove dead or damaged branches and to develop more compact plants. Although Sage tolerates dry soil, you may need to apply 1 inch of water if there is no rain for 1 or 2 weeks. Mites can become troublesome but using insecticidal soap controls them. (Always remember to wash it off after harvesting Sage.) During wet seasons, diseases may damage some stems; cut them out before other stems are infected. To combat severe diseases, destroy the old planting and start a new planting elsewhere in the garden. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest leaves when they are fully developed in spring. Clip off sprigs 8 to 10 inches long, dry them, strip the leaves from the stems and store the leaves in airtight containers until needed. Leaves can be used fresh but dried leaves are usually used. Plants need no special care for winter. Do not prune them too severely before the onset of winter, however, or their survival will be adversely affected. VARIETIES ‘Berggarten’ has largerthanaverage, round leaves and a bushy habit that stays full down to the base of the stems. ‘Tricolor’ and ‘Icterina’ are sold as ornamentals because of their leaf color but they can also be used as culinary herbs. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Herbs, Pots, Pruning, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Weed, Winter --- ### [Parsley](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/parsley/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Petroselinum crispum* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Virtually everyone recognizes Parsley, a frequently-appearing garnish on plates served in restaurants. Parsley leaves are also used in various dishes, soups and sauces. Cooks add Parsley Root, which is grown in the same way as Carrots, to soups and stews. Although parsley is a biennial member of the *Umbelliferae* family, gardeners grow it as an annual. • See also [Home Garden Parsley](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) WHEN TO PLANT You may sow seed indoors under lights in midwinter, or you may wait until the soil can be worked and sow Parsley seed directly in the garden. Set out transplants as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. WHERE TO PLANT Parsley grows well in full sun (8 to 10 hours or so) or partial shade (filtered light all day or shade part of the day) in soil that has been prepared deeply and well. The plants reach only 1 foot or so in height before going to seed, so plant them wherever they fit. Planting them at the end of a bed makes them easily accessible to be clipped as needed. Regular clipping of leaves permits you to use them before they deteriorate. Usually, 6 or 8 plants are sufficient for a family. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. The seed takes a long time to germinate outdoors, sometimes 4 or more weeks. Sow it 1 inch apart in rows 1 foot apart, then thin seedlings to a 5 or 6inch spacing. Sown indoors under lights at 70 degrees Fahrenheit in pots covered with plastic wrap, the seed will germinate in 1 week or less. Transplant seedlings into peat pots when they are large enough to handle for setting directly into the garden. Space plants 1 foot apart in each direction in beds or 1 foot apart in rows 2 feet apart. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Parsley takes little care in the garden. Apply 1 inch of water per week if there is insufficient rainfall and hoe or pull weeds as they appear. The plants are susceptible to mites, especially under lights. Spray with insecticidal soap to control them and rinse the treated leaves before use. Some families grow Parsley more for the swallowtail caterpillars that feed on them in fall than for the fragrant leaves. If you find the caterpillars on a plant, pick them off and place in a screen cage. Supply with fresh parsley leaves each day. When the caterpillar seems to have “disappeared” one day, look carefully for the butterfly chrysalis hanging from a corner of the cage. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest Parsley leaves as they mature. Clip the oldest leaves as needed, or clip the entire top off and let the rest regrow. A plant can be harvested this way several times during the season. Dig Parsley Root (*Petroselinum crispum tuberosum*) when the roots are 11/2 inches in diameter, usually in late summer. Parsley bolts and produces a seed stalk the second year. Protect Parsley from cold with a mound of pine straw around it and it will continue to produce all winter. You can also dig up 1 or 2 plants before the first frost, shake off as much soil as possible and pot them in artificial potting soil. Then set them over the kitchen sink where they will be convenient to take a snip to flavor your cooking all winter. You might also grow Parsley under lights. Parsley is grown as an annual because it will bolt immediately in spring. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Butterfly, Caterpillar, Fall, Pine, Pine Straw, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Tarragon](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tarragon/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** TARRAGON, FRENCH *Artemisia dracunculus* TARRAGON, MEXICAN *Tagetes lucida* taken from [The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing True French Tarragon is a vegetatively propagated, 2-foot-tall perennial herb of outstanding character. • See also [Home Garden Tarragon](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1170&title=Herbs%20in%20Southern%20Gardens) It is the most important herb in French cuisine, used in béarnaise, tartar, rémoulade, and hollandaise sauces; in salad dressings, mayonnaise and soups; and in egg, pork, or chicken dishes. It also makes an outstanding vinegar. A half dozen plants are enough for most gardeners. Mexican Tarragon grows much better in the lower South than French Tarragon. It has an excellent anise flavor and can be used in any dish that calls for “real” Tarragon. When to Plant Set out started plants or divide plants in your garden in early spring; they can stand a freeze. The plants spread by underground stems. Dig established plants and separate the new offshoot plants. Where to Plant Plant Tarragon in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) or light shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day) in fertile, well-drained soil. Set it to one side of the garden where it will not be disturbed by other gardening activities. How to Plant True French Tarragon is available from garden centers and mail-order suppliers only as plants. The herb does not come true from seed. Seed types are available but are of vastly inferior quality and not worth growing. Buy plants or divide existing plants. Prepare the soil. Space plants or divisions 1 foot apart in each direction in beds or in rows. Care and Maintenance Pinch newly started plants to encourage branching. Water to keep plants from wilting; 1 inch per week is sufficient. Use caution with fertilizing because it will produce rank, floppy plants. Repeated harvesting throughout the season will encourage the development of fresh, new leaves. Divide the plants every 3 or 4 years. Pests seldom bother Tarragon but indoors, mites may become troublesome. Spray the plants with insecticidal soap and be sure to rinse the leaves thoroughly before using them in cooking. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION As soon as the plants are vigorously growing, begin to harvest leaves as needed. Tarragon loses most of its flavor when it is dried. To have fresh Tarragon all winter, lift a few plants in the fall before they begin to go dormant. Clip them back to a convenient size, pot them and move them indoors to a cool, bright place. Move them back to the garden in the spring. Tarragon is often seen growing in pots on balconies where it is easily available to the cook. Grow it in artificial soil mix and be sure that the pot has adequate drainage because having wet feet causes more winter kill than the cold does. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Pests, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Winter --- ### [Thyme](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/thyme/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Thymus vulgaris* taken from [**The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing This traditional perennial herb grows as a ground cover up to 12 inches high and spreading many times as wide if it is not contained. Thyme is a popular herb used in many kinds of dishes including salads, stocks, stews, stuffings, vinegars, pork, beef, fish, sausages, vegetables, breads and honey. • See also [Home Garden Thyme](https://site.extension.uga.edu/madison/2021/06/make-thyme-for-herbs-in-your-garden/) WHEN TO PLANT Spring is the time to plant Thyme. Use plants that have been grown in containers or divide existing plants. You can also start plants from seed sown indoors under lights. Be aware that named varieties (that is, cultivars, or selections that have been made for quality) are generally superior to seedgrown plants. WHERE TO PLANT Plant it in full sun (8 to 10 hours) or partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day) in welldrained but not overly fertile soil. Thyme grows well in containers and makes an attractive plant for the porch or patio. A single plant of a variety is sufficient for fresh use; you may want to grow several varieties because each variety has a different taste. The plants make attractive edging and more may be used more for that purpose than for harvesting. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil. Set plants on 12inch centers in rows or in beds. If several varieties are to be planted, separate them with barriers, such as timbers, bricks, or tiles, to prevent them from becoming an indistinguishable, tangled mess. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Trim Thyme to keep it in bounds. Thyme may become contaminated by weeds and after a few years the plants decline, becoming messy and woody. Most growers restart their Thyme planting after 3 or 4 years. Take cuttings from old plants and just stick the cuttings in the ground; they root easily. Or divide old plants and replant them in another part of the garden. Excess moisture easily damages Thyme, so water only if rain has not fallen for several weeks. Low fertility results in the best flavor. Vigorously growing plants have much less flavor and spread quickly, taking over the garden. Mites may become troublesome indoors. Spray the plants with insecticidal soap and wash them thoroughly before use. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest Thyme by clipping off 6 to 8inch stems. Use them fresh, or tie the stems in loose bunches to dry quickly on a window screen. Strip leaves from the stems and store the leaves in airtight jars. To have a supply of thyme all winter, lift a few plants before they are frozen in. Trim them to shape and pot them up. Move them into a cool, bright place indoors where they are accessible to the cook. Return them to the garden in spring. VARIETIES English Thyme has flat green leaves. French Thyme is known for its superior flavor. ‘Orange Balsam’ has a distinctive citrus fragrance. Lemon Thyme (*Thymus citriodorus*) is lemony; there are several cultivars of Lemon Thyme. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Fall, Lemon, Moisture, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Weed, Winter --- ### [Fig](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fig/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Ficus carica* Figs suffer from winter damage in some parts of the Southeast but their soft, luscious fruit is prized for preserves and fresh eating. With protection, Figs can be grown as far north as Zone 7a. Zones 8a and warmer are perfect for Figs, providing the hot, dry summers and cool winters they prefer. Southern Fig varieties do not need a pollinator, as do California Figs. After a mild winter, a small “breba” fig crop will be produced on twigs that grew last year. The main crop occurs on current season growth. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book** ](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/)by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • For more information visit: [Home Garden Figs](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20945_4.PDF) When to Plant Plant Figs in spring as soon as the soil can be worked after the last frost. Where to Plant Situate Figs where they have plenty of room to achieve their final size. A space 15 feet wide and high is the minimum needed. Heavy yearly pruning, necessitated by putting a large plant in a small landscape space, causes poor fruiting. They need at least 8 hours of sunshine per day to ripen the fruit. In cold areas, plant on the south side of your house. Try to avoid early morning and late evening winter sunshine. Old gardens and fields often are infested with root-knot nematodes, the major pest of Figs. Before you plant, call your local Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1) for directions on how to sample for nematodes. How to Plant Figs have a wide-ranging root system. Dig a hole at least three times as wide as the root ball. Begin training to a bush form by cutting off the upper third of the Fig at planting. This will force new sprouts to come out near the ground. When the new sprouts have grown 18 inches, cut off the tips to induce even more sprouting. Care and Maintenance Figs respond better than most fruit plants to regular applications of fertilizer. Spread 3 cups of 8-8-8 under the canopy of a well-established plant in March, May and June; half the amount for younger plants. Regular watering during fruit swell (July through harvest) is important. Do not allow grass to grow under the plant: it will compete for available nutrients and water. If Figs are frequently winter injured in your area, halve the fertilization recommendations for mature plants above. If plants grow vigorously but put on few fruit, do not fertilize for six months. Avoid heavy winter pruning at all costs. It is better to prune monthly in the summer in order to avoid shocking the plant back into juvenile growth. Remove the tips of vertical sprouts when they are 2 feet long. Encourage horizontal branches since these will bear most of the fruit. PESTS Few insects and diseases affect Figs. Birds are the most troublesome pests although some believe that Figs grow tall “so the birds can have the high ones and I get the low ones”. Scare objects such as aluminum pie pans are often recommended but rarely work. The only sure way to prevent loss of the crop is to cover the plants with netting. Remove the net immediately after fruiting. Varieties Variety Color of Fruit Comments Brown Turkey Bronze Medium size fruit; hardy to 10F, will produce some fruit even if frozen to the ground in winter Celeste Lt. brown to violet Small size fruit; winter hardy to 0F; plant is smaller than Brown Turkey Hunt Dull bronze with white specks Small to medium size fruit; well adapted to rainy areas Kadota Bright greenish yellow Small to medium size fruit; rich, sweet flavor LSU Purple Reddish to dark purple Medium size fruit; strawberry pulp Magnolia Bronze with white flecks Medium size fruit; winter hardy to 5F ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fig-fruit2.jpg "fig fruit") **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Disease, Fertilizer, Magnolia, Pests, Pruning, Soil, Spring, Summer, Watering, Winter --- ### [Blueberry - Selection, Care & Maintenance](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/blueberry/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Vaccinium* spp. Cultivated blueberry production in the South consists predominantly of the northern highbush blueberry and the rabbiteye blueberry, a native southern blueberry. Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing See also [Home Garden Blueberries](https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/fruit-vegetable-ornamentals-production/blueberries.html) and [UGA Blueberry Blog](https://site.caes.uga.edu/blueberry/) Which blueberry type or variety to plant is a fundamental issue. This is largely dictated by location, with northern highbush adapted to Zone 7a and colder, rabbiteyes from Zone 7b and warmer and southern highbush from 7a and warmer. The southern highbush blueberry is a relatively new type of blueberry and is a hybrid of the northern highbush and one or more native southern blueberry species. **WHEN TO PLANT** Plant Blueberries in fall after the first frost or in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. **WHERE TO PLANT** Blueberries are very specific in their soil and cultural requirements. They must be grown in an acidic, highly organic soil, with a pH of 4.5 to 5.6. This may mean modifying the soil if it has been limed regularly over the years. Before planting Blueberries, [have your soil tested](http://www.georgiasoiltest.com). If the soil pH is 6.2 or higher, modify it by digging out the planting hole 1 foot deep and 3 feet wide. Mix the soil with an equal amount of peat moss, then use this mixture to backfill the planting hole. Plant Blueberries in full sun (8 to 10 hours per day) in well-drained soil. For large plantings, setting plants on a slope will improve air drainage. A north-facing slope will often delay flowering, avoiding injury to flowers from late spring frost if these occur in your area. **HOW TO PLANT** Blueberries are available as bare-root, containerized, or balled-and-burlapped plants. All 3 types are satisfactory planting choices. The latter 2 are more expensive but can be used where only a few plants are being installed. Vigorous 2-year-old plants are recommended. Dig the holes for planting shallower than the depth of the roots and at least twice as wide. Space the plants 4 to 6 feet apart in rows 8 feet apart. Trim broken roots from bare-root plants. Knock containerized plants out of their containers and if the soil on the roots is much different from that in the holes, shake most of it off, being careful not to injure the roots. Mix some soil from the containers with that going back into the holes to avoid problems where the soils interface. Remove the burlap from balled-and-burlapped plants. Set the plants in the holes, keeping them 2 inches higher than they grew in the nursery. Deep planting or poor drainage may cause root or crown rot and plant loss. Replace half the soil and fill the holes with water. When the water has drained out, fill the holes the rest of the way with the remaining soil. Soak thoroughly to settle the soil. Mound soil over the exposed upper root ball. Mulch the plants with 2 to 3 inches of shredded bark or compost. **CARE AND MAINTENANCE** After planting, remove all flower buds and all weak or broken wood from the plants. In the second year, remove only dead or damaged branches. In subsequent years, remove a few of the oldest canes to develop a plant with 7 or 8 young, vertical, vigorous canes. If plants are too vigorous, continually making long canes, pinch the tips out when the canes are 4 to 5 feet tall to force laterals that will bear fruit the following spring. Watering, mulching and fertilizing are important parts of Blueberry care. Watering will be needed about once a week in dry weather. Blueberries are shallowly rooted with fine, fibrous roots and drought easily damages them. When planted in modified soil as described above, the soil will not pull moisture from clay soil around the planting; the water will not move upward into the lighter soil above. Irrigate with soakers to avoid wetting the foliage and fruit. Wetting the developing fruit can cause it to crack. Reapply 2 to 3 inches of mulch in the spring and again in the fall. Fertilize 4 weeks after planting with an organic fertilizer such as Milorganite(tm) or cotton seed meal, following label directions. The next year, apply again in the spring just before buds begin to swell. After the fourth year split the fertilizer application: half in early spring and half 6 weeks later. Test the soil pH every 2 years and apply sulfur if it is needed to keep the soil acidic. Yellowing of young leaves, called chlorosis, is an indication that the soil pH is too high. **PESTS** Blueberries are affected by few insects and diseases. Pollination, however, is essential in order to get essential fruit set. Birds are the most troublesome pests in Blueberry plantings. Scare objects such as “hawk eye” balloons are often recommended but the only sure way to prevent loss of the crop is to cover the plants with netting. Remove the net immediately after fruiting or you will have an awful time removing it later. If voles are gnawing on the stems, pull the mulch back from the bases of the plants in early fall. Doing this will prevent the voles from taking up residence next to the stems of the plants and will reduce the chances of feeding injury. Use chicken wire fencing around the planting to prevent rabbit damage. Competition from weeds can severely stunt Blueberries. Hoe out any weeds and apply 2 – 4 inches of mulch. The mulch will discourage weeds and conserve moisture. Research has shown the importance of mulching Blueberries in developing and maintaining vigorous, productive plants. **ADDITIONAL INFORMATION** Harvest Blueberries when they are fully blue-colored and are sweet to the taste. Some varieties do not attain full flavor for several days after attaining full color. The taste test is best until you become familiar with the variety being grown. Blueberries mature 60 to 75 days after bloom, about the end of June in the southernmost parts of the Southeast and in late July to the north. Since all berries will not ripen at the same time, several pickings may be necessary at 5-day intervals. **VARIETIES** **Northern Highbush** As a rule, highbush Blueberries are self-fertile. However, larger and earlier-ripening berries result if several cultivars are interplanted for cross-pollination. Group cultivars by ripening dates so your harvest can progress in an orderly fashion. **Early Season** Bluetta Earliblue Duke Spartan Collins **Mid-Season** Patriot Bluejay Blueray Berkeley Jersey **Late Season** Darrow Elliott **Southern Highbush** **Early Season** O’Neal Cape Fear Legacy Summit Sharpblue **Mid-Season** Blue Ridge Georgia Gem (Zone 8a and warmer) **Late Season** Ozarkblue (zone 7b only) **Rabbiteye** Rabbiteye Blueberries are not self-fertile. Plant more than one variety for cross-pollination. **Early Season** Austin Brightwell Climax Premier Woodard Alapaha Vernon Ochlockonee **Mid-Season** Bluebelle Briteblue Chaucer Powderblue Tifblue **Late Season** Baldwin Centurion Choice Delite Maru ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/blueberries-Ocklocknee-scaled.jpg "blueberries Ocklocknee")Ochlockonee blueberries **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Blueberries, Compost, Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Moisture, Mulch, Oak, Pests, Rabbit, Seed, Soil, Spring, Watering, Weed --- ### [Watermelon](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/watermelon/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Citrullus linatus* Summertime celebrations would be incomplete without watermelons. Children of all ages love the sweet, juicy fruit of these hot-weather African natives. As is the case with other summer melons, watermelons need a long, hot season to develop. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Watermelon Breeding](http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wmelon/wmelonmain.html) Watermelons are vine crops closely related to cucumbers, squashes, and pumpkins, and like most vine crops, watermelons can take a lot of room. If you are reluctant to plant them because your garden has restricted space, you can plant smaller-fruited kinds, often called icebox watermelons. These can be grown on trellises if there is adequate support for the fruits so they do not pull down the vines. WHEN TO PLANT Do not plant watermelons too early because they cannot stand a frost. They need warm soil to develop and may rot off if weather is cool and wet. Sow seeds indoors under lights about 1 month before the latest date of last frost. Set out started plants or sow seed directly in the garden after any danger of frost has passed. WHERE TO PLANT Plant watermelons somewhere with lots of room (they need about 25 to 30 square feet per hill), full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), and well-drained soil. If space is restricted, grow bush types in beds or containers, or train the vining types on a trellis, making sure that the structure is strong enough to support the plants. Icebox-type melons can weigh 6 to 12 pounds each, and several may develop on a vine. Standard and seedless melons at 25 pounds or more may be too heavy to grow on a support. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. (See “Soil Preparation” on page 68.) Because vine crops do not tolerate root injuries common to transplanting, indoors under lights sow seeds in peat pots that can be planted without disturbing the tiny roots. Keep the lights on for 18 out of every 24 hours, and maintain the temperatures during the light period around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. After danger of frost has passed, carefully set 2 or 3 transplant seedlings in hills about 36 inches apart. In beds, space the plants 36 inches apart down the middles of the beds. In containers, plant bush types. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Black plastic mulch can get watermelons off to a good start since it traps the sun, warming the soil. Cut holes in the plastic with a small can from which you have cut off the rim. Be careful; it will be sharp. You could use a knife or scissors, but a can cuts the right-sized hole with a single effort. Then plant the seedlings in the holes. CARE AND MAINTENANCE From the minute watermelon seedlings are planted, cucumber beetles will threaten them. These pests will damage the leaves and scar the stems. Apply an approved garden insecticide to eliminate the beetles, or cover the plants with floating row covers, being sure to tuck in the edges and ends, to keep the beetles out. When the plants begin to vine, remove the covers, and stop the spraying. In cooler areas, use floating row covers to warm the plants. When flowers appear, remove the covers so that bees may pollinate them. Watermelons, like all vine crops, have both male and female flowers. The male flowers usually appear first and are smaller than the females. Many times new gardeners are dismayed that the flowers fall off without any melons. Usually, that happens because the flowers are all males. Female flowers have tiny melons below the flowers themselves; male flowers have only slender stems. The flowers are pollinated by bees that feed on the male flowers and then on the females, carrying the pollen from one to the other. Without bees, there will be no melons. If the weather is unfavorable for bees (that is, cold, wet, or dark), pollinate the melons by hand. Clip a male flower and dust the pollen from it on the pistils of the female flowers. Protect the foliage from diseases by applying a garden fungicide. Rotate vine crops to a different part of the garden each year to reduce dangers of diseases. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION In a garden with restricted space, grow melons vertically on a trellis or on a fence. Make sure the supports are sturdy enough to bear the weight of the plants with fruits on them. The heavy fruits will need additional support to keep from pulling the vines down. Use a little net or cloth parachute under each melon, tied securely to the support. Harvest watermelons when they are ripe. That sounds logical, doesn’t it? But determining just when watermelons are ready to pick can be an art. Many gardeners rely on thumping. They are listening for a dull thud, but some melons make that sound when they are overripe. The most reliable way is to check the color of the bottom where the melon is lying on the ground. It should be a good yellow color, and the little curlicue where the melon attaches to the stem dries up as the melon ripens. The skin becomes dull looking, rough, and hardened sufficiently that you cannot cut into it with your fingernail. Melons do not continue to ripen once they are picked. They will become softer, but not sweeter. VARIETIES Watermelons vary in size from the small, 6-pound icebox types to giants of 100 pounds or more. For most gardeners, the smaller, early types offer the greatest chance of success; they mature in 70 to 75 days. Bush types are especially well suited to home gardens. Standard varieties take more room and produce fewer fruits in smaller gardens, and the season may be too short in the more northern parts of the area. Standard varieties mature in 85 to 90 days. You must plant seedless varieties with normal-seeded types for pollination. Mark these plants in the garden so the ones with seeds can be separated from the ones that are seedless. Seedless melons mature in 85 days. Most watermelons are red, but types with yellow flesh are gaining popularity. Varieties Size Comments Early: Bush Sugar Baby 6 to 8 pounds Bush type. Golden Crown 6 to 10 pounds Red flesh, but skin turns yellow as melon ripens. Sugar Baby 6 to 8 pounds Red flesh. Favorite icebox type. Yellow Baby 6 to 10 pounds Yellow flesh, the first of the popular yellow varieties. Yellow Doll 6 to 10 pounds Yellow flesh, hybrid. Seedless: Cotton Candy 20 pounds Red flesh, large, seedless. Honey Heart 10 pounds Yellow flesh, convenient size. Jack of Hearts 11 pounds Red flesh, similar to King and Queen, but the smallest of the group. King of Hearts 18 pounds Red flesh, largest of the Hearts. Queen of Hearts 15 pounds Red flesh, mid-sized Heart. Standard: Charleston Grey 25 pounds Red flesh, popular with commercial growers Crimson Sweet 25-40 pounds Red flesh, for larger gardens. Sweet Favorite 20-35 pounds Red flesh, smaller and sweeter. Jubilee 25-40 pounds Bright red flesh Stone Mountain 35-40 pounds Rich scarlet flesh, crisp and sweet **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Mulch, Pests, Pots, Seed, Soil, Squash, Stone, Summer, Temperature, Trellis, Watermelon --- ### [Peach](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/peach/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Prunus persica* Peach trees are challenging to grow in the Southeast, even though Georgia is known as the Peach State and the Carolina’s produce huge numbers of the fruits each year. They are susceptible to several damaging disease and insect pests. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Peaches](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%201063_2.PDF) The flowers buds are killed outright by winter temperatures of minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. They are also easily killed by late-season frost. In addition, Peaches must have a minimum number of “chill hours” each winter so mild winters can cause crop failure. Yet gardeners continue to defy the odds and grow peaches because the results are so gratifying. Some even grow them in tubs that can be moved into a protected area for the winter. Many Southerners agree that there is nothing like a juicy, ripe Peach on a warm summer day. WHEN TO PLANT Always plant Peach trees in the spring after any danger of severe cold weather has passed. WHERE TO PLANT To choose a site, be sure to take into account the full-grown size of the trees. Peaches on dwarfing rootstock will spread 12 to 15 feet; standard trees will be twice that size. Peach trees prefer well-drained soil in full sun (8 to 10 hours is enough) in an area that has protection from winter winds. The trees themselves are hardy but the flower buds are not. If the garden is on a slope, plant the Peach trees on the side of the hill (so they are protected from wind) but not at the bottom where cold air will settle. HOW TO PLANT Standard Peach trees or Peaches grafted onto the Lovell or Nemaguard rootstock are recommended for backyard orchards. Peaches are generally available as bare-root, 2-year-old whips. As soon as you receive the trees, plunge the roots in a bucket of water for a couple of hours to re-hydrate them and keep them from drying out. If planting is to be delayed, heel-in the trees (See Fruit Introduction) until you can plant them. Peaches are self-fruitful (not needing another variety for pollination). The number you choose to plant depends on your available space, your love of Peaches and the amount of management you can accomplish. To plant a Peach tree, dig a hole twice as wide as the spread of the roots and deep enough that the plant will be at the same depth it grew in the nursery. Trim off excessively long and damaged roots, then spread the roots out in the bottom of the hole. Supporting the tree, backfill the hole with soil and firm the soil with your shoe. When the hole is half filled with soil, fill it with water. After the water has drained out, replace the remaining soil and fill with water again. In severe climates, Peaches can be grown in containers such as half wine barrels. Make sure there are holes in the bottom for drainage. Use a high-quality, well-drained commercial potting soil mix and fill the container so the plant is set at the same depth it was growing in the nursery. Fill and firm with soil to 2 or 3 inches from the rim. Soak it thoroughly to remove air pockets. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Pruning is essential to Peach trees and the open center system is recommended. Prune Peach trees in the spring, keeping the trees low and thinning them out well. As the trees age, they will need heavier and heavier pruning. Thinning the fruit is also necessary to produce a good crop each year. Fertilize young trees in April with one cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer scattered over an area three feet in diameter. Repeat with an additional half cup in early June and again in early August. Beginning the second year, fertilize the trees twice a year; in early March and around the first of August. Use these rules: March application – apply one cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per year of tree age to a maximum of 10 cups for mature trees. August application – apply one cup of 10-10-10 per year of tree age to a maximum of four cups for mature trees. Move containerized Peaches to a protected location where temperatures can be kept below 40 degrees but above 10 degrees Fahrenheit for the winter. Move them back outdoors in spring when danger of severe cold has passed. PESTS Peaches can be attacked by insects such as Japanese beetles, stink bugs and aphids. Diseases such as leaf curl, scab and brown rot can disfigure or ruin fruit. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the fruit when it is ripe or a few days earlier. Peaches continue to ripen after harvest. The taste test is the best means of determining ripeness. After a few seasons, experience will tell you when fruit is just about ripe. Peach varieties recommended for zones 7b and warmer may ripen as early as late April. Those that thrive in colder zones may not be ripe until mid-July. VARIETIES – PEACH Variety Hardiness Zone Comments Junegold 8a – 8b Yellow flesh, Cling stone Flordaking 8a – 8b Yellow flesh, Cling stone Surecrop 7a – 7b Yellow flesh, Semi-free stone Juneprince 8a – 8b Yellow flesh, Semi-free stone Gala 7b – 8a Yellow flesh, Semi-free stone Redhaven 6a – 7b Yellow flesh, Semi-free stone Reliance 6a – 7a Yellow flesh, Free stone Suwanee 8a – 8b Yellow flesh, Free stone Nectar 7a – 7b White flesh, Free stone Harvester 7b – 8a Yellow flesh, Free stone Redglobe 7a – 8a Yellow flesh, Free stone Georgia Belle 7a – 7b White flesh, Free stone Cresthaven 7a – 7b Yellow flesh, Free stone Madison 6a – 7a Yellow flesh, Free stone Redskin 7a – 8b Yellow flesh, Free stone Jefferson 7a – 7b Yellow flesh, Free stone Belle of Georgia 6a – 7b White flesh, Free stone **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fertilizer, Flowers, Japanese Beetle, Oak, Peach, Pests, Pruning, Soil, Spring, Stone, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Plum](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/plum/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Prunus* cv. Plums can be grown throughout the Southeast and are an excellent addition to the backyard grower’s orchard. The three major classifications of Plums are European, Oriental and Native American. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Plums](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20881_4.PDF) European types are mainly used for drying into prunes and are not generally suited for backyard production. The Native American types are of limited commercial value because of their extremely tough skin and poor flavor. The Oriental types are those most commonly found in supermarkets. Hybrids between Native American and Japanese types are recommended. The un-hybridized Japanese types usually die after five or six years due to disease and are not recommended. WHEN TO PLANT Plant Plum trees in the spring as soon as soils are dry enough to work. WHERE TO PLANT Choose a planting site with well-drained soil and full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice). Be sure to allow enough room to walk around the tree when it matures, sometimes 20 feet wide. Don’t let Plum trees grow into each other or into nearby structures. HOW TO PLANT Plums are generally available as bare-root, 2-year-old whips. As soon as you receive the trees, plunge the roots in a bucket of water for a couple of hours to re-hydrate them and keep them from drying out. If planting is to be delayed, heel-in the trees until you can plant them. To plant, dig a hole twice as wide as the spread of the roots and deep enough that the plant will be at the same depth it grew in the nursery. Trim off excessively long and damaged roots, then spread the roots out in the bottom of the hole. Supporting the tree with one hand, backfill the hole with soil, firming it with a blunt stick, such as a 2-by-4. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Annual pruning is necessary to train the trees, the required open center form is identical to peaches. As the trees age, they will need heavier and heavier pruning. Always prune Plum trees in the spring, keeping the trees low and well thinned out. Most of the training takes place the first 2 years. Thinning the fruit is also necessary to produce a good crop each year. Water plums regularly during hot weather as fruit matures. One inch of water per week is sufficient. Fertilize young trees in April with one cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer scattered over an area three feet in diameter. Repeat with an additional half cup in early June and again in early August. Beginning the second year, fertilize the trees twice a year; in early March and around the first of August. Use these rules: March application – apply one cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per year of tree age to a maximum of 10 cups for mature trees. August application – apply one cup of 10-10-10 per year of tree age to a maximum of four cups for mature trees. PESTS Plums can be attacked by insects such as Japanese beetles and aphids. Diseases such as brown rot and black knot can disfigure trees or ruin fruit. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest Plums when they are fully ripe. Plums do not all ripen at the same time, so it will be necessary to make several pickings. The fruit continues to ripen after the full color appears so the taste test is the most reliable means of determining when they are ready. Plums do not continue to ripen after harvest, so do not pick them too early. VARIETIES Plant 2 varieties of Plums for cross-pollination. (Be sure to carefully check the nursery tags for the varieties.) A.U. Amber and Methley, exceptions to this rule, are partially self-fruitful from a home garden standpoint. They can be set as single trees with the understanding that production may be light in some years. To pollinate, the trees need to be within 100 to 200 feet of each other. Plums ripen in early to midsummer, usually in June or early July. Variety Zone Characteristics A.U. Amber 7a – 8b Medium size, excellent flavor for season. Red-purple skin with yellow flesh. Partially self-fruitful. Methley 7a – 8b Medium size, excellent quality. Dark purple skin; deep red flesh. One of the best varieties. Partially self-fruitful. Shiro 7a – 8b Yellow flesh, ripens early July Rubysweet 7a – 8a Large firm red-fleshed fruit with greenish-red skin; excellent flavor. A.U. Rubrum 7a – 8b Red flesh. Fruit medium to large. Maroon skin color. Ozark Premier 7a – 8a Red skin, large fruit, disease tolerant, ripens in July Morris 7a – 8a Fruit medium to large. Reddish-black skin and red flesh. Firm and crisp with good flavor. A.U. Homeside 7a – 8b Red skin, amber flesh. Large size. Soft. A.U. Roadside 7a – 8b Red flesh. Medium to large fruit size.Very good quality. A.U. Producer 7a – 8b Dark red skin with red flesh. Medium fruit. Good quality. Byrongold 7a – 8a Medium to large round fruit. Mild to slightly tart flavor. Yellow skin with occasional blush. Firm and keeps well. Good quality. Black Ruby 7a – 8b Purple-black with yellow flesh. Medium sized fruit. Upright tree. Good quality. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fertilizer, Japanese Beetle, Peach, Pears, Pests, Pruning, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Raspberry](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/raspberry/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Rubus* cv. Fresh Raspberries are nearly impossible to find in grocery stores because they deteriorate quickly after picking and do not ship well. Growing a few in your backyard is the best way to enjoy these delicious fruits. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Raspberries](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20766_3.PDF) Other than the inconvenience of their thorns, Raspberries are easy to grow and they are the most productive of the small fruits you can plant in your garden. Caring for Raspberries is easier when you understand how these plants grow. You will have to do a lot of pruning but the fruit is worth the effort. All brambles grow from biennial canes. These canes grow vigorously 1 year (primocanes), produce fruit the next summer (on floricanes) and then die. The crowns are perennial and remain in the ground for many years, sending up new shoots each spring. All Raspberries bear fruit in the summer. Some kinds of red Raspberries are double-cropping types and produce a crop in the fall, followed by a second crop on the same canes early the next summer. These are called “everbearing,” but “fall-bearing” would be more nearly correct. Some growers handle the everbearing plants so that they produce only a large fall crop and no crop the next summer. WHEN TO PLANT Plant Raspberries in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked. WHERE TO PLANT Choose a planting site for Raspberries that receives full sun (8 to 10 hours) and has well-drained soil. Leave enough room so that you can mow around the beds to control the suckers. These plants are susceptible to verticillium wilt, a fungus disease that infects the soil and kills susceptible plants growing in it. Do not plant Raspberries where potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, etc. have been grown in the last 5 years. HOW TO PLANT Raspberries are sold as 1-year-old, Grade No. 1 plants. Buy only certified disease-free plants. Most reliable suppliers and catalogs specify that their plants meet these requirements. Prepare the soil as you would for a vegetable garden. Be sure to kill off perennial weeds such as Bermudagrass or nutgrass using a non-selective herbicide. Spade or till thoroughly. Plant Raspberries in rows or along a trellis. Raspberries sucker extensively and the erect ones will develop into a thick hedgerow on their own. Space erect Raspberries 2 feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart. Space trailing Raspberry plants ten feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart. Soak bare-root plants in a bucket of water to re-hydrate them and to keep them from drying out while you are planting. Dig the planting holes at least the diameter of the root spread. Set Raspberries at the same depth they grew in the nursery. Cut off broken roots, then spread out the root system in the planting hole and carefully cover it with soil. Fill the hole with water to firm the soil and force out any air pockets. CARE AND MAINTENANCE After planting, cut back Raspberry canes to about 1 foot tall. Burn these prunings or dispose of them in the trash to prevent diseases. Mulch well to a depth of 2 to 3 inches to conserve moisture and reduce weed competition. Although Raspberries will grow and fruit without support, they are much more attractive and easier to care for when they are trained up in some manner on a support. Maintenance pruning each year is the most important facet of growing brambles. Sharp hand clippers are good for the task. Wear heavy gloves and a long-sleeved shirt and be prepared to receive a few wounds along the way! In early spring, remove all weak canes (those that are falling over or less than pencil sized) and thin out the remaining canes, saving only the largest canes. Leave 1 cane every foot in rows. Cut back all canes to 5 feet tall. (If the plants are not supported, cut them back to 3 feet.) As soon as fruiting is completed, remove all canes that bore fruit, being careful not to injure developing shoots that will bear the next year. Dispose of all trimmings to reduce chances of diseases. Everbearing red Raspberries (‘Heritage’ and ‘Redwing’) will produce a fall crop on the newly developing primocanes. Do not remove these canes after the fruit is harvested if you want a crop the next summer. If you do not intend to produce a crop the next summer, mow the entire planting down after the fall harvest with the mower set to a height of 2 to 3 inches. New primocanes will grow and produce fruit the next fall. Many commercial producers use this tremendous labor-saving system. Raspberries sucker profusely and need to be controlled. Each spring, rototill the perimeter of the planting to eliminate all suckers that have grown outside the row. Hoe out or transplant suckers that develop during the season. Raspberries are very drought-resistant but if you want the best berry size, plan to water as the fruit is ripening. For the first two years, fertilize with 2 pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 feet of row or one-fourth pound per plant in spring and again after harvest. After two years, use 4 pounds and one-half pound, respectively, each time. Properly maintained, healthy Raspberry plantings should produce for 10 or more years. Plantings usually deteriorate prematurely because of virus diseases for which there is no cure. Immediately rogue out any plants that begin to develop misshapen leaves. If the planting begins to consistently produce small berries, consider replacing it. Raspberries can be attacked by insects such as mites and scale insects. Diseases such as anthracnose and spur blight can disfigure canes or ruin fruit. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. Weed control, especially grass control, is important. Apply mulches to clean plantings, then hoe or pull weeds as they appear. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the berries as they ripen. The berries will achieve full color when they are ready to pick. Summer-bearing Raspberries mature in late May through July. Fall-bearing types mature in September. Berries deteriorate rapidly, so don’t leave them on the plants. Birds, squirrels and insects will harvest them if you do not. VARIETIES Black and purple Raspberries are very susceptible to virus diseases that do not affect red Raspberries. The red Raspberries below are well suited to the Southeast. Variety Comment Latham Erect, early summer bearing, best for zones 6b – 7b Heritage Erect, fall-bearing, best for Zones 6b – 7b Redwing Erect, fall-bearing, best for Zones 6b – 7b Dormanred Trailing, spring-bearing, Zones 7a – 8b **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Disease, Fall, Herbicide, Moisture, Mulch, Oak, Peppers, Pests, Pruning, Raspberry, Soil, Spring, Squirrels, Summer, Tomatoes, Trellis, Weed --- ### [Banana](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/banana/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Musa* spp. Even though it is considered a tropical plant, you too can grow a Banana tree. Harvesting fruit, though, is possible only in coastal areas. The trunk is not a true stem but only a cluster of leaf stalk bases. • Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Bananas](https://crfg.org/wiki/fruit/banana/) The perennial portion of the plant is the underground corm. It produces suckers, which are thinned to 2 – 3 per corm: one “parent” sucker for fruiting and one “follower” to take the place of the parent after it dies. Low temperatures limit bananas primarily to ornamental status in much of the Southeast (Zones 7b and warmer). Frost kills plants to the ground, although the corm usually survives if mulched heavily. Vigorous young suckers can be brought in a tub into a basement or heated garage when the first frost threatens. Plant back outdoors when the soil is very warm. Bananas prefer deep, well-drained soil but they can tolerate clay as long as the roots are not constantly wet. Some varieties grow quite large so plant them in full sun, at least ten feet from other plants or buildings. The top of the plant will produce a bloom stem approximately nine months after a sucker begins to grow. Fruit is ready to harvest three months later. Pollination is not necessary to set fruit. Bananas require heavy fertilization, at least a pint of 10-10-10 per month per mature plant, and regular watering. Dwarf types may be grown in tubs exclusively and moved indoors to sit before a sunny window, dreaming of their tropical heritage. Varieties which may produce fruit for you: ‘Cavendish’, ‘Raja Puri’. Many of the other ornamental Bananas produce small fruit full of very hard, large seeds and usually are not edible. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Mulch, Seed, Soil, Temperature, Watering --- ### [Mulberry](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/mulberry/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Morus alba* Mulberries are large, fast-growing trees that are good fruit producers for humans and wildlife. The fruit resembles a slender Blackberry and wild Mulberries have a mild (some would say insipid) flavor. • Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Mulberry](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20992_8.PDF) [Growing mulberry fruit](https://www.growingmulberry.org/home) The fruit of cultivated varieties is much sweeter. The fruit drops when ripe and may be harvested by shaking the tree. Wash your shoe soles vigorously before going into the house after picking Mulberries! The fruit are borne on current season’s growth and ripen in May. The three species cultivated are the red Mulberry (*Morus rubrum*), native to the United States; the black Mulberry (*Morus nigra*), native to Iran; and the white Mulberry (*Morus alba*), native to Japan and China. There are usually few problems with plant hardiness in the Southeast but the plants can be damaged by late spring freezes. Mulberries grow best on a deep, well-drained soil, in full sunshine, but they are tolerant of poorer soils. Due to bird-dispersed seed, which sprout in untended city lots, many folks consider Mulberry to be a weed tree. Adjust the soil pH to 5.5 to 6.5 prior to planting. Fertilize the trees in late winter and in mid-summer, using about 1 pound of 10-10-10 for each inch of trunk diameter. Prune trees each winter to remove dead and crossing branches. Birds are extremely fond of ripe Mulberries and compete with humans for the fruit. Buy a cover for your vehicles when you purchase Mulberry seedlings to plant. Varieties to look for: White Mulberry – ‘Downing,’ ‘New American’ and ‘Beautiful Day’ Black Mulberry – ‘Illinois Everbearing’ and ‘Shangri-La’ Red Mulberry – ‘Hicks,’ ‘Johnson,’ ‘Stubbs,’ ‘Townsend’ and ‘Travis’ **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Blackberry, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Mayhaw](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/mayhaw/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Crataegus* spp. Mayhaws are closely related to Apple and Pear and have been used as dwarfing rootstocks for both. Mayhaw is native to the swamps and lowlands of the Southeast. • Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Mayhaw](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20992_8.PDF) The fruit has been collected from the wild since antebellum times. Mayhaw fruits are highly prized for jelly, which tastes tart and apple-like. Trees are cultivated in orchards in the South but it is native to lowlying, acid soils of river bottoms, streams and swamp land in the South. The plant is a medium-sized spreading tree, ten to twenty feet tall. It looks very much like a flowering Crabapple. Mayhaw fruit is apple-like and bright red, one-half to one inch in diameter, borne in clusters. Fruits ripen in May in Zone 8a. The tree prefers welldrained, sandy soils but can tolerate flooding occasionally. Plant twenty feet apart. They tolerate 10 to 15 F when dormant, but bloom early (midFebruary to early March), limiting successful harvest in Zones 7a and colder. Planting on hilltops will reduce the chance of freeze damage to the blooms. The plant can tolerate full sun and partial shade. First-year trees should receive 1/4 pound of 10-10-10 in March and 1/4 pound in May and July. Fertilize trees older than one year at a rate of 1 pound of 10-10-10 per inch of trunk diameter in early spring, up to a maximum of 5 pounds per tree. Repeat in July if the tree leaves look pale. Varieties to look for : ‘Texas Superberry’, ‘Lodi’, ‘Saline’, ‘Big Red’ **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Shade, Soil, Spring --- ### [Citrus](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/citrus/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Citrus* spp. With selection of the more cold-hardy varieties, Citrus can be grown in the warmer spots of Zone 8a and in most areas of Zone 8b, particularly those near the coast. A hard freeze (20 F and lower) will severely damage trees. Temperatures below 26 F will damage fruit. • This information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Fertilizing Home Garden Citrus ](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B804&title=Citrus%20Fruit%20for%20Southern%20and%20Coastal%20Georgia) [Cold-Hardy Citrus for Georgia](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/citrus-cold-hardy/) The varieties noted below are all early season fruit, less likely to suffer cold damage. Small trees, like ‘Meyer’ lemon or any Citrus grafted onto the dwarfing ‘Flying Dragon’ rootstock, are suitable for growing in a pot and moving indoors when frost threatens. Plant outdoors in full sun or in very light shade, such as from nearby tall pine trees. The taller trees may prevent frost from forming on a Citrus tree beneath. A spot on the south side of a home or building may also provide protection from cold. Space trees 15 feet apart. Dig a hole three times the size of the root ball. Keep the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil surface as you fill the hole. Tamp the soil with your shoe as you fill. Water thoroughly after planting and then weekly for the first year. Keep an area five feet in diameter under the tree clear of grass, to minimize competition for water and nutrients. As the young tree grows, prune to develop an open center. Fertilize young trees four times during the growing season, in March, April, June and July. Scatter 1/3 pound of 10-10-10 per year of tree age up through 3 years of age evenly under the branches of the plant. For bearing trees, use 1/2 pound of fertilizer per year of age applied in March and June. Varieties to look for: Satsuma – ‘Armstrong Early’, ‘Brown’s Select’, ‘Port Neches’ Tangerine – ‘Clementine’, ‘Dancy’ Sweet Orange – ‘Hamlin Sweet’, ‘Washington’ Grapefruit – ‘Duncan’ Kumquat – ‘Meiwa’ Lemon – ‘Meyer’ Lime – ‘Key’ (Mexican) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fertilizer, Lemon, Pine, Pots, Shade, Soil, Temperature --- ### [Cherry](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cherry/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Prunus avium* (Sweet Cherry); *Prunus cerasus* (Pie Cherry) Sweet Cherry is very difficult to grow in the Southeast. High summer humidity and temperature fluctuations in winter prevent fruiting in most years. • Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Cherries](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20992_8.PDF) Attempts can be made to grow sweet Cherries in Zones 7a and colder; pie (sour) Cherries may grow well in Zones 7a and 7b. Gardeners in warmer Zones must buy the fixin’s for a Cherry pie at the grocery store. Plant trees in full sun (8-10 hours daily) in well-drained soil. Siting on a hillside will help prevent frost damage to blooms. Sweet cherry trees grow upwards of thirty feet tall. They should be pruned to a central leader. Pie Cherry trees are more rounded, usually ten to fifteen feet tall. Pinch out the tip of the central leader when it reaches six feet tall. Trees require minimal pruning but some selective limb thinning may be necessary to allow adequate light inside trees. The fruit matures 2-3 months after bloom. Brown rot is extremely bad on Cherries and is worsened by high humidity and rainfall near harvest. Your local Extension office can offer recommendations. Varieties to look for: Sweet Cherry – ‘Stella’, ‘Ranier’, ‘Hedelfinger,’ ‘Viva,’ ‘Valera,’ ‘Venus’ and ‘Hardy Giant.’ Pie Cherry – ‘Early Richmond’, ”Montmorency’, ‘North Star’. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Fall, Pruning, Soil, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Quince](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/quince/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Cydonia oblonga* Several types of Quinces are grown in the South. Before there were super-sour candies, schoolchildren dared each other to eat a slice of quince fruit. The Common Quince discussed here (*Cydonia oblonga*) forms a small tree. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Quince ](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20992_8.PDF) Flowering Quince (*Chanomeles speciosa*), Japanese flowering Quince (*Chanomeles japonica*) and Chinese Quince (*Pseudocydonia sinensis*) are landscape plants whose fruit can be used just like true Quince fruits in jams and cooking. Fruits of the Common Quince are larger than landscape Quince; they are round or pear-shaped and weigh up to 1 pound. They are very hard and are only edible when cooked or made into jelly. Quince fruits are known for their strong perfume. One will freshen up an entire room if left at room temperature for several days. Plant your quince in full sun. Although found growing wild in the woods, they grow best in well-drained, loamy soils with pH 6-7. Quinces can survive neglect and are tolerant of a wide range of soils. Trees can withstand cold temperatures as low as -15 F. Train Common Quince trees to a vase shape. Drooping branches may need to be shortened occasionally. Fertilize lightly each year to discourage vigorous growth that may succumb to fire blight. Varieties to look for: ‘Champion,’ ‘Apple,’ ‘Pineapple’ and ‘Smyrna.’ **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pine, Soil, Temperature --- ### [Muscadine Grape](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/muscadine-grape/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Vitis rotundifolia* Muscadines are truly a fruit that puts the South in your mouth. They were discovered here by the early settlers and have been a favorite fruit of Southerners since. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • For more information also see the University of Georgia’s muscadine site, [Home Garden Muscadines.](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C949&title=Home%20Garden%20Muscadines) [Walter’s Mama’s Muscadine Hull Pie recipe](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-make-muscadine-hull-pie/) Although Muscadines can be grown successfully in most parts of the South, they are best adapted to Zones 7b and warmer. The severe winters of colder areas hamper production. Muscadines are ideal for backyard gardens because you can successfully grow them with a minimal spray program. Muscadine varieties can be broken into four categories: two based on fruit color (black or bronze) and two based on flower type: perfect-flowered (self-pollinating) and female. If you plan to grow only one vine, it can be black or bronze, but must be perfect-flowered if you plan to have fruit. Female varieties produce no pollen. Therefore, they must be interplanted with perfect-flowered varieties for proper fruit set. WHEN TO PLANT Plant in fall after the first frost or in early spring when the soil is dry enough to work. WHERE TO PLANT Muscadines do best when they are in full sun for most of all the day. Muscadines do fairly well on most soil types. Do not plant in a spot where water stands after heavy rains. Muscadines require a minimum 20 feet of trellis per plant. Measure the area where you will plant the vines so you will know how many plants to purchase. If you plan to have more than one row, space the rows12 feet apart. Once you have determined how many plants to buy, lay out the area by putting stakes where the trellis posts will go. The posts will be 20 feet apart. The muscadines should be planted one foot from the post since the fruit load is usually heaviest in the center of the vine. HOW TO PLANT Dig a hole large enough to accommodate a bushel basket. Adjust the soil pH to 6.0 to 6.5. If you do not know the pH, take a soil sample (see Resources). If you do not want to take a soil sample, thoroughly mix one-half cup of garden lime (dolomitic type) to the soil taken from the hole. Plant the vine the same depth it grew in the nursery and water it. Following watering, prune the plant to leave about six inches of stem above the soil line. Do not apply fertilizer immediately after planting. CARE AND MAINTENANCE A properly trained vine has a trunk, two arms and fruiting spurs. The first two years of training are devoted to developing the permanent trunk and fruiting arms. In the spring following planting, each plant will produce three or four shoots. When these shoots are about one foot long, select the strongest and remove all the others. Tie a string to a small stake. Drive the stake in the ground about three inches from the plant. Tie the free end of the string to the trellis wire. Train the shoot to the string. Pinch off side shoots as they develop. When the shoot reaches the top wire, pinch it off just below the wire. Let the top two buds form the two arms along the trellis wire. Since muscadine fruit are borne on new shoots arising from last year’s growth, you should annually prune back the canes that grew the previous year, leaving about three inches of growth to form spurs. Prune in February or early March. Don’t be alarmed if the vines “bleed” at pruning cuts. Bleeding does not harm the vines. When you leave too many buds on the vine, the plant over produces and the Grapes are poor. After three or four years of production, you will need to remove every other spur cluster to prevent overcrowding. Try to leave spurs that are on the top of the arms. Remove tendrils that wrap around the arms or spurs. (Tendrils are finger-like plant parts Muscadines use to attach themselves to their supporting structure.) If tendrils are not removed, they will girdle the arms or spurs and cause reduced production. First year – Apply fertilizer three times: 1) 1/2 pound of 10-10-10 or equivalent after the plants have been settled by rain, 2) two ounces of ammonium nitrate in late May, and 3) two ounces of ammonium nitrate in early July. Broadcast each application over a two-foot circle centered on the plant. Second year – Timing and method are the same as the first year. Double the rate for each application. Increase the diameter of the broadcast circle to four feet. Third year – If the vine has grown well the first two years and you expect a crop, apply two pounds of 10-10-10 or equivalent per vine in March. Apply one pound of 10-10-10 per vine in May. Broadcast in a six-foot circle. If plants have not done well, fertilize as instructed for the second year. Established vines – Apply three to five pounds of 10-10-10 or equivalent per plant in March of each year. Then apply 1/2 pound of ammonium nitrate around June 1. Grapes have a relatively high requirement for magnesium. Deficiency shows up as yellowing between the veins of older leaves. This yellowing progresses up the shoots as the leaves grow older. To prevent or correct magnesium deficiency, apply Epsom salts at the rate of two to four ounces for one- and two-year-old vines; four to six ounces for older vines. Be sure to evenly broadcast Epsom salts over a three to six foot area. PESTS Few diseases or insects affect Muscadines. Japanese beetles may chew leaves in June. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION If you have never eaten a Muscadine, it is a special skill with a delicious outcome! Place a fruit, stem end first, in your mouth and squeeze it between your front teeth. The pulp and sweet juice will pop into your mouth. Discard the skin (if you are in an informal outdoor situation, simply spit it into nearby weeds). Enjoy the juice, then discard the seeds and pulp in the manner described above. VARIETIES Variety Flower Type Comments Carlos\* P.F. Medium size, bronze, productive Cowart P.F. Large size, black, good flavor Dixie P.F. Medium size, bronze, good cold tolerance Fry\* F. V. large size, bronze, fruit rot and winter injury a problem; excellent flavor Higgins F. Large size, bronze-pink, mild flavor; late season Jumbo F. V. large size, black, low sugar content Loomis\* F. Med-large size, black, excellent flavor Magnolia P.F. Medium size, bronze, good flavor; good winter hardiness Nesbitt\* P.F. V. large size, black, good cold tolerance Noble\* P.F. Small size, black, productive Scuppernong F. Medium size, bronze, very old variety; low yields Summit\* F. Large size, bronze-pink, good winter hardiness; more disease-resistant than Fry Tara\* P.F. Large size, bronze, fairly good flavor Triumph\* P.F. Med-large size, Bronze-pink, early season \* Most outstanding varieties 2 P.F. = Perfect flowered (produces pollen and fruit) F. = Female flowered (produces fruit only) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Japanese Beetle, Magnolia, Pests, Pruning, Seed, Soil, Spring, Trellis, Watering, Weed, Winter --- ### [Muskmelon](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/muskmelon/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Cucumis melo* var. reticulates Muskmelons are vine crops, closely related to cucumbers, squashes, and pumpkins. These hot-weather plants with sweet, juicy fruit are commonly called cantaloupes, especially the small, smooth, and round ones shipped from the South and available in grocery stores year-round. • This information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing Actually, cantaloupes are small, hard, and warty fruits common in Europe but rarely seen here in the U.S. Muskmelons, as well as honeydews and Crenshaws-two other summer melons-need a long, hot season to develop. Like most vine crops, muskmelons can occupy a lot of room, which may make you reconsider planting them if yours is a small garden. A way to use less space is to grow them on trellises. WHEN TO PLANT Don’t be in a hurry to get muskmelons into the garden very early. They need warm soil (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) to develop and may rot off if weather is cool and wet. Sow seeds in peat pots indoors under lights a week before the frost-free date (average date of last frost), then set out started plants or sow seed directly in the garden after the latest date of last frost. WHERE TO PLANT Muskmelons need a full-sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) location with well-drained soil and plenty of space. The minimum area required is 25 to 30 square feet per hill. There are alternatives if you have only a small space, however. You may train the vines on a trellis, making sure the structure is strong enough to support the plants; each melon may weigh 2 pounds, and several may develop on a vine. Or you may choose to grow bush types in beds or containers. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. Sow seeds 1 inch deep in hills about 36 inches apart. In a bed, space them 36 inches apart down the middle. Careful handling is necessary with vine crop transplants because they do not tolerate root injuries common to transplanting. Indoors under lights, sow seeds in peat pots that can be planted without disturbing the roots. Start them about 4 weeks before the latest date of last frost to have large enough plants for setting out. After danger of frost has passed, carefully set 2 or 3 transplant seedlings in hills about 36 inches apart. In a bed, space the plants 36 inches apart down the middle. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Melon transplants in peat pots are sometimes available in garden centers at the correct planting time; if you choose to buy them rather than grow your own, be sure that they have a good green color and are free of pests. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Water the plants as necessary; they require about 1 inch of water per week. Pests and diseases may affect the plantings. As soon as muskmelon seedlings are planted in the garden, protect them from cucumber beetles. Cucumber beetles not only eat the plants but also infect them with bacterial wilt that will kill the plants about the time they begin to produce fruit. Apply an approved garden insecticide, or use row covers on the plants, being sure to tuck in the edges and ends, to keep the beetles out. After the plants begin to vine, remove the covers, and stop the application of insecticide. Protect the foliage from diseases with an approved garden fungicide. Rotate vine crops to a different part of the garden each year to reduce chances of disease. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Growing melons vertically on a trellis or on a fence requires sturdy supports to bear the weight of the plants with fruits on them. To provide additional support for the heavy fruits, use a little net or a cloth parachute under each melon, tied securely to the trellis or fence. Muskmelons, like all vine crops, have both male and female flowers. The male flowers, which usually appear first, are smaller than the females. Many times new gardeners are dismayed that the flowers fall off without any melons. That usually happens because the flowers are all males. Female flowers have tiny melons below the flowers themselves; male flowers have only slender stems. The flowers are pollinated by bees that feed on the male flowers and then on the females, carrying the pollen from one to the other. Without bees, there will be no melons. If the weather is unfavorable for bees (cold, dark, and wet weather), pollinate the melons by hand by clipping a male flower and dusting pollen from it on the pistils of the female flowers. For the best quality and sweetness, harvest melons when they are ripe. How can you tell when they are ripe? The rind changes from green to tan between the netting, and a ripe melon will smell sweet. Also a small crack will appear next to where the stem is attached when the melon is ready to be picked. Muskmelons do not continue to ripen once they are picked. They will become softer, but not sweeter. VARIETIES Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Bush: Honeybush 80 days Sweet bush hybrid. Green: Jenny Lind 75 days Heirloom. Sweet Dream 79 days Sweet. Honeydew: Limelight 96 days Sweet. Venus 88 days Aromatic. Orange Ambrosia 86 days Too soft to ship, the sweetest of the muskmelons. Earlisweet 68 days Better where season is short. Harper Hybrid 86 days Excellent disease resistance; AFPM. Magnifisweet 85 days Rivals Ambrosia; FF2. Saticoy 86 days FPM. Supersun 85 days Large, good flavor. ABBREVIATIONS FOR DISEASE RESISTANCE: A=ALTERNARIA, F=FUSARIUM WILT, F2=FUSARIUM WILT, RACE 2, PM=POWDERY MILDEW. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Pests, Pots, Seed, Soil, Squash, Summer, Trellis --- ### [Pear](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pear/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Pyrus* cv. Pears would be as plentiful as Apples were it not for the bacterial disease called fire blight. Most European and Oriental Pears are extremely susceptible to the disease and commercial production is limited to areas remote from any concentration of the disease and where the weather is more reliable – in other words: California. Pears, however, can be grown successfully in home gardens by selecting disease-resistant varieties and carefully pruning them to remove diseased branches. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Pears](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C742&title=Home%20Garden%20Pears) WHEN TO PLANT Plant Pear trees October through November or in the spring as soon as the soil is dry enough to work. WHERE TO PLANT Choose a planting site that receives full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) and has well-drained soil. HOW TO PLANT Dwarf trees on dwarfing quince rootstock are recommended for backyards, so buy them from a reliable nursery that can assure that you get what you order. Pears grafted on dwarfing roots will attain a spread and height of 8 to 12 feet. Standard Pear trees will be twice that size. Dwarf trees bear almost as much fruit as standard trees but occupy much less space in the garden. Pears are generally available as bare-root, 2-year-old whips. As soon as you receive the trees, plunge the roots in a bucket of water for a couple of hours to re-hydrate them and keep them from drying out. If planting is to be delayed, heel-in the (see Fruit Introduction) trees until you can plant them. To plant a Pear tree, dig a hole twice as wide as the spread of the roots and deep enough that the plant will be at the same depth it grew in the nursery. Trim off excessively long and damaged roots, then spread out the roots in the bottom of the hole. Supporting the tree with one hand, begin to backfill the hole with soil and firm the soil with your shoe. When the hole is half filled with soil, fill it with water. After the water has drained out, replace the remaining soil and fill with water again. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Pear trees require less attention than Peach or Apple trees but still need annual pruning, ideally in mid- to late winter. The training system is the same as that for apples: the central leader system. Thinning the fruit is also necessary to produce a good crop and to prevent limb breakage each year. Each winter after the Pear reaches maturity, prune the tree to remove dead or damaged branches, water sprouts, vertical suckers and branches touching the ground. Also remove branches growing into the center of the tree and those rubbing on other branches. Most Pear varieties try to make scaffold branches with narrow crotches that quickly ascend. Usually, there is no need to do anything about it because the weight of the fruit will eventually bring the branches down. Fire blight is a bacterial disease that is spread by bees in the spring. Affected stems and leaves at branch ends appear to have been burned and cankers (dead areas in the bark) can form on branches. Overwintering cankers are the primary source of infection the next spring. Remove all evidence of fire blight by cutting at least 6 inches below evidence of the disease. Sterilize your pruners before each cut by dipping the blade in a small bucket of disinfectant. Make the disinfectant by mixing a cup of bleach or rubbing alcohol with 9 cups of water. Yearly sprays with a bactericide at bloom time may also help control this disease. Other care of Pear trees includes watering, weeding, fertilizing and applying pesticides. Pear trees need water in dry weather, especially if they are growing in light, sandy soils. Apply 1 inch per week when nature does not cooperate. Control weeds beneath the trees by hoeing and apply 2 or 3 inches of mulch. Young dwarf Pear trees should grow 11/2 feet each year. If they do not seem to be growing, fertilize them with 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of ground beneath each tree. Avoid overstimulating the trees, because soft growth is very susceptible to fire blight. PESTS Pears can be attacked by insects such as Japanese beetles and aphids. Diseases such as scab, black rot and fire blight can disfigure or ruin fruit..Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest Pears before they are fully ripe. It will take some experience for you to know just when to pick your Pears. Ripe Pears are soft and particularly attractive to yellowjackets and birds. Pears will continue to ripen after they are picked, so store them in a cool place such as a refrigerator. Set some out in a warm spot every few days to ripen. Asian Pears mature as early as midsummer; most European varieties mature from August to mid-September. VARIETIES Since you need to plant 2 varieties for cross-pollination, check with your supplier to make sure which varieties will cross-pollinate the others. Some are self-infertile and will not pollinate others either. ‘Seckel’ and ‘Moonglow’ seem to pollinate most other European varieties. Variety Comments Golden Spice Hardy to zone 5. Maxine Resists fire blight. Baldwin Blooms early, may get frost damage, partially self-fruitful Moonglow Early, cross-pollinates with Seckel. Seckel Best quality, cross-pollinates with Moonglow and with Starking Delicious; resists fire blight; matures in late August to mid-September. Orient High fire blight resistance, large fruit, partially self-fruitful Kieffer Grows strongly, fruit is “gritty” but good for canning, partially self-fruitful Starking Delicious Resists fire blight; matures in September. Summercrisp Good cold tolerance in northern areas. Spalding High quality fruit, ripens early, subject to blight,.partially self-fruitful Bartlett **NOT RECOMMENDED** due to susceptibility to fire blight Asian Pears are not as hardy as European Pears but some hobbyists grow them successfully. They are dessert-type Pears maturing in midsummer to late September. Plant 2 Asian varieties for best pollination because European varieties are not completely reliable for pollinating Asian Pears. Varieties Comments Shinko Golden russeted skin Chojuro Brown-orange skin Hosui Very early fruit production; ripen the fruit fully on the tree for best quality. Shinsieki Matures early; excellent flavor, self-fruitful. Ya li a Chinese import of excellent quality. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Disease, Japanese Beetle, Mulch, Peach, Pears, Pesticide, Pests, Pruning, Soil, Spring, Summer, Watering, Weed, Winter, Yellowjackets --- ### [Grape, Bunch](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/grape-bunch/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Vitis* cv. American and French hybrid bunch Grapes can be grown in most areas of the Southeast as long as varieties adapted to your area are chosen. They can be grown in the garden as ornamentals or just for the fruit. Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing See also [Home Garden Grapes](https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/fruit-vegetable-ornamentals-production/grapes.html) Unfortunately, many are grown on arbors suited for decoration and sitting under on a hot afternoon but not suited for managing the Grapes. WHEN TO PLANT Plant Grapes in the spring as soon as the soil is dry enough to work. The plants need time to become established before the stresses of summer afflict them. WHERE TO PLANT Because Grapes like hot weather, they are some of the latest plants to leaf out in spring. In cooler climates, plant them where they will warm up quickly, such as the south side of a building. Well-drained soil is essential but Grapes do not do well in extremely fertile soils. The plants grown in fertile soils produce lots of leaves and often low-quality Grapes. Poor soils tend to produce moderate crops of Grapes with excellent flavor. Hillsides are particularly good sites for Grapes, promoting air drainage (cooler air drains down the hill). Air drainage reduces the chance of late-season frosts and dries foliage more rapidly, lessening problems with diseases. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil the year before planting by killing the weeds and tilling the soil. Grapes do not compete well with weeds, so starting clean is a good idea. Before planting, decide on the kind of support system you want. There are at least 3 in common usage but the 4-Cane Kniffin is probably the easiest for a home garden. Space the plants about 10 feet apart along the support. A typical garden may have room for only 1 row. Set the plants at the same depth they grew in the nursery. Do not fertilize the plants for a month after planting unless they are low in vigor (that is, they have very little growth). Grapes should have a huge amount of growth each year but overly vigorous plants may suffer winter damage. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Immediately after planting, prune the plants to a single stem with 2 buds. After new growth starts in spring, select the more vigorous cane, tie it to a stake and remove the other cane. Allow the single cane to grow until it reaches the top wire of the trellis. It will form the permanent trunk of the Grape vine. If side growth occurs near the lower wire, train one shoot along the wire in each direction and remove all nearby sprouts. When the main cane reaches the top wire, or nearly so, pinch out the growing tip to induce branching. Train the resulting two sprouts along the wire in each direction. Select a shorter cane near each of the four arms and prune it back to 2 buds. Remove other sprouts along the trunk. Although it will break your heart to do so, remove flowers or fruit clusters that develop anywhere the second year. This allows energy to be directed toward good root establishment. The third spring, the second year�s laterals will grow long canes and produce fruit. Select 4 new laterals (1 for each arm) and prune them severely, leaving 2 buds on each. These buds will grow into the fruiting canes for the next year. Once vines are into production, prune them every spring. Select 4 moderately strong laterals from last year, pruning them back and leaving 6 to 10 buds along each; these arms will produce fruit this year. Select 4 smaller laterals, cutting them back to 2 buds each; these are renewal spurs for the laterals the following year. Proper pruning removes about 90 percent of the wood on a vine. Grape pruning should be done during January and February. Later, spring pruning will result in prodigious amounts of sap �bleeding� from the pruning wounds. Though alarming to the gardener, bleeding does not harm the plant and will stop after a week. Proper pruning reduces the number of problems that Grapes may have with insects and diseases. For young vines, apply 1/4 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer around each plant. Repeat at six week intervals until mid-July. On two-year-old vines, double the first year rate and use the same interval. Bearing vines will need 2 1/2 pounds of 10-10-10 per plant applied in March. Magnesium deficiency, characterized by yellowing between the leaf veins on the older leaves, may become noticeable in mid-summer. For young plants, apply two ounces of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) around each vine, watering it in afterwards. Apply four to eight ounces per mature, bearing vine. It may require two to three years to bring the magnesium level up for the best plant performance. PESTS Grapes can be attacked by insects such as Japanese beetles and aphids. Diseases such as black rot can ruin fruit. Pierce�s disease, which is spread by leafhoppers, can kill a vineyard in three years. Your local Extension office can provide you with a spray schedule for specific pests and diseases. [Fruit – 2020 Homeowner Spray Guide](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-2020-homeowner-spray-guide/?highlight=spray%20guide) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Grapes mature in late summer to early fall. Full color is not the only indicator of maturity. At maturity the seeds and the cluster stems turn brown and the berries attain maximum sweetness. Harvest them then. VARIETIES American bunch Grapes are derived from native American species. They are characterized by their hardiness and insect and disease resistance and are generally well-adapted to Southeast growing conditions. American-French hybrid Grapes are crosses between European Grapes and native American Grapes. These varieties are considered to be more suitable than American Grapes for wine because they produce a flavor more like European Grapes and lack the �foxiness� unique to American Grapes. (Foxiness is the taste that comes to mind when you think of bottled Grape juice.) European Grapes (*Vitis vinifera*) are the primary Grapes grown in the western United States and Europe. European Grapes are difficult to grow in the Southeast and are generally not recommended. Zone 6a – 7b American and French Hybrids for Fresh Consumption Fruit color Variety Comments BLUE Buffalo early, good quality for juice and desserts Fredonia Mid to late-season, good for juice & pies Concord mid-season, ripens unevenly Sunbelt ripens more evenly than Concord WHITE Niagara golden fruit Villard Blanc green-yellow fruit Aurora good for wine & fresh eating RED Delaware small but sweet, good red wine Alden large berries, vigorous vine Catawba purple-red, uneven ripening Steuben good for jelly, fresh eating BLUE SEEDLESS Mars good for fresh eating Glenora mid-season ripening; long, loose fruit cluster WHITE SEEDLESS Marquis RED SEEDLESS Reliance good for fresh eating FRENCH HYBRIDS FOR WINE WHITE Seyval Blanc ripens mid-season, good disease resistance Vignoles compact clusters, very hardy Vidal Blanc ripens late, very productive Villard Blanc produces large, loose clusters of fruit Aurora large clusters of amber fruit BLACK Foch tight clusters; excellent flavor; Baco Noir extremely vigorous, good for clay soils Villard Noir Easy to pick, but produces many unripe berries ZONES 7B – 8B AMERICAN AND FRENCH HYBRIDS FOR FRESH CONSUMPTION BLACK Conquistador good for wine and fresh eating WHITE Orlando Seedless small, light green berries Suwanee very light blue fruit RED Daytona pink fruit, good for hot climates FRENCH HYBRIDS FOR WINE WHITE Blanc du Bois self-fertile, disease resistant Lake Emerald light green fruit, disease resistant Miss Blanc developed in Mississippi, resists disease BLACK Roucaneuf can also be used for jelly and fresh eating Black Spanish a bit tart but good disease resistance **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Japanese Beetle, Pests, Pruning, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Trellis, Watering, Weed, Winter --- ### [Sweet Potato](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/sweet-potato/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** 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 the morning glory family for both sugar and starch. • More detailed information can be found in [The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Growing Your Own Sweet Potato Slips](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/sweet-potato-growing-slips/) [Home Garden Sweet Potatoes](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1014&title=Home%20Garden%20Sweet%20Potatoes) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) (broken link) Its vigorous, ground-hugging vines are ornamental with lobed leaves (including some popular colorful varieties such as ‘Blackie’ and ‘Margarita’), and its roots, depending on variety, have a rich or mellow taste, and textures ranging from creamy or dry to dense and even stringy. And nothing beats a sweet potato pie or fried sweet potatoes! When to Plant Sweet potatoes are one of the few vegetables that require warm soils. Wait at least two weeks after last frost, when the soil temperatures are consistently in the upper 60’s or higher, before planting. They take nearly four months or more from setting the plants until harvest. Where to Plant Select a site that is sunny and hot. Yield is low when sweet potatoes are planted in heavy or wet soils, and those over-fertilized with nitrogen, so for good root growth and easy harvest, select a soil that is loose and well-drained, and fertilize with a low-nitrogen fertilizer. Though good crops may be produced in acidic or alkaline soils, soil rot is less of a problem on acidic soils. To reduce insect and disease buildup, rotate planting sites from year to year. How to Plant Rooted vine cuttings called “slips” are buried directly into warm soil, a foot apart in rows three feet apart, or on mounds 4 feet apart; bury them so only their stem tips and two or three leaves are left showing. Many gardeners grow their own slips from sweet potatoes saved over the winter and buried in moist sand until they sprout; however, because this often leads to insect or disease infestation, it is best to purchase fresh slips, sold in bundles, every spring. For additional plantings, take cuttings several inches long from new growth in late spring or early summer, and stick directly into the moist soil. Care and Maintenance Do not over-fertilize or over-water sweet potato vines! A light side-dressing of low-nitrogen, high-potash fertilizer one month after planting can increase yield somewhat, and a slow, deep soaking every three or four weeks will help keep vines growing steadily. Major problems include soil rot, soil insects (especially the larvae of sweet potato weevil, for which there currently is no adequate control other than diligent and regular crop rotation), a skin-staining fungus called “scurf” (mostly cosmetic), and interrupted growth caused by long periods of drought. Additional Information Many varieties of the sweet potato, which is very closely related to morning glory, often flower late in the season. Dig sweet potato roots when the soil is fairly dry and the air is warm. Early harvesting results in many small roots; late harvest leads to jumbo roots and possible cold injury; cracked roots often result from sudden heavy rains close to harvest. The skin of sweet potatoes is thin and easily damaged; handle freshly-dug roots gently – don’t even wash them when dug. Move them quickly into shade to prevent sun scald, and allow to “cure” for several days for cuts and bruises to heal and for starchy insides to convert to sugar, then move to a humid, warm storage. If exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees, potatoes may develop hard spots in the roots and begin to break down. Varieties Sweet potato varieties come and go according to commercial demand. One or two of the following are usually locally available at garden supply stores: Porto Rico old “bunch” type, variable root shape with copper skin and orange flesh. Delicious “old-fashioned” flavor, and excellent baking potato. Small “baby bakers” in 110 days. Centennial America’s leading variety. Heavy production of tapered cylindrical roots of medium to large size, with orange skin and deep orange, soft flesh. Vines thick and vigorous, tolerates clay soils. “Baby bakers” in 90 days. Beauregard – high yielding with some disease resistance, light rose skin and deep orange flesh. Matures early (105-110 days) Jewel “Queen of Sweet Potatoes. Yam type (moist, soft, yellow-fleshed when baked), blocky shaped with smooth copper skin and orange flesh. Very high yield (up to six potatoes per plant), needs 120-135 days for best production. Good baking quality and low fiber content Nancy Hall popular old variety, light yellow flesh. Juicy, sweet when baked. Yellow Jersey “old fashioned” potato with golden yellow skin and creamy white flesh. Dry flesh. Vardaman – bush variety with large roots and deep orange flesh. Beautiful ornamental foliage. Golden yellow outside skin, with deepest, brightest orange flesh of all. Recipe: “Mother-in-law’s Request” sweet potato pie Bake 6 cured sweet potatoes at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours (stick several fork holes in skin to release steam during baking). Peel, and mix thoroughly with with 1/2 cup margarine, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. Vanilla, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and (barely optional) 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Bake in greased 2-quart casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with marshmallows during last 10 minutes of baking. Your mother-in-law will request it from now on. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fertilizer, Oak, Pots, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Jerusalem Artichoke (sunchoke)](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/jerusalem-artichoke-sunchoke/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 bright yellow flowers just before frost in the fall. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Jerusalem Artichoke](https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/growing-jerusalem-artichokes) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Its roots produce many fleshy tubers that look like small, knobby potatoes up to 3 or 4 inches long. Their high fructose/low starch content make them sought after by diabetic patients as a health food; however, this cannot be interpreted as a recommendation. They are peeled and eaten raw, boiled, or fried. Sunchoke is perfectly adapted to all parts of the South, including the northernmost areas. Plant tubers in the spring, 2 to 3 inches deep in well-drained soil in an area of the garden that is sunny and the plant will have plenty of room to spread, and where its height won’t screen things you want to see. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Soil, Spring, Sunflower --- ### [Swiss Chard](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/swiss-chard/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Swiss Chard](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/chard1.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) The attractive colorful stalks of red and yellow also can be prepared and used like asparagus, eaten raw or cooked, adding interest to summer dishes. Chard is becoming more common in grocery stores and can be bought at community and farm markets. But growing it yourself is the best way to obtain it. Swiss chard isn’t readily available in the stores, and when it is available, the quality is not as good as your homegrown vegetables. And you may grow more varieties, including the multi-colored ‘Rainbow’ and ‘Bright Lights’ kinds. WHEN TO PLANT Start seeds indoors under lights about 6 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost). Sow seeds directly in the garden or set out transplants at the frost-free date. A spring planting will produce all summer if it is kept picked – even in the South. WHERE TO PLANT Chard does best in a location with full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice). Good drainage and well-prepared soil will assure a quick start and bountiful production. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Work the soil into a fine seedbed (make sure that the soil is finely broken up) to promote seed germination. In rows, sow chard seeds 1 inch apart, allowing 12 to 15 inches between rows. In a raised bed, sow the rows 8 to 10 inches apart across a standard 3- to 4-foot bed. In rows or beds, cover the seeds with 1/2 inch of fine soil. For summer seedings, place a board over each row to keep the soil from drying or from being compacted by pounding rain. Check twice a day to see whether the seedlings have begun to emerge, and remove the board as soon as you notice any seedlings. Swiss chard seeds are actually dried-up fruits containing 2 or more seeds, so don’t plant them too close together. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart. (You can recognize chard seedlings because they will be in rows and all look the same; weed seedlings will be randomly spaced, and all will be different.) After you have thinned them several times to obtain the correct spacing, the final spacing should be 8 to 10 inches apart. If you wait until the seedlings are about 6 inches tall, you can cook the thinned seedlings as greens. In beds, set seedlings 8 to 10 inches apart; and in rows, about 10 inches apart, with 18 inches between rows. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Chard needs 1 inch of water per week to develop tender leaves. These plants are very susceptible to leaf miner damage. The insects lay eggs just under the surface of the leaves. Then the larvae hatch and mine their way in the leaves, making dead brown trails. Covering the planting with cheesecloth or commercial row covers is the only way to protect the plants. Beet leaf spot disease affects chard as well. Apply a copper fungicide such as “Bordeaux” to prevent this disease, being sure to read and follow the label directions before you use it. Try to keep the foliage dry, and do not go in the garden when leaves are wet in order to avoid spreading diseases. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest leaves when they are young and tender, about 12 inches long. Cut individual leaves 1 inch above the ground, being careful not to injure the remaining leaves. Or cut the entire bunch just below the ground. VARIETIES Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments Bright Lights 40 Stems red, white, orange, pink, violet and yellow mixed. AAS Burgundy 40 Dark-green leaves with burgundy stems Rhubarb 40 Red stems, deep green leaves with red veins Ruby 45 Ruby-red stems, reddish-green leaves, red veins Fordhook 42 Dark-green, savoyed leaves, light green stalks Lucullus 40 Dark-green leaves, white stalks Winter King 40 Dig in fall, keep cool and moist for winter harvest indoors **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [Corn, Sweet](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/corn-sweet/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 after it has matured, and it is used for innumerable products from cereals to livestock feed to chemicals and sweeteners. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • For more corn information visit: [Home Garden Corn Varieties](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/corn1.html), [Growing Sweet Corn](https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/426/426-405/SPES-251.pdf) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) Sweet corn is harvested before it matures while it is tender and the sugar content is at its highest. Because sweet corn converts is sugar to starch rapidly upon harvest, old-time gardeners say that to appreciate the “sweetest” sweet corn, plant the patch close to the kitchen; when the corn is ready for harvest, start the pot of water boiling, and just as it reaches a full boil, pick the corn. Husk it as you run to the kitchen and then pop it into the pot. The original sweet corn varieties were open pollinated, and very few can be found anymore. Some open-pollinated examples include ‘Golden Bantam’, ‘Country Gentleman’, and ‘Double Standard’. Today, almost all named varieties of sweet corn are hybrids and do not come true from saved seed. Three types are currently available: standard, sugary enhancer, and supersweet. Standard (SU) varieties of sweet corn contain a “sugary gene” making them sweet and creamy, but they quickly lose their sweetness after harvest. Unless the corn is rapidly cooled, the sugars are converted to starch. The newer hybrids have been developed to reduce this tendency. Sugary enhancer (SE) types are the ones of choice for the home gardener. They have superior texture and flavor, and they do not need to be separated from other kinds of corn to prevent cross-pollination. They have a higher sugar content and stay sweeter longer. Supersweet hybrids have a higher sugar content than the other two types, and they hold their sugar longer. The kernels have a tougher skin and lack the creamy texture of the standard and sugary enhancer varieties. Growing supersweet varieties is a challenge because the seeds do not germinate well, and the supersweet varieties need to be isolated from other types of corn to prevent cross-pollination. Yet despite the challenge, some home gardeners and community gardeners prefer it because it keeps very well, and some people like the crisp texture better than the creamy SE types. WHEN TO PLANT Begin planting the earliest varieties during the first week of May or about the frost-free date (average date of last frost) in your area. For continuous harvest, stagger plantings every two weeks, or plant varieties that mature at different dates. WHERE TO PLANT Sweet corn needs full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), good drainage, and lots of room. Unless your garden is large (100 by 200 feet or so), you may want to secure space in a community garden for your sweet corn. Quite a few plants are needed to provide enough corn at one time for a meal. Most varieties produce only 1 ear per plant, so you will need at least 12 plants that mature simultaneously to provide 12 ears for your family. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep in cool soils early in the spring, or 1 1/2 inches deep as the soil warms later. Space the seeds 9 inches apart in the rows, with 24 to 36 inches between rows. Plant 3 or more rows of each variety side by side to assure pollination. Since cross-pollination between white and yellow sweet corn affects color (though not necessarily sweetness), prevent cross-pollination by planting different kinds several yards apart, with other crops in between, or plant early, midseason, and main crop varieties (which, again, provides a continuous supply of sweet corn all summer). Make the first planting of SU or SE varieties about the frost-free date with an extra-early variety such as ‘Earlivee’. Make a second planting of a later variety such as ‘Spring Treat’. For the main crop, plant a favorite such as ‘Kandy Korn’. Make additional plantings of your favorite varieties when seedlings of the previous planting have 3 leaves. Keep in mind that later plantings will be more susceptible to drought and insect damage. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Control weeds by hoeing the rows. Once the corn is tall enough, it will shade out weed seedlings. When the plants are about 11/2 feet tall, side-dress them with a complete fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet of garden. Water is important as the plants are tasseling and making silk. Pollination takes place then and will be poor if the plants are wilted. Kernel development takes water too. Once the silks begin to dry, be sure to keep the plants from wilting by providing about 1 inch of water per week. When the plants reach head height, overhead watering by using sprinklers will be difficult. Flooding or soaking will be necessary at that point, and you can use soaker hoses if you have a small plot. Some pests and diseases may pose a problem. The most common pest is corn earworm, which affects later-developing plantings; apply an approved garden insecticide to the silks as the pollen is being shed (you’ll be able to see it on everything) to reduce numbers of the pest. Smut disease causes a mass of nasty fungus to grow out of corn ears. Plant resistant varieties, or you can actually cook the fungus as a Mexican food delicacy. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest sweet corn as soon as the ears are filled out and the kernels are milky inside, usually about 20 days after silks appear. Keep corn cool and use as quickly as possible. VARIETIES Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments OPEN POLLINATED Country Gentleman 96 White Double Standard 73 Bicolor Golden Bantam 82 Rich corn flavor BICOLOR Bi Queen 92 Similar to Silver Queen; SW, NCLB Butter and Sugar 75 Adapted to home gardens Honey and Cream 80 Commonly grown for sale at road-side stands and community markets Honey and Frost 80 SW, S, R NCLB, SCLB Quickie 64 Earliest bicolor Sugar and Gold 67 Better in cooler climates STANDARD – WHITE Pearl White 75 Cold soil tolerant Platinum Lady 86 Tender Silver Queen 92 Top-quality white, good disease resistance; SW, NCLB STANDARD YELLOW Earlivee 58 Extra early Golden Cross Bantam 85 Old-time favorite Jubilee 82 Midseason; S NK-199 84 Extra-deep kernels, a personal favorite Sundance 69 Good early SUGARY ENHANCER Bicolor Ambrosia 75 Large, tasty; SW Calico Belle 79 Delicious; SW, R Peaches & Cream 83 Popular garden variety, glitzy name Seneca Dawn 69 Early, vigorous plants, quality eating SUGARY ENHANCER – WHITE Cotton Candy 72 Fancy name, extended harvest Divinity 78 All-around excellent variety; SW Pristine 76 Top quality; SW Seneca Starshine 71 Tender, flavorful Spring Snow 65 Very early, tender Sugar Snow 71 Very sweet, good in early cool weather SUGARY ENHANCER – YELLOW Bodacious 72 Superior quality, needs warm soil for good start Champ 68 Excellent, early For Heaven’s Sake Variable Bred specifically for home gardens; ears mature at different times to spread harvest Kandy Korn 89 Top quality, keeps well Miracle 84 Large, tasty ears; SW, S, R, NCLB Precocious 66 Excellent, very early Spring Treat 67 Nice straight rows of kernels, very early Terminator 83 Large ears Tuxedo 75 Vigorous, excellent quality, try this one; SW, S, R, NCLB, SCLB SUPERSWEET – BICOLOR Candy Corner 76 Popular at community markets Honey ‘N Pearl 78 AAS Serendipity 82 So-called TripleSweet‚Ñ¢ with enhanced flavor and shelf life SUPERSWEET – MULTICOLOR Indian Summer 79 Red, white, yellow and purple kernels. AAS SUPERSWEET – WHITE How Sweet It Is 85 AAS, does not tolerate cold soil; SW, NCLB SUPERSWEET – YELLOW Challenger 76 Excellent early; SW, NCLB Early Xtra Sweet 70 Similar to original Illini Xtra Sweet 85 The first supersweet hybrid Jubilee Super Sweet 83 Best for home gardens; S Legend 68 New, early TRIPLESWEET‚Ñ¢ Honey Select 79 AAS. This is a new type that combines SE and SH2 characteristics in one variety. Designed for home gardens Abbreviations for disease resistance: NCLB=Northern corn leaf blight, R=common rust, S=corn smut, SCLB=Southern corn leaf blight, SW=Stewarts Wilt. (MDM=Maize dwarf mosaic virus is just becoming a problem in garden-grown sweet corn; resistance will be added to some current varieties as they are improved.) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fertilizer, Oak, Peach, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Watering, Weed --- ### [Cucumber](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cucumber/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 are short, and others are long and curved. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Cucumbers](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/cucumber1.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Burpless types, often grown in greenhouses, are never bitter and are more typical of European tastes. As is the case with most vine crops, cucumbers can take up a lot of room, which makes them unsuitable for some gardens. The space required is about 50 square feet per plant on the ground; less space is required if they are grown on a trellis. In the last 12 to 15 years, bush types have been developed that take much less space and can even be grown in pots. WHEN TO PLANT These plants need warm weather to develop and may rot off if the weather is cool and wet, so don’t be in a hurry to plant cucumbers in the garden. Sow seeds in peat pots indoors under lights on the frost-free date (average date of last frost). Because vine crops do not tolerate root injuries common to transplanting, be careful when setting transplants in the garden to avoid disturbing the tiny roots. Set out started plants or sow seed directly in the garden on the latest date of last frost, after the danger of frost has passed. WHERE TO PLANT Soil with good drainage is important for cucumbers. (See the discussion on soils in the introduction.) They prefer a full-sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) location, but they will grow and produce in light shade. Grow vining types on supports to save space and to make harvesting easier; grow bush types in beds or containers. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. After danger of frost has passed, sow 6 seeds or set 2 or 3 transplant seedlings in hills about 36 inches apart. In beds, space the plants 36 inches apart down the middle of each bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Thin the seedlings to 2 or 3 per hill when they are big enough to handle. If there is danger of disturbing the other seedlings, pinch off the extras instead of pulling them. Plants at this spacing can be left to vine or can be grown on supports. Vining cucumbers can grow vertically on a trellis, on a fence, or up strings; whatever the support, it must be sturdy enough to bear the weight of a vine that may have as many as 6 or 8 cukes developing at one time. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Water as needed to make sure that plants get about 1 inch of water per week. Cucumber beetles are serious threats that not only eat the plants but also infect them with bacterial wilt that will kill the plants about the time they begin to produce fruit. As soon as cucumber seedlings are planted or germinate in the garden, protect them from these pests. Apply an approved garden insecticide, or use row covers over the plants, being sure to tuck in the edges and ends, to keep the beetles out. After the plants begin to vine, feel free to remove the covers or stop applying the insecticide. A virus disease, cucumber mosaic, may cause misshapen, lumpy cucumbers. To prevent this disease, which aphids carry from infected weeds, grow resistant varieties, and control aphids with insecticidal soap or other approved garden insecticide. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest cukes when they reach a mature size, before they turn yellow. Cucumbers, like all vine crops, have both male and female flowers. The male flowers, which usually appear first, are smaller than the females. Many times new gardeners are dismayed that the flowers fall off without any cucumbers. That usually happens because the flowers are all males. Female flowers have tiny cucumbers below the flowers themselves; male flowers have only slender stems (see page 78). New gynoecious hybrids produce only female flowers. They produce a lot more cucumbers per plant, but need pollen from male flowers. A few seeds of a standard variety that produces both male and female flowers are included in each seed packet. Unless you intend to plant the entire packet of seeds, plant a few seeds of the standard types. (They are usually larger than the gynoecious ones.) Bees that feed on the male flowers and then on the females carry pollen from one to the other. Without bees, there will be no cucumbers. VARIETIES Standard cucumbers are 6 to 8 inches long, borne on vines or bush-type plants. Burpless types, European or Asian cucumbers, are often 1 foot or more-sometimes up to 3 feet-long and are never bitter; they grow on either vines or bush-type plants. Pickling types are 2 to 6 inches long; most are vining types, although a few bush kinds are beginning to appear on the home garden market. Generally, the vining types are much more productive than the bush-types. Varieties Days to Maturity Comments PICKLING Bush Pickle 48 Good for pots Calypso 52 Gynoecious, dark green with white spines, vining National Pickling 54 Black spines SLICING (BUSH) Bush Crop 55 Delicious cukes on dwarf bushes Fanfare 63 Great taste, disease resistant; AAS Salad Bush 57 Excellent disease resistance; 8-inch cukes on compact plant: AAS SLICING (VINE) Burpless 62 The original burpless; no bitterness EARLY Slice Master 58 Gynoecious, good disease resistance Straight 8 58 Longtime favorite in home gardens; AAS Sweet Success 54 European-type, long slicing cuke; AAS **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Greenhouse, Pests, Pine, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Squash, Trellis, Weed --- ### [Collards](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/collards/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 often grown in areas where cabbage cannot. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Collards](https://union.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/11/834831/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Because it tolerates our fickle weather, collards have long been a traditional Southern crop, and a main constituent of traditional southern cooking – sometimes the only thing in the garden to eat during the coldest part of winter! WHEN TO PLANT Collards are usually planted in the fall for winter harvest, but can also be set out in late winter for spring and early summer harvest. For the earliest spring production, start with store-bought transplants; buy ones that have a good green color, are short and compact, and are free of pests. For a fall crop, sow seed in mid July, and set the seedlings in the garden in late August 10; or direct seed in midsummer. WHERE TO PLANT Collards need a full-sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) location with well-drained soil. (See the discussion on soils in the introduction.) They will produce in partial shade (lightly filtered sunlight or full sun for only part of the day), but the quality will be different. The leaves will be larger and floppier, and the flavor will be milder. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. For plants that are direct seeded, thin seedlings to the proper spacing noted for transplants; later you can move excess seedlings to another row if you prefer not to dispose of them. In rows, space the transplants 12 to 18 inches apart, with 30 inches between rows. In beds, space the plants 16 to 18 inches apart, which will allow 2 or 3 plants across each bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Water in the plants with transplant starter fertilizer, such as 10-52-17 or 10-30-10, mixed according to directions on the label, and apply approximately 1 cup per plant. If root maggots have been a problem in the past and your previous crops have suffered root damage, mix an approved garden insecticide in water according to label directions, and use it as a drench as transplants are watered in. Control leaf-eating caterpillars with a biological worm spray or dust, found at most garden centers. CARE AND MAINTENANCE These plants need adequate water, especially in hot weather, so you should provide 1 inch per week if insufficient rain falls. Pests and diseases may affect the plantings. Prevent infestation of cabbage worms with a biological worm spray or dust, available at most garden centers. Eliminate stem and root diseases by avoiding planting where cabbage, collards, Brussels sprouts, or broccoli were planted in the past year or more. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION If seedlings from a planting are thinned to about 6 inches apart and allowed to grow to 12 inches tall, harvest them, leaving 1 plant every 18 inches. Allow these remaining plants to mature. Harvest collards by cutting outer leaves as they reach full size. Some gardeners who prefer the young, tender inner leaves blanch them, which makes them tender for use in salads; blanching involves tying up the outer leaves to block the light. VARIETIES New hybrid varieties are more vigorous and better adapted to Southern gardens, but some gardeners still prefer open-pollinated varieties. Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments HYBRID Blue Max 68 Heavy yields HiCrop 75 Maintains excellent flavor in hot weather Top Bunch 67 Heavy yields on a small plant OPEN POLLINATED Georgia 80 Popular old-garden favorite that sweetens with frost Champion Long Standing 60 Tolerates frost Morris Heading 80 Savoy type Vates 67 Old standard **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Caterpillar, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Sunlight, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Cauliflower](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cauliflower/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Cauliflower](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1023&title=Home%20Garden%20Cauliflower) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Wild brassicas grow along the seacoasts of Europe from Denmark to France, and in other locations from Greece to Great Britain. Although it has been cultivated for 5,000 years, cauliflower was developed from other cole crops quite late and has been popular in this country only since the 1930s. Cauliflower requires the best conditions and most care of all the members of the cabbage family. Some gardeners refer to it as the “college graduate” of the cole crops that will test the amateur gardener’s skills. This vegetable, grown for its compact heads of white flower buds or curd, is picked before the flower buds begin to open. WHEN TO PLANT This cool-season crop is less tolerant of either heat or cold than its close relation, broccoli, and will not grow as well in dry weather either. Grow cauliflower as a spring crop, maturing before the onset of hot weather, or as a fall crop. For the best success, use transplants instead of sowing seeds. Seeds are too slow germinating in the garden, and the crop will tend to be very uneven. In spring, start plants under lights about 8 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost), and set them in the garden about 6 weeks later. Earlier plantings risk cold injury; later plantings may not mature before hot weather. Start seeds for a fall crop indoors about mid-July, then set out seedlings in the garden about mid-August. WHERE TO PLANT Choose a location that is in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) or light shade (a little shade from a distant tree or some shade in the middle of the day). Cauliflower prefers deeply prepared, well-drained soil; good drainage is essential. (See the discussion of soils in the introduction and “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. In rows, space the transplants about 18 inches apart, with 36 inches between rows. In a bed, space the plants 16 to 18 inches apart, which will allow 2 or 3 plants across the standard 4-foot bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Water in the plants with a transplant starter fertilizer that has a very high-soluble phosphorus analysis: 10-52-17, 10-50-10, or 10-30-10. If root maggots have been a problem in the past and your previous crops have suffered damage, also mix an approved garden insecticide in water according to the directions on the label, and use it as a drench as transplants are watered in. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Cauliflower must grow vigorously from seeding to harvest. Any disruption will cause the flower to abort and the subsequent failure of the crop. Another problem results from keeping the transplants in the seedling flat too long; tiny buttons, instead of large heads, will form prematurely. Water cauliflower as needed to provide 1 inch per week. When plants are about half grown (8 to 12 inches tall), fertilize them with nitrogen to stimulate continuing vigorous growth. Heads exposed to light will be off-color, and the flavor will be poor. The white, blanched heads desired by gardeners develop in the absence of light. Here is the process to follow to achieve them: when heads are about 3 inches in diameter, lift the leaves over the heads to shade them, and tie them up with twine, rubber bands, or a couple of clothespins. Self-blanching varieties produce upright leaves that shade the heads and require no tying. Pests and diseases may affect plants. Prevent infestation of cabbage worms with a biological worm spray or dust, available at most garden centers. Avoid root and stem diseases by planting where no cabbage, collards, brussels sprouts, broccoli, or other *brassicas* have been grown for a year or more. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The heads will develop quickly under good growing conditions. A week or so following blanching, the heads should be 6 to 8 inches in diameter, firm and white. Harvest them before they start to loosen. Loose, “ricey” heads (those that begin to separate and look like piles of rice instead of being compact and tight) are poor in quality. Cut heads, leaving a few green leaves to protect them. Cauliflower deteriorates quickly after harvest, so use it immediately or freeze it. If you freeze it, you should probably cut it up first. Since cauliflower does not develop usable side shoots, pull the plants immediately following the harvest. VARIETIES Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments Andes 68 Good self-blanching type Early White 52 One of the earliest Green Goddess Hybrid II 62 Lime green, tasty Self Blanch 71 OP; 7-inch heads, needs no tying, excellent fall crop Snowball Y Improved 68 OP; 6-inch heads well protected by leaves Snow Crown 60 Tolerates heat and cold; yellows resistant Snow Grace 65 Improved Snowcrown type; grows larger and later Snow King 50 9-inch heads, early Violet Queen Hybrid 70 Purple head turns green when cooked OP = OPEN POLLINATED (VERSUS HYBRID) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring --- ### [Carrot](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/carrot/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Daucus carota* var. sativas These vegetables with their bright orange roots may not appeal to the youngest family member as part of a favorite meal-or any meal for that matter. It seems that early peoples may have shared the youngster’s sentiment. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Carrots](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/carrot1.html) [Carrots, Beets and Radishes](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/carrot-beet-radish-parsnip/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) The ancients probably cultivated carrots but not as a common food plant. Carrots have managed to gain popularity for a lot of folks since those early days. Most of the modern varieties come from those developed in France in the early 1800s. WHEN TO PLANT A freeze will not harm carrots. Sow seeds in mid-to-late winter, or just as soon as the soil is workable (experienced gardeners always have a row or two ready from fall for planting early vegetables). To provide a continuous supply of carrots, sow seeds every 2 to 3 weeks. To produce carrots in the fall, sow seeds in midsummer and keep moist. WHERE TO PLANT These roots require deeply prepared, well-drained soil. The long varieties of carrots prefer sandy soils, and the shorter or half-long varieties produce the best quality in gardens with heavy soils. Carrots will grow in soils with a wide range of acidity or alkalinity. Do not apply lime or gypsum to garden soils unless you have tested them to make sure the added calcium is needed. A high level of soil potassium is essential for good root development. Give carrots a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours will suffice), and they’ll give you a bountiful crop. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Work the soil into a fine seedbed (that is, make sure the soil is finely broken up) to promote germination. Poor germination will result when the soil is not well prepared. For rows, sow carrot seeds about 3 per inch, and allow 12 to 15 inches between rows. For a raised bed, sow the rows 8 to 10 inches apart across the bed. For both methods, cover the seeds with 1/4 inch of fine soil. For seeds sown in the summer, place a board over each row to keep the soil from drying or from being compacted by pounding rain. Check the board twice daily to see whether the seedlings have begun to emerge, and remove the board as soon as you notice any of them. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them to 1 plant every 2 inches. CARE AND MAINTENANCE A little hoeing or pulling of weeds, especially while the seedlings are small, will prevent weeds from competing with the carrots for water and nutrients. If no rain falls for 7 to 10 days, apply 1 inch of water. Carrots that develop in dry weather will be fibrous and woody. As for pests, soil-borne maggots may damage the roots. If they have been a problem in the past, mix an approved garden insecticide according to the directions on the label, and apply it to the furrows as you plant the seeds. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the carrots when they are at least 1/2 inch in diameter. Carrots left in the ground will continue to increase in size. Under normal conditions, expect a spring seeding to produce for 3 or 4 weeks. Summer seedings for fall crops may be left in the ground until a killing frost or even later if you mulch them to keep the ground from freezing. Dig late-season carrots and store them in pits of sand or in boxes of sand in a cool place such as a garage. Keep them at just above freezing temperatures; don’t let them freeze. To prevent green shoulders that develop when the roots are exposed to light, cultivate a little loose soil over the roots as they begin to swell. Any green portions will be poorly flavored, so cut those portions off the roots before you use them. Poor soil preparation, which may include leaving stones and other debris in the soil, causes forked and twisted roots. VARIETIES Varieties Days to Maturity Comments BABY Little Finger 65 ¬Ω-inch-diameter roots, 5 inches long, sweet and crisp Short ‘n Sweet 68 4-inch-long roots, good in poor soils DANVERS Danvers Half Long 75 6- to 8-inch-long roots tapered to blunt ends NANTES Bolero 70 Hybrid, 7-inch-long roots tapered to blunt ends Nantes Coreless 68 Red-orange, 6-inch roots Scarlet Nantes 70 The standard for best quality, 6-inch-long roots, bright orange, sweet REGULAR CHANTENAY Red-Cored Chantenay 70 Good flavor, short, blunt roots, good in heavy soils SMALL ROUND Thumbelina 62 AAS; Excellent for poor or shallow soil and for containers **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Fall, Fertilizer, Mulch, Pests, Seed, Soil, Spring, Stone, Summer, Temperature, Weed, Winter --- ### [Cabbage](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cabbage/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica oleracea* var. capitata Cabbage is a cole crop, a member of the mustard family, *Cruciferae*. It is one of the oldest recorded vegetables, mentioned in literature 3,000 years ago. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Cabbage](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1218) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Cabbage was in general use 2,000 years ago throughout Europe and the Middle East. WHEN TO PLANT This cool-weather plant produces best in spring. Sow seed indoors under lights about 8 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost), and set the plants into the garden about 6 weeks later. Transplants are often available at garden centers about that time as well; they should have a good green color, be short and compact, and have no pests. For the earliest production, you’ll want to start with transplants, whether homegrown or store bought. But if you prefer to sow seed directly in the garden, sow it as early as the soil can be worked. Since the cabbage will be harvested and out of the garden by early summer, plan for a fall crop as well. For a fall crop, sow seed indoors about mid-July, then set the seedlings in the garden in late August. Cabbage can tolerate a freeze, and with a mild fall it may last until Thanksgiving or later. WHERE TO PLANT Choose a location in full sun or partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day); 8 hours of sun would be a minimum. Cabbage prefers well-prepared soil with good drainage. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the garden. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) In rows, space the transplants 12 to 18 inches apart, with 24 inches between rows. In a bed, space the plants 16 to 18 inches apart, which will allow 2 or 3 plants across the bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Water in the plants with transplant starter fertilizer, such as 10-52-17 or 10-30-10, mixed according to directions on the label, and apply approximately 1 cup per plant. If root maggots have been a problem in the past and your previous crops have suffered damage, also mix an approved garden insecticide in water according to label directions, and use it as a drench as transplants are watered in. Directly seed fall cabbage in midsummer. Sow seeds 3 inches apart and 1/2 inch deep, then thin seedlings to the proper spacing noted for transplants. (You can recognize cabbage seedlings because they will be in rows and all look the same; weed seedlings will be randomly spaced, and all will look different.) Transplant excess seedlings to another row if you prefer not to dispose of them. CARE AND MAINTENANCE For the best-quality cabbage, water as necessary to keep the plants vigorous and growing. Plants need about 1 inch of water per week. Hardened-off plants will often crack as they develop, making them useless. Side-dress the plants with a complete fertilizer when they are about half grown. Pests and diseases may pose a problem. Prevent infestation of cabbage worms with a biological worm spray or dust, available at most garden centers. To avoid root and stem diseases, do not plant cabbage where broccoli, Brussel sprouts, or collards were in the past year. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the heads when they have achieved full size by cutting just below the heads with a sharp knife. If they are allowed to grow beyond maturity, the heads will crack, especially when the weather has been dry and suddenly becomes wet. Plants of some varieties will make a second crop of smaller heads similar to brussels sprouts if left in the garden following the first harvest. Homegrown cabbage has a sweet flavor that isn’t available in the cabbage at the supermarket. Picking it at the peak of perfection and using it when it is fresh preserve the flavor at its best. Try to make several plantings of cabbages with different maturity dates for a continuous supply. You may store fall-harvested cabbages for months at 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the refrigerator, but be sure to wrap them so they do not dry out. VARIETIES Cabbages may be green or red, smooth or savoy (wrinkled). Heads may be pointed, round, or flat. Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments RED Ruby Ball 71 Resists cracking, early; 4 ponds Ruby Perfection 85 Slow to crack and stores well; 3 pounds SAVORY Savory Ace 80 Cold tolerant; 3 pounds Savory Express 55 AAS, earliest savoy; 3 to 4 pounds Savory King 85 Uniform dark green; 3 to 4 pounds Savory Queen 88 Heat tolerant; 5 pounds SMOOTH GREEN Charmont 65 Early; 3 to 4 pounds Dynamo 70 Good nearly everywhere; 3 to 4 pounds; AAS Early Jersey Wakefield 63 Pointed and resists cracking; 4 pounds Grand Slam 82 Good black rot resistance; 8-inch heads King Cole 74 Large, firm 8-pound heads Stonehead 70 Resists cracking; 3 pounds SMOOTH GREEN, FALL Danish Roundhead 105 Only 4 Pounds **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Stone, Summer, Weed --- ### [Brussels Sprouts](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/brussels-sprouts/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica oleracea* var. gemmifera Named for the city in Belgium where they first attained popularity, Brussels sprouts have been grown there since the early 1300s. Gardeners usually refer to them as a cole crop. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Brussel Sprouts](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/brusselssprouts1.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Coles are members of the mustard, or *Cruciferae*, family. They are all varieties in the same genus, *Brassica*. Brussels sprouts are grown for the cabbagelike buds that develop around the stems at the bases of the leaves. WHEN TO PLANT This cool-weather crop takes a long time to mature. To get a good start, set out transplants from a garden center just before the average last frost date for your part of the state – select transplants that are young and vigorous, not tall and woody (hardened-off transplants that have been in the containers too long will not develop properly). WHERE TO PLANT Plant Brussels sprouts in a location that receives full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice). Plants in shade will be weak and may fall over; the sprouts will be smaller and more widely spaced on the stems. Any well-drained garden soil is satisfactory. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the garden. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) In rows, space the transplants about 18 inches apart, with 36 inches between rows. In beds, space the plants 16 to 18 inches apart, which will allow 2 or 3 plants across the bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. CARE AND MAINTENANCE With such a lengthy time to maturity, Brussels sprouts require careful attention. Apply sufficient water to keep the plants growing throughout the summer; they require about 1 inch of water per week. Side-dress the plants with a complete fertilizer when they are about 1 foot tall. Sprouts develop in the leaf axils starting at the bottom of the plant, and many growers remove the leaves a few at a time as the sprouts develop. The thought is that the sprouts will have a better chance of developing if there are no leaves to interfere; this may or may not be true. In any case, healthy, full-sized leaves must be left at the top of the stem to provide nutrients for the plant. Without leaves, the plant will cease growing. When the plants have gotten between two and three feet tall, pinch out the growing tip so that the energy goes into the sprouts instead of leaf production. Disease and pest control are important parts of care. Prevent infestation of cabbage worms with a biological worm spray or dust, available at most garden centers. Harvest sprouts before hot weather which can make them bitter. Pick or cut the sprouts as they attain full size, 11/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Brussel sprouts planted in August will produce better than spring crops, as long as the small plants are kept watered during early growth in hot weather. These very cold-hardy plants can stand a freeze, and Brussels sprouts can be left on the plants to be harvested as needed all winter if the weather is mild. Store harvested sprouts in the refrigerator until ready to cook within a few days. VARIETIES Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments NOVELTY Rubine 105 Produces red sprouts, but not as productive as green types STANDARD Jade Cross E 90 Large sprouts, easy to harvest Long Island Improved 90 Open-pollinated, old-time variety Oliver 90 Easy picking Prince Marvel 90 Sweet sprouts Royal Marvel 85 Productive; tight sprouts Valiant 90 Sprouts Uniform, Smooth **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Broccoli](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/broccoli/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica oleracea* var. botrytis Broccoli is a member of the mustard family, and grows along the seacoasts of Europe from Denmark to France, and in other locations from Greece to Great Britain. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Broccoli in GA](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1022&title=Home%20Garden%20Broccoli) [Home Garden Broccoli in NC](https://burke.ces.ncsu.edu/growing-broccoli/) [Home Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan for Georgia](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [Gardening Organically](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1011&title=Growing%20Vegetables%20Organically) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Although it has been cultivated for 5,000 years, broccoli was developed from other cole crops as a specific crop quite late and has been popular in this country only since the 1930s. This vegetable, grown for its compact cluster of flower buds or head, is picked before the flower buds begin to open. Secondary heads that develop in the leaf axils (between the bases of the leaves and the stem) can be harvested for several weeks after the central head is cut. WHEN TO PLANT This cool-weather crop can stand a freeze. For best results, plant broccoli early and harvest it before hot weather arrives. Sow seed directly in the garden as early as the soil can be worked. For the earliest production, however, start with transplants. Sow seed indoors about 8 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost), and grow the plants under lights or in the greenhouse. Transplant them into the garden about 3 weeks before the frost-free date. Transplants are usually available from garden centers about that time as well. If you choose not to grow your own, make sure that the plants you buy have a good green color, are short and compact, and have no pests on them. A reliable local outlet is the safest source for quality plants. Since the broccoli will be harvested and out of the garden by midsummer, plan to replace it with a second crop. For a fall crop, sow seeds indoors about July 1, then set the seedlings in the garden about August 10. In mild fall weather broccoli may last until Thanksgiving – or even later, depending on how late you plant and when the first freeze of fall comes. WHERE TO PLANT Broccoli prefers full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), in a well-drained soil. It will produce well in partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day), but leaves will be larger and the heads will be smaller. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the garden. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) In rows, space the transplants about 18 inches apart, with 36 inches between rows. In a bed, space the plants 16 to 18 inches apart, which will allow 2 or 3 plants across a 48-inch bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. If root maggots have been a problem in the past and your previous crops have suffered damage, mix an approved insecticide with water according to the label directions, and use it as a drench as transplants are watered in. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Broccoli requires very little care to produce a crop. For the best-quality broccoli, water as necessary to keep the plants vigorous and growing; they need about 1 inch of water per week. Hardened-off plants (those that have been stunted by poor care) will often develop buttons which are useless, tiny heads on the seedling plants. Side-dress them with a complete fertilizer when the plants are about half grown, 10 to 12 inches tall. Pests and diseases may pose a problem. Prevent infestation of cabbage worms with a “biological worm control” spray or dust (available at most garden centers). Avoid root and stem diseases by rotating plantings of broccoli and other “cole crops” such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and collards, in another part of the garden. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the heads with a sharp knife, leaving about 6 inches of stem attached, while they are still compact and before any of the flower buds open. Allow side shoots to develop for continuous production. Eventually, the size of the lateral shoots decreases, and they are not worth harvesting. Flowers on broccoli heads continue to develop after they are picked, so keep them in the refrigerator and use them as soon as possible because they are unusable after the flowers start to open (they are poor looking and poor tasting, and they have poor texture). VARIETIES Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments HYBRIDS Arcardia 65 Fall Cruiser 58 Drought tolerant Green Comet 55 Early producing, heat tolerant, good spring or fall, AAS Green Goliath 55 12-inch heads Packman 55 Summer or fall Premium Crop 65 Good extended harvest NOVELTY Purple Sprouting 85 Very tender purple heads Romanesque 75 Spiraling chartreuse heads OPEN POLLINATED Waltham 29 75 Best for fall production **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Greenhouse, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Beet](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/beet/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Beta vulgaris* Garden beets are closely related to sugar beets and to Swiss chard. All are the same species and are members of the goosefoot family. Beets originated in the maritime regions of Europe, and gardeners hybridized them in Germany and England in the middle of the sixteenth century. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Beets](https://union.ces.ncsu.edu/2019/10/vegetable-spotlight-beets/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Beets are the main ingredients in borscht, but that is certainly not the only way to enjoy them. People love beets both for their globe-shaped roots and their leafy tops. WHEN TO PLANT Because beets will stand a frost, you may sow them 1 month before the frost-free date (the average date of last frost). Make successive plantings at 20-day intervals until midsummer to have a continuous supply of fresh beets. WHERE TO PLANT These root crops require well-prepared loamy soil. Beets do best in a soil that is neutral to alkaline (remember that a pH of 7.0 is neutral; above 7.0, the soil is alkaline; below 7.0, the soil is acidic.) If soil tests point to acidic soil, add lime. Do not apply lime or gypsum to garden soils unless they have been tested to determine whether they need the added calcium. The soil should also have a high potassium level, essential for good root development. Drainage is important, especially if you desire to start the plants early, so that the soil is dry enough to work. Plant beets in a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours will suffice), and they will reward you with a full crop. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Work the soil into a fine seedbed (make sure that the soil is finely broken up; see “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden). Poor germination will result from soil that is not well prepared. In rows, sow beet seeds 1 inch apart, and allow 12 to 15 inches between rows. In a raised bed, sow the rows 8 to 10 inches apart across the bed. Cover the seeds with 1/2 inch of fine soil. For summer seedings, place a board over each row to keep the soil from drying or from being compacted by pounding rain. Check twice a day to see whether the seedlings have begun to emerge, and remove the board as soon as you notice them. Beet seeds are actually dried-up fruits; each contains 2 or more seeds, so don’t plant them too close together. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them to 1 to 3 inches apart. You can recognize the beet seedlings because they will appear in rows and all look the same; weed seedlings will appear at a random spacing, and all will look different. If you wait until the seedlings are about 3 inches tall, you can cook them as greens. CARE AND MAINTENANCE These plants require little care. Hoe or pull the weeds so that they don’t compete with the beets for water and nutrients. If no rain falls for 7 to 10 days, apply 1 inch of water; beets that develop in dry weather will be fibrous and woody. Plants may be affected by leaf spots, leaf miner insects, or root maggots; be prepared to use an approved insecticide or fungicide according to label directions. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Red beets are notorious for “bleeding” all over the counter and sink. The yellow and white varieties don’t have this problem. Harvest tops when they are 6 inches high, and use them as you would use spinach. Harvest roots when they are 11/2 to 2 inches in size. Beets allowed to grow more than 3 inches in diameter will be tough and woody. Dig late-season beets, and store them in pits of sand or in boxes of sand in a cool place, such as a garage. Or store them in plastic bags with air holes. Keep them at a temperature just above freezing; don’t let them freeze. VARIETIES Variety Name Days to Maturity Comments HYBRID Avenger 57 Greens Big Red 55 Late Season Gladiator 48 Good for canning Pacemaker 50 Early Red Ace 53 Good in hot weather INBRED Crosby’s Egyptian 56 Uniform, sweet, dark red Detroit Dark Red 58 Tender Early Wonder 52 Flattened Ruby Queen 60 Top Quality. AAS Sangria 56 Keeps shape even when crowded Sweetheart 58 Tops good for greens. SPECIALTY Bull’s Blood 35 Antique variety with deep red tops Burpee’s Golden 55 Yellow Cylindra 60 Long, cylindrical Green Top Bunching 65 Superior tops for greens Little Ball 50 1 ¬Ω Inches At Maturity The old standby varieties are open pollinated (inbred). Inbred varieties are not necessarily inferior, and they include a recent AAS winner. More recent varieties include hybrids, which are not necessarily better, just newer (and costlier). **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Fertilizer, Pots, Seed, Soil, Summer, Temperature, Weed --- ### [Beans](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/beans/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Phaseolus vulgaris* Beans may be the most diverse garden vegetables, ranking second only to tomatoes in popularity. Common beans are probably native to South America and were grown there for centuries before Europeans began growing them. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Bean Sprouts](https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/bean-sprouts-and-other-vegetable-seed-sprouts) [Home Garden Beans](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1006&title=Home%20Garden%20Green%20Beans) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) All beans are members of the legume family, *Leguminosae*,which can extract and use nitrogen from the air. Most beans are grown for their seeds and pods. The tender pods, which are used before the seeds mature, are called snap beans because the pods snap easily when bent. Snap beans may be green or yellow (wax beans). Shell beans, such as limas, are harvested before maturity, and the seeds are removed, or shelled. Dry beans are grown for the seeds, which are allowed to mature before harvest and are shelled from the pods for use. Bean plants may be either bush types or runners. The runners are called pole beans; they may be allowed to vine along the ground, but gardeners usually grow them on supports. WHEN TO PLANT Sow seeds about 2 weeks before the latest date of last frost; these tender plants cannot tolerate a freeze. Planting seeds every 3 weeks until the beginning of August will assure a continuous supply of fresh snap beans (NOTE: late summer-planted beans, like other summer vegetables, are more susceptible to insect damage and drought. WHERE TO PLANT A location with at least 6 hours of sunlight a day and well-drained soil will produce healthy beans for you. Giving them a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours will suffice) will make them even happier. Beneficial bacteria are necessary for nitrogen fixation, and if beans have never been grown in the garden, you may need to add beneficial bacteria to the soil. Garden stores or garden catalogs list them as legume innoculants. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil for planting. Sow seeds of bush beans 2 to 3 inches apart, and cover them with 1 inch of soil. Sow seeds of pole beans 6 inches apart in rows along a fence or trellis, or sow them in hills of 6 seeds around poles set 3 feet apart; then cover the seeds with 1 inch of soil. You may need to help pole beans get started on their supports-they twine counterclockwise. Make a three-pole teepee tied at the top, or individual drive poles securely into the ground in each hill. Where soil insects have been troublesome-damaging roots or stems before they emerge-you may have to apply an approved granular or water-mixed garden soil insecticide, mixed or used according to directions, to protect the seeds as they germinate. Beans may not germinate well if they are kept too wet so we cannot overemphasize the importance of good drainage. Moisten them at planting time but do not keep them constantly soaked. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Beans require little care except regular weeding and adequate water if the weather is dry. The plants need about 1 inch of water per week. Pests may affect the plantings, but rotating the bean plantings to a different place in the garden each year reduces pest problems. Apply an approved insecticide to control bean beetles, which will eat holes in the leaves. Planting disease-resistant varieties will go a long way toward producing a good bean crop. To avoid spreading disease, do not work in the beans when they are wet. Diseases include bean mosaic disease (affected plants turn yellowish green and do not produce beans) and bacterial blight, evidenced by brown spots on the leaves or water-soaked spots on the pods. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Pole beans are much easier to harvest than bush beans because they are up in the air and no bending over is involved. They also produce longer from a single seeding than the bush types. In exceptionally hot weather, pollination may be poor, resulting in few beans. The pollen fails to grow a pollen tube through the pistil and the unfertilized ova fail to grow. Don’t be alarmed, however; production will resume when the weather moderates. Harvest snap beans when the pods are firm and fully elongated, but before the seeds begin to swell. Pick beans regularly to keep the plants producing. Expect to be able to harvest bush beans 2 or 3 times, and then discard the planting. Pick pole beans all season; they will continue to produce if kept picked clean. Pick lima beans when the seeds are tender, green, and fully developed. If you wait until they are overly ripe, they will be tough and mealy. Limas can be left to mature and harvested as dry beans, although dry beans are rarely grown in home gardens because they are so inexpensive to buy. If you do choose to grow them, harvest them after the pods dry and begin to split open. Pull up mature plants, and hang them in a dry place until the pods split. VARIETIES Variety Days to Maturity Comments Dark Red Kidney 95 Use in soup, chili Great Northern 90 Half runner, white Pinto 90 Standard in Mexican, half runner White Kidney 90 Bush, white, kidney-shaped beans Blue Lake 58 Mosaic resistant Bush Kentucky Wonder 57 Long, flat pods Contender 50 Mosaic resistant Derby 57 AAS Jade 53 Long, slender pods Labrador 57 Best in cooler climates Tendercrop 55 Mosaic resistant Tendergreen Improved 54 Mosaic resistant Topcrop 50 Meaty Fordhook 242 75 AAS LIMA BUSH, SMALL-SEEDED Baby Fordhook 70 Small beans Eastland 70 Heavy yield Henderson 65 Flat pods Jackson Wonder 65 Purple spots Thorogreen 66 Tall plants LIMA POLE King of the Garden 88 Tasty Prizetaker 90 Giant seeds Sieva 72 Baby lima POLE Blue Lake 65 Mosaic resistant Kentucky Blue 65 AAS; heavy producer, long season Kentucky Wonder 65 Good flavor Kentucky Wonder Wax 68 Yellow Purple Pod 65 Heavy crop Romano 60 Flat pods Scarlet Runner 70 Novelty PURPLE BUSH Royalty 55 Original purple bush beans ROMANO Bush Romano 56 Delicious broad, flat pods Jumbo 55 Big Italian type Roma II 53 Broad, flat pods Romano 942 57 Hybrid Wax Romano 59 Yellow WAX BUSH Cherokee Wax 50 Mosaic resistant Goldcrop 54 AAS Golden Wax 50 Stringless Goldkist 56 Rust resistant Pencilpod Wax 58 Round, pencil-like pods Slender Wax 55 Early Coloring **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Beans, Disease, Oak, Pests, Pots, Seed, Soil, Summer, Sunlight, Tomatoes, Trellis, Weed --- ### [Eggplant](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/eggplant/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Solanum melongena* var. esculentum Most people recognize eggplants with their dark purple fruits and wonder how they got the name. Actually, there are varieties with small white fruits that look very much like eggs hanging on the plants. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [UGA Home Garden Eggplant](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1028&title=Home%20Garden%20Eggplant) [NC State Home Garden Eggplant](https://union.ces.ncsu.edu/2019/07/vegetable-spotlight-eggplant/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) These are often available as potted plants for decorations rather than for food. Eggplant is a member of the same family as tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Culture of eggplant is very similar to that of bell peppers. Neither plant requires support, although eggplants are bigger than peppers. These warm-weather crops thrive where the summer is long and hot. Eggplant is probably a native of India and has been cultivated for more than 1,500 years. It is of great importance as a crop in the Far East and is more common than tomatoes in India, China, and the Philippines. WHEN TO PLANT There is no need to plant eggplants into the garden very early. They need warm weather to develop and may rot off when the weather is cool and wet. Eggplants are much more sensitive to cold than tomatoes are. They will not grow until the soil is warm. Sow seeds indoors under lights about 2 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost). The plants are slow to start, taking at least 6 to 8 weeks to reach a transplanting size. Set out started plants after the latest date of last frost, or sow seed directly in the garden after any danger of frost has passed. WHERE TO PLANT The sun provides the warmth needed by these plants to thrive. Plant them in a full-sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) location with good drainage. Well-drained soils warm up more quickly than other soils. HOW TO PLANT Prepare the soil by spading or tilling. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) Incorporate organic matter and fertilizer at half the normal rate (1/2 pound of 10-10-10 or a similar proportion) per 100 square feet of garden. To seed directly in the garden in rows, sow seeds in hills 12 inches apart, with 24 to 30 inches between rows or even closer for smaller-fruited varieties. After seedlings are up, thin them to 1 per hill. (You can recognize eggplant seedlings because they will be in rows and all look the same; weed seedlings will be randomly spaced, and all will look different.) In a bed, space the hills 12 to 18 inches apart in each direction, which will allow 2 or 3 plants across the bed. Transplants started indoors or bought from greenhouses or garden centers should have 3 to 4 sets of leaves with a healthy green color. Check plants carefully for signs of insects because aphids and whiteflies often gain entrance to the garden on infested transplants. Remove the plants from the containers, and set the plants at the same depth they were growing in the containers. Firm the soil gently around the plants, and water in with 1 cup of transplant starter fertilizer, mixed according to directions on the package, per plant. In rows, space the plants 12 inches apart, with 24 to 30 inches between rows. In a bed, space the hills 12 to 18 inches apart in each direction. Homegrown transplants tend to become weak and leggy, but even leggy ones will make decent plants in the garden with proper handling. Do not plant them deeper to compensate, or the roots will suffocate. Plant them on their sides, and cover the long stems lightly with soil. The tips of the stems will quickly turn upward, and the buried stems will sprout new roots. CARE AND MAINTENANCE After they are established, eggplants can stand dry weather. For best production, however, water them as needed to provide 1 inch per week. When the plants are half grown (about 12 inches high, but size depends on the variety; check the seed packet for size), side-dress them with a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Pests and diseases may pose problems with eggplants. Flea beetles will make small holes in the leaves, and a severe infestation can reduce yield; control the pests with an approved garden insecticide. Verticillium wilt is a serious disease that causes the plants to dry up about the time they start to produce fruit; plant resistant varieties, and rotate the planting from one part of the garden to another each year. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest the fruit when it reaches full size and is still glossy. Overly mature fruit will be spongy, seedy, and bitter. Cut the stem with shears or a sharp knife instead of trying to tear the fruit off. Watch out! The stems may be thorny. VARIETIES Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Long-Fruited: Ichiban 70 days Long, slim fruit. Little Fingers 68 days Fruit in clusters. Slim Jim 70 days Lavender. Novelty: Easter Egg 52 days White, egg-sized, egg-shaped, ornamental and edible. Oval-Fruited: Black Beauty 80 days Deep purple heirloom, but still popular. Black Magic 72 days Classic shape. Burpee Hybrid 80 days Improved production. Cloud Nine 75 days Pure white, bitter-free. Dusky 60 days Early. Ghostbuster 80 days White and sweeter than purple Varieties. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fertilizer, Greenhouse, Peppers, Pests, Pine, Seed, Soil, Summer, Tomatoes, Weed --- ### [Leek](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/leek/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Allium ampelopasum* The leek is a biennial onion relative that is grown as an annual for its long, thick stem, which is used for mildly flavoring salads, soups, and other cooked dishes. • This information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) It does not form a distinct bulb; instead, its thick, leafy base and slightly developed bulb grows into a 2-3 foot tall, attractive plant with a silvery base and blue-green top that resembles garlic with flattened leaves arranged in a fan shape. The fleshy stem can be eaten raw or cooked, with or without attached leaves, which have a pungent odor and acrid taste. Grow leeks, which can take up to five months to mature, like long-season onions. Upper South gardeners can plant leeks in the spring for summer and fall harvest, but lower south gardeners usually plant in the fall; the flavor of this winter-hardy plant actually improves with cold temperatures. When plants develop considerable top growth, mound soil up on the lower stems to blanch them white. Harvest in the spring when the diameter of the necks is 1-2 inches in diameter. Offsets may be detached and replanted, or small bulbils that appear in the flower stalks can be planted for a later harvest. Varieties include ‘Alaska’, the old standby ‘Broad London’, and the heat-resistant ‘Titan’. Others that tolerate our mild winters well include ‘Electra’ and ‘King Richard’. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Garlic, Onion, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Malabar Spinach](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/malabar-spinach/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Basella rubra* Also known as “climbing spinach,” this ornamental summer vine, from the tropics of India, is not a true spinach but its thick, fleshy, slightly-crinkled, heart-shaped leaves and tender young shoot tips can be harvested as they grow and used as a hot-weather spinach substitute, eaten raw or cooked (though it is not as slick in texture as real spinach). • Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) It loves hot, humid weather, and makes an attractive vine that should be trellised to keep it off the ground. Grown after all chance of frost has past in the spring, in nearly any kind of soil as long as it is kept moist – the plants make their best growth in rainy spells. Malabar spinach will even tolerate light shade. Plant seeds or short vine cuttings near a trellis or fence, or train the vine to grow over a doorway. There are two leaf types, red (*rubra*) and green (*alba*). ![Malabar spinach](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Malabar-spinach-1-scaled.jpg "Malabar spinach 1")Malabar spinach ![Malabar spinach](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Malabar-spinach-2-scaled.jpg "Malabar spinach 2")Malabar spinach **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Trellis --- ### [New Zealand Spinach](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/new-zealand-spinach/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *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 a mild spinach when eaten raw or cooked. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) New Zealand spinach is a small, 1-2 foot, bushy, heat-resistant summer plant grown from seed planted after the spring soil has warm up. Soak seed in warm water overnight before planting to aid germination, and space plants 12 to 18 inches apart in a sunny bed rich in organic matter. Each plant will grow rapidly with many branches, and as it grows its tender shoot tips can be harvested; new growth will arise from the cut branches. Some gardeners and commercial growers cut entire plants off near the ground; new growth from the cut stem base will produce a later crop that is bothered by few pests. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Oak, Pests, Seed, Soil, Spring, Summer --- ### [Parsnip](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/parsnip/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Pastinaca sativa* Parsnips were among the first vegetables brought to Virginia and Massashusetts by colonists in the early 1600’s, and Native Americans quickly began growing these large, white-rooted plants in their own gardens. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Parsnip](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/parsnip1.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) The ancient carrot relative has flat, parsley-like foliage and a large white root, and tolerates incredibly cold weather – it is one of the few vegetables that can be stored in frozen ground and used any time they thaw back out. Parsnip seed is very short-lived, to be sure to check the date on seed packets for viability; also, poor soil preparation can result in low germination. Sow seeds 2 inches apart in deep beds that have been tilled at least a shovel’s depth, and cover very lightly with fine soil. Parsnips tolerate incredibly cold weather – they actually get much sweeter after freezing temperatures, which few gardeners who have not had fresh parsnip can appreciate – so plant seed in late summer for winter harvest. Under the best of conditions, parsnip seed take a long time to sprout, so some gardeners plant radish seed between those of parsnip to mark the rows; harvest the radishes just as the parsnip are up and growing well, which should then be thinned to allow good root production. Some gardeners plant parsnips in individual holes dug deep and filled with part soil and part compost or potting soil, with the seedlings thinned to just one for largest root production. Parsnip takes up to 120 or more days to mature, but can be harvested as needed throughout the winter; the roots shrivel quickly in storage, so keep unused ones in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Best varieties include ‘All American’, ‘Cobham Improved Marrow’ (best for shallow soils), and ‘Hollow Crown’. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Compost, Seed, Soil, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Rutabaga](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rutabaga/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica napus* Rutabagas, also known as “Swedes” or “Swedish turnips,” are a cool-weather, giant cross between the turnip and cabbage. The rutabaga is also related to collards, kohlrabi, and Brussels sprouts. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Rutabaga](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/turnip1.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) In Ireland and England, “Jack o’Lantern” are often made from hollowed-out, carved rutabagas. Its yellow-fleshed root has a strong flavor, and even stronger odor when being cooked in soups or stews. Their leaves are best eaten when very young. Slow-to-mature rutabagas, grown like beets, take over 90 days to mature, and can end up weighing up to four or five pounds. They are quite hardy, and will stand a freeze, but develop their best root in cooler weather). Gardeners usually grow them as a fall crop, direct-seeded in late July or early August. However, in the cooler and higher elevation parts of the South they can also be grown as a spring crop, with seeds sown directly in the garden in March along with turnips. Rapid growth results in the best-quality rutabagas, so water as necessary to keep the plants vigorous, and to keep the roots from getting too strong a flavor. Harvest the roots when they are about 5 inches in size; if allowed to grow beyond maturity, they will be tough, woody, and poorly flavored. Late crops stored in the ground will become sweeter with the cold. Protect them with heavy straw mulch to prolong the harvest into the early part of the winter, but dig the remaining roots before they are exposed to a hard freeze. Although rutabagas store well in refrigeration, they may shrivel. You can protect them from shriveling by dipping them in warm paraffin wax or storing them in plastic bags. Varieties to look for include ‘American Purple Top’, ‘Purple Top Yellow’, ‘Laurentian’, ‘Long Island Improved’, and ‘Sweet Russian.’ **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Mulch, Seed, Spring, Winter --- ### [Turnip](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/turnip/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica rapa* var. rapifera Turnips are cool-weather members of the cabbage family, which includes broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Turnip](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/turnip1.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Turnips and their leafy greens, grown since early Roman Empire days, have been familiar staples of the Southern garden and winter diet since early settlers first came to Virginia and the Carolinas in the 1600’s. A small amount can supply a family for months. WHEN TO PLANT The turnip roots develop best in cooler weather. Grow turnips for a spring or a fall crop, sowing seed directly in the garden in March or early April, and again in August and September. WHERE TO PLANT Plant turnips in a full-sun location (8 to 10 hours will suffice) that has well-prepared, well-drained, fertile soil. Poorly prepared or rocky soil results in poorly formed roots. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) To plant in rows, sow seeds 1/2 inch deep 8 to 10 per foot, in rows 12 inches apart. To plant in beds, sow in rows 10 to 12 inches apart across the beds. If root maggots have been a problem in the past and your previous crops have suffered damage, mix an approved garden insecticide in water according to label directions, and apply it as the seeds are watered in. As soon as seedlings are 4 inches tall, thin them to about 3 inches apart, and use the extra ones for greens. CARE AND MAINTENANCE For the best-quality turnips, water as necessary to keep the plants vigorous and growing. Usually, about 1 inch of water per week is sufficient. Rapid growth results in the best quality. Pests include aphids and leaf-eating beetles. Use an approved garden insecticide according to directions, especially following waiting periods between application and harvest. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest turnip greens about 5 weeks after sowing. Cut them just above the root so that they may regrow. Varieties grown for greens do not usually make satisfactory roots for harvesting. Harvest turnips grown for the roots when they are about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. If they are allowed to grow beyond maturity, the roots will be tough, woody, and poorly flavored. Don’t throw the tops away; use them for greens. Turnips are quite hardy and will stand a freeze. Store late crops in the ground, and they will become sweeter with the cold. Protect them with heavy straw mulch to prolong the harvest into the early part of the winter, but dig the remaining roots before they are exposed to a hard freeze. Turnips also store well under refrigeration, but they may wilt. Protect them from wilting by dipping them in warm paraffin wax or storing them in plastic bags. VARIETIES Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Alltop q 35 days For leafy green, not roots; regrows quickly. Seven Top 40 days Dark green leaves, small roots. Topper 35 days Vigorous leaf production, slow to bolt. Purple Top 55 days The standard, purple and white root. Tokyo Cross 35 days Uniform white roots, slow to become woody. AAS. White Lady 50 days Sweet and tender, slow to become pithy Just Right 70 days Large white roots and large abundant leaves, highly cold tolerant Shogoin 35 days Dual-purpose with mild and tender small roots and abundant leaves **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Fertilizer, Mulch, Pests, Seed, Soil, Spring, Winter --- ### [Horseradish](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/horseradish/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Armoracia rusticana* This hardy, easy-to-grow perennial member of the cabbage family is unforgettable! The roots of this coarse, weedy-looking plant contains an oil that has a hot, biting, pungent taste, making it valuable as a condiment. • This information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Its white roots are scrubbed clean then peeled, grated, and mixed with vinegar or either sweet or sour cream, grated beet root, or simply sprinkled directly over roast prime rib, corned beef, or oysters. Its oil is irritating to many people, so treat it like hot peppers. Because horseradish requires a long, cool growing season, it is best suited for the upper South and higher elevations; gardeners in hotter areas should protect the plants from hot mid-day or afternoon sun, and mulch to keep roots cool and moist. Seeds are not used; either buy small plants, or plant side root cuttings called “sets” which are removed from the main central root when it is harvested in the fall and stored in a moist, cool place (a plastic bag in the refrigerator) until time for planting in the late winter or very early spring. Place pencil-size sets a foot apart in furrows 3-5 inches deep. Lay each set at an angle, with the “top” slightly higher (hint: when harvesting, cut the top ends squarely, and the bottom ends at an angle, so you can tell which end is which later), and cover the bottom end with soil. Harvest fresh, hot horseradish all season by cutting pieces of roots from the outside of the root clump as you need them. They are more pungent and sweet in the fall after a freeze. Good varieties are ‘Bohemian’ and ‘Maliner Kren’ – or just get a start from a gardening neighbor **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Mulch, Peppers, Seed, Soil, Spring, Weed, Winter --- ### [Pumpkin](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pumpkin/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita mixta* Pumpkins are much-loved decorations for the fall, but many people grow these warm-season vine crops for their flavorful flesh and for their seeds too. Actually, pumpkins are winter squashes, picked when they are fully colored and mature. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Pumpkins](http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1646.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) The classification of the many varieties is thoroughly mixed up with 4 species represented. Varieties can have 2 or more species in their parentage; thus, it cannot be said that certain pumpkins are 1 species. As is the case for most vine crops, pumpkins can take a lot of room, which may cause some gardeners with restricted space to avoid growing them. In recent years, however, bush types have been developed that require much less space and can be grown in pots. WHEN TO PLANT There is no need to get pumpkins into the garden very early. They need warm weather to develop and may rot off if the weather is cool and wet. Sow seeds indoors under lights 1 month before the frost-free date (average date of last frost). Set out started plants or sow seeds directly in the garden after any danger of frost has passed. WHERE TO PLANT Pumpkins prefer full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), although they will grow and produce in light shade. They need a location with well-drained soil. Expect the pumpkins to make huge vines, so allow them plenty of room to spread. If your garden has restricted space, grow smaller-fruited vining types on supports, or grow bush types in beds or containers. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. Vine crops do not tolerate root injuries common to transplanting. To alleviate this problem, sow seeds indoors under lights in peat pots that can be planted without disturbing the tiny roots. After danger of frost has passed, sow 6 seeds or carefully set 2 or 3 transplant seedlings in hills about 5 feet apart, with rows 10 feet apart. Or space the plants 10 feet apart down the middle of a bed. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Thin the seedlings to 2 or 3 per hill when they are big enough to handle. If there is danger of disturbing the other seedlings, pinch off the extras instead of pulling them. Space bush types, which are well suited for a bed, 3 feet apart down the middle of the bed. Sow or plant dwarf bush types, 1 per container, in a commercial potting mix used in 5-gallon buckets or half barrels. Make sure they drain. Set plants at the same depth that they were growing. CARE AND MAINTENANCE After they set fruit, pumpkins need lots of water and fertilizer. Apply 1 inch of water per week when nature does not cooperate. Side-dress with nitrogen at half the normal rate when the vines have almost covered the ground, being careful to rinse with a hose if fertilizer gets on the leaves. Pumpkins produce both male and female flowers on the same plant. Usually, male flowers are produced first. Many gardeners are dismayed when these flowers fall off without making any pumpkins. Female flowers have tiny pumpkins just below the petals; male flowers have straight stems. Bees are necessary for pollination as they carry the pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers while they feed. Pests may affect the plantings, requiring application of insecticides. Apply these products carefully in the evening-sometime after the sun sets but before it is too dark to see-to avoid harming the bees. All squashes are susceptible to attack by squash vine borers, which are the larvae of red beelike moths that lay eggs on the bases of the plants. The eggs hatch into grubs that burrow into the vines, turning them to frass and eventually killing them. Control these insects by applying an approved garden insecticide to the stems of the plants every 2 weeks during the season. Start when the plants begin to vine. If stems have been invaded, try to save them by slitting them lengthwise (where the damage is evident) to kill the grubs inside. Then bury the damaged stem so it can form new roots. Control cucumber beetles and squash bugs with an approved garden insecticide. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest pumpkins when they have developed full color (no green on them). Cut the handles 3 to 4 inches long using a pair of shears to avoid breaking them. Pumpkins without handles do not keep well. Wear gloves during the harvest because the stems may have sharp spines on them. Keep the pumpkins in a warm place (about 80 degrees fahrenheit if possible) after harvest to harden them off, then store them in a cool, dry place. Well-grown pumpkins, those that are fully ripe and have no diseases or insect damage, can be stored all winter. Growing giant pumpkins is an art in itself. Most growers select seed from their biggest pumpkins, start the seed indoors very early, and set out the plants after the soil is warm. Some growers set a temporary greenhouse over the pumpkin patch to keep it as warm as possible. Secret methods are used as well, but since they’re secret, well, how can i describe them? It is known that some gardeners manure the plants heavily, some set up heat lamps, and most limit the hills to 1 plant every 150 square feet. When a pumpkin is set (at least 1 flower has started developing into a pumpkin), growers remove all the other flowers on that vine. They water, fertilize, and pamper the vine to get the biggest pumpkin possible. When the day for the weigh-in arrives, the pumpkins are loaded with forklifts for the trip to the site. Both ripe and immature pumpkins are eligible. The orange ones are considered pumpkins; the green ones are squashes. VARIETIES Cushaws are ‘Green-Striped Cushaw’ and ‘White Cushaw’, which are usually used for pies and custard. Jack-o’-lantern-sized pumpkins weigh from 6 to 10 pounds. They are just right for carving, but can be used for cooking too. Jumbo pumpkins are grown strictly for their size. The Biggest Pumpkin weigh-in each year features these giants, some years approaching 1000 pounds for the largest. Large-sized pumpkins weigh up to 25 pounds and are used almost exclusively for carving. These types require about 100 days from planting to harvest. Miniatures are used for decorations and sometimes painted. Naked seeded varieties have seeds without the tough skin and need no hulling before roasting and eating. Pie pumpkins weigh about 5 pounds and are used for cooking and carving; 1 pumpkin is the right size for 1 pie. Commercial canning pumpkins don’t look like the picture on the can. They are referred to as processing pumpkins and are buckskin-colored and shaped like watermelons; they require 110 days to maturity. They include ‘Buckskin’; ‘Dickinson Field’; and ‘Kentucky Field’. For all practical purposes, these are the same, so grow the variety for which you can get seed. The varieties of white painting pumpkins have white skin suitable for painting. VARIETIES Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Jack-O’-Lantern: Bushkin 100-110 days Semibush. Funny Face 100-110 days Hybrid. Harvest Moon 100-110 days Hybrid. Mystic 100-110 days Large stem, uniform. Spirit 100-110 days Semibush. Jumbo: Atlantic Giant 110-140 days Most winners from this variety. Big Max 110-140 days 50-100 pounds. Prizewinner 110-140 days Not the biggest, but best looking. Large: Connecticut Field 100-120 days The old standard, continually improved. Happy Jack 100-120 days Dark orange. Howden Biggie 100-120 days Extra-large jack-o’-lantern. Howden Field 100-120 days Best commercial pumpkin for the last 25 years. Rouge Vif d’Etamps 100-120 days The original “Cinderella’s carriage” pumpkin, deep orange, flat, pronounced lobes. Miniature: Ironsides 90-100 days Smooth sides, globular, nice stem. Jack Be Little 90-100 days 3 inches. Munchkin 90-100 days Attractive orange. Sweetie Pie 90-100 days Small, scalloped. Naked Seeded: Snack Jack 90-110 days 1 to 2 pounds, bush type, bred for seeds. AAS. Trick or Treat 90-110 days 10 to 12 pounds, semibush, great for carving. Triple Treat 90-110 days 6 to 8 pounds, good for carving and cooking. Pie: Baby Bear 100 days Flattened shape. AAS. New England Pie 100 days The standard. Small Sugar 100 days Same as New England Pie. Sugar Treat 100 days Semibush. Oz 100 days Semibush. Winter luxury 100 days Old-time favorite. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Greenhouse, Manure, Pests, Pine, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Squash, Watermelon, Winter --- ### [Radish](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/radish/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Raphanus sativus* Radishes are fast-growing, cool-weather vegetables. They grow any place they can have some sun and moist, fertile soil. They do well in gardens, pots, planters, flower beds, and cold frames. Some people grow them in boxes of sand on high-rise balconies. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Radish](http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/radish1.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) Fresh radishes make tasty garnishes, hors d’oeuvres, or additions to salads. Because they are some of the first things to plant in spring and develop so quickly, radishes are great vegetables to use to introduce children to gardening. The kids don’t get bored waiting for something to happen. WHEN TO PLANT Sow seeds as soon as the soil is dry enough to work for a spring crop. You can tell when you can squeeze a handful of soil into a ball and it crumbles. Sow seeds in late summer or fall for a fall or winter crop. WHERE TO PLANT Plant radishes in full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice) or partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day). Choose a well-drained part of the garden, which will dry out more quickly and allow an early start. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Work the soil into a fine seedbed (make sure the soil is finely broken up). Poor germination will result from improperly prepared soil. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) Sow seeds about 3 per inch in rows 8 to 10 inches apart, and cover them with 1/4 inch of fine soil. Thin spring radishes to 1 inch; thin winter radishes to 3 or 4 inches. In beds, broadcast the seed, and thin to 2 or 3 inches in each direction. Make sowings every week to have a continuous supply of radishes all spring. For summer seedings, place a board over each row to keep the soil from drying or from being compacted by pounding rain. Check twice a day to see whether the seedlings have begun to emerge, and remove the boards as soon as any appear. Because the fall crop will take longer to mature, sow more seeds every 10 days or so. Fall radishes are larger and crisper-and hotter-and they can be stored in the ground longer since they do not bolt. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Radishes are not labor-intensive plants. Hoe or pull the weeds, especially while the seedlings are small, so they don’t compete with the radishes for water and nutrients. Keep the plants growing because radishes that develop slowly will be hot and pithy (soft and mealy). Apply 1 inch of water when there has been no rain for a week or so. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest spring radishes at about 1 inch in size and winter radishes at 3 inches. Radishes stop developing in hot weather and send up seed stalks. VARIETIES Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Spring (Other): Easter Egg 25 days Various colors. Plum Purple 25 days Deep magenta. Spring (Red): Champion 28 days Large, round. Cherry Belle 22 days Round, bright red. Early Scarlet Globe 23 days Bright red. Spring (White): Burpee White 25 days Smooth. Snow Belle 30 days Round. Spring/Summer: French Breakfast 23 days Slow to bolt, red with white tip. French Dressing 25 days Red with white top. Icicle 25 days Long, slim, white. Winter: Black Spanish 55 days White with black skin. Chinese White 60 days Blunt. Tama 70 days White daikon type, 18 inches long. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Fall, Fertilizer, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Weed, Winter --- ### [What is a Sercy?](https://www.walterreeves.com/how-to/what-is-a-sercy/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** When I was in college I had the privilege of working as a counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Camp in Eatonton, GA. The four summers I spent there were some of the happiest of my life. We taught swimming, crafts, nature study and other practical skills to thousands of elementary-aged kids. At night and on weekends, we counselors bonded into an infectiously happy group; some of us maintain close friendships to this day. One of the camp counselor customs was to give each other surprise gifts. The small tokens might be atonement for a slight, an attempt to gain the eye of someone of the opposite sex, or a stab at sophomoric humor, like giving a carton of sour milk wrapped in an impressive package. We called such a gift a “sercy”, alternately spelled “cerci” and “searcy”. When I used the word on my radio show once, I found that others knew it too. **My question:** Do you know where the word “**sercy**“, “**surcy**“, “**cerci**” or “**searcy**” comes from? Do you have a plausible theory? Do you use it in conversation? ## [**E-mail me and let me know your thoughts!**](mailto:ge*************@***oo.com "This contact has been encoded by Anti-Spam by CleanTalk. Click to decode. To finish the decoding make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.") ![](https://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/tootsie.jpg) **[Here is a lovely meditation “On giving a Surcie”](https://sefleurir.wordpress.com/2021/04/13/on-giving-a-surcie/)** **Word Detective posits:** “I posed the question to the American Dialect Society mailing list, and received the following reply from Joan Hall, Associate Editor of DARE (Dictionary of American Regional English): “The Dictionary of American Regional English files have anecdotal evidence for the term “sirsee” (variously spelled “circe,” “circi,” “surcy”) from NC, SC, GA, and PA, as well as two reports from Buffalo, NY and Oklahoma, where the speakers were said to come from “someplace else.” “All evidence is oral, so the spellings are speakers’ attempts to represent the pronunciation. The etymology is uncertain, but one plausible source is the Scots verb “sussie,” meaning “to take trouble, to care, to bother oneself.” This probably came to Scotland from the French “souci,” meaning “care, trouble.” The term seems to be especially well known in Columbia, SC, where it is strongly associated with a women’s college. Michael Montgomery of the English Department of the University of SC has reported its use there.” **Mary Lutie F. confirms:** I was raised in S.C. and graduated from Columbia College( a girls’ college) in Columbia, SC in the early ‘60s. At college I learned the word “surcie”. It meant a small gift such as thinking of you; I love you; this reminded me of you, etc. Yes, it could be your favorite gum or object of your favorite color. My husband and I had two sons. This is a word I used affectionately with them as they grew up. Now I used it with our grandones. The original meaning I do not know but the word “surcie” really gives a warm fuzzy to the receiver as well as the giver. **R. C. says:** “I don’t know how to spell it but have discovered the word is widely used among students of women’s colleges. I first heard the word while a student at Tift College in Forsyth, GA. Since then the only other people I have heard use the word have been graduates of other women’s colleges in the south. Hearing it on your show was the first time I’ve heard anyone mention the word in years. I would be interested to know the origin of the word if any of your listeners know more.” **L. M. remarks:** “I was listening to your show this morning and hear you ask about the word “cerci” – a word that you were familiar with from your earlier days. “I also learned of the word when I was in college in the late ’60’s. I am from VA and went to school a couple of years at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. My roommates and her friends -all from the North Carolina mountains -would use the word “cerci” anytime they left a small gift for you. “It’s charm is that you never asked for it but it might be something you really liked -like your favorite gum, candy, ice cream or some small trinket. Usually it was something that you never asked for, as you mentioned, but was often given out of friendship. I have used the word for years and have taught many people, including my spouse (who is now well trained in the giving of “cercis”) and my children the word -and have given and received many gifts labeled as such. “Cerci” is my own spelling for the word. Most people have never heard of it… except I once met a colleague from Alabama and she knew the word and had used it her whole life. I thought once someone told me it originated from French meaning gift -but I could have dreamt that!” **L. B. in Dallas TX says** I have also been curious about the origin of this word. I have Georgia relatives who say “sercy” and Texas friends who say “sussy”. Tonight as I was watching an episode from FoodNetwork’s Road Tasted, starring Paula Deen’s boys, they visited a cookie company in Charleston , SC. The owner introduced the Deen boys to this word and described the practice of giving little gifts for no particular reason. She said in Charleston they call the gift a “sercy” -she said the word comes from a French word which means “surprise”. **Susan S. opines:** In Entomology (UGA, ~1973) we learned that earwigs, and a few other insects, have ‘cerci’ on their rear abdomen-like another set of pincers that are often used in mating. **J. S. in South Carolina adds:** “I did a Google search on Sercy and found your website. Too cool that so many others know the word and use it! I think it is great tradition. I give my boys sercys and hope they pass it on too! Looks like it is a southern thing, my mom’s family is from Aiken, SC. “My mom always used the word sercy when my brother and I were growing up. Our mom turns 60 and we are celebrating her birthday on Easter this year. My brother and I are putting together a “letter” for her that lists the 60 things we are thankful for but never told her. One of the things was sercys, but we could not figure out how to spell it. We emailed my Aunt in France to see if she knew how to spell the word. Here is what she came up with: “Mema used to say that all the time. Since I have lived in France I’ve often thought of where it came from. I think it might be a distortion of “souci” which can mean a thought or care. You sometimes say sans souci …”without a care”. I can’t find it legitimately used. I did a search and found a great blog or stream on [SouthernLiving.com](http://community.southernliving.com/archive/index.php?t-4023.html). “A ….children’s last minute sercy/ gift.” “So I guess we can go with SERCY. Often it is hard to pronounce the “u” and there are funny changes in language from one country to another.” **C. W. shares** “I am Southern born and raised. We always referred to these small gifts as ‘happies’. It wasn’t until I was living in Sumter, SC that a dear friend of mine asked me what type of ‘cercy’ she should give my husband for helping her move some materials for our VBS. “I have to say, I was taken aback for a moment. I asked her, “What is a cercy and why do you want to give my husband one?” That was my first introduction to ‘cercy’ and I was over 30. “The only people that seem to know what it means live in this area. However, I am on a mission to spread this wonderful concept to others. I still call them ‘happies’ some of the time, but ‘cercy’ just seems southern and classy. I have never had someone turn away from a ‘cercy’ yet.” **D. C. W. enthuses:** “I use this term all the time!! I love giving sercies and whenever I give one to a Northern friend and try to explain it, they always look at me sideways. One important clarification about a sercy is that it is not meant to be reciprocated. It is just a “I saw this and thought of you” type of gift. I love being Southern!!” **Shelbye J R. confides:** “I was in Hilton Head with my mom and aunt this weekend and brought up the title of my next book – “Mama’s Sersey.” That lead to a discussion of how to spell the word – my spelling came from the fact that I thought the word was strictly used in our family – my mom used to tell me about how her father would bring home Hershey bars to his daughters, and my brain made the connection that, when they were younger, they couldn’t pronounce “Hershey” so it because “Sersey.” “They corrected me and let me know that it used by a lot of other people when they were growing up in Southern Alabama. We all live in Georgia now and my mom and aunt have lived part of their lives in South Carolina and Alabama, so it’s definitely a southern thing! “By the way, I, too, was a counselor at Rock Eagle 2001-2002 and Tybee 2003. We never called those little gifts a “sercy”..we called them “glitter” because they were almost always accompanied by an obnoxiously glitter covered artsy-fartsy handmade card! Funny how things change!” **Rev. Doug M. in Charleston, WV emailed** “Just wanted to let you know that, at our Christmas dinner last night, we had a lengthy discussion about the word “sercy,” which only my wife and I had heard. I first heard it from a friend in Charlotte, NC who brought a small gift to us when he arrived for dinner and said, “This is just a sercy.” That is, in fact, the only time I’ve ever heard it used by anyone other than us (and that only after he had used it). “Anyway, last night we did a good bit of investigating, but did not find anything substantial until I ran across your website discussion of the word. (Spelling was, of course, the issue!) Interestingly, my wife attended a women’s college in the South.” **Gina H. adds:** “I was born and raised in Charleston, SC (lucky me; I know!) and my family has always used the term to refer to a small gift for no reason. It doesn’t have to be a purchased gift, the thought truly is the gift. For example, my sister going to the trouble of getting a recipe for pepper jelly from the grandmother of a friend, is the perfect example of a cerci. She took the time to get the recipe for me, write it up on a recipe card and mail it to me. I had not asked for the recipe, merely commented that the jelly she was serving was some of the best I had tasted. “I had never heard anyone outside my family use the term until I met someone from Easley, SC. As an adult, I come across someone, every now and then, who is familiar with the term. That someone is always from or has some connection to the south. No one ever knows it’s origin or how to spell it. My mother always thought it had something to do with some kind of goddess (Greek, Roman???) associated with giving small tokens of affection for no reason other than letting the recipient know you were thinking of them. “I think it is quintessentially southern – a charming colloquialism, steeped in tradition, for a thoughtful gesture.” **From Leipzig/Germany, Lara K. emails:** “for coincidence I found your page, more exactly the article in which you were searching for a possible etymology of the word sercy. Сердце (serdtsje) is the russian word for heart. The pronouciation completely differs to a br. or am. English one (which should be something like ‘sair-tseh) but anyway, there should be some semantic coincidences. It can also be derivated from other slavic words (“srdce” in czech or “serce” in polish) Maybe it helps you finding the solution.” **Good to hear from Deo V.** “Glad to see your website and thought I’d weigh in on the topic. I have used this term quite a bit since I first heard it from my son’s college girl friend many years ago. Both were attending the University of South Carolina, in Columbia SC, at the time. Ashley was a native of the Newberry District approximately 40 or so miles west north west of Columbia. Her family had been there for many generations. She was of the typical Scots/Irish Southern lineage and the term had been used by the family and those in the area for generations. I have asked many folks in my travels around the US about this wonderful term and have come to a couple of theories about it. First, it is definitely SOUTHERN and second it most likely has its roots in the Scot/Irish immigrants. There are many colloquial terms used in the south which have direct links to the Gaelic language of the Scots. Most everyone I have met who knows this term or has used it for generations back is of Scot/Irish decent or lived in an area heavily populated by the same. A wonderful word, a beautiful tradition, exemplifying the grace, hospitality and warmth of the Southern spirit. God Bless Dixie **Likewise, Mike E. says:** “I found your website as I just got back from purchasing a sercy for my girlfriend and I was looking up how to spell it for a poem to her. She’s from Salley , SC , and it seems her family and friends have used this term forever to describe any type of small gift that is given without any particular reason other than to show someone that you were thinking of them. I’m from NJ and my first thought when I received a sercy was “OK, so what do they want from me?” **Nothing** is the answer; it’s a no-strings-attached, feel good gesture to give one just to make someone smile. I love the South.” **From Herndon VA, Bruce J. says:** “I just hit your web site when I did a Google search for “sercy”, a word I picked up working at summer camp at the Clemson University Outdoor Recreation Laboratory in 1981. The fellow who introduced the word to me was raised in Clemson, SC, which is about 20 miles from Easley, a location given by one of your other correspondents. I, myself, was raised in the S.C. Lowcountry, and I have never heard the word anywhere else, not even from a graduate of Hollins College (a women’s college near Roanoke, Va.)whom I dated for a while. Thank you for writing about it! **Now here’s an interesting comment from Joshua W. in Mobile, AL:** “I found this fascinating discussion while searching for the correct spelling of the name of Searcy mental hospital in Mt. Vernon Alabama. In Mobile this word is synonymous with someone “going away to the funny farm” Example: “They’re gonna put you in Searcy, boy!” It has a wholly negative connotation and is not used by anyone, to my knowledge to mean gift. I have lived here 32 years and was born here, and though my grandparents have passed so I cannot now ask them, I can’t recall there having used this word for any reason. Well, I sure like your meaning better and I aim to spread this wonderful tradition!” **Walter replied: In Georgia, it was always “You’re gonna get sent to Milledgeville!!” which was the name of OUR state mental hospital.** **Categories:** How-To **Tags:** friendship, gift, Pine, Summer, Travel --- ### [Dusky Birch Sawfly](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/dusky-birch-sawfly/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My small ‘Whitespire’ Japanese birch has been defoliated each fall for about the past three years. No permanent harm because it comes right back every spring. I just found these hungry little guys on it and wonder if they are butterflies or moths to be because of their close proximity to my butterfly bushes.** A: They are the larvae of neither butterfly nor moth. They are the children of the dusky birch sawfly, a wasp-like insect. Since they are not caterpillars, products containing *Bacillus thuringiensis* won’t kill them. The contact insecticide [carbaryl (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=carbaryl&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Acarbaryl&sprefix=carbaryl%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) offers good control if sprayed on the entire tree. [Imidacloprid (click for sources)](http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=imidacloprid%20tree&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aimidacloprid%20tree&sprefix=imidacloprid%2Caps%2C206&tag=walterreeves&url=search-alias%3Daps)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir) is a [systemic insecticide](http://www.walterreeves.com/wordpress/tools-and-chemicals/systemic-insecticide/) which can be applied to the soil around the tree before feeding activity is noticed. see [Dusky Birch Sawfly](https://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/econotes/2004/sawfly.htm) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/duskybirchsawfly1.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/duskybirchsawfly2.jpg) **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Butterfly, Caterpillar, Fall, Soil, Spring --- ### [White Mulberry vs Red Mulberry - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/white-mulberry-vs-red-mulberry-identification/) **Published:** July 7, 2011 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** I’m often asked to identify “that tree that has lots of blackberries hanging from it!”. Most often it is a white mulberry, *Morus alba*. The **mulberry** was originally imported from China in the 1600’s to feed silkworms in an effort to start the silk industry in the Americas. Silkworms wouldn’t grow here – but the **mulberry** tree certainly does. It is generally considered a weed tree because of the mess birds make after eating the fruit. Buy a cover for all your vehicles when you plant **mulberry** seedlings! The wild fruit is edible by humans but in my opinion is a poor substitute for a July-ripe blackberry. The fruit of cultivated varieties is much sweeter. The red mulberry, *Morus rubra*, is less common but still has blackberry-like fruit and leaves that can be lobed or unlobed. You can usually tell them apart by putting the edge of a leaf in your mouth: the leaf of red mulberry is fuzzy underneath while the underside of a white mulberry is smooth. To confuse things even further, paper mulberry, *Broussonetia papyrifera*, has leaves darn similar to the trees above but the fruit is more of an orange, spiky ball. If you are interested in identifying any of these trees, this publication from Purdue lays it all out. [Red and White Mulberry](http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR_237.pdf) And this site has lots of information on how to grow them [Growing mulberries ](https://www.growingmulberry.org/home) ![white mulberry fruit](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mulberry-fruit-2-scaled.jpg "white mulberry fruit 2")white mulberry fruit ![mulberry fruit](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mulberry-fruit-X.jpg "mulberry fruit X")mulberry fruit ![white mulberry leaves](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/white-mulberry.jpg "white mulberry")white mulberry leaves (photo courtesy of Amy Halpern) ![paper mulberry (photo courtesy of Charles Lancaster)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/mulberry-paper-1-Charles-Lancaster.jpg)paper mulberry (photo courtesy of Charles Lancaster) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Birds, Blackberry, Seed, Weed --- ### [Rhubarb](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rhubarb/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Rheum rhabarbarum* Rhubarb is not a “traditional” Southern vegetable, though many cooks look forward to harvesting the leaf stems from this cool-season perennial plants for making pies, sauces, custards, and Because of its intensely bitter flavor, they usually combine it with strawberries, which are available at the same time. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Rhubarb](https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/3104/3104-1563/ENTO-430.pdf) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) “Pie plant” was introduced into European gardens in the seventeenth century. WHEN TO PLANT Plant root divisions as early in the spring as the ground can be worked. Plant container-grown transplants nearly anytime. WHERE TO PLANT Rhubarb will stay in the same place for several years, so plant where it will not be disturbed and where it will not interfere with working the rest of the garden, such as one end or along the side. For maximum production, rhubarb prefers full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), but will grow better and survive longer in the South in partial shade (lightly-filtered sun all day or at least protection from hot afternoon sun); many gardeners have best success when they plant rhubarb on the east side of a house or garage, in raised beds. Well-drained soil is so essential that if it is not available in your garden, consider raising the grade or planting in raised beds. HOW TO PLANT Apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Deeply prepare the soil. Work in the fertilizer and large amounts of organic matter, digging the bed at least 1 spade depth (6 inches). In a raised bed, double-dig the bed to a depth of 2 spades (12 to 18 inches), adding compost to both layers. Rototilling will not prepare the soil to a sufficient depth. Select plump root sections with at least 1 strong bud each. Set the roots with the buds about 1 inch below the soil surface, and space them 36 inches apart in rows 48 inches apart. Set containerized plants at the same spacings, even though they will take longer to develop into large plants. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Keep weeds under control as the plants develop. Once the plants have become established, they take little care other than watering for maximum growth and production. Apply 1 inch per week if nature doesn’t cooperate. Fertilize each spring with 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet of bed. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Do not harvest the first season after planting. In the second season, harvest in spring when the leaves reach full size, for 1 or 2 weeks, or until the stalks become noticeably smaller. Harvest 6 weeks each spring after that, or until the stalks decrease in size. Do not harvest in the fall unless the bed is to be discarded the next year. Leave the plants enough foliage to sustain themselves for the winter. Harvest the leaves when they reach full size. Pull them with a twist to release them from the crown, but remove only about 1/3 of the leaves on a plant at any one time. Trim the leaf blade from the stalk; the leaf blade is not edible and contains harmful calcium oxalate crystals. The oxalic acid crystals may move into the leaf stalks after a freeze, too, so it is better not to harvest frozen stalks. After a week or so, the oxalic acid moves out of the stalks, and they are again safe to harvest. As seed stalks appear, pull them out because they steal nutrients that should go to the leaves. After the plants die down in fall, mulch them heavily with compost, being careful not to cover the crowns (center parts of the plants). After several years, rhubarb plants begin to crowd themselves out. The stalks become smaller and seed stalks are more abundant. It is time to renew the beds when this starts to happen. In early spring, lift a few of the oldest plants, remove damaged or rotted portions, and cut the crowns into sections, each with a healthy piece of fleshy root and at least 1 good bud. Set these pieces back in the bed after thoroughly preparing the soil. If only part of the planting is renewed each year, leave the remainder to produce while the new planting is becoming established. VARIETIES Varieties Comments Canada Red Long, red, extra sweet. Cherry Red Red inside and out. MacDonald Tender, brilliant red. Valentine Large red stalks with good flavor. Victoria Green stalks tinted with red. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Compost, Container, Fall, Fertilizer, Mulch, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Watering, Weed, Winter --- ### [Kale](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/kale/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica oleracea* Kale is a cool-season cooking green used similarly to collards (most Southerners prefer collards in taste). Seed in late summer or very early spring. • This information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Greens](https://hortscans.ces.ncsu.edu/library/all/doc_id/3194/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) There are many varieties, including curly- and smooth-leaf kinds, including ‘Vates’, ‘Dwarf Siberian’, Blue Curled Scotch’, and ‘Flowering Kale’; flowering kales are grown as ornamentals for their colorful leaves, which can be cooked like collards and eaten in a pinch. A light frost improves the flavor. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Spring, Summer --- ### [Chinese Cabbage](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/chinese-cabbage/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica rapa* var. pekinensis Chinese cabbage is another of the cole crops, cultivated in China for 1,500 years. Its mild taste (compared to regular cabbage) makes it excellent when eaten fresh, steamed, or as “stir fry.” • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Chinese Vegetables](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/chinese-vegetables/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) There are so many types and varieties that categorizing them is difficult; however, there are two main groups, pe-tsai, which heads up and is commonly used for cole slaw, and bok choi, a non-heading type that grows more like Swiss chard and is a part of nearly every vegetable offering in Chinese restaurants. These cool-season leafy greens grow best in full sun when days are short and temperatures are moderate to cool, and make heads in 70 to 80 days. Because they are quick to “bolt” (flower) in warm weather, but are also injured by hard freezes, they are best grown as autumn crops, planted in late July or August for fall harvesting. Adventurous gardeners may want to try starting seeds indoors in January or February to transplant outdoors in March; seed them in peat pots to you can plant them without disturbing their roots. Treat for the same insects and diseases as cabbage and other cole crops. Varieties of pe tsai include ‘Michihli’, ‘Springtime’, ‘Summertime’, and ‘Wintertime’, and ‘Orient Express’ (which may make small heads in as few as 45 days). Bak choi varieties include ‘Canton Pak Choi’ and ‘Pai Tsai White Stalk’. There are many others, usually with descriptions and growing tips on seed packets. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Pots, Seed, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Pepper](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pepper/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Capsicum annuum*, *Capsicum chinense*, *Capsicum frutescens* Peppers are available in so many types and varieties that most gardeners stick to a few types that they will use in their recipes. The most familiar peppers are the bells: green-red, yellow, purple-lilac, and orange. These are generally mild and can be used as green peppers or allowed to ripen. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Peppers](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1005&title=Home%20Garden%20Peppers) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) All green peppers eventually turn one of the other colors. Sweet peppers are usually *C. annuum* whereas hot peppers can be any of the 3 species noted. Hot peppers are usually called chilies, and the intensity of the heat and the flavor vary tremendously. The heat, measured in Scoville units, can be as tolerable as jalapenos at a respectable 3000 to 5000 Scoville units, to the frighteningly hot habaneros at a staggering 285,000 Scoville units. Peppers and chilies can be bell-shaped, round, pointed, or slender, but most chilies are long and slim. WHEN TO PLANT Peppers are warm-weather plants. There is no sense getting them in the garden before soils warm up because the plants will just sit there. Start seed indoors under lights about 2 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost). Set the plants in the garden when all danger of frost has passed, usually about the first of April. WHERE TO PLANT Plant peppers in a well-drained part of the garden that receives full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice). HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 3/4 pound per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. Use your homegrown pepper transplants, or buy transplants from greenhouses or garden centers. Transplants should have 3 to 4 sets of leaves that are a healthy green color. Purple- or yellow-tinged plants will have difficulty getting started; the color indicates that they are weak or hungry and will need time to begin growing after being damaged. Check plants carefully for signs of insects because aphids and whiteflies often gain entrance to the garden on infested transplants. In rows, space the plants 10 inches apart, with 18 to 24 inches between rows. In beds, space the plants 15 inches apart in each direction, setting 2 or 3 plants across a bed. Remove the plants from the containers, and set the plants at the same depth they were growing in the containers. Firm the soil gently around each plant, and water in with 1 cup of transplant starter fertilizer mixed according to directions on the package. Homegrown transplants may become weak and leggy. Do not plant them deeper to compensate, or the roots will suffocate. Plant them on their sides, and cover the long stems lightly with soil. The tips of the stems will quickly turn upward, and the buried stems will sprout new roots. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Peppers are easy to grow, but diseases and pests may become problems if you are not alert to them. Eliminate verticillium and fusarium wilts, and yellows, by planting disease-resistant varieties. Control foliar diseases, if serious, with an approved garden fungicide. . These plants are very susceptible to a virus disease, tobacco mosaic, carried from infected weeds by aphids. There are some reports that the disease maybe transferred to the plants by working with them after handling tobacco products. Some researchers think curing the tobacco destroys the virus. Be safe. Wash your hands. Use insecticidal soap to combat aphids and mites; combat caterpillars and beetles with an approved garden insecticide. Other troubles include blossom-end rot and lack of fruit set. Blossom-end rot appears as a leathery-brown spot on the bottom of a pepper. Poor growing conditions, such as cold or wet weather, or a lack of calcium in the soil cause blossom-end rot. Usually, only the first few peppers show this problem, and the rest of the fruits are fine. Catfacing (malformed fruit) is due to poor pollination. Peppers are sensitive to weather conditions while flowers are being pollinated. Too hot, too cold, or too calm and the flowers abort and fail to set fruit. Certain varieties are less susceptible to aborting, so try several until you find ones that do well in your garden’s conditions. To promote pollination, tap flower clusters in early morning to shake pollen from the flowers onto the pistil. I usually use a pencil to tap the flowers. Peppers need 1 inch of water per week; water them if nature does not cooperate. Side-dress the plants with a complete fertilizer when they have set fruit. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Handle all hot peppers with care! This point cannot be overemphasized. Wear rubber gloves if there are any cuts on your hands. Do not touch your face or eyes after touching hot peppers or serious eye damage can result. Harvest sweet peppers at any size. Pick bell peppers while they are green, before they turn color. Pick the new brightly colored bell peppers as they mature. After ripening, the flavors improve. Harvest hot peppers when they are red-ripe unless the recipe calls for green chilies. Cutting the peppers with a sharp knife or shears is a better method than pulling them off, which may break the plants. VARIETIES There are more and more choices for good quality peppers turning various colors at maturity. The following are worth trying: Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Hot Peppers: Big Chili 68 days Classic Anaheim type, large. Cherry Bomb 65 days Not as hot as others. Habanero 90 days Blistering, watch out! Hungarian Wax 70 days Really hot. Jalapeno 75 days Familiar in Tex-Mex cuisine. Large Red Thick Cayenne 75 days These are really hot. Long Red Slim Cayenne 75 days Hot enough! Red Chili 85 days The familiar chili. Tam Jalapeno 65 days Not quite as hot as a regular jalapeno. Sweet Peppers: Bell Types: Chocolate: Chocolate Beauty 85 days Late, slow to set. Chocolate Belle 75 days Earlier, maybe smaller. Green/Orange: Orange Sun 80 days Late but good fall color. Valencia 90 days Very late, good color in salads. Green/Red: Bell Boy Hybrid 70 days 4-lobed, excellent for stuffing; TMV. AAS. Better Belle Improved 65 days Better than the original; TMV. California Wonder 72 days 4-lobed, sweet and mild. Popular. Yolo Wonder 75 days Smaller than California Wonder, rarely sunburns, TMV Giant Marconi 70 days Excellent for grilling; not bitter; TMV, PVY. AAS. King Arthur 72 days Large fruit, very productive. Lady Bell 72 days Sets well in cooler areas. Vidi 64 days Sets well under stress; TMV. Green/Yellow: Canary 72 days Fresh color, early. Ori 74 days Sets well under stress. Orobelle 76 days Blocky, colorful. Ivory/Red: Blushing Beauty 75 days Ivory to blush-pink to red. AAS. Purple: Lilac 70 days Lavender, turning red at maturity. Purple Belle 70 days Nearly black, turning red at maturity. Frying Types Biscayne 65 days Pale green to red at maturity. Gypsy 65 days Pale yellow to orange to red. AAS. Key Largo 66 days Pale green, red at maturity. Sweet Banana 70 days Pale yellow, waxy. Pimento Types: Pimiento Elite 85 days Red at maturity. Super Red 70 days Good, early. ABBREVIATIONS: TMV=TOBACCO MOSAIC DISEASE RESISTANCE. PVY = POTATO VIRUS Y **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Caterpillar, Cherry, Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Greenhouse, Pears, Peppers, Pests, Seed, Soil, Weed --- ### [Lettuce](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/lettuce/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Lactuca sativa* No other salad crop is grown or used in such large quantities as lettuce, which has become an essential part of salads. Lettuce is a cool-weather crop that can be grown in spring or fall. Hot weather causes it to become bitter and to develop a tall seed stalk. • More detailed information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Lettuce](https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/lettuce) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) The iceberg lettuce commonly found in grocery stores is head lettuce grown in the South in the winter and in the cooler parts of the country during the summer. Leaf, romaine, and butterhead or Bibb lettuce often are grown in greenhouses and are more common in home gardens. WHEN TO PLANT Lettuce can stand a freeze. Plant it early and harvest it before hot weather arrives. For the earliest production, start with transplants, either homegrown or from garden centers. To grow your own, sow the earliest seed for head lettuce indoors about 8 weeks before the frost-free date (average date of last frost), and sow seed for leaf lettuce indoors 2 weeks later. Grow the plants under lights or in the greenhouse, and transplant them into the garden when they are large enough to handle-about 3 or 4 weeks before the frost-free date. Transplants are usually available from garden centers about that time as well; buy plants that have a good green color, are short and compact, and have no pests. Unless you want lots of lettuce at one time, make several seedings to spread out the harvest. Lettuce seed needs light to germinate, so do not cover it. Sow seed of leaf lettuce varieties directly in the garden as early as the soil can be worked. Spring-planted lettuce will be harvested and out of the garden by early summer, but you can begin planting again in August and September; with successive seed sowing (every two or three weeks), you can harvest fresh lettuce well into the New Year. WHERE TO PLANT Lettuce prefers full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), but to have extended production during the hot summer months, plant it in partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day). Excellent drainage is beneficial for these plants need lots of water for vigorous growth. The roots cannot stand soggy soils, however; plants in soggy soils will be susceptible to diseases, and leaves may scald (dry out and become papery) at the edges. Lettuce also grows very well in containers, even on porches and patios, but more attention will be needed to watering and fertilizing. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) In rows, space the transplants of head lettuce about 12 inches apart, with 12 to 18 inches between rows. In a bed, space the plants of head lettuce 12 inches apart, which will allow 3 or 4 heads across the bed. Set transplants at 4 by 6 inches for leaf types, or 6 by 6 inches for Bibb or romaine types. Set the plants at the same depth they were growing. Seed leaf lettuce in triple rows (3 closely spaced rows in a row) 12 inches apart. Thin leaf lettuce to 4 inches and Bibb or romaine types to 6 inches. In beds, sow rows 6 inches apart, then thin to 4 to 6 inches between plants. CARE AND MAINTENANCE To keep the plants growing, water them as needed, about 1 inch of water per week. Control weeds while the plants are small by careful hoeing or pulling. Be careful; lettuce plants are shallowly rooted and easily uprooted. Pests may affect the plantings. Control insects by keeping the plants well spaced and harvested as they mature. Control aphids by spraying undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap, then rinse the foliage to remove the residue. (See the pest control chart in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest leaf lettuce by snipping off the outer leaves as soon as they are large enough for your use. When plants are large enough, harvest every other one, leaving more room for the others. Harvest head, bibb, and romaine lettuce when the heads are full size. Mesclun is a mixture of many kinds of leaf lettuce and some other salad greens (such as escarole, arugula, cress, and endive) broadcast-sown together and harvested by snipping leaves of each kind as they mature. It makes an interesting salad. A problem with lettuce picked in hot weather is that it will be bitter. Wash it and store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and it will lose the bitterness. VARIETIES Four types of lettuce are grown in gardens. Bibb lettuce forms small, loose heads and has a mild, buttery flavor. Head lettuce is the kind available year-round in supermarkets; it is not heat tolerant. Leaf lettuce may be either green or red. Various leaf forms are grown; some are smooth and round, and others are deeply cut, wrinkled, serrated, or curled. Romaine lettuce forms loose, upright bunches; outer leaves are green while the interior leaves are blanched and white. Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Bibb Lettuce: Buttercrunch 50 to 60 days Tolerates high temperatures. AAS. Dark Green Boston 50 to 60 days Large heads, grown commercially. Summer Bibb 50 to 60 days Holds well in heat; does not bolt. Tom Thumb 50 to 60 days Tender, miniature heads. Head Lettuce: Great Lakes 90 days Tolerates warm weather. Iceberg 90 days Standard head lettuce type commonly available in food stores. Ithaca 90 days Resists bitterness. Summertime 90 days Slow to bolt. Leaf Lettuce, Green: Black-Seeded Simpson 50 days Early. Early Curled Simpson 50 days Curled leaves. Grand Rapids 50 days For fall crop. Oak Leaf 50 days Good in hot weather. Salad Bowl 50 days Finely cut. Leaf Lettuce, Red: Red Sails 50 days Slow bolting. AAS. Red Salad Bowl 50 days Deeply cut burgundy. Ruby 50 days Darkest red. Romaine Lettuce: Green Towers 60 days Early. Parris Island Cos 60 days Slow to bolt. Sangria 60 days Rose-tinged. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Greenhouse, Oak, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Spring, Summer, Temperature, Watering, Weed, Winter --- ### [Mustard Greens](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/mustard-greens/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Brassica juncea* This leafy relative of cabbage and collards is grown early in the season and also as a fall crop. Mustard, close in popularity to collards and turnips, is an important green vegetable in southern gardens and one of the constituents of traditional southern cooking. • Much more information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also: [Home Garden Greens](https://wilkes.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/12/the-mighty-mustard-green/) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) WHEN TO PLANT Seed directly in the garden about 21 days before the frost-free date (average date of last frost). For continuous production, sow seed every 3 weeks until warm weather arrives. Sow again starting in August for a fall and early winter crop. WHERE TO PLANT Mustard prefers full sun (8 to 10 hours will suffice), although it is often grown in partial shade (filtered sun all day or shade part of the day) with good results. The leaves will be larger and thinner in shade. Providing a location with good drainage will reduce disease problems. HOW TO PLANT Apply a complete garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 11/2 pounds per 100 square feet of garden. Spade or rototill the soil. (See “Soil Preparation” in the introduction to the vegetable garden.) In rows, sow seed 15 to 20 inches apart. In a bed, sow seed in rows 10 to 12 inches apart across the bed. Thin the seedlings to 6 inches apart. Many old-time gardeners broadcast-sow mustard in beds and thin the seedlings as they develop. They don’t waste the ones they pull out because they put them in the soup pot. If root maggots have been a problem in the past and your previous crops have suffered damage, treat the soil with an approved garden insecticide, mixing it according to label directions, before sowing the seed. CARE AND MAINTENANCE Mustard that is well-watered can be very productive; provide 1 inch of water per week if insufficient rain falls. Control weeds by careful hoeing or pulling. Pests and diseases may affect the plantings. Prevent infestation of cabbage worms with a biological worm spray or dust, available at most garden centers. Apply an approved garden fungicide to prevent leaf spot diseases when the first symptoms appear. Eliminate black rot and blackleg diseases by planting disease-resistant varieties and by rotating the Brassica crops (cabbage, collards, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, etc.) to other areas of the garden each year. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Harvest individual leaves when they are large enough for your use, or harvest the entire plant when leaves are full size. Warm weather will cause the plants to bolt (send up flower stalks). Pull out the plants when this happens, then work the soil and prepare to sow another crop for fall. VARIETIES Varieties Days to Maturity Comments Florida Broadleaf 45 days Large, thick, smooth leaves with light midribs Tendergreen 35-40 days Combines flavor of spinach and mustard. Drought-resistant and slow to bolt Green Wave 45 days Curled leaves, slow to bolt. Savannah 35 days Vigorous, slow to bolt. Southern Giant 50 days Brightly colored Curled curly leaves, slow to bolt. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Pests, Seed, Shade, Soil, Weed, Winter --- ### [Endive - Escarole](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/endive-escarole/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** *Chicorium endivia* If you’ve ever had a salad that tasted quite bitter, it probably had one or both of these leafy greens mixed in. • This information can be found in [**The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Book**](https://www.walterreeves.com/walters-bookshelf/) by Walter Reeves and Felder Rushing • See also [Home Garden Endive](http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/endive.html) [Georgia Gardening](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20963_7.PDF) [Vegetable Garden Calendar](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/html/B577/B577PlantingChart.pdf) [Small Garden Plan](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20577_7.PDF) [When to Harvest Vegetables](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20935_4.PDF) They are different forms of the same plant – endive has curly or crinkly-edged leaves and a sharp, somewhat bitter taste; escarole is hardier with flat, somewhat thicker leaves and a less bitter flavor. Grow them exactly like you would their close relative lettuce. They both get more bitter in warm weather, so plant them in late winter for late spring harvest, or plant in late summer and early fall for early winter harvest. They take up to 90 days or more to mature, but you can harvest outer leaves as their loose heads begin to mature. Good varieties to start with are ‘Coral’ which is slow to bolt and well-flavored, ‘Sinco’, and ‘Taglio’ which matures early and tolerates a wide range of growing conditions. Also look for ‘Florida Deep Heart’ or ‘Green Curled’. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter --- ### [Cherry Leaf - Finger Gall](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cherry-leaf-finger-gall/) **Published:** May 28, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a tree in the back yard that has developed these strange bubbles on its leaves. The entire tree is covered along with the leaves wilting and dropping at a pretty steady rate.** A: It is just finger galls caused by mites. Control usually not needed because black cherry produces new leaves so readily. [Finger Galls](https://extension.usu.edu/pests/ipm/ornamental-pest-guide/arthopods/mites/fingergall-pouchgall-mites) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-finger-gall-1.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-finger-gall-2.jpg) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cherry-finger-gall-3.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry --- ### [Dolomitic Lime Dated 2009 - Is It Still Useful?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/dolomitic-lime-dated-2009-is-it-still-useful/) **Published:** June 5, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: For tomatoes. I found a box of agricultural dolomitic lime in our dry basement dated 2009. It is still powdery, no clumps. Is it still useful?** A: Lime deteriorates slowly, even when it gets wet. Since your lime is dry and powdery, it is just as effective for soil application today as it was nine years ago. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil, Tomatoes --- ### [Are Mahonia Berries Edible By Human?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/are-mahonia-berries-edible-by-human/) **Published:** June 5, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In late April I saw ten birds attack my mahonia shrub. I watched bird after bird swallow those beautiful blue berries down their throats like a snake does his dinner. Are mahonia berries edible by humans?** A: I’m not a doctor but several websites mention that mahonia berries are edible when fully ripe and soft. One source says the berries contain berberine, which might be harmful in some situations. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds --- ### [Crabapple Tree That Has Green Fruit?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/crabapple-tree-that-has-green-fruit/) **Published:** June 5, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My elderly mother has decided that she really wants a crabapple tree that has green fruit when ripe, like she remembers from growing up. What do you suggest?** A: Almost all crabapples bear fruit in some shade of red. None are solid green. The most common definition of a crabapple is a tree that yields fruit less than 2″ in diameter. Your mother may be remembering a poorly maintained green-fruited apple tree. If you can persuade her to accept a red-fruited tree, look for ‘Dolgo’. It bears nicely sized fruit and is resistant to fire blight disease. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Shade --- ### [How Can I Control The Height Of Tomatoes Without Hurting Them?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-can-i-control-the-height-of-tomatoes-without-hurting-them/) **Published:** June 5, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Last year I planted tomatoes but they grew to fifteen feet long. Can I cut them back to control height without hurting the tomatoes?** A: It would be better to plant tomatoes that limit their height naturally. Look on the label this spring for “determinate ” tomatoes. Since determinate tomatoes typically go to a certain height, produce fruit, and then fade away, it might be best to have two or three plantings spaced about three weeks apart. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Spring, Tomatoes --- ### [Tomato - How to Know if It is Determinate or Indeterminate](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato-how-to-know-if-it-is-determinate-or-indeterminate/) **Published:** June 8, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted a ‘Celebrity’ tomato. The label says it is a determinate type. But mine already has six vigorous stems and doesn’t look determinate to me. I thought I’d have more of a bushy type plant.** A: I once saw a toddler at a garden center pull labels from pots to make a “collection”. I then observed the harried mother take the labels, put them back in random pots, and hurry the kid away. So even though the label says ‘Celebrity’, that might not actually be the tomato you have. ‘Celebrity, is the most popular determinate tomato variety but it more correctly is “semi-determinate”. Shoots of semi-determinates produce several flower clusters to the side of an apparent main stem, like indeterminates, but eventually the shoot terminates in a flower cluster, as in other determinate plants. Watch your plants for a week or so and note where the flowers form. On a determinate tomato, flowers typically occur at the ends of branches and will all be about the same size at the same time. An indeterminate variety will have flowers in various stages of maturity, some having small fruit and some not. [Here is a good article on how to figure out if a tomato is actually determinate or indeterminate](https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2168645/how-to-identify-determinate-and-indeterminate-plants). **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Pots --- ### [Apple - Brown Corky Skin, Russetting](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/apple-brown-corky-skin-russetting/) **Published:** July 18, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: This brown ring is on most of my apples on this years crop. What is it and can it be treated?** A: It looks like apple russet, the brown scarring that sometimes appears on the skin of apples and pears. It is a symptom rather than a disease, which means it can have several different causes: extended periods of high humidity, cool temperatures during early apple development, the application of copper-based pesticides, and powdery mildew infections. It doesn’t seem to hurt the fruit; usually the taste is unaffected. [Apple Skin Russetting](https://apples.extension.org/apple-skin-russetting/) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/apple-russet-1.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Pears, Pesticide, Temperature --- ### [When/How Far Can You Trim Kiwi Plants?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/when-how-far-can-you-trim-kiwi-plants/) **Published:** July 22, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When and how far can you trim kiwi plants back?** A: They can be pruned much like muscadine grapes are pruned, typically in January or February. But the people I know who have kiwi vines usually let them grow unpruned and huge, if they have the room. This helps insure some of the vine will survive a very cold winter. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Winter --- ### [What To Do If You Put Too Much Compost In Tomato Beds?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/what-to-do-if-you-put-too-much-compost-in-tomato-beds/) **Published:** July 22, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We put too much compost in a raised bed for tomato plants. Now we have tall, healthy plants but no flowers a month later. What to do?** A: Not much can be done except to wait until the plants have used any excess nutrients in the soil. Eventually they will flower and you’ll have lots of branches with lots of tomatoes on them. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Compost, Flowers, Soil, Tomatoes --- ### [Is Celebrity Tomato A Determinate Type?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/is-celebrity-tomato-a-determinate-type/) **Published:** July 22, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted a ‘Celebrity’ tomato. The label says it is a determinate type. But mine already has six vigorous stems and doesn’t look determinate to me. I thought I’d have more of a bushy type plant.** A: I once saw a toddler at a garden center pull labels from pots to make a “collection”. I then observed the harried mother take the labels, put them back in random pots, and hurry the kid away. So even though the label says ‘Celebrity’, that might not actually be the tomato you have. ‘Celebrity, is the most popular determinate tomato variety but it really is “semi-determinate” Shoots of semi-determinates produce several flower clusters to the side of an apparent main stem, like indeterminates, but eventually the shoot terminates in a flower cluster, as in other determinate plants. Watch your plants for a week or so and note where the flowers form. On a determinate tomato, flowers typically occur at the ends of branches and will all be about the same size at the same time. An indeterminate variety will have flowers in various stages of maturity, some having small fruit and some not. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Pots --- ### [My Large Peach Tree Is Not Producing Well](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/my-large-peach-tree-is-not-producing-well/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a rather large peach tree that doesn’t produce very well. I didn’t prune it properly at the beginning so it’s about 15 feet tall with lots of branches and doesn’t have an open center.** A: A short trunk with widely extending branches and an open center is the ideal shape for a peach tree but it is not absolutely required. You might get a few less peaches when a tree is lrft unpruned but nothing drastic. You could open up the center by pruning the trunk down by four or five feet. This would leave a relatively tall trunk but there should be limbs below that point that will spread wide in the future. Keep an eye on the spot where you did the trunk pruning. You will probably have to remove new sprouts from that point every winter. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Peach, Pruning, Winter --- ### [How Do We Protect Creeping Fig In The Winter?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-do-we-protect-creeping-fig-in-the-winter/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have a wall covered in creeping fig. How can we protect it from freezing this winter?** A: Ask at your local nursery if they sell frost cloth. This is a lightweight polyester fabric used to drape over tender plants in winter. If you are handy, you could install hooks at the top of your wall so that the fabric could be hung down the wall when severe weather approaches. You’ll need to devise some way to tuck the fabric edges close to the wall on all four sides. Personally, I wouldn’t do anything until temperatures are predicted to fall to 15° or below. **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Fall, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Should I Put Crushed Egg Shells In Soil Around Tomatoes?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/should-i-put-crushed-egg-shells-in-soil-around-tomatoes/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I saw online that you can put crushed egg shells in the soil around tomatoes for extra nutrients. Is this a good idea?** A: It doesn’t hurt anything to put crushed eggshells around tomato plants, but it probably doesn’t benefit them much either. Garden experts, including me, once believed that extra calcium for tomatoes is needed to prevent blossom end rot. This has been demonstrated to be incorrect. Blossom end rot is caused by fluctuations in soil moisture that result in calcium not going to the young fruit at the right time. There could be plenty of calcium available in the soil but if it is not transported quickly to developing tomato fruit, the blossom end turns black, thereby ruining it. There is no harm done by adding egg shells, coffee grounds, or banana peels under your garden or landscape plants. But these are in no way magical substances that give the plants any advantage. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Moisture, Soil, Tomatoes --- ### [Japanese Plum Yews With Cottony Scale](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/japanese-plum-yews-with-cottony-scale/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have twenty Japanese plum yews that are infested with cottony scale to the point it looks like snow on the branches. Should I dig them up and toss them?** A: Don’t give up yet! I have gotten control of this scale on my plum yews with a single drench of imidacloprid (BioAdvanced Tree & Shrub). The plum yew doesn’t attract pollinators so there’s no worry you’ll affect bees. **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening --- ### [Making Kieffer Pears Palatable](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/making-kieffer-pears-palatable/) **Published:** July 22, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: On your website you say that only canning makes Kieffer pears palatable. I’ve found an exception. A few years ago I had a bumper crop of hard pears. I gathered a paper bag full and left it in my storage room for several weeks. Much to my surprise, the pears were as fragrant, soft, and delicious as any table pear.** A: My mother used to do the same thing. If memory serves, she would look for the most perfect pears and wash them gently with diluted bleach water. She put them in a brown paper bag in a dark place and checked them every day. Sometimes they would rot but sometimes they’d be soft and delicious like yours. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pears --- ### [Big Boy vs Better Boy Tomato](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/big-boy-vs-better-boy-tomato/) **Published:** July 23, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What is the difference between Big Boy and Better Boy tomatoes?** A: Both are hybrid tomatoes that were developed to perform better than “open pollinated” types. Dr. Oved Shifriss developed ‘Big Boy’ while working for W. Atlee Burpee & Company. It appeared in 1949. The plant form is indeterminate, but it is bush-like in habit, a strong grower and blessed with good disease resistance. It is unknown what Shifriss used in his hybrids, but some speculate that one of the parents was an heirloom selection from the Odessa region of the Ukraine, the ancestral home of the Shifriss family. The other parent is said to be ‘Teddy Jones’. ‘Better Boy’ was developed by John Peto and Paul Thomas at Petoseed. Seed industry tradition holds that when he left W. Atlee Burpee, Peto took ‘Teddy Jones’ seeds with him. John then formed Petoseed where ‘Better Boy’ was introduced in 1964. [Origin of Big Boy](https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/big-boy-tomato.aspx) [Better Boys and Early Girls](https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1993/jul/08/cover-better-boys-and-early-girls-and-yellow-taxis/?page=6&templates=desktop) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Seed, Tomatoes --- ### [Tomato Producing Too Small Fruit](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato-producing-too-small-fruit/) **Published:** August 27, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I had the worst year ever for tomatoes. The plants didn’t produce as many tomatoes and the tomatoes themselves were smaller than normal.** A: I think it was just the vagaries of your local environment. Several things can cause small tomatoes. Incomplete pollination, cloudy days, too much heat at the wrong time, not enough fertilizer, etc. could all be causes of poor fruiting. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and look forward to next year. See [Small tomatoes ](http://extension.msstate.edu/content/why-do-the-tomato-plants-produce-fruit-are-too-small) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fertilizer, Tomatoes --- ### [Termites in Tomato Stakes](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/termites-in-tomato-stakes/) **Published:** September 15, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We pulled up the wooden tomato stakes from our raised beds and found them covered with termites. What would you do?** A: Finding termites on untreated wooden stakes is not a problem. This is the way nature is supposed to work: logs, limbs and tree roots are gradually decomposed by fungi or insects as time passes. As long as you have a current termite protection system for your home or other valuable buildings, termites in your landscape can go about their business without controls. **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals, Food Gardening **Tags:** Termites --- ### [Corn Popped Up Under Bird Feeder - Can I Eat The Corn?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/corn-popped-up-under-bird-feeder-can-i-eat-the-corn/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have several small corn plants that have popped up under a bird feeder. Will this produce corn that I can eat?** A: All seeds used in bird food (millet, wheat, corn, sunflower, peanut, etc.) are delectable to birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. If the seeds sprout, you’ll get more of the same. To my knowledge, all of these plants would be edible by humans. But you might not want to eat them, because the varieties used in birdseed might not be digestible by humans. Corn varieties, for example, vary from the small-kerneled type we buy at the grocery to the large, hard-kernel kinds used for corn meal, livestock feed and, you guessed it, birdseed. If you do get ears of corn, my recommendation is to leave them for the birds. **Categories:** Vegetables, Insects & Animals, Food Gardening **Tags:** Birds, Seed, Squirrels, Sunflower --- ### [Thorny Three-Leaf Orange Plants With Fuzzy Yellow Fruits](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/thorny-three-leaf-orange-plants-with-fuzzy-yellow-fruits/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a bunch of thorny three-leaf orange plants with lots of fuzzy yellow fruit on my property. Are they worth anything? What’s the best way of getting rid of them?** A: I have heard of farmers planting trifoliate orange seeds along a fence row to grow an impenetrably thorny green fence. I suppose the fruit might be edible to some creature but I can’t imagine which animals could stand the sour taste. If you don’t want a green fence and you’re tired of snagging your jacket on thorns, the usual technique for killing nuisance shrubs is to cut them at ground level and immediately spray the stump with triclopyr (Brush Killer) herbicide. **Categories:** Fruits, Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Herbicide, Seed --- ### [I Want To Grow Asparagus - Where To Start?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/i-want-to-grow-asparagus-where-to-start/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’m interested in growing asparagus but have no experience. What do I need to do to grow it? I understand that Mary Washington is the preferred variety.** A: Asparagus is easy to grow. It is a perennial plant, so you don’t have to plant seed each year. Asparagus plants are either male or female. Female plants produce more but smaller spears than the male plants. Old-time varieties such as ‘Mary Washington’ or ‘Martha Washington’ are not nearly as productive as newer varieties like ‘Jersey Giant’, ‘Jersey Knight’, or ‘Jersey Prince’. They produce three times as much as older cultivars. Thoroughly till an area three feet square for every crown you plant. Start with a half-dozen crowns. Plant more if your family enjoys the vegetable. I have more details [here](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/asparagus/.) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pears, Seed --- ### [Fungus - Growing in Treated Wood](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/fungus-growing-in-treated-wood/) **Published:** August 12, 2013 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have attached a picture of the fungus growing on the walkway of my home. Can you please tell me what it is and how to get rid of it?** A: Mycologist Don Gardner in Brunswick says the fungus is eating the timbers themselves. Just scraping off the fruiting body will not slow down the consumption of the timbers. “I cannot give you genus and species, but the growth pattern clearly shows the fungal fruiting body growing out of the timbers. My guess is that if one split the timbers open one would find the fungus resident in the core. These are center-cut timbers. The center of the timber is the pith of the tree. “The fungus might have started in the soil and infected the timbers after construction, but there would have to be a void in preservative treatment to allow colonization. My money is on one of two options: 1) the timbers were not pressure treated or 2) the fungus was present at tree harvest and pressure treatment did not push preservative to the core of the timber.” ### So, you have two options: **scrape off the fungus and hope the timber can hold together enough to be usable or replace the wood entirely.** Bob J. adds: **Unfortunately, I have extensive experience with the fungal growth shown in the above article. In response to this type of growth, plus failure of 38% (yes, 38%) of my horse fence, I had ten samples of the wood tested – half at Great Southern (YellaWood) and half at the Univ. of Tennessee. The results were identical – insufficient copper concentration despite good copper penetration. Based on my testing, I determined that 70-80% of my fence would rot and replaced the whole thing – $25K, ouch. Yes the timber company covered the posts that were actually rotten, but that was a negligible amount of the total job. So your writer should count him/herself lucky; I would trade situations with them in a heart beat.** **I still have an 8 X 8 post that has had this fungus for 3 years and is still sound. I suspect it is a goner eventually. My advice to your reader is to just scrape it off with a floor scraper from time to time – it will eventually rot anyway.** [![fungus on wood 1](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fungus-on-wood-1.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fungus-on-wood-1.jpg) [![fungus on wood 2](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fungus-on-wood-2.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fungus-on-wood-2.jpg) **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Soil --- ### [How Can I Help My Peach Tree Resume Vertical Growth?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-can-i-help-my-peach-tree-resume-vertical-growth/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Our peach tree has suffered for years from extensive shading on one side, encouraging it to lean precipitously. It has lots of green leaves. I removed the trees around it recently. Can I help the peach to resume vertical growth by staking and slowly tightening the straps?** A: If my father saw a “Leaning Tower of Peacha” on the farm, he would immediately direct me to grab a piece of lumber and prop the tree up. No matter how much of a problem it would be to mow around the tree, he would be happy knowing he had saved a peach. I recommend you do the same but, unlike my father, use mulch around the tree and the support to avoid mowing problems. Trying to pull the tree upright will cause too many other problems. **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Mulch, Peach --- ### [Caring For Ghost Peppers Inside](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/caring-for-ghost-peppers-inside/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I love hot peppers and grow ghost peppers in two containers. What is the best way to care for them if I bring them inside for the winter?** A: Even though we think of peppers as being annual plants, many different kinds are perennial and can be kept alive for several years if given the right winter conditions. Successfully keeping the peppers alive in winter depends on how much light you can give them. The minimum is two 40 watt fluorescent tubes. Four tubes per plant is even better. You’ll have to figure out a way to stand them on end on either side of each plant. Place them as close to the leaves as possible. I think 16 hours of artificial light per day is adequate. Peppers like it warm! The temperature around them should be in the low 70’s. Unless your storage area is really dry, the plants will not need much water. Insert a finger into the soil every few days to see if it is damp or dry. Apply water only when the soil is dry; don’t let it become soggy. Use water soluble fertilizer one time each month. When it is warm enough to bring them outside in May, the plants will have a huge head start compared to starting from seed. **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Container, Fertilizer, Peppers, Seed, Soil, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Where To Get Non-GMO Heirloom Big Boy And Better Boy Tomato Seeds?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/where-to-get-non-gmo-heirloom-big-boy-and-better-boy-tomato-seeds/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Where can I get non-GMO heirloom Big Boy and Better Boy tomato seeds?** A: When I saw your question initially, I thought to myself “What does he mean by ‘heirloom’? Those tomato varieties aren’t that old!” But I am going to have to eat my words! One definition of heirloom tomatoes includes those varieties introduced 50 years ago, which would include both of these! Addressing the first part of your question, to my knowledge there are no GMO tomatoes available to homeowners, either from seed or at the grocery. Some have been produced in laboratories but they are not commercially grown. And to your second query, you can get Big Boy and Better Boy tomato seed from Totally Tomatoes ([totallytomato.com](totallytomato.com)). To reward you for helping me learn something new, I posted the history of Big Boy and Better Boy tomatoes [here](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/big-boy-vs-better-boy-tomato/.) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Tomatoes --- ### [Solving Fusarium Wilt Wilt On Tomatoes](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/solving-fusarium-wilt-wilt-on-tomatoes/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My UGA Extension office says I have fusarium wilt on my tomatoes. I was thinking of laying plastic over the area and letting the sun cook the soil.** A: Solarizing the soil is a good option to control diseases and weeds but it takes several weeks of sunny summer weather to be effective. Till your tomato spot, then lightly irrigate. Scatter a few bricks or plastic pots across the area, then stretch clear (not black) plastic sheet over it. Anchor the edges tightly with soil. Heat, formed when the sunlight hits the soil, is trapped under the plastic and warms the soil appreciably. Leave the plastic in place for at least four weeks. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Pots, Soil, Summer, Sunlight, Tomatoes, Weed --- ### [What Range Can Cabbage And Lettuce Crops Stand Before Being Frozen?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/what-range-can-cabbage-and-lettuce-crops-stand-before-being-frozen/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My cabbage and lettuce crops are looking great even though we have had colder than normal weather. What range can they stand before being frozen out?** A: It is tough to predict how cold temperatures will affect vegetables. Much depends on how the plants were preconditioned. For example, if broccoli has been growing in warm conditions and temperatures drop below 22 degrees F., it will probably be killed. If these same broccoli plants had experienced cool weather for a week or two, they would probably survive the sudden cold. Temperatures of 26-31 degrees F. may burn the foliage but will not kill broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, mustard, onion, radish, and turnip. The real cold weather champs are beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, collards, kale, parsley, and spinach. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Onion, Temperature --- ### [Advice For Proper Varieties And Planting Of Fig Trees?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/advice-for-proper-varieties-and-planting-of-fig-trees/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What advice do you have for proper varieties and planting of fig trees?** A: Figs growing in the open in Dahlonega can suffer lots of damage in a severe winter. But given a sheltered planting spot by a wall or barn, I’d try ‘Celeste’, ‘Brown Turkey’ or ‘LSU Purple’. If you’d rather not gamble and if you have a big pot and an unused corner of your garage in winter, consider ‘Little Miss Figgy’ dwarf fig. It only grows 6′ high and 4′ wide. **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Winter --- ### [Are Crushed Peanut Hull Granules Good For Amending Garden Soil?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/are-crushed-peanut-hull-granules-good-for-amending-garden-soil/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have access to a lot of crushed peanut hull granules. This is the inert material that broadcast pesticides are eventually applied to. Would they be good for amending my garden soil?** A: This material seems like a perfectly fine soil addition. The hulls would behave like any organic soil amendment. They will slowly decompose in the soil. I think you would be safe to mix a 2 inch layer eight inches deep into your garden or landscape beds. **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pesticide, Soil --- ### [Difference Between Green, Yellow And Red Bell Peppers](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/difference-between-green-yellow-and-red-bell-peppers/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Q: What is the difference between green, yellow and red bell peppers? Dave Baker, Conyers A: All bell peppers start out with green or yellow-green fruit which then progress through other colors to finally end up with red skin. Different varieties of bell pepper develop different colors between the green and red phases. Some go directly from green skin to red skin. Others go green to yellow to red and still others transform from green to orange to purple to red. Each color tastes differently, with the red pepper having the sweetest flavor. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Peppers --- ### [My Plants Produced Fewer/Smaller Tomatoes This Year](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/my-plants-produced-fewer-smaller-tomatoes-this-year/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I had the worst year ever for tomatoes. The plants didn’t produce as many tomatoes and the tomatoes themselves were smaller than normal.** A: I think it was just the vagaries of your local environment. Several things can cause small tomatoes. Incomplete pollination, cloudy days, too much heat at the wrong time, not enough fertilizer, etc. could all be causes of poor fruiting. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and look forward to next year. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fertilizer, Tomatoes --- ### [My Asparagus Plants Are Four Feet Tall And Bushy](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/my-asparagus-plants-are-four-feet-tall-and-bushy/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In 2013 we planted UC157 asparagus. We have harvested nice eating-size asparagus since. Now the plants are four feet tall and very bushy. My late husband tended our plot and I’m not sure what he did at this point.** A: Good news! You don’t have to do anything until the bushy asparagus ferns turn yellow. You can cut them down to the ground any time in winter. New spears will appear next spring for you to enjoy. Be sure to fertilize regularly; asparagus is a heavy feeder. A typical rate is two pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet in February and a cup of 34-0-0 over the same area after harvest ends. You selected a good variety: older ones like ‘Mary Washington’ and ‘Martha Washington’ don’t produce nearly as well. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pears, Spring, Winter --- ### [How Much Space Should I Leave Between My Blueberry Bushes?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-much-space-should-i-leave-between-my-blueberry-bushes/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I inherited an overgrown blueberry patch ten years ago. I managed to clear it and they have borne a reasonable quantity of fruit each year. However, I lose a lot of fruit because the rows between the bushes have narrowed over the years.** A: If the blueberries have not been pruned regularly, thinning can be done to reduce their height and width. From each bush, remove one to three of the largest canes each winter at 0 to 24 inches from ground level for a total of about twenty percent of the leaf canopy. Over a period of five years each plant will be totally renewed. New, more productive canes will sprout from the old canes. Shoots that come up from below ground in the rows between bushes can be transplanted or removed completely. In addition, excessively tall canes can be pruned back to six feet each winter. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blueberries, Winter --- ### [How Can I Prop My Fig Bush Up?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/how-can-i-prop-my-fig-bush-up/) **Published:** December 19, 2018 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My fig bush was so heavy with figs they pulled the limbs almost to the ground. Can they be propped back up?** A: One of the ways that edible fig plants (as well as other species of fig) compete for sunshine is to allow their horizontal limbs to touch the soil and make new roots, expanding their territory. So your fig is behaving naturally. To answer your question directly, it is fine to prop up the limbs. It would be great if you could fold a plastic grocery bag several times to make a pad to go between the prop and the limb, thus preventing pressure damage to the bark. **Categories:** Fruits, Shrubs, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Killing The Root Of Bradford Pear Bushes](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/killing-the-root-of-bradford-pear-bushes/) **Published:** January 9, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am trying to eliminate obnoxious volunteer Bradford pear bushes. Is there a way to kill the roots without waiting for regrowth and using weed killer.** A: You could dig the roots out, but I’m guessing that’s not what you want to do. Unfortunately, there is nothing that will make the roots die any faster than persistent application of a weed killer to the green leaves. Unlike some weed killers, glyphosate (Roundup, etc) translocates in the plant it’s sprayed on. That means it is transported by the sap a few feet from the application site. But my experience with the thorny, brushy form of Bradford pear is that there are plenty of roots that are many feet long. They will continue to send up green shoots for several months after a tree is cut down. Keep a sharp eye out for the green leaves. When seen, remove them immediately by clipping or using weed killer. The roots will eventually die. **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Glyphosate, Roundup, Weed --- ### [Vegetable Plants Not Affected By Bacterial Wilt](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetable-plants-not-affected-by-bacterial-wilt/) **Published:** January 9, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Can you give a list of vegetable plants that are not affected by bacterial wilt. I had this disease diagnosed in my tomatoes last year.** A: There is only a very narrow selection! I have never heard of sweet corn getting bacterial wilt but all members of the bean and pea family, tomato and eggplant family, plus most squash, melons and cucumbers are susceptible to this disease. Once your garden soil is infested, the bacteria spores stick around for a long time. There are a couple of things you can do to have reasonably healthy vegetables. Be sure the garden is completely weed free in winter, since some weeds can harbor the bacteria in their roots. Add any amendment you can to the soil so it drains rapidly after a rain. Consider making raised hills, or raised rows, with furrows in between, so water goes downward quickly. Become familiar with bacterial wilt symptoms on each of your vegetables, so if you do spot it, you can get the plant out before it infects those nearby. Good luck! **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Soil, Squash, Tomatoes, Weed, Winter --- ### [Planting Rainier Cherry Trees In Atlanta](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/planting-rainier-cherry-trees-in-atlanta/) **Published:** January 9, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’d like to plant several Rainier cherry trees just to see what happens. I LOVE them.** A: So, I see you are a gambler! Sweet cherry trees have a tough time bearing fruit in metro Atlanta. Temperature swings in winter usually cause them to flower out of season. The resulting cold damage leaves few flowers to develop into cherries. The trees themselves may survive for several years but you may only get enough cherries for one pie in that time. If you think peaches are prone to disease and insect damage, cherries are even worse! Leaf spot, fruit rot, trunk canker and Japanese beetles can do tremendous damage. If you decide to go ahead with your project, remember that ‘Rainier’ cherries require another cherry variety blooming nearby at the same time to provide pollen. Let me know how it goes! **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Disease, Flowers, Japanese Beetle, Peach, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Elberta Peach Blooming Early](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/elberta-peach-blooming-early/) **Published:** January 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have several Elberta peach trees that are growing like crazy but they want to bloom in January. I read that mulching them would keep the soil cold to slow blooming.** A: The air temperature around trees is what triggers them to bloom. Peaches require a varying number of hours below 45 degrees to be ready to bloom. Are you sure you have Elberta peaches? This variety requires 850 chill hours before blooming and early blooming is not usually that much of a problem. “Low chill” peach varieties have a terrible time producing in north Georgia because of their tendency to bloom early. Elberta peach has a storied history in Georgia. It was grown here by Mr. Samuel H. Rumph in the early 1800’s. In the next decades the peach became famous for its ability to be shipped to New York and still taste great. [Peaches in Georgia](http://peaches.caes.uga.edu/history.html) **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Mulch, Peach, Soil, Temperature --- ### [Pruning Okra](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pruning-okra/) **Published:** January 22, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In last year’s garden the okra did well but grew way too tall. Can it be pruned to keep it lower and still produce well?** A: You sure can! As common okra varieties age, the top of the plant becomes too tall and doesn’t produce as many pods. When they are too tall to harvest, cut your plants down to a height between 12” and 24”. Make the cut above two strongly growing leaves. In a week or two you’ll see one or two strongly growing sprouts coming from the stump. The new branch or branches will have almost as many tasty pods as the plant yielded in early summer. [Rejuvenating okra](https://www.aces.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ANR-1112RejuvenatingOkra072820aL-A.pdf) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/okra-1-3.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/okra-1-3.jpg) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/okra-2-2-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/okra-2-2-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pruning, Summer --- ### [Can I Plant Some Old Coffee Beans?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/can-i-plant-some-old-coffee-beans/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have five pounds of very old coffee beans found in an old closet at church. They are probably over two years old. Is it possible to till them into the soil in the spring as an amendment?** A: I see no reason you could not add the beans to your soil. They will not acidify the soil and I can’t imagine that any caffeine left in the beans would affect nearby plants. **Categories:** Food Gardening **Tags:** Beans, Soil, Spring --- ### [Starting A Dunstan Chestnut Orchard](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/starting-a-dunstan-chestnut-orchard/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’m in the planning phase of starting a large Dunstan chestnut orchard. Is there anyone to help me in the process? One issue I need to address is irrigation.** A: Few people alive remember the billions of American chestnut trees that were wiped out by chestnut blight in a few decades after 1909. The nuts were delicious to humans and wildlife, the wood was valuable for construction and furniture, and the tree supported a tremendous ecological niche. The American Chestnut Foundation (acf.org) is working to cross American chestnut with other chestnut species with the goal of producing genetically diverse, nearly-pure American chestnut stock. The blight resistant ’Dunstan’ chestnut is one result of their efforts. The American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation (accf-online.org) is cross-breeding surviving American chestnut trees to each other to bring about disease resistance. Researchers at the State University of New York have developed a disease resistant American chestnut by genetic modification, inserting a wheat gene that defeats the chestnut blight fungus. Like any GM organism, these trees are tightly regulated and will not be on the commercial market anytime soon. Neither the Georgia Department of Agriculture nor the University of Georgia have developed much information to assist people who want to grow chestnuts. But there is considerable research on growing pecans in Georgia. Here is a link to great information on using drip irrigation on pecan trees: [https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20936\_2.PDF](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20936_2.PDF). **Categories:** Nuts, Landscaping, Food Gardening, Water Features, General Garden Info **Tags:** Disease, Irrigation --- ### [Is Pine Needle Tea Safe To Drink?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/is-pine-needle-tea-safe-to-drink/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is pine needle tea safe to drink or just some hippie idea I clicked onto?** A: I found lots of articles online that recommend pine needle tea as a tasty “citrus’y” drink in winter. I have no idea if it is “safe“ to drink. When I was a kid, it was a regular winter task assigned by my mother to go along the fence rows near our farm and dig up sassafras tree roots. Wielding a small mattock, I would dig up a pound or two of roots. I would bring them home, thoroughly wash off the clay soil, and chop them into three-inch lengths. My mother would dump them into a pot of water and simmer them for 10 or 20 minutes. The resulting sassafras tea was enjoyed by the rest of the family as a fresh-tasting winter tonic. I was disappointed to learn in later years that sassafras roots contain saffrole, which causes liver cancer in lab rats when it is injected into them in high doses. My mother’s tonic could possibly be harmful, but in the few drinks we consumed I have no regrets from drinking it. Small amounts of saffrole occur naturally in black pepper, star anise, nutmeg, witch hazel, and basil, all of which are considered safe to consume. **Categories:** Herbs, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pine, Soil, Winter --- ### [Will Mulching my Peach Trees Slow Blooming?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/will-mulching-my-peach-trees-slow-blooming/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have several Elberta peach trees that are growing like crazy but they want to bloom in January. I read that mulching them would keep the soil cold to slow blooming.** A: The air temperature around trees is what triggers them to bloom. Peaches require a varying number of hours below 45 degrees to be ready to bloom. Are you sure you have Elberta peaches? This variety requires 850 chill hours before blooming and early blooming is not usually that much of a problem. “Low chill” peach varieties have a terrible time producing in north Georgia because of their tendency to bloom early. Elberta peach has a storied history in Georgia. It was grown here by Mr. Samuel H. Rumph in the early 1800’s. In the next decades the peach became famous for its ability to be shipped to New York and still taste great. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Mulch, Peach, Soil, Temperature --- ### [Can I Crop The Top Of My Indeterminate Tomatoes?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/can-i-crop-the-top-of-my-indeterminate-tomatoes/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: If I plant indeterminate tomatoes can I crop the top to keep them from growing tall?** A: Pruning an indeterminate tomato to make it bushier is possible but you’ll be fighting Mother Nature. After planting, indeterminate tomatoes grow for a while and then produce a flower cluster. The leaf below the flower cluster then sends up a shoot (sucker) which produces three leaves and ends once more in a flower cluster. And once again the leaf below the flower cluster sends up a shoot, produces three leaves and a flower cluster on the end. This sequence repeats endlessly and gives the appearance of a long tomato vine. Determinate tomatoes send up several shoots from below the first flower cluster. Each one makes a couple of leaves and ends with a flower cluster. This repeats only a few more times. Since there are more shoots under each flower cluster and fewer leaves between clusters, the plant takes on a bushy appearance. So theoretically you could remove the growing tip of an indeterminate tomato vine to make it produce more shoots and then remove the tips of those shoots to give the plant several growing tips near the base. You would have a semi-bushy plant, but it would sprawl outward because after a couple of tip removals you would need to let the vine grow and flower as nature intended. If you want a bushy plant, you would be better off to grow a determinate variety like ‘Celebrity’, ‘Roma’ or any variety labeled “patio” or “bush” type. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pruning, Tomatoes --- ### [Planting A Haas Avocado Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/planting-a-haas-avocado-tree/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We have successfully grown Meyer lemons and satsuma oranges on the south side of our home. We want to plant a Haas avocado tree. What are your thoughts?** A: ‘Hass’ avocado has a bit more cold tolerance than some avocado varieties but temperatures below freezing can be quite damaging. I’m sure Ben Hill county occasionally has freezing temperatures. It will take several years for a young tree to begin producing fruit. If you are really careful to protect your avocado with a tarp when cold weather approaches, it is worth a try, but I would not wager money on your success. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Lemon, Temperature --- ### [My Indoor Corn Plant Doesn't Look Healthy](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/my-indoor-corn-plant-doesnt-look-healthy/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have an old indoor corn plant that won’t die but doesn’t look healthy. I’ve tried various things but I’m not sure how to save it.** A: My first instinct would be to toss it, but I know houseplants can have emotional connections far beyond their intrinsic worth. I surmise that is your situation. In most cases the best way to rejuvenate a corn plant is to cut it down to a foot high and put it outside in semi-shade when warm weather arrives in spring. The increased light outdoors will stimulate new growth on the stem. I am sure it would also appreciate being repotted into fresh soil. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Shade, Soil, Spring --- ### [Is The Yuca Root The Same As The Ornamental Yucca?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/is-the-yuca-root-the-same-as-the-ornamental-yucca/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When I eat at Hispanic restaurants, they serve yuca root. I this the same as ornamental yucca?** A: They are not the same, although I sometimes see “yucca” on restaurant menus. Yuca (cassava), Manihot esculenta, is a tropical plant whose starchy roots are enjoyed in all manner of recipes. They can be fried, steamed, or used as a potato substitute in any meal. The soft green leaves have 5-7 lobes. Yucca, on the other hand, has leaves that are typically stiff and sharply pointed, leading to the common names “Spanish dagger” and “Adam’s needle”. Yucca flaccida ‘Golden Sword’ and Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’ have variegated leaves that are very attractive in the landscape. Huge spikes of white flowers emerge from yucca plants in early summer. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Summer --- ### [Why Are My Tomato's Roots Shallow?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/why-are-my-tomatos-roots-shallow/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I started a drip irrigation system last year in my first vegetable garden. I watered the tomatoes two gallons a day, seven days a week. When I pulled my plants up at the end of summer, I noticed the roots were quite shallow.** A: Root growth can certainly be inhibited by soggy soil but it can also be slowed by soil that doesn’t have many pores in it. Make sure your garden soil is relatively loose and crumbly to a depth of ten inches. Once the soil is right, irrigation is a matter of daily observation. For tomatoes, I would start with a half-gallon of water every three days for small plants and increase to a maximum of two gallons per day when plants are huge. Allow the soil to dry out somewhat between waterings. If your plant leaves are not wilting, soil moisture is adequate and there’s no need to water. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Irrigation, Moisture, Soil, Summer, Tomatoes, Watering --- ### [When To Prune Muscadines](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/when-to-prune-muscadines/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My muscadines have not been pruned but the vines are just about fully leafed out. What do I do at this point?** A: It is tough to decide what to do this late in the spring. Flowers have already started forming at the base of the long shoots. If you prune the shoots back to two buds, as you would do in January, you will remove leaves that would feed the flowers as they develop fruit. In my opinion, you should first inspect the vines to make sure no choking tendrils from last year‘s growth have wrapped around the main cordons. Remove them when found. Then do some light ‘nipping and tipping’ to shape the vines enough to make mowing underneath and harvesting easy. Enjoy this year‘s grapes but be aware you will have a big job of pruning this winter to get the vines back to the shape they should be in before next spring. I have details on muscadine culture [here](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/muscadine-grape/). **Categories:** Fruits, Vines, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Pruning, Spring, Winter --- ### [Did I Plant My Wando And Alaska Peas Too Early?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/did-i-plant-my-wando-and-alaska-peas-too-early/) **Published:** May 21, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted Wando and Alaska peas in my garden this week. But I see on your garden calendar that I am weeks too early. What is your opinion for sandy-soiled Burke County?** A: I think you are fine. My garden calendar is aimed more at Atlanta gardeners than middle Georgia folks, who enjoy milder winters. For us, mid to late February is great pea planting time. **Categories:** Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil, Winter --- ### [Bumper Crop Of Baby Peaches - How To Thin The Peaches](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/bumper-crop-of-baby-peaches-how-to-thin-the-peaches/) **Published:** May 28, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a bumper crop of baby peaches. Is there a rule of thumb for thinning the peaches? I know the branches won’t support all of them.** A: You are right. If you don’t remove some of the fruit, you’ll have limb breakage and small peaches. The best time to thin a peach tree is when the fruit approaches 1” in diameter. Your goal is to have individual small peaches hanging 3” to 6” apart. Remove the smallest ones first. A quick twist is better than a sharp pull. Hold the fruit between two fingers and your thumb and twist as if you’re snapping your fingers. Don’t leave the fruit on the ground; collect and deposit on your compost pile. **Categories:** Fruits, How-To, Food Gardening **Tags:** Compost, Peach --- ### [My Fig Tree Stopped Producing Fruit](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/my-fig-tree-stopped-producing-fruit/) **Published:** May 28, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Early this spring our figs were leafing and had several small fruits. Now, they have lots of large green leaves but all the figs we saw earlier are gone! There are no signs of new fruit.** A: It is common for figs to produce a small crop of breba fruit in spring. These early figs emerge on twigs that grew last fall. Sometimes these fruit ripen and sometimes they fall off. Yours simply fell off and ground-living creatures ate them. Your main crop of fruit will come on new growth that occurs this spring. It’s a little early to see small figs but it will happen soon. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Spring --- ### [Fruit From My Banana Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-from-my-banana-plants/) **Published:** May 28, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I get fruit from my banana plants about every other year, contrary to what you said on radio.** A: It seems like every time I say a certain thing isn’t possible in Atlanta, someone writes and says “Why, I do it all the time!”. As soon as I say on the radio that no one can grow rhubarb, I get photos of healthy rhubarb plants grown by Atlanta gardeners. Most folks don’t successfully harvest banana fruit but congratulations on your success and send me some pictures so I can show people how wrong I can be! **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Is Compost Tea A Good Fertilizer?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/is-compost-tea-a-good-fertilizer/) **Published:** May 28, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is compost tea a good fertilizer for the vegetable garden or is it better to just mix the compost into the holes of the plants?** A: I have a history with garden “teas”. I remember helping my mother make manure tea when I was a kid. I scooped several cow patties from the pasture and put them into a burlap sack. She put the sack in a big tub of water and soaked it for three days. She poured the resulting tea on her roses and tomatoes. Truthfully, I don’t remember the tomatoes being any healthier than the ones fertilized by my Dad’s bag of 10-10-10. I don’t think you’ll notice any difference after using compost tea. Put the un-steeped compost in your planting holes and save yourself some work. **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Compost, Fertilizer, Manure, Oak, Tomatoes --- ### [Starting A Vegetable Garden On A Sunny Cow Pasture](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/starting-a-vegetable-garden-on-a-sunny-cow-pasture/) **Published:** May 28, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We are moving out in the country and I’d like to start a vegetable garden. Our property is on a sunny former cow pasture. I’d like to grow corn, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, okra, and maybe potatoes. Any suggestions on how I should lay them out in the garden?** A: You obviously want to plant tall things behind short things so that your vegetables get the most sunshine. Years ago, retired Extension vegetable expert Wayne McLaurin came up with a nice garden plan for Georgia. You can find it, plus other University of Georgia garden tips [here](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/uga-vegetable-gardening-publications/). **Categories:** Fruits, Vegetables, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Squash, Tomatoes --- ### [My Pomegranate Trees Have Only One Or Two Fruits](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/my-pomegranate-trees-have-only-one-or-two-fruits/) **Published:** July 4, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My wife and I have three six-year-old pomegranate trees. One of them has full of orange flowers but only one or two fruits. Most of the flowers are single but there are many double flowers too.** A: I think poor pollination is the root problem of insufficient fruiting. Double-flowered pomegranates usually have small fruit or none at all because it is too hard for insects to get inside the petals and move the pollen around. Single-flowered types are pollinated by bees but if you are not getting fruit, that tells me you don’t have enough bees working the flowers. It is easy to pollinate pomegranate flowers by hand. Get a small artist’s paint brush and gently probe inside a flower until the tip is covered in yellow pollen. Move to another flower and do the same. Do this once a day as new flowers open. You can stop when there are no new flowers. You should see round pomegranate fruit forming where the flowers fall off. If you enjoy eating pomegranates, look online for Russian varieties. They are more cold-hardy than the common ‘Wonderful’ cultivar. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers --- ### [Blueberry Leaves Stuck Together](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/blueberry-leaves-stuck-together-and-look-bitten/) **Published:** July 4, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My blueberries are starting to turn blue but I noticed that something is binding the leaves together. It looks like the leaves have been bitten on the ends but they are then stuck together with something invisible.** A: You have either a blueberry leaf roller or a blueberry leaf tier. If you disassemble the leaf fragments you’ll usually find a little caterpillar present. The easiest control is to squish the tied up leaves with your fingers, thereby crushing the creature inside. **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blueberries, Caterpillar --- ### [Fiddle Leaf Fig Propagation](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/my-fiddle-leaf-fig-is-getting-big/) **Published:** August 6, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My fiddle leaf fig started out really small and now it’s hitting the ceiling! Where will it go from here?** A: If you give your fiddle leaf fig enough space and light, it will grow 40 feet tall! My guess is that’s not what you want. You can prune it to just about any height and it will recover. The best place to make a cut is above a strongly growing leaf. You can take the leaves that are removed and make a new fig plant from each one. My neighbor, Dr. Christine Callaway, says that she clips a leaf where it attaches to the stem and rolls it lengthwise. She sticks the bottom 2-3 inches of the leaf in a glass jar filled with water. Placed in a sunny window, she says the leaf will make roots in six weeks. The leaf can then be removed from the water and gently planted into a pot filled with potting soil. Keep it in a window for eight more weeks. You’ll see a new leaf grow at the base of the original leaf and more will follow. **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil --- ### [Flowers Falling Off My Tomatoes](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/flowers-falling-off-my-tomatoes/) **Published:** August 6, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My tomatoes look very healthy but the flowers fall off.** A: Hot weather always causes tomato pollination problems, particularly with varieties that have large fruit. Visit your plants once or twice a day and lightly thump the flower clusters with your finger. This will shake pollen loose and you’ll get better pollination. **Categories:** Fruits, Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Tomatoes --- ### [Can I Prune Okra?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-prune-okra-and-it-still-produce-well/) **Published:** August 6, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In last year’s garden the okra did well but grew way too tall. Can it be pruned to keep it lower and still produce well?** A: You sure can! As our common okra varieties age, the top of the plant becomes too tall and doesn’t produce as many pods. When they are too tall to harvest, cut your plants down to a height between 12” and 24”. Make the cut above two healthy leaves. In a week or two you’ll see one or two strongly growing sprouts coming from the stump. The new branch or branches will have almost as many tasty pods as the plant yielded in early summer. **Categories:** Vegetables, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Summer --- ### [Why Are My Heirloom Tomatoes Lumpy?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/why-are-my-heirloom-tomatoes-lumpy/) **Published:** December 19, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I save heirloom tomato seeds. Some of the fruit is very lumpy this year. Any ideas why?** A: Lumpy, distorted, oddly shaped tomatoes are generally referred to as “catfaced”. Oddly, it has nothing to do with cats. The deformity is typically caused by temperature conditions when the bloom is being pollinated. High temperatures as well as low temperatures can cause it. Big-fruited varieties are more prone to the condition than medium-fruited varieties. HINT: Don’t set out your plants too early in spring. Catfacing is nothing to worry about. You won’t win any prizes at the county fair but the tomato will taste fine. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Spring, Temperature, Tomatoes --- ### [When To Harvest Peanuts](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/when-to-harvest-peanuts/) **Published:** December 20, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I grew a row of peanuts for the first time this year but I don’t know when to harvest them.** A: You need to combine three observations to reach the conclusion that your peanuts are ready to harvest. The first observation is reading the seed label for your peanut variety. It will tell you approximately how many days it should take from planting to harvest. The second observation is the color of your plants. When harvest time approaches, the leaves will begin to transition from deep green to lighter green to slightly yellow to mostly yellow. The period between “slightly yellow” and “mostly yellow” is a good harvest time. The third observation comes from carefully excavating under the plant and pulling some of the underground peanuts. The seeds inside should be brown and mature-looking. Don’t worry if you find a few immature peanuts that have just started to grow. There will always be a few of them under the plant at harvest time. It makes sense to dig up one plant to examine all of the nuts on it before you dig your entire crop. When plants have been unearthed, put them in a dry place for at least a week. It should be easy then to shake dry soil from the roots. Keep plants dry for another couple of weeks, until the leaves are dry and crumbly. At that point you can pull off all of the nuts and store for later enjoyment. **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Soil --- ### [Sour Green Crabapples: What Tree Are They From](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/sour-green-crabapples-what-tree-are-they-from/) **Published:** December 20, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Back in my younger days we picked golf-ball-size green crab apples that were incredibility sour but tasted so good. What kind of trees were they?** A: A crabapple is defined as any apple whose mature fruit is less than two inches in diameter, which is about the size of the fruit on the tree you remember. But true crabapples almost never have green fruit. They are typically red, orange or yellow. There are a couple of green-fruited crabapples, but the fruit is the size of a cherry. My bet is the tree you remember so fondly was actually from an apple tree that had not been taken care of, or maybe one that sprouted randomly from an apple seed. Poor care leads to apple fruit that drop before they mature so you might never see red apples on such a tree. I think you’d be greatly tempted to eat the sour green apples that were hanging when you passed by. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Seed --- ### [How To Prune A Pomegranate](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-to-prune-a-pomegranate/) **Published:** December 31, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I planted a pomegranate ten years ago. I have read that it should be pruned a specific way if it gets too big.** A: I don’t think there is a “specific” way to prune; it just depends on what you want. A pomegranate can be pruned to be a tree or a shrub. Most gardeners prefer the shrub form. If that’s what you want, follow these tips: After removing dead branches, take out a few living interior limbs so light can penetrate to the middle of the plant. If one stem towers over the rest, cut it in half to encourage new growth at that point. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening --- ### [Can I Toss Vegetable Scraps Into My Shrubbery?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-toss-vegetable-scrapes-into-my-shrubbery/) **Published:** March 24, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’m too old to do classic composting with a pile. Every day I have a cup or so of vegetable scraps to dispose of. Can I just toss them over my shrubbery to decompose or am I asking for a rodent problem?** A: Tossing the scraps over your shrubbery might indeed invite rodents to come for a snack. A better idea would be to dig a small permanent hole next to the shrubbery, toss your foodstuffs in it, and cover it with a rock that the unwanted animals can’t move. **Categories:** Vegetables, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Compost --- ### [Seedless Pickles](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/seedless-pickles/) **Published:** March 24, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Due to a medical condition, my wife can’t eat seeds. However, she longs for pickles. We understand gerkins are seedless. Does this apply to all baby cucumbers?** A: The pickled items that we call gherkins are indeed baby cucumbers. They may look similar, but a true gherkin is not a baby cucumber. They both belong to the gourd family but they are from different cultivar groups. Cucumbers are Cucumis sativus but true gherkins belong to another genus entirely, Melothria. Getting back to your question, almost all cucumbers have seeds when they are mature but baby cucumbers (pickling gherkins) are picked before seeds start forming. I am not a plant physiologist, but I think it is reasonable to assume that if you grow cucumbers in your garden, the babies will have negligible seeds. **Categories:** Fruits, Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed --- ### [Onions don't get bigger, planted too late](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/onions-dont-get-bigger-planted-too-late/) **Published:** May 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have been growing onions for years, always with poor results. The onions never grow large; they barely get larger than the size originally planted. I put them in anywhere between January and March. I’ve tried Yellow Granex, Burgundy Red, and Texas Sweet but never a big bulb.** A: You did not plant early enough. Short-day onions like these should be planted in fall, usually in October. This gives them lots of time to grow leaves before bulb formation is triggered to begin in January. Onions can tolerate most winter weather but cover yours if temperatures in the teens approach. When the leafy tops begin to turn yellow and fall over your onions are ready to dig. Be sure to fertilize and water appropriately. I have details at [Garden Planting Calendar](https://extension.uga.edu/content/dam/extension-county-offices/columbia-county/anr/GardenCalendar.pdf) [Vegetable Gardening in Georgia](https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C963&title=Vegetable%20Gardening%20in%20Georgia) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/onions-2-scaled.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/onions-2-scaled.jpg) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Onion, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Keep Worms From Eating My Peaches](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/keep-worms-from-eating-my-peaches/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Do you have any suggestions to keep the worms from eating my young peaches? I have honeybees nearby.** A: Plum curculio is a small “snout beetle” that attacks peaches and plums. Adults overwinter in debris near a tree and emerge in spring. The female lays her eggs in small wounds she carves in the fruit. You can often see a clear gum oozing out afterwards. These insects are active primarily at night. Once the eggs hatch, they feed inside the fruit, leading folks to say they find “worms”. Organic control of plum curculio is almost impossible. I recommend you apply a bee-friendly fungicide like Daconil or Captan twice every spring, once when most petals are open and once when most have fallen. When you see tiny green fruit after flowers are gone, apply a fruit tree insecticide spray according to label instructions. Destroy all blemished fruit. Do not leave any on the ground. **Categories:** Fruits, Insects & Animals, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Fall, Flowers, Peach, Spring, Winter --- ### [Why Doesn't Anyone Grow Pimento Pepper?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/why-doesnt-anyone-grow-pimento-pepper/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I read that pimento peppers saved Georgia farmers from the boll weevil and that many farms were located near Griffin. Our state was once the “Pimento Pepper Capitol of the World”! Why does no one grow them anymore?** A: The pimento pepper story in Georgia began in 1911 with a Spalding County farmer who planted Spanish pimento seed. Once he developed a way to easily remove the pepper skin, the Pomona Products Company was formed to market the sweet peppers. By 1929, 7000 acres of pimentos were cultivated in the counties around Griffin. At one time there were 20 pepper processing plants. By 1950, production peaked but farmers turned away from pimento peppers because they were so labor-intensive to grow and so hard to sell with much profit. I have a collection of fact sheets about the agricultural heritage of Georgia, including watermelons, muscadines, peanuts, and mules (!) at [bit.ly/GAheritage](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/agricultural-heritage-of-georgia/). **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Peppers, Seed, Watermelon --- ### [Do Male And Female Green Peppers Taste Different?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/do-male-and-female-green-peppers-taste-different/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Is it true that male and female green peppers taste different? My neighbor believes this.** A: Your neighbor may believe this with all their heart but, sadly, they are wrong. There is no such thing as a “male” or “female” pepper. Pepper flowers contain both male and female organs, so they are self-pollinating. The fruit itself has no sex organs. The number of lobes on a pepper does not determine their sex. Different varieties have different numbers of lobes, ranging from two to five. **Categories:** Fruits, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Flowers, Peppers --- ### [Ants On Potato Hills](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/ants-on-potato-hills/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: How do I get rid of ants that make my potato hills their home? Are they destroying my potatoes underground?** A: Assuming you have fire ants, they are known to feed on potato tubers. You’ll get the best organic control by following two steps: bait, then drench. Scatter spinosad bait (Fertilome Come and Get It) on the mound and wait twenty-four hours. Then drench the mound with d-limonene (Orange Guard Fire Ant Control). This should give control for most of the summer. **Categories:** Vegetables, Insects & Animals, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fire Ants, Summer --- ### [Identifying Mushrooms](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/identifying-mushrooms/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My Florida room leaked over the winter and mushrooms grew in the damp** **carpet. Could you tell me someone who could identify them?** A: I am far from a mushroom expert. When I am curious about a mushroom that I have found, I go to the Facebook group formed by Mushroom Hunters of North Georgia, [bit.ly/GAmushroom](https://iphone.facebook.com/groups/339829616492250?id=339829616492250&ref=content_filter&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fiphone.facebook.com%2Fprofile.php%3Fref%3Dcontent_filter&_rdr). It is easy to join their group and post pictures of mushrooms you want to identify. **Categories:** Vegetables, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Mushrooms, Winter --- ### [Do I need to plant two peach trees to grow fruit? ](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/q-do-i-need-to-plant-two-peach-trees-to-grow-fruit/) **Published:** September 2, 2020 **Author:** Annie Brisee **Content:** **Q: Do I need to plant two peach trees to grow fruit?** A: No, peach flowers contain both male and female organs, so each flower can pollinate itself. No pollinator peach is needed. That said, if you plant two different varieties of peach your harvest may be a little larger due to the invigorating effect of two slightly different genetic combinations getting together. **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, General Q & A, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Peach --- ### [Can I Grow Cape Gooseberry Here?](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/can-i-grow-cape-gooseberry-here/) **Published:** September 3, 2020 **Author:** Annie Brisee **Content:** **Q: Can I grow cape gooseberry here? My location gets full sun and is next to the house.** A: If you can grow tomatoes, you can grow Cape gooseberry, Physalis peruviana. The golden, marble-sized fruit is not common at local groceries because it is not easy to ship. In my travels, I’ve often seen it used as a garnish for desserts. It is a great homegrown fruit/vegetable. Plant seeds outdoors in early May. You can start them indoors in mid-April. It usually takes sixteen weeks until harvest. You can eat the fruit when the papery husk has completely dried. **Categories:** Fruits, General Q & A, Landscaping, Food Gardening, General Garden Info **Tags:** Seed, Tomatoes, Travel --- ### [Should I Prune My Volunteer Tomato Plant?](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/should-i-prune-my-volunteer-tomato-plant/) **Published:** September 3, 2020 **Author:** Annie Brisee **Content:** **Q: I found a volunteer tomato plant next to my townhouse which has become huge and filled with cherry tomatoes. Should I prune it?** A: I don’t know who planted it, but you are welcome to manage the vine any way you like. In my experience these unexpected volunteer tomatoes are almost always the cherry type. This is probably because the seeds came from a hybrid tomato, whose ancestors included a cherry tomato. As a class, cherry tomatoes tend to be wild and vigorous. When I have them in my garden, I let one or two grow freely and snack on the small tomatoes as they ripen. **Categories:** Fruits, General Q & A, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Seed, Tomatoes --- ### [How To Save Field Peas](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-to-save-field-peas/) **Published:** September 3, 2020 **Author:** Annie Brisee **Content:** **Q: What is the best way to save field peas from my garden to plant again next year?** A: The pea seed need to be completely dry in the pod before you shell them. When your harvest begins to decline, leave some peas on the vine until they are yellow and leathery. At that point, pull the vine and put it in a dry place until the pods are brown and crisp and the peas rattle inside. You can then shell them out and store in a tightly sealed glass jar. **Categories:** Vegetables, General Q & A, How-To, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed --- ### [How to prune an overgrown apple tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-to-prune-an-overgrown-apple-tree/) **Published:** September 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My new house has a huge overgrown apple tree in the backyard. I have no idea how to care for it or what kind of apples it is producing. It needs to be pruned but am not sure how to do that.** A: Overgrown apple trees like your will never produce good apples without yearly pruning. It’s pretty simple after the first time. First, remove any dead or dying branches. The best time to do this is in summer. If a limb has no leaves, it’s dead. Second, take out vertical “water sprouts” in the center of the tree. Most will be the diameter of your thumb or less. These limbs don’t produce apples because they are so shaded. Third, examine the remaining branches and selectively prune away those that shade another vigorous limb a few feet beneath them. The best time to do this pruning is in January but you can walk around the tree anytime of year and make plans for your future attack. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to prune an apple and how productive the tree will become. [Home garden apples](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/apple/) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/apple-overgrown-1-500x375.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/apple-overgrown-1.jpg) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/apple-overgrown-3-375x500.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/apple-overgrown-3.jpg) [![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/apple-overgrown-2-375x500.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/apple-overgrown-2.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pruning, Shade, Summer --- ### [How To Store Elephant Garlic](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/how-to-store-elephant-garlic/) **Published:** December 1, 2020 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** **Q: I purchased elephant garlic from an organic grocery and hope to plant it in late October. How should I store it until I plant it?** A: Simply keep the garlic cloves dry and cool. They can then be planted in the sunny part of your garden. It won’t hurt to put a little organic fertilizer over them after planting. Don’t worry if leaves grow a bit in fall and then meet freezing weather. Elephant garlic leaves survive winter cold just fine. The plant will really grow quickly next year; three to six feet tall is not unusual. Clip off any flowers that form. When the leaves turn yellow and start to fall over in late summer next year, it’s time to harvest. Use the largest bulbs in your kitchen but keep the small bulbs that have formed around the base and plant them next fall just as you did this year. **Categories:** Vegetables, General Q & A, How-To, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Fertilizer, Flowers, Garlic, Summer, Winter --- ### [Olive Tree - Growing from Pit](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/olive-tree-growing-from-seed/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: On New Year’s Day a party guest raised a question I hope you can solve. Is it possible to grow an olive tree from an olive pit? We’ve grown an avocado from a pit. Why not olives?** A: An olive tree can be grown wherever winter temperatures do not drop below 12 degrees. Theoretically, that means we could grow them in Atlanta as long as they get protection from extreme cold. But I have never seen or heard of an olive grown successfully here. **(This was written years ago. See the notes below!)** To answer your actual question, it’s pretty doubtful that an olive pit would sprout. There are several varieties of olives that are grown commercially. Some bear fruit that is green when ripe, others produce blackish-purple fruit. You might assume that this explains the difference between the green olives and black olives we see on grocery shelves. But, in fact, black olives are simply green olives that have been processed in such a way as to turn them black. Most tree-ripe olives are too bitter to eat out of hand. They have to be processed in successive baths of lye and salt water to give them the taste we love on our pizzas. I think the processing would prevent any hope of seed germination. see [Tips on Growing Olives in Georgia](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/olive-tree-growing/) [Georgia Farmers Turn to Olives](http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/index.cfm?public=viewStory&pk_id=3753) [Farmers Banking on Olive Groves](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/21/AR2010092102173.html?sid=ST2010092102231) [Origin of Georgia’s Olive Industry](http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-making-and-milling/origins-georgia-olive-oil-industry/30018) [Olive Fruit Facts](https://crfg.org/wiki/fruit/olive/) [Making Olive Oil](http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/olive_tree.htm) **Categories:** Fruits, Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Seed, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Apple, Pear - Grafting](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/apple-pear-grafting/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I would like to experiment with grafting pear and apple trees. What kind of rootstocks are best and where can I get them?** A: When choosing rootstock, it all depends on how big you want the mature tree to be. If you want a full-sized apple tree, graft onto a pencil- to broomstick-sized seedling tree. If you want a dwarf apple, you can buy Malling rootstocks from Internet suppliers. Pears are grafted onto Callery pear rootstock for a full sized tree. Getting a dwarf pear is more complicated and not recommended until you are sure your grafting technique is first rate. Lots of good information is available from the University of Georgia’s website [Propagating Deciduous Fruit Plants Common to Georgia](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20818_7.PDF). See also [Grafting using Super Glue](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/22779/) [![pear grafted](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pear-grafted.jpg)](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pear-grafted.jpg) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pears, Seed --- ### ['Windsor' Dark Cherry Tree - Bacterial Canker](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/windsor-dark-cherry-tree-bacterial-canker/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: In February this year we planted a ‘Windsor’ dark sweet cherry tree in an orchard with other fruit. The tree looked healthy until a month ago when one of its branches turned brown, proceeded to black and died. Now it appears to be “weeping” a clear, gel-like blob on its trunk . What is happening with this tree?** A: It sounds like bacterial canker…but you may be also receiving a warning that you’ve chosen the wrong fruit to plant. Sweet cherry is *very* difficult to grow in the Southeast. High summer humidity and temperature fluctuations in winter prevent fruiting most years. You must also have high numbers of honeybees to provide pollination. ‘Early Richmond’, ”Montmorency’ and ‘North Star’ varieties of tart (pie) cherry might work for you – but I don’t hold out much hope. Georgia is not cherry country…and Mother Nature will ultimately prevail. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Pears, Summer, Temperature, Winter --- ### [Zoysia - Plant From Seed](https://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/zoysia-plant-from-seed/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Zoysiagrass seed is usually planted in May or June. Keep in mind that it is typical to get only 75 percent coverage in the first year **in full sun**. Establishing zoysiagrass from seed in shade is fruitless. If you plan to start a zoysia lawn from scratch, a **thorough tilling is necessary** to be successful. It is almost impossible to get the seeds to germinate uniformly and grow well unless the ground has been dug up and loosened. A rented tiller is the best tool. Tillers with rear mounted tines are more expensive to rent but many people find them much easier to use on hard ground. If the seed dry out they will die. The lawn should be watered daily for at least three weeks to keep the seeds moist. After the grass has emerged, water less often but apply more water each time. Kill all weeds by spraying the area with a non-selective weed killer two weeks before planting. • Till the soil thoroughly to a depth of six inches, mixing in the amount of lime and fertilizer recommended by a soil test (contact your county Extension office at 1-800-ASKUGA-1) • If you have not had the soil tested for its lime and fertilizer needs, dig in 20 pounds of 5-10-15 fertilizer per 1000 square feet. In addition, cover the entire area with a layer of composted material one inch thick. Mix the fertilizer and organic matter thoroughly with the soil. • Rake the area smooth, removing rocks, clumps and grassy debris. • Roll the area with a water-filled roller to reveal low spots. • Fill low spots with soil. • Scatter seed according to rates below. • For even distribution, mix 1 pound of seed with 5 pounds of dry corn grits or play sand before putting the mixture into a seed spreader. • Cover very thinly with wheat straw (3/4 bale per 1000 square feet). • Follow the watering guidelines below. • *Do not* use weed control products on your lawn until at least six weeks after planting. **Pull all weeds by hand**. Seeding rate for new lawn: • Zoysiagrass 1 – 3 pounds per 1000 square feet All bags of grass seed are required to have a label that shows the results of various tests on that batch of seed. œAlways buy seed which has been tested for its germination rate within the past six months. • When deciding which seed to buy, compare the germination percentage and the number of weed seed found in each. œ You may discover that a higher priced bag of seed is a better value because more of the seed will germinate. **WATERING CORRECTLY** The best time to water a lawn is in the morning, preferably before noon. This allows the grass to dry before nightfall, reducing the risk of disease. Take into account recent rainfall when deciding how much to apply. Watering restrictions may impact how often you can irrigate. Check [www.georgiadrought.org](http://www.georgiadrought.org/) for the latest information. If restrictions mandate watering every other day, the schedules below may be modified to fit the rules. How to measure the amount of water applied by irrigation: • Place six identical containers randomly in the area wetted by your sprinkler. • Plastic cups can be used but weight them down with a heavy washer in the bottom of each. • Let your sprinkler run for an hour. • Measure the depth of water that has accumulated in each cup. • Calculate the average of the depths. This gives you the amount (in inches) that has been applied in an hour. • Make a mental calculation of how long it will take to apply an inch of water. • Don’t be surprised if your sprinkler must run for more than an hour to apply the water your lawn needs. WATERING SCHEDULE AFTER SEEDING • One inch of water immediately after planting. • Apply enough water daily to prevent the top one-half inch of soil from drying until seedlings are 1.5 inches tall. • After that, apply one-fourth inch of water every third day for nine days. • Next apply one-half inch of water every fifth day for ten days. • After this establishment period, apply one inch of water per week for the rest of the growing season. • There is no need to water if rainfall supplies the correct amount. **Categories:** Zoysia, Lawn Care **Tags:** Compost, Container, Disease, Fall, Fertilizer, Irrigation, Pots, Seed, Shade, Soil, Watering, Weed --- ### [Gardening Books - For Children](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/gardening-books-for-children/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Could you/would you recommend just a few good books about gardening with kids in Georgia?** A: I love “How Groundhog’s Garden Grew” by Lynne Cherry but I can’t think of any more books aimed specifically at kids. My wife, the reading specialist, recommends “The Gardener” by Sarah Stewart, “Jody’s Beans” by Malachiy Doyle, “Scarecrow” by Cynthia Rylant and “Flower Garden” and “Sunflower House” by Eve Bunting. The Southern Living Garden Book is good for grownups and my Fruit & Vegetable book is full of gardening tips. The Golden Guide series of books on insect and other creature identification should be included as well. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Beans, Books, Cherry, Sunflower --- ### [Blueberry - Ochlockonee](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/blueberry-ochlockonee/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I am looking for a blueberry plant for fruit and for privacy screening. I’ve heard the ‘Ochlockonee’ rabbiteye blueberry is a good one. Do you have any better suggestions?** A: The blueberry you’ve chosen has a great reputation. It was developed by the University of Georgia’s Scott Nesmith. It blooms later than most other blueberries so frost damage is rare. It usually produces one-third more fruit than ‘Tifblue’. You’ll need to plant it with other cultivars, like ‘Powderblue’ and ‘Brightwell’ for best pollination. Your family will enjoy blueberries for six weeks, beginning in July, each year. ‘Ochlockonee’ will grow to ten feet tall so it makes a good privacy plant. Plant four feet apart to get the best screening. see [Georgia Seed Development Commission](http://georgiacultivars.com/cultivars/ochlockonee) [Southeast Farm Press](https://www.farmprogress.com/search/node/blueberry) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blueberries, Rabbit, Seed --- ### [Huckleberry - Identification and Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/huckleberry-identification-and-growing/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: When I was growing up, my mother used to make huckleberry jam. The taste was quite different from blueberries. She was from East Tennessee, but I don’t remember if she gathered the huckleberries there or in Georgia. Do you know whether they will grow in Georgia?** A: “Huckleberry” is a name given to several plants. True huckleberry is *Gaylussacia baccata*. It grows mostly in the Northeast and Canada. The blueberry family *Vaccinum* contains various small-fruited plants known as huckleberry, lingonberry, sparkleberry, farklebery, partridgeberry, etc. All of them grow in the Appalachian mountains so my bet is that your mother was harvesting one of the blueberry family members that is locally called a huckleberry. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blueberries --- ### [Huckleberry - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/huckleberry-growing/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Do know where I can obtain some huckleberry bushes? We had them in our backyard growing up. I tried to transplant some last fall but they didn’t survive.** A: Theresa Schrum, at [Eco Terra Landscape](http://www.ecoterralandscape.com), says when it comes to the common name ‘huckleberry” there is a problem. That name is applied to a large number of shrubs, all of which bear edible fruit. There is black huckleberry (*Gaylussacia baccata*), box huckleberry (*Gaylussacia brachycera*), red huckleberry (*Vaccinium parvifolium*) and California huckleberry (*Vaccinium ovatum*). Those in the genus *Gaylussacia* are considered the “true” huckleberries. Those in the genus *Vaccinium* are more closely related to blueberries. In my experience, huckleberries grow only in the higher reaches of the north Georgia mountains. You’ll be more successful with blueberries in the Atlanta area. Huckleberry List: Gaylussacia baccata: Black huckleberry Gaylussacia brachycera: Box huckleberry Gaylussacia dumosa: Dwarf huckleberry Gaylussacia frondosa: Blue huckleberry Gaylussacia mosieri: Woolly huckleberry Gaylussacia nana: Confederate huckleberry Gaylussacia tomentosa: Hairytwig huckleberry Gaylussacia ursina: Bear huckleberry Solanum melanocerasum: Garden huckleberry Vaccinium membranaceum: Thinleaf huckleberry Vaccinium myrtilloides: Velvetleaf huckleberry Vaccinium ovatum: California huckleberry Vaccinium parvifolium: Red huckleberry **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blueberries, Fall --- ### [Fairy Fan - Fungus](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/fairy-fan-fungus/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: We found on our deck banister a brightly-colored fungus. It is about three-eighths of an inch high. Are you able to identify it?** A: Wow….very cool! Mary Woehrel, leader of [The Mushroom Club of Georgia](https://gamushroomclub.org/), says “Looking at these closely, they appear to have fan-shaped tops. These most likely are “Fairy Fans”, probably *Spathularia velutipes*, although there are several different kinds, some more yellow than others. They usually fruit in clusters or groups on rotting hardwood and under pine. August to September is the right season for them: a very pretty mushroom!” ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fairyfan.jpg) **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Pine --- ### [Coconut - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/coconut-growing/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Can you tell me what variety of coconut tree might grow well and produce fruit in Griffin, Georgia?** A: Your dreams of a backyard supply of pina colada ingredients will be unfulfilled. Coconut palms are damaged when temperatures drop below freezing. Coconut palms are grown from Miami southward for their tropical look and for their fruit. If you have a south-facing wall you might be able to [grow bananas](http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG043) and occasionally harvest their fruit. Then you can invite all of your friends over for banana daquiris! **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, Food Gardening **Tags:** Temperature --- ### [Olive Tree - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/olive-tree-growing/) **Published:** July 8, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I would like to try to grow a few olive trees in Gainesville. Am I setting myself up for failure? I am thinking of keeping them in large pots to give them very sandy soil.** A: I am always amazed at what can be grown “out of zone” so I won’t say you **can’t** grow olives in Gainesville. I will say, though, that it is **unlikely**. Olive trees are evergreen. They will suffer lots of damage at temperatures lower than twenty degrees. Your solution of keeping it in a pot is a good idea. You could move yours indoors when it gets cold. But keep in mind that an olive eventually grows forty feet tall and twenty feet wide. Perhaps you could trim it regularly to keep it in bounds. I’ve heard that different gardeners have successfully grown olive trees in small courtyards in Atlanta so you are welcome to try it in north Georgia. With global warming, anything is possible! Here are some further comments by Bruce Overstreet (Brandenburgs Greenhouse & Nursery, Franklin GA) “There are a few varieties of Italian olives that are cold hardy. I have trees in my nursery with olives on them now. The olive tree does not like wet feet so planting outdoors in Georgia is a planting chore. Either dig a big, big hole fill with well-drained soil or plant on a well-drained hill side or slope. They like alkaline soil: pH 7.5 – 8.5 or 9. If growing for production of olives they prefer a site without a lot of wind. They can be grown as container plants, bringing them indoors if extreme cold were to hit. The Mediterranean olive “Arbequina” is cold hardy in zone 7 I believe. The ones I have for sale are self pollinators so only one tree is required. Olives will tolerate sub freezing temperature but do not like radical temperature changes such as a 100 degree day then a 35 degree night.” see [Growing Olives in Texas](http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/fruit/olive/olive.html) [Origin of Georgia’s Olive Industry](http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-making-and-milling/origins-georgia-olive-oil-industry/30018) **Sources of Trees** [Georgia Olive Farms](http://georgiaolivefarms.com/store.php) [Family Tree Garden Center](http://thefamilytreeinc.com/) [Randy’s Nursery](http://randysnursery.com/) **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Container, Greenhouse, Pots, Soil, Temperature --- ### [Birds - Feeding](https://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/birds-feeding-2/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Do you have any information on attracting birds to backyards? Types of feeders, food, plants and watering containers are all part of the information I am seeking.** A: Birds have the same needs as humans: food, shelter and water. Though humans and avians attain their needs differently, if birds find the environment they desire in your yard you’ll never lack for entertainment. Evergreen shrubbery, like holly, camellia and photinia supplies year-round hiding and brooding places. Any plant that produces berries, nuts or fruit will be a favorite of birds. Local organizations such as the [Atlanta Audubon Society](http://www.atlantaaudubon.org) and [Southern Wings Bird Club](http://www.southernwingsbc.com/) provide a wealth of opportunities to learn about birds in Georgia. I found further information on the Internet at [Backyard Birding Basics](http://blog.duncraft.com/2010/01/02/bird-feeding-dos-and-donts-by-bill-thompson-iii/) and the [National Birdfeeding Society](https://www.birdfeeding.org/). A friend recently remarked that she never expected to enjoy the bird feeder she received last Christmas as much as she has during the past year. Wrens, woodpeckers, titmice and cardinals have visited her avian restaurant regularly. By using only black sunflower seed in the feeder, she has avoided having the mess underneath that results when birds pick through inexpensive birdseed to find their favorite seeds. Specialized suet and thistle feeders can attract an even wider range of birds. Though having a feeder is a great way to attract birds, creating a bird sanctuary is a great way to keep them. With a bit of planning and planting, your backyard can become the local hangout for birds and other interesting wildlife. ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bird-81-e1288570372765.jpg "bird 8") **Categories:** Insects & Animals **Tags:** Birds, Container, Seed, Sunflower, Watering --- ### [Wild Plum - Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/wild-plum-identification/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a question that centers around a pleasure from my pre-teen years. Growing wild near my Dad’s garden plot and near the county road were small plums. The fruit were about twice the size of a cherry and seemed to be growing on a small bush. They were light yellow when ripe. Are you familiar with the plum I am referring to? Can you tell me if someone sells that plant anywhere?** A: My guess is that you are remembering either the hog plum (*Prunus americana*) or the Chickasaw plum (*Prunus angustifolia*). It is difficult to describe the slight difference between the two but both have fruit like you remember. When I was a child plums were a staple of my early summer diet. The yellow and red fruit, when consumed to excess, guaranteed a technicolor stomach ache. I notice them growing along country roadsides when their fragrant white blooms appear in spring but I don’t know of a specific retail source for the plants. Perhaps the best way to find a plant for yourself is to cruise the backroads next April and ask permission from the landowner to dig one. The [Georgia Native Plant Society](https://gnps.org/) keeps a list of native plant suppliers. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Native Plant, Spring, Summer --- ### [Cherry - Sweet](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/cherry-sweet/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I recently purchased a ‘Tartarian’ cherry tree at a home improvement store. I can’t find much information on growing it. Any info on this subject would be appreciated.** A: Sweet cherry trees (‘Bing’, ‘Tartarian’, ‘Ranier’, etc) do not survive here; our heat and disease pressure is too great. You might get a ‘Stella’ or ‘North Star’ sour cherry to survive but they rarely produce fruit because the flowers are hurt by late frosts in spring. The store was mistaken to sell it to you but *you* bear some responsibility for not researching the tree before your purchase. Why not start with something easy to grow like raspberry, blackberry, blueberry or fig? They are easy to find and rarely have problems in Georgia. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Blackberry, Cherry, Disease, Flowers, Raspberry, Spring --- ### [Fig Plants - Inedible](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fig-plants-inedible/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve become interested in figs. I seem to recall hearing that there are both edible and inedible figs. Is there any way to tell if a fig plant is inedible? Are the inedible ones poisonous?** A: Among the hundreds of species of “fig”, there are lots of inedible fig fruits. In fact, there are many more unpalatable fig species than edible ones. Even so, edible figs have been cultivated and consumed for thousands of years. If you have a fig that is hardy outdoors in Georgia, you’re growing an edible fig, probably ‘Celeste’ or ‘Brown Turkey’. In some years the fruit may stay hard and not ripen but I wouldn’t call it poisonous. There are dozens of less common but delicious figs that grow in Georgia. Fig expert Ray Givan hosts a fig website and sells a very informative booklet at [Rays Figs](http://www.figs4fun.com/Links/RaysFigs2013rev.htm). **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Poison, Poisonous --- ### [Propagation - Reference Books](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/propagation-reference-books/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have been reasonably successful rooting woody plants in my landscape but I need to know more. Is there a good reference book on plant propagation that you could recommend?** A: I like “[Secrets of Plant Propagation: Starting Your Own Flowers, Vegetables, Fruits, Berries, Shrubs, Trees, and Houseplants](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0882663704?ie=UTF8&tag=walterreeves&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0882663704)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)” by Lewis Hill and [Making More Plants: The Science, Art, and Joy of Propagation](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/051770787X?ie=UTF8&tag=walterreeves&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=051770787X)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)” by Ken Druse . The University of Georgia Extension service has free publications on the subject. You can get them by calling your local Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1) or download them for the Web: Mike Dirr’s “[The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue Culture, Second Edition](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604690046?ie=UTF8&tag=walterreeves&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1604690046)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)” is a great technical reference. “[How to Propagate: Techniques and Tips for Over 1000 Plants](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1883052572?ie=UTF8&tag=walterreeves&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1883052572)![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ir)” by John Cushnie is excellent . [Propagating Shrubs](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-propagate-from-cuttings/?highlight=propagation) [Propagating House Plants](https://extension.psu.edu/propagating-houseplants) [Propagating Fruit Plants](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%20818_7.PDF) ![propagation container box](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/propagation-container-box.jpg "propagation container box")propagation container box **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Books, Container, Flowers, Seed --- ### [Tomatoes - Not Shipped from Burpee](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomatoes-not-shipped-from-burpee/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: My heart is broken! I ordered tomato plants from Burpee but they say they can not ship to Georgia because our state regulations don’t allow it. Where can I buy heirloom tomatoes?** A: Burpee can ship tomato plants to Georgia but they choose not to, because their organic growing methods conflict with Georgia Department of Agriculture regulations. Georgia requires that imported vegetable transplants be treated with insecticide to combat whiteflies. The rule was implemented in 2007 to protect Georgia’s $189 million tomato/pepper/eggplant crop from viruses that whiteflies spread. But why are you going out-of-state to buy tomato transplants? There are many local sources of heirloom and improved tomato plants. I’ve collected a list at [Georgia Heirloom Tomatoes](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/heirloom-tomatoes-sources/) **Here is the response from Burpee:** “Our growing operation does not use imidacloprid, thus Pennsylvania will not allow us to ship to Georgia because we can not meet the Georgia requirement. “We grow our plants as organically as possible, and we have other means to control whitefly, mainly by subjecting the plants to cooler temperatures (outside), in which whitefly will not populate. “Ideally, if Georgia could change their regulation to say that plants shipped in must be free of whitefly, then PA would allow us, because our plants are free from whitefly. We know this from inspections they make of our production. But for Georgia to specifically say imidacloprid must be used, that we can not meet, and PA will not allow us to ship. “We are very disappointed not to be able to ship our vegetable plants to Georgia. With the importance of growing plants with less chemicals, Georgia will need to take this into account in their regulations.” **This response from the Georgia Department of Agriculture** “Recently, numerous home gardeners have been disappointed when they attempted to purchase tomato and other vegetable transplants from an online seed company and were told shipments were prohibited to Georgia. We would like to clarify any misunderstanding concerning Georgia’s vegetable transplant regulations. Georgia’s vegetable industry is an important economic segment, valued at over $849 million in 2008 ([University of Georgia](https://caed.uga.edu/publications.html). Solanaceous vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant) alone are grown on over 12,000 acres and valued at nearly $186 million “In 2007, due to the discovery of new virus diseases on vegetables in Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas, the Georgia Department of Agriculture adopted regulations regarding the transport of vegetable transplants into the state. You can view these regulations on the [Georgia Secretary of State’s website](https://rules.sos.state.ga.us/gac/40-4-7#:~:text=Rule%2040%2D4%2D7%2D.,-08%20Penalties&text=Any%20person%20organization%20or%20business,or%20one%20year%20in%20jail.). The specific regulation chapter is 40-4-7. “These rules do not prohibit the movement of vegetable transplants into Georgia, even from states where these new virus diseases are known to occur. The rules do, however, require that vegetable transplants be grown under certain conditions and treated with an appropriate insecticide to control whiteflies and other sap feeding insects that transmit these diseases. It is a company’s decision whether or not to grow their transplants in the manner that meets our shipping requirements. No company or state is prohibited from shipping vegetable transplants into Georgia. “The intent of these rules was to protect our farmers and vegetable industry yet not cause undue hardship on transplant producers in other states. We attempted to include standard practices for the commercial production of vegetable transplants in our rules in order to minimize shipping disruptions. Many people enjoy the taste of fresh backyard grown tomatoes and we at the Georgia Department of Agriculture encourage gardening. We also want to ensure that our backyard gardeners and commercial farmers face as few insect and disease problems as possible when growing their crops. **Specific Georgia regulation:** For the purposes of this Rule, “Vegetable Transplant” means any plant for planting, including but not limited to members of the Alliaceae family (leek, onion, etc.), Asteraceae family (lettuce), Brassicaceae family (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.), Cucurbitaceae family (cantaloupe, squash, watermelon, etc.), Malvaceae family (okra) and Solanaceae family (eggplant, pepper, tobacco, tomato etc.) where the fruit or vegetative part will be consumed for food. All States. All vegetable transplants moved into Georgia must be regularly inspected during the growing season and be certified free of the plant pests noted above by the PlantProtection Official of the state of origin. The last inspection must be made no more than three days prior to pulling or shipment. All vegetable transplants must have been treated during the growing season with appropriate Federal and Stated registered pesticides approved by the Plant Protection Official of the state of origin to control insect, bacterial and fungal plant pests. In addition all vegetable transplants must be treated with a Neonicotinoid class insecticide or other insecticide approved by the Commissioner according to label directions for control of whiteflies and other sap feeding insects. All vegetable transplants must be packed at the farm on which they were produced and labeled to show the name and address of the producer All vegetable transplants must be accompanied by Required Certification. Additional Restrictions for the states of Arizona, California, Florida and Texas, or any other state where cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus, cucurbit leaf crumple virus or squash leaf curl begomovirus are known to be established: Vegetable transplants must be free from viral pests listed in Section 40-4-7-.02 above. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Disease, Onion, Peppers, Pesticide, Pests, Seed, Squash, Temperature, Tomatoes, Watermelon --- ### [Vegetables- Growing Season](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/vegetables-growing-season/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I moved here from northern Ohio. Could you tell me the growing season for vegetables in the Atlanta area? I am interested in tomatoes, carrots, onions and melons.** A: If we define the growing season as the number of days between last and first frost, then it varies from 190 days in Blairsville in north Georgia to 290 days in Thomasville, near Florida. Atlanta averages 260 growing days each year. Vegetable take varying numbers of days to produce their fruit but you can easily have three harvests. Start with cool season crops like lettuce and carrots in spring, follow with tomatoes, corn and melons in summer and end with onions and turnip greens in fall. I have a list of good Georgia gardening factsheets at [UGA Vegetable Gardening Publications](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/uga-vegetable-gardening-publications/) **Categories:** Vegetables, Food Gardening **Tags:** Fall, Onion, Spring, Summer, Tomatoes --- ### [Gardening- Clubs](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/gardening-clubs/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I love to garden and will be making a huge garden this spring. I want to grow mango, pomegranate and other exotic fruit trees. I might be getting a greenhouse this fall to care for the heat loving plants. I am interested in joining a garden club in my area and thought you might know of one.** A: I love gardening enthusiasm! You need to join the intrepid band of gardeners known as the North American Fruit Explorers. Their organization has a southern sub-group called the Southern Fruit Fellowship ([www.nafex.org/sff.htm](https://southernfruitfellowship.wordpress.com/about/)). In addition, the California Rare Fruit Growers group ([www.crfg.org](www.crfg.org)) has a great series of factsheets on tropical fruits. You should also attend a meeting of the Georgia Perennial Plant Association ([www.georgiaperennial.org](www.georgiaperennial.org)) and ask about local garden clubs. Different groups have different agendas and the folks at GPPA can help guide you to a convivial group of friends. **Categories:** Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Fall, Greenhouse, Spring --- ### [Buffalonut - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/buffalo-nut-identified/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Could you please tell me what these are? I found them on a walk in the North Georgia mountains and was wondering if they were poisonous to feed to a squirrel.** A: [Shannon Pable](http://www.shannonpable.com), expert on all plants native, says they are the fruit of buffalo-nut, *Pyrularia pubera*. It’s actually a parasitic plant. It grows on the roots of other trees & shrubs. Yes, it’s poisonous and considered toxic if eaten in large quantities. Raymond K. says he identified the shrub in Fannin County: “It’s in the family *Santalaceae*, or sandalwood family. I had to go through several keys to ID it. Information says it exists as far south as Pine Mountain (where I grew up). The nut itself is somewhat pear shaped, about 4 cm long and has three small knobs at the bottom.” [Buffalonut – UGA](https://www.warnell.uga.edu/outreach/publications/individual/buffalonut-%E2%80%94-pyrularia-pubera-tree-root-parasite) [Buffalo Nut](http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/pypu.html) [Buffalo Nut – North Carolina](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pyrularia-pubera/) [How buffalo nut got its name](http://www.urbanforestrysouth.org/resources/library/tree-root-parasite-buffalo-nut) ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/buffalonut.jpg) ![buffalonut](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/buffalonut-1.jpg "buffalonut 1")buffalonut ![buffalonut](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/buffalonut-2.jpg "buffalonut 2")buffalonut **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Pine, Poison, Poisonous --- ### [Grape - Recommended Varieties](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/grape-recommended-varieties/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: What grapes varieties would you recommend growing in the Atlanta area for eating, jellies, and jams? Also, where can they be purchased?** A: There are two types of grapes from which to choose: muscadines and bunch grapes. Muscadines are native and rarely have pest problems in this part of Georgia. Their sweet juice and pulp is a September treat for many Southern gardeners. Unfortunately, their thick skin precludes grabbing a bunch and munching away. You have to take a moment to spit out the skin before swallowing the juice. *Carlos*, *Fry* and *Triumph* are among the best muscadines. Some varieties of bunch grapes can also do well in Georgia. In the northern third of the state, *Fredonia*, *Delaware* and ‘Niagra’ are good choices. I always recommend you go to your local nursery first when looking for fruit plants, as long as you trust their plant quality and accuracy of variety names. If they can’t help you, see this link: [Fruit Sources](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-trees-sources/) Be aware that some nurseries only ship their plants in winter and early spring. You might have to pick up your grape vines directly if you want to plant them at this time of year. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Spring, Winter --- ### [Termiticide - Absorbed by Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/termiticide-absorbed-by-plants/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I had my house treated for termites six months ago. They dug a trench around the base of my house and poured in a chemical. They warned me not to plant anything I plan to eat within fifteen feet of the house as the chemical used attracts plant roots and is poisonous. Since this time, wild strawberries have sprouted and are growing along the base of the house. I know not to eat this fruit, however what happens to the animals that may eat these strawberries?** A: According to Dr. Dan Suiter, an expert on structural pests at the University of Georgia, the insecticides used for termites are not very “systemic” (absorbed by plants). By their very nature, termiticides are designed to stay in one spot and to degrade very slowly. If they were systemic, nearby shrubbery would absorb them and render your termite barrier useless. I think the termite company was just trying to protect themselves by warning you not to plant nearby. The animals that eat the strawberries are safe. This is a good time, though, to point out that your real job regarding your chemical termite barrier is to prevent damage to it over the years. Nothing should be planted within eighteen inches of the house foundation. If a shrub must be removed, sever its roots at the eighteen inch line and do not disturb the soil lying closer to the house. No mulch, of course, should be closer to the foundation than eighteen inches. One day, if you do decide to grow edible plants near your house, Dr. Suiter says planting them five feet or more away from the house should be a safe distance. **Categories:** Tools & Chemicals, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Mulch, Pests, Poison, Poisonous, Soil, Termites --- ### [Hazlenut, Pistachio - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/hazlenut-pistachio-growing/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I would like to plant a couple of hazelnut trees. Do you know if I can get them locally Q: Can I grow pistachio trees in this part of Georgia?** A: With the many acres of pecans growing in Georgia, it’s natural to think that other nuts could prosper here. Unfortunately, neither pistachio nor hazelnut grow here very well. As you might suspect, our summer heat and humidity are the limiting factors for both. My colleague Dr. Mark Rieger is a Professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia, where he teaches courses on fruit and nut production. He mentions that although hazelnuts don’t grow very well in Georgia, American filbert (*Corylus americana*) is a reasonable facsimile. If local nurseries can’t order the uncommon nut trees for you, try [Stark Brothers Nursery](http://www.starkbros.com) or [Edible Landscaping](http://www.eat-it.com/). **Categories:** Nuts, Food Gardening **Tags:** Summer --- ### [Pepper - Purple](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pepper-purple/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I recently purchased an attractive plant from a hardware store. The clerk knew nothing more than that it was a pepper. It has dark green leaves, purple flowers and purple fruit. I’ve tried to research it on the Internet and think it is a Tepin pepper, reputed to be the hottest in the world. What do you know about purple peppers?** A: As a child, I was scarred for life when I took a bite of dried jalapeno pepper. I distinctly remember running to a nearby metal cabinet and licking it frantically to get the fiery taste out of my mouth. Your question, though, caused me to venture into my garden to do a taste test. I’d planted a purple-leaved ornamental pepper this spring because it caught my eye in a garden center. Believing it to be similar to yours, I took a small bite of the fruit. It was hot…but not so hot that my dentures melted. Since your plant has green leaves, not purple, I think it is the ‘NuMex Centennial’ variety. This was one of the first ornamental/edible chili peppers released by New Mexico State University. If purple, red and yellow fruit are on the fruit at the same time it could be the ‘NuMex Twilight’ variety. My purple-leaved pepper, on the other hand, is probably the ‘Pretty Purple’ variety. The fruit originates purple but changes to red when it is mature. ‘Tepin’ pepper is indeed very hot but the plant is so sprawling it’s unlikely to be found at a nursery. With pepper-type plants it is good to ask before you eat. Dr. Wayne McLaurin, a University of Georgia vegetable specialist who never saw a hot pepper he didn’t like, points out that if a pepper is pointed it is probably edible. Marble-shaped, multi-colored fruit however might be those of Jerusalem cherry, which is poisonous. **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Cherry, Flowers, Peppers, Poison, Poisonous, Spring --- ### [Pomegranate - Growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pomegranate-growing/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I’ve heard wonderful things about the anti-oxidants in pomegranate juice. It tastes wonderful but is expensive. Is it a tree or a bush? Can I grow one here?** A: Pomegranates grow fine in the lower two-thirds of Georgia. The multi-stemmed bush is adorned with attractive, tubular orange flowers in May. These are followed by the globular, leathery fruit you enjoy. You can get about a half cup of juice from a single fruit. The problem, though, will be extracting the refreshing liquid. One method is to open the fruit in a big bowl of water and separate the juice-filled “seed” from the skin and membranes of the pomegranate. The juicy parts sink to the bottom; you can skim off the bitter skins and white membranes, which float. Collect the seed from the emptied bowl and put them into a Foley food mill. My mother called this tool a “ricer” when we made apple sauce on the farm. Turn the handle of the mill to separate the juice from pulp. Strain through cheesecloth and enjoy! **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Flowers, Seed --- ### [Coconut Tree- Variety](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/coconut-tree-variety/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: Can you tell me what variety of coconut tree might grow well and produce fruit in Georgia?** A: Your dream of a backyard supply of pina colada ingredients will be unfulfilled. Coconut palms are heavily damaged when temperatures drop below freezing. Coconut palms are grown from Miami southward for their tropical look and for their fruit. If you have a south-facing wall you might be able to grow bananas and occasionally harvest their fruit. Then you can invite all of your friends over for banana daquiris! **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping **Tags:** Temperature --- ### [Boron - For Watermelons](https://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/boron-for-watermelons/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have read that I can spray boron on my watermelon plants to improve pollination and fruit set. Do you know where I can purchase some water soluble boron here in Georgia?** A: Lack of boron can contribute to poor fruit set but lack of honeybees can mimic the same problem. If you are sure you have enough pollinators, mix a tablespoon of 20 Mule Team Borax in a quart of water and dribble it on the ground along a 100 ft. row. You are welcome to experiment with foliar application but remember that boron toxicity could result. Do NOT apply more boron than I’ve recommended. This chemical is hard to get out of the soil once applied. Remember that borax and boric acid are not the same chemical. Borax is Na2B4O7-10H2O, Hydrated sodium borate Boric acid is H3BO3 **Categories:** Fruits, Food Gardening **Tags:** Soil, Watermelon --- ### [Pansy - Nitrate Nitrogen](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pansy-nitrate-nitrogen/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I want to revisit the continuing saga of how to fertilize pansies in the winter. You have written and mentioned on the radio that pansies should be fertilized with any product that has a moderate concentration of “nitrate” nitrogen. I have seen a product called “Nitrate of Soda” at my local garden center. Would this be the best fertilizer for pansies?** A: You’re correct that I have recommended nitrate nitrogen for pansies in the winter. In cold soil conditions, pansies are able to use nitrate more easily than other sources of nitrogen. But I don’t mean to imply that pansies will die if they don’t get nitrate – only that “nitrate” nitrogen makes more sense in the winter. Let’s face it: you can survive on raw fruits, grains and vegetables – but they are much easier to digest if they are cooked first. The same analogy applies to fertilizing pansies with non-nitrate fertilizer versus using nitrate fertilizer. Now for your question about nitrate of soda. I posed it to two horticulturists at the University of Georgia, Dr. Paul Thomas and Dr. Tim Smalley. They replied thusly: “It all depends on your soil.” You see, the chemical in this fertilizer is sodium nitrate. The nitrate is good for plants – but the sodium is bad for your soil, particularly if it has lots of clay. Once a plant has taken up the nitrate part of the molecule, lots of spare sodium is left in the soil. The sodium ions make clay particles pack tightly together – just the opposite of what you want to happen in your garden. On the other hand, if your soil is mostly composed of compost and sand the sodium is unlikely to make much difference. In this case you could use the sodium nitrate at a rate of six tenths of a pound per 100 square feet of pansy bed. The good news is that fertilizer manufacturers have sensed the need for a special nitrate-containing pansy fertilizer; it should be available at most nurseries. **Categories:** Outdoor Flowers & Foliage, Landscaping **Tags:** Compost, Fertilizer, Soil, Winter --- ### [Wood Rot - At Base of Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/wood-rot-at-base-of-tree/) **Published:** July 9, 2010 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I have a number of trees in my wood lot that have various mushrooms and rots coming out of them.** Is there any way to cure this? A: Dozens of fungi attack hardwood and conifer trees in Georgia. When the fungi are “happy”, they send out a fruiting body – which is what you see attached to the trunk and root base. IPM Specialist Holly Thornton has written an excellent overview of various wood rots and what you can do to prevent them. [Wood Rots](http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/pdf/woodrot.pdf) **Categories:** Ornamental Trees, Landscaping, General Garden Info **Tags:** Mushrooms --- ## Pages ### [Home](https://www.walterreeves.com/) **Published:** November 18, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves --- ### [Name That Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/) **Published:** January 31, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves --- ### [Walter Reeves Biography](https://www.walterreeves.com/walter-reeves-biography/) **Published:** January 31, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** ![Walter Reeves](http://www.walterreeves.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/walter_possum_m.jpg) Garden expert, writer, radio and television host Walter Reeves grew up on a small Georgia farm in Fayette County, where his family raised chickens and cows. Walter and his four younger siblings were all expected to tend a large garden for family sustenance. After eighteen years of farm life, he swore that if delivered from tending animals and plants, he would never garden again. Yet, for a guy who longed to see the family farm recede in the rearview mirror as he headed to college, Walter admits that the unrelenting lure of gardening was stronger than he ever anticipated! Oddly enough, Walter is now the most respected garden guru in the Southeast and the author or co-author of nine [books](http://www.walterreeves.com/about/books/) on gardening. Some describe him as the Flatfoot of Flora, the Gumshoe of Garlic, the Sleuth of Sassafras, the Bloodhound of Botany, and the Sherlock of Shrubbery. For 26 years, Reeves hosted “[The Lawn and Garden Show with Walter Reeves](http://www.walterreeves.com/wordpress/about/appearances/)” Saturday mornings on Atlanta’s WSB radio. It was one of the most listened-to radio shows in Atlanta among all 30 competing stations each weekend. He also writes a weekly column for the Thursday [Atlanta Journal-Constitution](http://www.ajchomefinder.com/gardening/). Walter hosted “[Your Southern Garden](http://www.yoursoutherngarden.com/)” on Georgia Public Television for 10 years. Walter is a strong supporter of the [4-H and Cooperative Extension](http://extension.uga.edu/) organization in Georgia. He was a 4-H camp counselor, a 4-H adult leader and is a Master 4-H’er. He claims that the skill to do a five minute 4-H talk that he learned in fifth grade is the basis of his entire career. He was for many years a member of the board of directors of [Southface](http://www.southface.org/), the Atlanta-based sustainability organization. Besides being the authority on gardening in the South, Walter is also the father of Grey, the world’s best 32-year- old(?!) peripatetic son. --- ### [Gardening Links](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-links/) **Published:** April 11, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** ### ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/kyle-ellefson-Y6T1a4gU4ss-unsplash.jpg) ### **University of Georgia Sites** Download dozens of publications having the latest research-based information for Georgia gardeners. **[Find Your County Extension Office](http://extension.uga.edu/about/county/index.cfm)** **[UGA Extension Horticulture Brochures](http://extension.uga.edu/publications/subject.cfm?name=horticulture&show=departments)** [**UGA Lawn Information**](http://www.georgiaturf.com/) [**UGA Lawn Weed Information** ](http://commodities.caes.uga.edu/turfgrass/georgiaturf/PestMngt/index.html) [**Georgia Environmental Conditions**](http://www.georgiaweather.net/) Check soil and air temperatures plus rainfall amounts at sites throughout Georgia. A great site to help you decide when to plant. ### **Other State Extension Information** [**North Carolina Consumer Horticulture Information**](http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/) [**South Carolina Home Garden Information**](http://hgic.clemson.edu/) [**Nationwide Extension Fact Sheets**](http://plantfacts.osu.edu/web/) Extension Service fact sheets from across the country. Search on any horticultural subject you can imagine! Narrow your search to states in the Southeast for information that is likely to be most accurate for Georgia conditions. ### **Insect, Plant and Soil Links** **[DavesGarden Plant Files](http://davesgarden.com/pf/)** A searchable database of thousands of plants, with comments by gardeners who have grown them. Invaluable for pictures of plants in their normal habitat. [**Iowa State Insect Image Gallery**](http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegallery/) Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! [**FloriData Plant Encyclopedia**](http://www.floridata.com/) A fine compilation of plants you might consider for your garden. [**eNature.com**](http://www.enature.com/) Excellent field guides for identification of insects, trees, snakes, mushrooms, etc. [**Botany.com**](http://www.botany.com/) Thousands of plants – from Azalea to Zinnia **[Vegetables (and their problems) on the Internet](http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/vegetable.html)** Dozens of good links to information about every plant (and their associated pests and diseases) you might want to grow in your garden. [**Soil Conditions**](http://www.georgiaweather.net/) Check soil temperatures in your area. Photo by [Kyle Ellefson](https://unsplash.com/@kylellefson?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/gardening?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) --- ### [Contact Walter Reeves](https://www.walterreeves.com/contact-walter-reeves/) **Published:** April 11, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** My e-mail address is: **ge\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*@\*\*\*oo.com** Sometimes there are more questions than I can handle in a timely manner. Please include the county where you live so I’ll have an idea of what part of the state you’re in. You can double your chances of getting an answer by sending your question to your local University of Georgia Extension office. [Click to find Extension offices](http://extension.uga.edu/about/county/index.cfm) You can also contact your own local Extension office in Georgia by calling**: 1-800-ASKUGA-1** (800-275-8421) I like photographs! E-mail photos to me at the address above. I might use your photo to help educate other gardeners on what they have in their garden or landscape. For regular garden tips, [sign up for my free bi-weekly email newsletter](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/subscribing-to-walters-newsletter/), [follow me on Twitte](http://twitter.com/WalterReeves)r or “Like” my [Georgia Gardener page on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Gardener/316845926823). ![Walter Reeves](http://www.walterreeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/untitled-22-of-90-cropped-500x397.jpg "untitled (22 of 90) cropped") --- ### [Gardening Calendar](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/) **Published:** January 31, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves --- ### [Thank You!](https://www.walterreeves.com/thank-you/) **Published:** October 30, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Thank you for your purchase from WalterReeves.com! Your transaction is complete, and your book(s) should arrive shortly. You will receive a receipt for this transaction via email directly from PayPal. [Click here](http://www.walterreeves.com) to return to our home page. --- ### [Where’s Walter?](https://www.walterreeves.com/wheres-walter/) **Published:** February 4, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** ## Where’s Walter? Get a schedule of [Walter’s radio](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wheres-walter/#), [television](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wheres-walter/#) and [personal appearances](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wheres-walter/#), plus links to his other websites below. --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://www.walterreeves.com/privacy-policy/) **Published:** November 18, 2019 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Statement of copyright ownership** Walter Reeves / The Simple Gardener, Inc. (dba The Georgia Gardener) is the sole copyright owner for all original content that appears on this website, including the design of the site itself. The copyright for content posted by users of this website, including plant photos and associated commentary, remains the property of the original poster. **What information do we collect from users?** We collect information from you when you register on our site, place an order, subscribe to the newsletter, respond to a survey or fill out a form. When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your: name, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number or credit card information. You may, however, visit our site anonymously. Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site. Google’s use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to our users based on their visits to our site and other sites on the Internet. Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy. CCNOW is the authorized credit card processor for all books purchased via WalterReeves.com. **What do we use your information for?** Any of the information we collect from you may be used in one of the following ways: • To personalize your experience (your information helps us to better respond to your individual needs) • To improve our website (we continually strive to improve our website offerings based on the information and feedback we receive from you) • To improve customer service (your information helps us to more effectively respond to your customer service requests and support needs) • To process transactions > Your information, whether public or private, will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or given to any other company for any reason whatsoever, without your consent, other than for the express purpose of delivering the purchased product or service requested. • To administer a contest, promotion, survey or other site feature • To send periodic emails > The email address you provide for order processing, may be used to send you information and updates pertaining to your order, in addition to receiving occasional company news, updates, related product or service information, etc. Note: If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, we include detailed unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each email. **Do we use cookies?** Yes. Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfer to your computers hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enable the site or service provider systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information We use cookies to understand and save your preferences for future visits, to keep track of advertisements and to compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future. We may contract with third-party service providers to assist us in better understanding our site visitors. These service providers are not permitted to use the information collected on our behalf except to help us conduct and improve our business. **Do we disclose any information to outside parties?** We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, to enforce our site policies, or to protect our or other’s rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses. **Third party links** Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third party products or services on our website. These third party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites. **California Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance** Because we value your privacy we have taken the necessary precautions to be in compliance with the California Online Privacy Protection Act. We therefore will not distribute your personal information to outside parties without your consent. As part of the California Online Privacy Protection Act, all users of our site may make any changes to their information at anytime by logging into their control panel and going to the ‘Edit Profile’ page. **Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance** We are in compliance with the requirements of COPPA (Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act), we do not collect any information from anyone under 13 years of age. Our website, products and services are all directed to people who are at least 13 years old or older. **Online Privacy Policy Only** This online privacy policy applies only to information collected through our website and not to information collected offline. **Your Consent** By using our site, you consent to our web site privacy policy. **Changes to our Privacy Policy** If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on this page. --- ### [More Gardening Books](https://www.walterreeves.com/more-gardening-books/) **Published:** April 11, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** ![](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/pawel-czerwinski-BAiRfbt1HRE-unsplash.jpg) [**The Southern Living Garden Book**](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0848720172/walterreeves) edited by Steve Bender Clearly written and full of important information on how to garden in the South. Has an excellent descriptive list of landscape plants. **[Southern Living Garden Problem Solver](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/037603873X/walterreeves)** edited by Steve Bender If you garden, you’re gonna have problems occasionally. This book covers nearly all of the diseases, insects and other pests you might run into. **[Bulletproof Flowers for the South](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878332456/walterreeves)** by Jim Wilson Interested in growing flowers but don’t know where to start? You can’t go wrong with the cultural information and lists of easy-to-grow flowers included here. **[Garden Bulbs for the South](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878338616/walterreeves)** by Scott Ogden I never cease to be amazed at the amount of great information on Southern bulbs packed into this book. **[Gardening in the South With Don Hastings…](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878335226/walterreeves)** by Don Hastings From the dean of Southern gardeners comes a compendium of practical advice and illustrated garden tasks. **[The Essential Earthman](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0395957680/walterreeves)** by Henry Mitchell Sometimes you get tired of reading about plants. You want to know what an experienced gardener really FEELS about the task. Mitchell, for twenty five years a garden columnist for the Washington Post, died with dirt on his hands, helping a friend plant daffodils. This book collects his funniest and most observant writings. **[Earthly Pleasures : Tales from a Biologist’s Garden](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/155821321X/walterreeves)** by Roger Swain Naturalist, botanist, gardener and storyteller, Swain is the host of television’s “The Victory Garden”. His essays on the simple observations he made in his garden are wonderful to read. Don’t miss his description of how he and his wife met and were married. **[Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs : An Illustrated Encyclopedia](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0881924040/walterreeves)** by Dr. Michael Dirr Much more accessible for the amateur gardener than Dirr’s exhaustive “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants”. [**Manual of Woody Landscape Plants**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0875637957/ref=pd_sxp_elt_l1/002-7910030-1059239?n=283155) by Dr. Michael Dirr The Bible of woody plant information used by millions of landscapers and enthusiastic gardeners. If Mike has a comment about a plant, you can trust it. Contains not only plant culture information, but witty comments on his personal experiences with the plant. **[Armitage’s Garden Perennials : A Color Encyclopedia](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0881924350/walterreeves)** by Dr. Allan Armitage Easy to read and understand the descriptions of hundreds of garden perennials. [**Herbaceous Perennial Plants**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/087563723X/qid=1139408956/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/002-7910030-1059239?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by Dr. Allan Armitage [**Manual of Annuals, Biennials and Half-Hardy Perennials**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881925055/ref=pd_bxgy_text_b/002-7910030-1059239?_encoding=UTF8) by Dr. Allan Armitage Colleagues at the University of Georgia Horticulture department, Armitage and Mike Dirr have authored five of the most widely used references on landscape plants. All of them sit side by side on my reference shelf. **[Common-Sense Pest Control](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0942391632/walterreeves)** by Willaim Olkowski I like best their “sliding scale” of control options – from completely organic to explicitly chemical. The descriptions of insect and animal pest life cycles give great insight on whether a pest is truly a problem. **[Tulipomania : The Story of the World’s…](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/060980765X/walterreeves)** by Mike Dash Gives both an enjoyable read and great insight on the psychology behind the great Internet boom and bust of recent years. **[Sex in Your Garden](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555913350/walterreeves)** by Angela Overy (yup – that’s her name!) A fascinating primer on how plants propagate themselves. Guaranteed to start conversations at cocktail parties! **[People With Dirty Hands : The Passion for Gardening](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0156005158/walterreeves)** by Robin Chotzinoff I found this book delightful! Robin interviews ordinary people to find out why they garden. From “meditation”, to “food” to “finding the hottest pepper in the world!” this book illuminates why we like to be with plants. **[Legends in the Garden: Who in the World is Nellie Stevens?](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930897081/qid=1139409078/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7910030-1059239?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)** by Linda Copeland and Allan Armitage If you have ever wondered about the person for whom your landscape plants are named, this is a great collection of answers. Features Georgia’s Jane Bath (‘Bath’s Pink’ dianthus), Vince Dooley (‘Dooley’ hydrangea) and Jane Symmes (‘Symmes Select’ magnolia). Fascinating stories about ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea and, of course, ‘Nellie Stevens’ holly. Photo by [Paweł Czerwiński](https://unsplash.com/@pawel_czerwinski?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/bookshelf?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) --- ### [News](https://www.walterreeves.com/news/) **Published:** January 31, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves --- ## Plants ### [loganville-spring-1745778542](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-spring-1745778542/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** JJClower **Content:** About 18 inches tall. Volunteered in my Zina bed **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [johns-creek-winter-1734201621](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/johns-creek-winter-1734201621/) **Published:** December 20, 2024 **Author:** hydrangea57 **Content:** This is a leaf I cannot ID. It is from a tree and they are falling by the thousands now in Dec. Thank you! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [dunwoody-spring-1746296717](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-spring-1746296717/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** hydrangea57 **Content:** This is a weed in our centipede – **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [taylorsville-spring-1745351202](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/taylorsville-spring-1745351202/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** marksfam **Content:** What is this noxious weed that will be a solid carpet, close to knee-high very soon? And what the best way to control it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [canton-autumn-1729872157](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-autumn-1729872157/) **Published:** December 20, 2024 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** There are lots of these. It’s about 6 inches tall. Looks like seeds on the back of the leaves. It has quite an odor when disturbed. Grass weed spray did nothing. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-winter-1741959463](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1741959463/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** mike **Content:** House plant that is getting top heavy. Would like to know if a cutting can be rooted in either soil or water. Are there any other recommendations for success in rooting cuttings of this plant? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [atlanta-winter-1741959532](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1741959532/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** mike **Content:** House plant that is getting top heavy. Would like to know if a cutting can be rooted in either soil or water. Are there any other recommendations for success in rooting cuttings of this plant? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [palmetto-spring-1746019383](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/palmetto-spring-1746019383/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** S Banks **Content:** These are two different grasses I have noticed in my yard. Could you please identify them? Thank you very much!! **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [east-cobb-county-spring-1745342378](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/east-cobb-county-spring-1745342378/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** FSP **Content:** Leaves dropping from recently planted ‘Screen Play’ holly privacy border. Is this just leaf drop because they were recently transplanted or is it a fungus? Or what? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [decatur-spring-1747227780](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1747227780/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** lylia lucio **Content:** 1\. The one with orange Yellin flowers is a shrub. Full sun. Evergreen 2\. The one with a white yellow flower is an evergreen. It’s not honeysuckle but the flower looks like honeysuckle. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [savannah-spring-1744585617](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-spring-1744585617/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Edward Yeargers **Content:** These camellia leaves show bleaching, starting at the mid-rib. Eventually the whole leaf bleaches. Have had soil test, have fertilized, but no help. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [savannah-spring-1744586340](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-spring-1744586340/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Edward Yeargers **Content:** Bleaching of camellia leaves soon after they emerge in spring. Starts at midlle and grows. Soil was tested. Fertilized with camellia fertilizer. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [flowery-branch-spring-1743708933](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/flowery-branch-spring-1743708933/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Sybil Shaw **Content:** This is 1 variety of the Japanese Maple but I don't know which one. Trying to determine if it gross like a tree or a bush? Thank you **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [ellijay-winter-1738786455](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ellijay-winter-1738786455/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Richard Holt **Content:** Occasionally I see these under hardwood canopies… the tallest has been about waist high… ??? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [ellijay-winter-1738786511](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ellijay-winter-1738786511/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Richard Holt **Content:** Occasionally I see these under hardwood canopies… the tallest has been about waist high… ??? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [dunwoody-autumn-1728841486](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-autumn-1728841486/) **Published:** October 20, 2024 **Author:** Traci Teer **Content:** Sunny, summer perennial with tiny yellow flowers in August and September. Plant is dying back now, I think. It gives off small, brown sticky needles . Planted it last year and I cannot remember what it is! Purchased most likely at Growers Outlet. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [dublin-winter-1740419738](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dublin-winter-1740419738/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Gumpond **Content:** Growing on a slope that was covered in hardwoods just above the Oconee River flood plains. Have 2 color flowers. The one in the picture and yellow, not yellowish. Is trillium but what variety? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-winter-1742165406](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-winter-1742165406/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** ThomasPool@Comcast.net **Content:** I have a patch of this weedy grass growing in my Zoysia. I noticed the patch last summer and now, The patch is about 2 feet "circle". It is a little bluer-green than the Meyer Zoysia. It is easy to pull, but doesn't appear to get all the ryzones, so it comes back. Is there a selective herbicide for it in Meyer Zoysia? How can I control it? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [byron-spring-1746369365](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/byron-spring-1746369365/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** LadyjavandaB **Content:** New Everbearing Strawberry in container **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [lithia-springs-spring-1747244017](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lithia-springs-spring-1747244017/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Vexayshah **Content:** Very fragrant, small bush, **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [dunwoody-spring-1747396613](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-spring-1747396613/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** hydrangea57 **Content:** This weed is in our centipede grass **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [conyers-spring-1747338386](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/conyers-spring-1747338386/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Kerri D **Content:** Strange cocoon on my small Nuttall Oak. Was wondering if this was a pest that needed squashing. I’ve had destructive caterpillars in the past and just discovered leaf beetles on it today along with the mysterious cocoon. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [waynesvile-summer-1747317664](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/waynesvile-summer-1747317664/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** laughingsoul **Content:** Tall slender stalk with skinny pointed leaves. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [pittsburgh-spring-1748028252](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/pittsburgh-spring-1748028252/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Mellynelly **Content:** I found this growing across my drive in a field. Unattended for who knows how long so that's why I put a shrub but I'm wondering if it's an overgrown shrub or if it's a tree. I personally have never seen one like it and it's truly exquisite the blossoms are amazing and I do not know what it is I would like more information. it's approximately 5 ft **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [palmettog-autumn-1763310395](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/palmettog-autumn-1763310395/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** S Banks **Content:** This pond plant showed up in my 6 x 10-foot pond. I did not plant it. It has spread by long runners and is covering a large portion of my pond. Can you please identify this plant for me. Thanks so much. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1762974764](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1762974764/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Nancy Zeder **Content:** I know it’s a maple. It appears to have grown crooked with the main trunk growing out to the left instead of straight up. It looks as if it is going to eventually uproot itself & fall over once the main trunk gets larger. Can this tree be saved or should I cut it down & get another? What kind of maple is it? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [holbrook-autumn-1763241947](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/holbrook-autumn-1763241947/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Mary Donohue **Content:** Would love an ID on the Fuschia flower: is it celosia? Plant was from a purchased 2024 mixed flower pot. I saved seed heads and planted 2025 in this pot with a pink geranium. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [hoschton-summer-1757876549](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hoschton-summer-1757876549/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** dean1950 **Content:** Dark Green, Jungle looking plant **Plants Categories:** Houseplants, Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [suwanee-spring-1748458270](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-spring-1748458270/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** dkhorton **Content:** These are popping up in our yard and even the woodsy area by our driveway. We "think" it's bird seed that's sprouted but we never had this problem before. BUT we buy the 'no mess' birdseed and it's not supposed to sprout. Corn? We started putting that out this year. We thought that field corn wasn't supposed to sprout either. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [alpharetta-spring-1748995950](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-spring-1748995950/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Krjohnston **Content:** Just trying to figure out which variety of Japanese maple this is to ensure it's not too close to the house. When it gets leaves in early spring they are light green and slowly change to red/maroon. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [carrollton-spring-1749662321](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/carrollton-spring-1749662321/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** bcakes421@aol.com **Content:** Dark Green Thorny Bush **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1757357979](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1757357979/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** MarshaK **Content:** We planted these ferns about a month ago. A few of them are doing well, why are the others dying? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants, Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [buffalo-summer-1751676115](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buffalo-summer-1751676115/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** summerbreeze **Content:** Hi my garden has a new climbing plant with purple flowers and green color pea size fruits or seeds, do you know the name of this plant ? thanks **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [covington-summer-1754017976](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/covington-summer-1754017976/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Vamcbride **Content:** I saw this tree growing and thought it was a pecan tree, but I'm not quite sure. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [gainesville-summer-1754492098](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-summer-1754492098/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Bice **Content:** My question is not regarding identification; I am desperate to find out why my Calla Lily blooms are not fully opening or turning white. The foliage is lush and green and appears to be very healthy, but the trumpet blooms remain green and do not open? The beautiful white bloom is a picture of what they are supposed to look like? Thanks in advance! **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [barnesville-spring-1756654266](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/barnesville-spring-1756654266/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** sfairchild257 **Content:** Want to know what this is and can we plant it now in the fall. Thank you. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants, Shrubs --- ### [rutland-summer-1757520734](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rutland-summer-1757520734/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** bvanrent **Content:** I planted Long Island Cheese pumpkins for several years from the same seed packet as this “pumpkin.” This obviously is not one of those. Could this be the result of cross-pollination with a nearby (within 10 feet) zucchini plant? All guesses welcome! **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [mumford-autumn-1757950026](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mumford-autumn-1757950026/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** dquinlan@live.com **Content:** Is this an edible squash? Flowers are yellow with 5 points. The leaves are large with many long vines. The baby plant is starts out yellow with a green spot where the flower is. I also saw one that looked like a round green ball. Mature plants are mostly yellow/ golden yellow with the green spot on the bottom. Mysteriously appeared in a garden bed **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables, Houseplants --- ### [lawrenceville-autumn-1758900360](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-autumn-1758900360/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Melliekay **Content:** Very prolific. Can be 4' tall. Currently no blooms. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants, Weeds --- ### [fayetteville-autumn-1762365259](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-autumn-1762365259/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Zinniabug **Content:** Hello…Someone gave me pieces of this beautiful flower, but she didn't know the name of it. It has tiny black seeds. It stands about two feet tall. She said that it's a perennial. Please help identify it for me. Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [decatur-summer-1727226910](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-summer-1727226910/) **Published:** September 29, 2024 **Author:** john01 **Content:** This plant with interesting leaves turned up while raking leaves last week. What on earth could it be? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [bucyrus-summer-1727055594](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bucyrus-summer-1727055594/) **Published:** September 29, 2024 **Author:** Jake12 **Content:** Did not have a garlicky smell or taste so I assure it is not a truffle (at least a mature truffle). Found buried in dirt of my garden. Evidently one of the many underground fruiting fungi. (This is just a follow up to my previous submission) . I do not really expect an exact identification. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [fayetteville-spring-1727608126](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-spring-1727608126/) **Published:** September 29, 2024 **Author:** Growing Out The Box **Content:** There are several of us growing this lemon tree in Georgia zone 8A but no one seems to know the name of the lemon tree. Searching the internet I noticed the leaves on a citrus tree you posted looks very similar. Hoping you can help identify because these citrus trees have survived 7 degrees in my area. Thank, Keith **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [chamblee-summer-1725059146](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/chamblee-summer-1725059146/) **Published:** September 6, 2024 **Author:** john01 **Content:** This white-flowered plant appeared on the side of the house this summer. A neighbor called it devil's trumpet and said it was very poisonous. What we read on this site seems ambivalent. Is there a case for keeping this plant or is eradication the obvious priority? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [blairsville-summer-1725298067](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blairsville-summer-1725298067/) **Published:** September 6, 2024 **Author:** Graydublim **Content:** These are photos of my lawn weeds that I submitted back in July. Laura requested better photos and background for identification. I'm thinking they're some kind of torpedo grass? Thanks **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [bucyrus-summer-1725294092](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bucyrus-summer-1725294092/) **Published:** September 6, 2024 **Author:** Jake12 **Content:** The two small tubers in the upper left and in hand. I dug these up in the row of my Adirondack Blue potato row. Area was weed free but potatoes were planted where I had grown gladiolus and cypress vine last year. Does not look like even a deformed gladiolus bulb and I ‘m not sure if cypress vines have a tuber. Both the ornamental plants over wint **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [bucyrus-summer-1725294858](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bucyrus-summer-1725294858/) **Published:** September 6, 2024 **Author:** Jake12 **Content:** Cute miniature watermelon-like. Growing on a climbing vine. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [cumming-summer-1724166121](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1724166121/) **Published:** August 22, 2024 **Author:** Jill Jones **Content:** These are 7 yr old blueberry bushes. The tops seems to be dying back and we got very little production this year. They were doing very well until now. We had a hot summer with little rain but we irrigated the garden as suggested by the county extension service. Is there anything we can do to help these thrive or is it a disease? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [maysville-summer-1723461676](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/maysville-summer-1723461676/) **Published:** August 12, 2024 **Author:** janelle@janellebenson.com **Content:** Not sure what it is. Picture It app has given me 3 different answers **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [powder-springs-summer-1722030962](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/powder-springs-summer-1722030962/) **Published:** August 5, 2024 **Author:** sdjohnson72 **Content:** I think I have a red maple tree but the tree looks to turning colors prematurely. It gets sun all day. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [canton-summer-1720648866](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1720648866/) **Published:** July 20, 2024 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** This is a medium sized evergreen. It suddenly looks like this. Another not close to it has done the same. Azaleas also look somewhat the same. I don't see any bugs on it **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [canton-summer-1721503440](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1721503440/) **Published:** July 20, 2024 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** Maybe boxwood. Leaves turned beige/brown. They feel dry. I don't see any bugs or anything on the leaves. The plant is 28 yrs old. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [richmond-hill-summer-1720630853](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-summer-1720630853/) **Published:** July 20, 2024 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Tiny flowers bunched like a ball. Butterfly type bush **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [richmond-hill-summer-1720633050](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-summer-1720633050/) **Published:** July 20, 2024 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Perennial Hibiscus. Pink fluffy petals with deep burgundy center. Loved by butterflies and Hummingbirds. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [richmond-hill-summer-1720929333](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-summer-1720929333/) **Published:** July 20, 2024 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Tiny pink blooms in a round shape. Butterflies love it. Leaves have a medicinal scent.Looks like a Saxifrage. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [blairsville-summer-1721059504](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blairsville-summer-1721059504/) **Published:** July 20, 2024 **Author:** Graydublim **Content:** This weed grows (read: likes to choke out) in patches in my fescue lawn. It is easy to uproot and random. Is there anything to control it or should I just hike up my uprooting pants and get after it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [boise-summer-1720550484](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/boise-summer-1720550484/) **Published:** July 20, 2024 **Author:** ccryan403 **Content:** Tall and bright colored **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [conyers-summer-1719166502](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/conyers-summer-1719166502/) **Published:** June 27, 2024 **Author:** Kerri D **Content:** Been struggling with something defoliating my young trees. First it was a weeping Cherry and now my Moonrise Japanese Maple. I put diatomaceous earth on the leaves yesterday afternoon only to find even more leaves gone this morning. Upon close inspection I see this worm munching away. Another small one in the pot. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [lexington-summer-1719410252](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lexington-summer-1719410252/) **Published:** June 27, 2024 **Author:** rghines1 **Content:** Grows close to the ground from a central stalk, fibrous root, spreads out evenly in a 6-inch circle, has tiny white 4 petal flowers. Dime in photo for scale. Thanks, Richard **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [ranger-spring-1718276348](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ranger-spring-1718276348/) **Published:** June 27, 2024 **Author:** NW GEORGIA GIRL **Content:** In or back yard had green berries now turned red. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [canton-spring-1717627019](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-spring-1717627019/) **Published:** June 27, 2024 **Author:** Yahowah33 **Content:** Big green leaves **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lexington-spring-1712747886](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lexington-spring-1712747886/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** 305WGSGG **Content:** Purchased a container of mixed plants at a plant sale and this flower has emerged. I think it’s a dahlia but am surprised that it would have been planted in this container. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [grayson-spring-1713383636](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-spring-1713383636/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Julie **Content:** Small tree volunteer. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [grayson-spring-1713383810](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-spring-1713383810/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Julie **Content:** Small tree volunteer. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [grayson-spring-1713383923](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-spring-1713383923/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Julie **Content:** Small tree need ID **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [grayson-spring-1713384019](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-spring-1713384019/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Julie **Content:** Need ID **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [grayson-spring-1713384129](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-spring-1713384129/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Julie **Content:** Need ID **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [graysom-spring-1713384224](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/graysom-spring-1713384224/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Julie **Content:** Need ID reminds me of a crepe Myrtle. It volunteered. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [hayesville-spring-1715693983](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hayesville-spring-1715693983/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** john makar **Content:** thorny, multi stemmed small tree? or large shrub. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [savannah-spring-1713969842](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-spring-1713969842/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Tgary **Content:** Received as a gift, no information on how to care for it. Leaves are very stiff and rather rubbery. Reminds me of some sort of succulent. Likely purchased at the neighborhood grocery store. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [woodstock-spring-1714496153](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-spring-1714496153/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Dawson **Content:** The leaves on my 3-year-old Japanese Maple suddenly started to wilt. All of the leaves are now wilted. The tree is in full all-day sun. So far this year, it has only received rainwater and the soil is sufficiently moist. It was well-fertilized last fall. What could have caused this and how can it be treated? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [north-st-paul-summer-1714081943](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/north-st-paul-summer-1714081943/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** KEC@GWK **Content:** There were lots of these plants around the lake @ Casey Lake Park (2100 County Road C E, North St Paul, MN 55109) in early August 2023. The "seed pods" seem to start out green but turn rather purple-ish. Very bulbous! Thank you for your assistance. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [greensboro-spring-1712144798](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-spring-1712144798/) **Published:** April 7, 2024 **Author:** 305WGSGG **Content:** This plant appeared in my yard several years ago and is slowly getting larger in circumference. I think that it is ginger of some type. The little brown things (flowers?) in the center have now become new leaves since the picture was taken a week ago. Is it ginger and can it be divided? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [richmond-hill-spring-1712252103](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-spring-1712252103/) **Published:** April 7, 2024 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Looks like a wild Huechera. Bears a spike of purple flowers. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [gainesville-spring-1712022133](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-spring-1712022133/) **Published:** April 7, 2024 **Author:** Mike Philips **Content:** St Augustine lawn. Cannot identify this weed that we have been battling for years. Weed seems to have a deep rizome and pulling it up is the most effective. Have used Crew(tm) ISOXABEN/DITHIOPYR with some success as pre-emergent and Celsius ™ in POST. Really never gets killed out. What is this plant? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [starkville-spring-1711795643](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/starkville-spring-1711795643/) **Published:** April 7, 2024 **Author:** BellRinger **Content:** Bulb plant. Blades about an inch and a quarter wide and rounded on ends. No flower stem so far this Spring. Just bought the old house and have lots of surprises in the flower beds this Spring. Thanks in advance for the help. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [gainesville-spring-1712334752](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-spring-1712334752/) **Published:** April 7, 2024 **Author:** Mike Philips **Content:** Can you help me identify this unwelcome and persistent weed in my St Augustine lawn. Weed grows and produces seed on horizontal stalks before the St Augustine greens-up. Some PRE effectiveness from Isozaben/Dithiopyr – Crew(tm). Basically pulling up is the most effective. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [covington-spring-1710801917](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/covington-spring-1710801917/) **Published:** March 18, 2024 **Author:** Deborah Dobbs **Content:** This tall plant with white flowers is located in the city limits of Covington, GA in a wooded area across the street from some residential houses. The clusters of white blossoms stood out against the trees and bushes. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-winter-1709121647](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-winter-1709121647/) **Published:** March 4, 2024 **Author:** Jimh1 **Content:** Blooms year round in pot always kept outside . **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-winter-1709515056](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1709515056/) **Published:** March 4, 2024 **Author:** ladyvibe **Content:** Hedges in front yard, about 3.5 feet high. One died and I need to replace it **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-winter-1708221540](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1708221540/) **Published:** February 25, 2024 **Author:** john01 **Content:** What is this 5′ high shrub with variegated leaves and what steps are recommended after severe frost killed many of the branches? Do you think it could be cut to ground and re-grown or it is best to remove it entirely and replant with a new one? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [conyers-winter-1707855794](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/conyers-winter-1707855794/) **Published:** February 25, 2024 **Author:** KEC@GWK **Content:** Plant is the dark green one in the middle of the photograph with four long pointy leaves, more emerging from center. Has big yet shallow root system extending away from plant (once you start pulling) and there are lots popping up and spreading through the yard. Gardener thinks it may be poisonous due to rash that developed after pulling some. TY! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [blairsville-winter-1708267805](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blairsville-winter-1708267805/) **Published:** February 25, 2024 **Author:** Graydublim **Content:** Evergreen groundcover in one isolated area 1900 ft elevation north exposure clay bank, very healthy, no flower or seed pods evident, runners noted. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [tunis-winter-1705514889](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tunis-winter-1705514889/) **Published:** January 30, 2024 **Author:** Sana Saadaoui **Content:** Any idea what this plant is? Could it be a weed? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [sanford-winter-1706196561](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sanford-winter-1706196561/) **Published:** January 30, 2024 **Author:** KittinSamantha **Content:** It’s black, shiny, bumpy, stem and cap, small, seen at night, some kind of fungi **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [wilmingtonn-winter-1705430291](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wilmingtonn-winter-1705430291/) **Published:** January 30, 2024 **Author:** AHilgert **Content:** I am trying to match the correct type of Loropetalum. Any idea what cultivar this could be? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [norco-winter-1701053130](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norco-winter-1701053130/) **Published:** November 29, 2023 **Author:** sirensmyst **Content:** Long serrated leaves, 6″-7″ Bunched at the end of the branch with gold berries in the middle Drop when they are greenish….about 1/2″ to 3/4″ diameter If you look closely you can see a few berries still My puppy is hunting for them and eating them. I cant find information on the toxicity. Anyone recognize it? Help? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1697673157](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1697673157/) **Published:** October 18, 2023 **Author:** Diana **Content:** Ornamental gras. Would love to know the variety so can find and purchase. It is about 18-24 inches tall and wide. Inflorescents are maybe another 12 inches higher and curl. No variegation on the grass. **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [marietta-autumn-1697649825](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-autumn-1697649825/) **Published:** October 18, 2023 **Author:** FSP **Content:** I bought these as newly divided Virginia bluebells late last spring. Does anyone know what this is? I hope it’s not just a weed! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [gainesville-autumn-1696887234](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-autumn-1696887234/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** NanaNut **Content:** I found this growing in the pot with my lemon tree that I have had about two years that was brought to me from Jackson, GA. Is it poison oak? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [stockbridge-autumn-1696177297](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/stockbridge-autumn-1696177297/) **Published:** October 5, 2023 **Author:** Jessmon82 **Content:** Found this while clearing out some overgrowth on our property. Bark/trunk has very sharp, short thorns. Also appears to have berries. 7-8 ft tall right now **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [macon-autumn-1695770084](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/macon-autumn-1695770084/) **Published:** September 26, 2023 **Author:** WinterBlooms **Content:** Sighted during our travels…in bushes growing alongside a fence right outside of a business – not in the inner city but rather, on the outskirts of the greater metro/suburban area. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [dacula-summer-1694886881](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dacula-summer-1694886881/) **Published:** September 24, 2023 **Author:** AlTrep48 **Content:** This weed become a problem this year on my bermuda grass lawn. what is it name and how to get rid of it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [boise-summer-1694912810](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/boise-summer-1694912810/) **Published:** September 24, 2023 **Author:** Sheh **Content:** I have brown curly leaves. And this beetle was inside the blossoms. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [akron-summer-1694992741](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/akron-summer-1694992741/) **Published:** September 24, 2023 **Author:** Vgoldyn **Content:** Seen in local garden. Large leaves on lower bush with long blooming tendrils of pink flowers. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [richmond-autumn-1694993113](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-autumn-1694993113/) **Published:** September 24, 2023 **Author:** Spjett17 **Content:** Growing along side of driveway. About 2ft in height **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lawrenceville-summer-1695128377](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-summer-1695128377/) **Published:** September 24, 2023 **Author:** gcnly0210@gmail.com **Content:** Plant ID app says it’s a Japanese Cherry. Need to know specifically what variety. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [san-diego-summer-1695336218](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/san-diego-summer-1695336218/) **Published:** September 24, 2023 **Author:** JLSteward **Content:** It is a white hydrangea that we would like to know the variety. Unfortunately, we cannot get any more pictures of it doing well, so these were the best we could get. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-summer-1694009634](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1694009634/) **Published:** September 8, 2023 **Author:** DKHarris **Content:** I planted it, thinking it was a crepe myrtle. Now, I don’t think so. So the question: Is this a crepe myrtle? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [cumming-summer-1693421491](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1693421491/) **Published:** September 4, 2023 **Author:** Gfbonner **Content:** Growing too close to house **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [butler-summer-1693824593](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/butler-summer-1693824593/) **Published:** September 4, 2023 **Author:** kstinson **Content:** Woody stems with tear drop leaves. Small yellow flowers in clusters of 4 or so. Seems to choke out other vegetation. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [butler-summer-1693264630](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/butler-summer-1693264630/) **Published:** August 28, 2023 **Author:** kstinson **Content:** Grows about 2 feet tall. Takes over large sections of space and kills everything else. Does seem to have possible small flowers at the top, but they are just now showing up after all summer. Medium green, Stems are dark almost purple looking. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [preston-england-summer-1693057822](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/preston-england-summer-1693057822/) **Published:** August 28, 2023 **Author:** MikeLewis **Content:** It grows very long branches a bit like a blackberry but there are no thorns. There are black berries on the end of the stalk. The berries look bigger than the individual blackberry pods but there are less of them **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [canton-summer-1692562007](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1692562007/) **Published:** August 22, 2023 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** Long, (2 ft), thick leaves. No flowers. They’ve appeared at various places in the garden. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-summer-1691589752](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1691589752/) **Published:** August 17, 2023 **Author:** hortlund **Content:** We found this caterpillar when trimming Holly bushes. Have never seen anything like it. Does anybody know what kind it is? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [canton-summer-1691712148](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1691712148/) **Published:** August 17, 2023 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** Several of them have appeared. No flowers yet. Leaves are about 2 ft long **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [decatur-summer-1692042630](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-summer-1692042630/) **Published:** August 17, 2023 **Author:** hortlund **Content:** Found this after cutting down a row of Holly bushes a few weeks ago. Anyone know what kind of caterpillar this might be? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [flowery-branch-summer-1692120125](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/flowery-branch-summer-1692120125/) **Published:** August 17, 2023 **Author:** martyrdurham **Content:** It just came up and we left it to see what is was, it is getting larger every day. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [sulphur-springs-summer-1691118680](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sulphur-springs-summer-1691118680/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** whatweed **Content:** Spurge, an interesting weed. Spurge is easy to purge, when you see it emerge, but if you wait for it to surge, spurge will become a scourge, you’ll lose the cour’ge to try to purge the spurge at all. You may have the urge to plow up the spurge, and the entire garden with it Whatweed The other 2 images are of a weed I would like identified. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [waynesville-summer-1690982386](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/waynesville-summer-1690982386/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** Jackie **Content:** This tree is about 60' tall. It has small green berries that do not turn red. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [winder-summer-1688584998](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/winder-summer-1688584998/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** Louise Goins **Content:** I bought some marigold seeds to plant in my garden. I'm trying to combat horn worms. I planted the seeds. This is what came up. I don't know what it is, but it is not marigolds. Is it some type of weed that I need to remove from my garden. My sister suggested it resembles a Mimosa, not likely. Please help me. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [milton-summer-1688672202](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milton-summer-1688672202/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** Lafonlaw **Content:** This weed plant is really growing in my Mondo grass. Would like to I’d and know how to treat **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [douglasville-summer-1688945856](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-summer-1688945856/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** @gardenmawmaw **Content:** I was told this was a sunsparkler blue pearl sedum. However, it is not blue/purple like other pictures I’ve seen. It is growing straight up and I wanted to know if I could snip off some and root it so it wouldn’t be so tall. Please advise. Thank you. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [long-beach-island-summer-1688950575](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/long-beach-island-summer-1688950575/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** aasullivan **Content:** Holly of some kind. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lilburn-summer-1690046823](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lilburn-summer-1690046823/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** MHDevlin **Content:** I’m trying to identify this shrub growing wild in my backyard. I think it may be a hawthorn of some kind because it has sharp thorns on the limbs( as you can see in photo). It has glossy leaves, is evergreen, and the underside of the leaves is white/silver. It’s growing under tall trees and gets quite leggy. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [fayetteville-summer-1690061476](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-summer-1690061476/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** Gwmarsengill **Content:** THIS WEED WAS GROWING IN THE PINESTRAW IN A BOXWOOD BED. IT COVERED THE GROUND AND THE BOXWOODS. ONE PICTURE SHOWS THE SEEDPOD. IT HAD A SMALL YELLOW FLOWER ON IT. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [leesburg-summer-1690467402](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/leesburg-summer-1690467402/) **Published:** July 29, 2023 **Author:** pratimastrong **Content:** Hi there ! Thank you for taking a look at this for me. A friend had this in a pot outside and it barely survived so I brought it home. It almost died. It had one leaf on it then it started growing another side that the top part but then it got wet looks like a sickness. I would like to know what type of synthesis and what is harming the leaves. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [marietta-spring-1681662555](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1681662555/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** It is coming up under my Lenten roses this spring. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [grayson-spring-1681826264](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-spring-1681826264/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Chris **Content:** What kind of tree is this and how large will it eventually become? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [loganville-spring-1684599145](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-spring-1684599145/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** IamSAM2023 **Content:** It returns every year and gets to be about 5 ft tall, never blooms. I thought it was a Rose of Sharon tree by looking at the leaves. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [douglasville-spring-1684616657](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-spring-1684616657/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Bobby **Content:** Low spreading turf weed. Primarily along curb edge. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [milton-spring-1681481567](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milton-spring-1681481567/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Ejmatthaeus **Content:** Thank you for your help **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [dawsonville-spring-1681403519](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dawsonville-spring-1681403519/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** gsmrecruiter2@gmail.com **Content:** Seed identification **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [grayson-spring-1681405542](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-spring-1681405542/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Chris **Content:** The tree is without limbs at the bottom three feet, then the branches form a pyramid/triangle shape. The leaves are clustered together, oval but with ridged edges. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [savannah-spring-1681404699](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-spring-1681404699/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** llschurman **Content:** I’ve been reading a lot about the health benefits ofLichen Here in Savannah, we have a lot of Spanish moss How do I know or identify a healthy lichen to use for medicinal purposes? Im sure the bottom specimen is lichen. I cannot tell if the other is a form of lichen or spanish moss. Both are lichen are either good for medicinal use. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-spring-1682725243](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1682725243/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** hydrangea57 **Content:** My son took these outside of the Bank of America building in downtown Atlanta in their flower bed. Said they looked "painted". So pretty. Please ID for us. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [flowery-branch-spring-1682112372](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/flowery-branch-spring-1682112372/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Sybil Shaw **Content:** Plant one is a plant I purchased from the Hall County Plant sale, cannot remember i it was spring or fall sale. It has white flowers on it. Plant 2 is in a hanging basket I recently bought from the Growers Outlet with a sale out as it was half dead and no name on it. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [buchanan-spring-1681846261](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buchanan-spring-1681846261/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** jdennis@firehousesubs.com **Content:** Spreading in my yard, very soft to walk on until early summer it produce a small burr and then it's not fun to walk on. How to get rid of it? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [madison-spring-1681940657](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/madison-spring-1681940657/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** bossmare2009-shop@yahoo.com **Content:** I’m assuming this is a weed? I always thought it was a pine tree sprout, but I think it’s a weed. They pop up all over my flower beds and rock areas. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [mcdonough-spring-1682357871](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mcdonough-spring-1682357871/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** JaneyBP **Content:** Located in woody area **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [jacksonville-spring-1682443122](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/jacksonville-spring-1682443122/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Lara00 **Content:** This tree was planted a few seasons ago. It grows very fast. I planted in the front yard of my home and now i an thinking it may grow too tall and large. Maybe someone can tell me what kind it is. I will transplant to my back yard if necessary. Thank you **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [kennesaw-spring-1683459241](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kennesaw-spring-1683459241/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** Hi, is a hydrangea that blooms on new or old wood? Based on descriptions I thought it bloomed on old wood, but the picture the old branches are not growing anything. 2 years ago I chopped the whole thing back in the fall and it didn’t flower at all the following yr, can u help identify? Should I cut back the old branches? Thx **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [marietta-spring-1683934986](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1683934986/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** What type of hydrangea is this? 2 yrs ago I cut it way back and the next year there were no blooms. Thinking it’s the type that flowers on old wood I left old branches, but nothing seems to be growing on the old wood. So is this the type that blooms in new wood? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [cumming-spring-1683218739](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1683218739/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Jill Jones **Content:** These plants came up in early spring and I thought they were from seeds I put in for Sea Holly. As you can see they are pretty big and there are clusters of plants growing together. The photo I took today, 5/4/23 has a "flower" spike coming up. It looks like a huge lettuce plant that has bolted, but I don't think that's it. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [lexington-spring-1682883795](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lexington-spring-1682883795/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** rghines1 **Content:** Pulled it out of lawn, placed it on a letter size sheet of paper for contrast. Trying to identify, guessing one of the rushes or bentgrass. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-spring-1683213555](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1683213555/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** sbankmd1 **Content:** I covered large areas of the ground in mini pine nuggets in the fall. This sprouted throughout the pine nuggets but not in grass or ground that did not have pine nugget covering it. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [monroe-spring-1683480621](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/monroe-spring-1683480621/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** P-knight@att.net **Content:** I bought this dahlia at a farmers market. It did not have the name or any plant info. Can you tell me the name and how tall it will get? Not sure if I need to stake it. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [ringgold-spring-1683762900](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ringgold-spring-1683762900/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Thebrites **Content:** I saw these bugs when pulling weeds from my flower bed. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [summerville-spring-1683809427](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/summerville-spring-1683809427/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** altairiv **Content:** Crawls all over the wooden fence. No disks at the end to attach to fence. Can I develop an allergy to the sap? **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [senecs-summer-1683858507](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/senecs-summer-1683858507/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** juliarusso **Content:** Cherry tree. White substance covering bark, suffocating the tree. Dried out bark. Cleaned with dish soap to remove and has recovered somewhat this year. What is it and how to prevent it? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [monticello-spring-1683987317](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/monticello-spring-1683987317/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Seashell **Content:** I found this growing in my garden and want to find out what it is called. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [monticello-spring-1684592766](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/monticello-spring-1684592766/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Seashell **Content:** I can’t figure out what this plane is. Anyone know the name of it. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [veneta-spring-1684427834](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/veneta-spring-1684427834/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** venetagrandma **Content:** This is a snowball bush. I planted it last year. It is about 3 ft tall. I would like to know what kind of snowball bush and how many years until it will bloom. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [savannah-spring-1684951047](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-spring-1684951047/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Teri Gary **Content:** This grows low to the ground in sunny and shaded areas. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [savannah-summer-1686423550](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-summer-1686423550/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Teri Gary **Content:** This groundcover thrives in full sun as well as in shaded areas. It grows about 12 inches tall and appears to be a vine of some kind. Not noticed any blooms. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [rincon-summer-1686424249](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rincon-summer-1686424249/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Teri Gary **Content:** My Crepe Myrtle has many yellow leaves. Wondering if this is Bacterial Leaf Scorch? I don’t want it to spread to others in my yard! **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [marietta-spring-1684875268](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1684875268/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** jeancarusog@gmail.com **Content:** someone sold me this ferm and didn't know the name. My plantid app said it was a Japanese climbing fern and invasive but I don't think it looked exactly like the photo on your website for that fern. Want to confirm it is not invasive **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [loganville-spring-1684710578](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-spring-1684710578/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** ShellBear17 **Content:** I assume it’s a weed. 1st time we’ve seen it growing on fence line. 2 single stalk plants growing side by side, about 4’ tall, large 9” leaves. Fast growing. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lavonia-spring-1685487563](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lavonia-spring-1685487563/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** revrdixon@gmail.com **Content:** I have planted red and gold potatoes in earth boxes. I also have them in fabric bags. Those in the fabric bags are twice this size and healthy. Those in the earth boxes are turning yellow and have spots. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [acworth-spring-1685639142](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/acworth-spring-1685639142/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Tamin8tor **Content:** Seems very hardy – I have several thriving in both sun and shade. Just moved 6 of them to new location and hoping they make it. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [alpharetta-spring-1686361932](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-spring-1686361932/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Sjwill **Content:** Unwanted weed growing in zoysia Not sure it is Dallis grass, crabgrass or st Augustine grass maybe or I am just way off. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [alpharetta-spring-1686504838](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-spring-1686504838/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Sjwill **Content:** Not sure what is growing in my zoysia **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [dawsonville-spring-1686364817](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dawsonville-spring-1686364817/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Meka **Content:** Vine or maybe a shrub growing around a tree in partial shade with delicate white bell like flowers **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [deep-gap-spring-1687287429](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/deep-gap-spring-1687287429/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Bobby **Content:** Invasive vine covering everything around it. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [canton-summer-1687304712](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1687304712/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** Not sure what I'm seeing. Deer scat or a fungus? There are a lot of deer that come through our yard but this is the first time I've seen this. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [clarion-summer-1687513974](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/clarion-summer-1687513974/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Marvin Henry **Content:** IT looks like the picture I uploaded. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-spring-1688057205](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1688057205/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** I have never seen a flower or seed on this plant. It returns every year. Same size, same shape. Partial sunlight under hardwoods. Plantnet identifies it as beggar lice, but I have never seen any on it. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [woodstock-spring-1687210592](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-spring-1687210592/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Dawson **Content:** This is a 4 year old Dogwood planted in a shady/dappled area. It is getting 1/2" of 3/4" of water each week. Organic fertilizer was applied in early April. This brown leaf curl started to appeared about a week ago. Up until then, the tree was looking very healthy. What would cause this? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [fernandina-beach-summer-1687471871](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fernandina-beach-summer-1687471871/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Jbollenbacher **Content:** This is growing laterally in bare spots and intertwined with my St. Augustine. Very long tangled offshoots. Growing under the St. Augustine so when I pull it uproots the stolons. Have not had success killing it. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [gainesville-summer-1687903829](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-summer-1687903829/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Lbushmc **Content:** Drooping limbs and not very tall. Slick leaves **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lawrenceville-summer-1687965180](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-summer-1687965180/) **Published:** July 1, 2023 **Author:** Blue **Content:** Maybe a clematis, also, brown spots on leaves **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [fayetteville-spring-1680356106](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-spring-1680356106/) **Published:** April 10, 2023 **Author:** wabrundage **Content:** I'm trying to identify this variety of Loropetalum. I have these as a screen and they are 20+ feet tall. I need to add more screening with height and I want to get this same plant or a similar variety that will grow tall. These have done well in both sun and shade. The location where I want to plant more is relatively shady. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [cumming-spring-1680715657](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1680715657/) **Published:** April 10, 2023 **Author:** Gfbonner **Content:** Growing next to house and under another shrub. Is it a weed or something i would want to transplant. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [decatur-spring-1680270682](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1680270682/) **Published:** April 10, 2023 **Author:** Ernie **Content:** This appeared recently near the stump of a badly diseased peach tree removed over a year ago. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [riverdale-spring-1680822457](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/riverdale-spring-1680822457/) **Published:** April 10, 2023 **Author:** robinang **Content:** There are several of these plants growing in my backyard. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-spring-1681097479](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1681097479/) **Published:** April 10, 2023 **Author:** JenO **Content:** Found this fine, white, fibrous material covering leaves of Tea Olive and Anise, which are next to each other in the garden. Is it scale? How is it treated? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [atlanta-winter-1677595550](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1677595550/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Kim Nikles **Content:** It's still February, at least a month from the average date of last frost, but my Zoysia lawn is greening up rapidly. A week ago, barely any green was visible, but you can see here that it's changing fast. When do I scalp my lawn? (Or do I? Is that recommended or not?) Part 2 – If yes, it's currently cut at 2 inches. At what height do I scalp it? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [buford-winter-1677717652](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buford-winter-1677717652/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Bill Smith **Content:** Camellia sasanqua — sudden die off (just within the last couple of weeks) of 25 year old plant. Didn't notice any yellowing or wilting, just suddenly crispy brown. There IS a bit of new growth as shown on the two close-up pictures. Any ideas? Would it be advisable to prune back substantially and hope for the best with new growth? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [ball-ground-winter-1677545398](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ball-ground-winter-1677545398/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** PoolsConstruction@Earthlink.net **Content:** Plant has colorful plume in fall. Looks like broom sedge but only has one stalk about the size of a pencil. Growing in same area as broom sedge. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [marietta-spring-1677607511](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1677607511/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Little **Content:** Flowering tree **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [birmingham-spring-1678397635](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/birmingham-spring-1678397635/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** catkin **Content:** Appears to be a type of daffodil. Extraordinarily fragrant. Growing in a similar cluster on an old homestead front yard. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [brookhaven-spring-1678898124](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/brookhaven-spring-1678898124/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Steve **Content:** I have a small beech tree, possibly 17 years old and 20 feet tall. I noticed this morning that it has lost bark in several locations, as the photos show. Nothing has fallen on the tree to damage the bark, and the wounds are too high to have been caused by deer. Our back yard is fenced. It's a beautiful tree. I'd hate to lose it. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [brookhaven-winter-1679502789](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/brookhaven-winter-1679502789/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Steve **Content:** This beech tree, approximately, 17 years old, shows damage to the bark. Is there any way to treat it to get the tree back on the road to health? I'd really hate to lose it. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [rincon-spring-1677972748](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rincon-spring-1677972748/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Teri Gary **Content:** Wondering what kind of this is. **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [atlanta-spring-1678914885](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1678914885/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** hleiner **Content:** jelly-like structures growing on bare dead fallen tree **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [dunwoody-winter-1679018404](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-winter-1679018404/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** hleiner **Content:** ferns I found near a creek with tall brown fiddleheads **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [dunwoody-winter-1679101701](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-winter-1679101701/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** hleiner **Content:** i think this is a pine **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [marietta-spring-1678130279](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1678130279/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** MariaArguelles **Content:** This tree has tripled in size since we've moved into our house less than a year ago. It sends off tons of off shoots on the ground around it. Trying to figure out what this tree is so we can figure out how to maintain it from taking over! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [decatur-summer-1678106283](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-summer-1678106283/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** bmullins **Content:** There's a large section of dense, attractive grass growing on the lower edge of my lawn. I would like to redo the lawn and purchase some more of this grass, but I don't know what it is. Can you please tell me what type of grass this is? Thanks, **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [savannah-spring-1678578136](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-spring-1678578136/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Deann2906 **Content:** Plant is about 6 feet tall and looks very mature. Looks to be an evergreen. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [augusta-spring-1678649603](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/augusta-spring-1678649603/) **Published:** March 25, 2023 **Author:** Lphillips5@yahoo.com **Content:** Weed that grows in our yard. Our dog keeps eating it so we're curious to know more about it and if it's toxic. Thanks for the insight! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [richmond-hill-spring-1677418075](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-spring-1677418075/) **Published:** February 27, 2023 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Beautiful weed that comes up every spring. Beautiful purple pink flowers. Is this a weed? The name of this plant please. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [grayson-autumn-1676514407](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-autumn-1676514407/) **Published:** February 17, 2023 **Author:** David Woodward **Content:** Growing wild beside my 300' driveway. Shaded. Looks like some kind of elephant ear. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [new-windsor-winter-1676493339](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/new-windsor-winter-1676493339/) **Published:** February 17, 2023 **Author:** Cethomp **Content:** I bought this plant about 5+ yrs ago for spring planting. I have it as houseplant. I don't know the name of it. It has med dk green leaves that are lighter in color on back. It has trumpet-shaped Lt purple blooms w white edges that grow upwards on stem. I remove dead blooms, and prune as needed. Easy to grow cuttings. Continuously blooms. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [barnesville-winter-1676649545](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/barnesville-winter-1676649545/) **Published:** February 17, 2023 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** The evergreen tree is planted in a container. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [alpharetta-winter-1675282161](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-winter-1675282161/) **Published:** February 7, 2023 **Author:** billsgrnthmb **Content:** Found this in the woods behind my house. Approx. 4 ft. tall. Would love to have a few of these nearer the house. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [blairsville-winter-1675121538](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blairsville-winter-1675121538/) **Published:** February 2, 2023 **Author:** MariaArguelles **Content:** I saw this plant a few times on a hike at the bases of a few trees near Blood Mountain. It was in a mat like shape. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [alpharetta-autumn-1672636920](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-autumn-1672636920/) **Published:** January 26, 2023 **Author:** tomh **Content:** Whatever is chewing on these Japanese Cherry leaves seems unfazed by the Malathion I sprayed on the leaves last summer. Should I try something else? Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [alpharetta-summer-1673642509](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-summer-1673642509/) **Published:** January 26, 2023 **Author:** PattiW **Content:** Please identify and advise on how I can get rid of the invasive weed/vine in the photos. It is currently located in flowering bed with shrubs and flowers. The vine sends runners underground then emerges from soil and mulch to take over the surrounding plants. Tried many weed killers even pulled weed/vine and still comes back – Help please. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [fayetteville-winter-1674655185](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-winter-1674655185/) **Published:** January 26, 2023 **Author:** Margot Beebe **Content:** Hi – I'm don't know what kind of tree this is – it's in a natural area between my house and my neighbor's house. We have armadillos around and when I saw this hole a few years ago I thought it may have been dug by an armadillo. My husband thinks this is a rotting tree, not created by a critter. He wants to fill the area with concrete. Advice? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [peachtree-city-autumn-1669652429](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-autumn-1669652429/) **Published:** November 30, 2022 **Author:** friendofthetrees **Content:** This tree has spectacular uniform golden orange fall color and I just can't seem to figure out what it is. I believe it's either a cherry tree or possibly a Sweet Birch. It's leaves throw me off. And no, sadly I don't have any info on what it looks like in the spring and am hoping I won't have to wait until then to crack the case. Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [peachtree-city-autumn-1669652924](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-autumn-1669652924/) **Published:** November 30, 2022 **Author:** friendofthetrees **Content:** Saw this little tree at the forest's edge and it caught my eye. The leaves almost look Aspen-like and the fall color is a striking red-yellow. I'm at a total loss as to what this could be. Does anyone know? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [savannah-autumn-1669810433](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-autumn-1669810433/) **Published:** November 30, 2022 **Author:** Gwen **Content:** I bought this at a yard sale. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [dunwoody-autumn-1667779327](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-autumn-1667779327/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** hydrangea57 **Content:** One picture shows the leaves and one shows the flower more clearly. They come up every year in a wooded area in our yard. We wondered if it is Blue Mist. thank you! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [mcdonough-autumn-1667601281](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mcdonough-autumn-1667601281/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** Labrat239 **Content:** About 2 feet tall in the family cemetery plot. Has a woody trunk and looked like a cedar seedling a few weeks ago. Now stems have flowers? Or seed pods? all up each stem. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [villa-rica-summer-1668526968](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/villa-rica-summer-1668526968/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** Bobby **Content:** Vining plant growing on trellis. Glossy opposite leaves. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [statham-autumn-1668701511](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/statham-autumn-1668701511/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** What is this gorgeous large shrub / small tree that is blooming right now? It looks like a camellia, but is more shaped like a tree. Is it a Stewartia Pseudocamilla? Thank you for the help! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [dunwoody-autumn-1668209133](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-autumn-1668209133/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** hydrangea57 **Content:** One picture shows the leaves better and one the flower. A big patch has grown for many years in a wooded, natural part of our yard. Those didn't come back this year but we have some stragglers. May have rotted under leaf cover. I tried to look them up – maybe Blue Mist? Wondered how they would do in a bed? thank you! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [calhoun-autumn-1667790147](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/calhoun-autumn-1667790147/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** maxbanx **Content:** Planted as if a hedge **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [pocahontas-autumn-1668600219](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/pocahontas-autumn-1668600219/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** Savedbygrace91 **Content:** This plant looked viney but I didn't have time to investigate very much. It was very striking. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [essex-autumn-1668795911](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/essex-autumn-1668795911/) **Published:** November 21, 2022 **Author:** Janeve **Content:** They are Lleylandii Cypress trees that have been reduced in height. This is the second time I have seen these white branches on this variety of tree in this area and would really like to know what is causing it. It looks very unnatural to me. The first time I wondered if someone had stripped the brown bark off but not now. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [peachtree-city-autumn-1666397928](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-autumn-1666397928/) **Published:** October 25, 2022 **Author:** S Banks **Content:** Could anyone help identify this beautiful tree? It has mostly blue-green berries with some red berries. Thanks for your help. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [gonzales-autumn-1665266091](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gonzales-autumn-1665266091/) **Published:** October 19, 2022 **Author:** noemail **Content:** It is fuzzy and grows from a central point sending out long stems along the ground with these little fuzzy white seed clumps. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [roswell-autumn-1665778352](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-autumn-1665778352/) **Published:** October 19, 2022 **Author:** dekramb **Content:** Small shrub along side a forest path near a subdivision. Wondering if it is native. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lilburn-autumn-1666055909](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lilburn-autumn-1666055909/) **Published:** October 19, 2022 **Author:** Cassie47 **Content:** Large pink flowers on a multi stem shrub with maple-like leaves seen in Lilburn in October **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1664930350](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1664930350/) **Published:** October 8, 2022 **Author:** Bquinn75 **Content:** Three leaved vine that grows quick . Very large 3 leaves which makes me suspicious if it’s poisonous . **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [douglasville-autumn-1665159038](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-autumn-1665159038/) **Published:** October 8, 2022 **Author:** Cat17 **Content:** These weeds/wildflowers have popped up all around the yard. This is the tallest one at about 5 ft. The seed heads are similar to dandelions and wild lettuce. Thanks for helping with the ID. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [griffin-autumn-1663976045](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/griffin-autumn-1663976045/) **Published:** October 2, 2022 **Author:** BruMax **Content:** Is this wild lettuce? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [villa-rica-autumn-1664023243](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/villa-rica-autumn-1664023243/) **Published:** October 2, 2022 **Author:** katiek **Content:** This plant is very tall and located on the outskirts of the woods. It had white flowers and now how puffy dandelion type seeds that blow off in the wind. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [radcliff-autumn-1664049304](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/radcliff-autumn-1664049304/) **Published:** October 2, 2022 **Author:** Reneegraves82 **Content:** Yard Weed **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [radcliff-autumn-1664049353](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/radcliff-autumn-1664049353/) **Published:** October 2, 2022 **Author:** Reneegraves82 **Content:** Yard weed **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [radcliff-autumn-1664049520](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/radcliff-autumn-1664049520/) **Published:** October 2, 2022 **Author:** Reneegraves82 **Content:** Weed **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lilburn-summer-1663774290](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lilburn-summer-1663774290/) **Published:** September 21, 2022 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** Please help me identify this beautiful large shrub / small tree. Absolutely glorious large leaves that are changing color. Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [bogart-summer-1663760625](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bogart-summer-1663760625/) **Published:** September 21, 2022 **Author:** lfrehse **Content:** I was at a friends house and asked her what this plant was. It was in a big pot and is just gorgeous but she did not know the name of it. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [richmond-hill-summer-1663505461](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-summer-1663505461/) **Published:** September 21, 2022 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** This plant appears in flower pots. Don't know if it has any value as an ornamental. My grandma used to have a look alike when I was a kid, Would like to know the name, and if there is a look a like ornamental, or if it's just a weed. Thank you **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [hoschton-summer-1663524029](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hoschton-summer-1663524029/) **Published:** September 21, 2022 **Author:** dean1950 **Content:** Bumble Bees love this plant. It is in full sun. Thick folage, house leak. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [indianapolis-summer-1663001495](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/indianapolis-summer-1663001495/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** What is this tree? I noticed the beautiful bark on this tree when walking in Indianapolis in September. I think it is a maple of some type. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [marietta-summer-1663038487](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1663038487/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** What is this? It’s low to the ground, seems to like moist places. It’s taking over… thanks for your help identifying **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [blackwood-summer-1662993794](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blackwood-summer-1662993794/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** richard ma **Content:** Is this a disease on my leaves. Also killing blossoms. It's causing the leaves to turn black. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [atlanta-summer-1663068203](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1663068203/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** Kim Nikles **Content:** What is getting into my gomphrena flowers? Each morning, I find decapitated plant stems forlornly hanging over a dozen newly shredded blooms below. It's not deer; these plants are on an outdoor porch 15 feet up a long staircase. The destruction appears to happen overnight. Common bad actors here: rats? raccoons? flying squirrels? What could it be? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [woodstock-summer-1662992360](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-summer-1662992360/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** Dawson **Content:** What is this weed and how do I rid my yard of it? It is easy to pull up and its roots are widespread, but it is VERY prolific. It seems to like growing in the blue rug juniper and in areas that were previously wooded. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [grayson-summer-1662833171](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grayson-summer-1662833171/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** Chris **Content:** It's like an evergreen with white flowers – strong odor – in the spring. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [fortson-summer-1663076432](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fortson-summer-1663076432/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** EThsh03 **Content:** Identification and what is causing the petals to turn brown? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [lawrenceville-summer-1663112056](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-summer-1663112056/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** Lita **Content:** It's a houseplant that we bring in 4 winter. I've had it for 30 years. I took it out of my office when I left that company. It's usually a tall or tree but my husband cut the top of it off & planted in pot beside it because it was getting too tall to bring in house. It's always been an indoor plant except we put it on the porch in good weather **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [lubbock-summer-1663172069](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lubbock-summer-1663172069/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** Goatman4 **Content:** I have a Kentucky 31 fescue lawn and can't identify this plant in the fescue. I am beginning to overseed and replanting fescue where needed. The roots are short and the plant comes out of the ground without much effort. The stems are like straw and feels coarse when walking on it in bare feet. Is this clump fescue? Dalis grass? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [dunwoody-summer-1662398622](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-summer-1662398622/) **Published:** September 8, 2022 **Author:** dohrmc **Content:** This weed grows in a spindly fashion, and is v easy to pull out. However, it spreads very rapidly, and covers large areas. Photo shows it covering up leriope bed. Is there any way to get rid of this without killing everything else? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [marietta-summer-1662498080](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1662498080/) **Published:** September 8, 2022 **Author:** Lisa Makow **Content:** A (so far) small shrub has popped up in an area with hollies that was cleared last spring. The new leaves do look soft at this stage and some stems appear reddish. No blooms or fruit. Any ideas so I can cultivate or whack? Thank you so much! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [carrboro-summer-1662398045](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/carrboro-summer-1662398045/) **Published:** September 8, 2022 **Author:** anchala **Content:** This plant is about four inches off the ground. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [jefferson-summer-1662656756](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/jefferson-summer-1662656756/) **Published:** September 8, 2022 **Author:** bretrice **Content:** This weed has taken over a good part of my Bermuda lawn in the last 6 weeks and I can’t identify it or determine how to kill it without harming my Bermuda. Scott’s weed and feed and Ortho weed b gone have no impact on it. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [ball-ground-summer-1662316558](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ball-ground-summer-1662316558/) **Published:** September 4, 2022 **Author:** PoolsConstruction@Earthlink.net **Content:** Growing in a ditch. Leaves look like a sedge. Flower has sharp barbs resembling a Roman medevial club. **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [dunwoody-summer-1662317178](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-summer-1662317178/) **Published:** September 4, 2022 **Author:** hydrangea57 **Content:** This plant came up and we have watched for flowers but none so far. Leaves are very soft. The flowers behind it belong to wishbones – this plant is all green but distinctly red stems. New leaves come on but no buds or flowers. After about 2 months it is about 1 1/2Ft. tall and wide. Can you ID for me? Thanks!! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [sparta-summer-1661702042](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sparta-summer-1661702042/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** tsteed **Content:** We planted two of these probably 15-20 years ago. They grow tall and spindly with weeping branches. I cut the tops out occasionally because they will get taller than the house. My wife, who passed away, picked them out and I just dug the holes. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [metro-atlanta-summer-1661782721](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/metro-atlanta-summer-1661782721/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** mcrunkleton@comcast.net **Content:** Grounds of Holy Spirit monastery Atlanta GA **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [woodstock-summer-1661699219](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-summer-1661699219/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** Dawson **Content:** This Dogwood is in a shaded area getting afternoon filtered sun. It was planted about 2 or 3 years ago to replace a Dogwood in the same spot that died from root rot. It has grown about 24" this year. These brown leaves showed up about a month ago. It receives about 3/4" of water weekly and has been fertilized with 10.10.10 and Holly-Tone this year. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [woodstock-summer-1661699628](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-summer-1661699628/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** Dawson **Content:** I found this white insect on my Dogwood. What is it and is it harmful? If so, what is the best method to control it? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [wilmington-summer-1661638457](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wilmington-summer-1661638457/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** Wronacatraile **Content:** Thank you for your reply. I have uploaded a better pic of this plant. All suggestions are welcome. Thank you again. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [wilmington-summer-1661817501](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wilmington-summer-1661817501/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** Wronacatraile **Content:** This is a better pic of the plant I initially posted **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [peachtree-city-summer-1662054197](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-summer-1662054197/) **Published:** September 1, 2022 **Author:** Raezell **Content:** Near a small stream near wetland. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [vidalia-summer-1661551403](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/vidalia-summer-1661551403/) **Published:** August 27, 2022 **Author:** kemerson **Content:** Growing near river **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [mcdonough-summer-1661118638](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mcdonough-summer-1661118638/) **Published:** August 25, 2022 **Author:** Damon Henry **Content:** The picture without blooms was taken in May of 2020. The plant is now 4 or 5 times larger and has red blossoms! It appeared in or flowerbed in 2020. Full sun in the morning (until the sun is on the other side of the house). **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [marietta-summer-1661271662](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1661271662/) **Published:** August 25, 2022 **Author:** Sbourgeois **Content:** This weed grows all over my lawn! It is a fast grower and will be above the grass in less than a week after mowing. It starts appearing in my yard around June and persists all sumemr. The stems are brittle, so it is very difficult to pull up. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [carrollton-summer-1661294536](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/carrollton-summer-1661294536/) **Published:** August 25, 2022 **Author:** gf1 **Content:** Tree about 8” diameter and about 20 ft tall. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [wilmington-summer-1661412830](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wilmington-summer-1661412830/) **Published:** August 25, 2022 **Author:** Wronacatraile **Content:** It starting growing out of a peace lily plant we had. I re-potted it just out of curiosity. What to see what it would grow into. It looks like a weed with a very thick stem. It is growing very fast. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Is It Too Late To Prune My Azaleas And Rhododendrons?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-it-too-late-to-prune-my-azaleas-and-rhododendrons/) **Published:** August 21, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** **Q: I need to prune my azaleas and rhododendron. Is it too late?** A: Check the ends of the shrub branches. If it has flower buds present, you’ll be cutting off next year’s flowers if you prune now.. --- ### [dawsonville-summer-1660771181](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dawsonville-summer-1660771181/) **Published:** August 21, 2022 **Author:** gsmrecruiter2@gmail.com **Content:** Grows in a field next to my house. Has a root like a potato or yam. Comes up in summer. Is the root edible? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [granite-falls-summer-1660961309](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/granite-falls-summer-1660961309/) **Published:** August 21, 2022 **Author:** Medic **Content:** Seen in fescue lawns **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [bethlehem-summer-1660490206](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bethlehem-summer-1660490206/) **Published:** August 17, 2022 **Author:** kjsweep13 **Content:** One of our dogs was running around the back yard with this fruit and we'd like to identify it. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [stuart-summer-1660699547](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/stuart-summer-1660699547/) **Published:** August 17, 2022 **Author:** Girlintheblueridge **Content:** This plant grows profusely in several fields that were previously horse pastures. It also gros a lot in the yard under bushes and trees. If is mowed it shoots back up in no time. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [cumming-summer-1660756318](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1660756318/) **Published:** August 17, 2022 **Author:** ChoirBoy **Content:** I am finding these in my yard but can’t determine which tree(s) they’re coming from and don’t know what they are. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lawrenceville-summer-1659888154](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-summer-1659888154/) **Published:** August 8, 2022 **Author:** Chupika130 **Content:** Had a few of these pop up last few summers but a lot more this season. One image is mature plant while the other image is how they appear when they first pop up out of the ground. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [black-mountain-spring-1659928084](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/black-mountain-spring-1659928084/) **Published:** August 8, 2022 **Author:** AthensDawgDSA **Content:** Wonderfully fragrant tree…a sweet smell. Planted next to the patio at Lookout Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NC. Asked around on the patio, but no one knew the name. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-summer-1659981516](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1659981516/) **Published:** August 8, 2022 **Author:** Gardening555 **Content:** This is an indoor plant that we don't know anything about. Thanks in advance! **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [tucker-summer-1659761152](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tucker-summer-1659761152/) **Published:** August 6, 2022 **Author:** kevindawg8203 **Content:** Shamefully, a 40+ yr old tree was recently cut down across the street; cutter crew left massive trunk pieces; wanted to know tree type to see if it would be good for seasoning for next year's firewood? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [portland-summer-1659788081](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/portland-summer-1659788081/) **Published:** August 6, 2022 **Author:** Atkramer **Content:** I found this on my wanderings and I cant identify it. Its not a blueberry. The leaves are like holly, and the berries have bot crown. They are not shiny berries. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [fort-saint-john-summer-1659649330](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fort-saint-john-summer-1659649330/) **Published:** August 4, 2022 **Author:** Victor Plotnikow **Content:** Mushroom – white, cone-shaped cap, no visible scales **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [marietta-summer-1659555927](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1659555927/) **Published:** August 4, 2022 **Author:** Gsbell49 **Content:** This vine grows up in all my plantings. Our dogs chew it. We don’t know if it is toxic. Also is there a selective way to kill it? **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [beebe-summer-1659537023](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/beebe-summer-1659537023/) **Published:** August 4, 2022 **Author:** pataylor **Content:** A deciduous shrub that matures to approximately three feet and blooms purple flowers midsummer, I purchased a Home Depota couple of years ago and lost the tag to know how to care for it, I sure do hope that someone can tell me it’s identity as I’d like to know how much sun it needs! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [briarcliff-manor-summer-1659357508](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/briarcliff-manor-summer-1659357508/) **Published:** August 2, 2022 **Author:** cptrmom **Content:** Purchased around Easter it was blooming thought it was an Azalea. Replanted outdoors it is blooming again and I don’t know of Azaleas blooming again. What is it please? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [atlanta-summer-1659318965](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1659318965/) **Published:** August 2, 2022 **Author:** Larry Morris **Content:** I have a hedge of Japanese Plum Yew here. The plants a growing like normal yews. But this one yew isn’t growing upright with branches extending out. Rather it looks like the branches are inverted. Or it’s trying to grow down instead. You can see in photo, the plants of the left are normal. The one on the right Is not. Any clues? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [bremen-summer-1659394398](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bremen-summer-1659394398/) **Published:** August 2, 2022 **Author:** annsmith **Content:** Found a bunch of these (100’s) in the woods near a small creek. Most are the brown/purple color but found one green one. Not acorns. Have a fruity smell but firm to the touch. Smaller seeds inside are brown almond shaped and and about 3/8” long. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lawrenceville-summer-1659444664](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-summer-1659444664/) **Published:** August 2, 2022 **Author:** Chupika130 **Content:** I first noticed this a few summers ago. Seemed to be just a few in the yard but this summer they're popping up all over the yard and they grow fast. IF I don't apply weed killer their stem will actually harden up. Weed killer is taming them but they still pop up even in areas I heavily spray. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [decatur-summer-1659018089](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-summer-1659018089/) **Published:** July 28, 2022 **Author:** Beverly Towns **Content:** Hydrangeas with brown rusty spots **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [atlanta-summer-1658763636](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1658763636/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** gaylenkempbaxter **Content:** We’ve had two jasmine plants on our 2nd floor deck for years. We came home from vacation and most of one of the plants had been broken off. We’ve had squirrels land on the deck and dig up the dirt in our pots, likely jumping from the power wires, but have no idea what cut all the stems (which were left there). The other plant was fine. A bird? **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [marietta-summer-1658935644](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1658935644/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** barry0987 **Content:** Help. Cannot find anybody to identify this weed/grass. It is coming up through very dense zoysia it runs on runners approximately 9 to 10" underneath the ground and grows in groups. It's warm season and goes dormant when cold just like Bermuda and Zoysia. Trying to get rid of it. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [marietta-summer-1658873032](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1658873032/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** acjag **Content:** This grass/weed has shown up in my back yard for 2-3 years. It is currently covering 75% of my back yard. It looks beautiful. It is now showing up in my front yard. When frost comes, it completely disappears. Is this plant a viable option to fescue? If not, I plan to transition to El Toro zoysia. **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [williamsburg-summer-1658872419](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/williamsburg-summer-1658872419/) **Published:** July 27, 2022 **Author:** emigodwin **Content:** I found the seedling over a year ago in my garden and transplanted it in a big pot. I was hoping it'd be a native because we have a number of native trees behind our property where the parent tree of this seedling is. I have never seen the parent bloom but the more research I do, the more I am worried it might be a princess tree. What is it? Thanks **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [newnan-spring-1653273089](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/newnan-spring-1653273089/) **Published:** July 24, 2022 **Author:** Lattemutt **Content:** This weed is appearing throughout our sunny, mulched beds and along the stone walkway through our garden. Can you please identify it and tell me how to get rid of it? It is very prolific – appearing everywhere all at once. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [powder-springs-summer-1658449432](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/powder-springs-summer-1658449432/) **Published:** July 24, 2022 **Author:** Annsheff **Content:** The leaves are dying and a smaller branch has died. Have three in. my backyard and all of them have the same leaves. Anything I can do? Do I need to have them taken down? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [ball-ground-summer-1658532735](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ball-ground-summer-1658532735/) **Published:** July 24, 2022 **Author:** PoolsConstruction@Earthlink.net **Content:** Plant is a vine growing up a tree. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [duluth-summer-1658624929](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/duluth-summer-1658624929/) **Published:** July 24, 2022 **Author:** aub4life **Content:** Shows up in Summer and is trying hard to take over y Bermuda lawn. Please ID and tell me what I can use to eradicate it. It is in many, many areas of the lawn. Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [snellville-summer-1658625195](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/snellville-summer-1658625195/) **Published:** July 24, 2022 **Author:** Teacheach **Content:** I am seeing this insect on my tomatoes. They were present last year as well. I think they are using their Proboscidea to poke into the tomatoes. I try to catch and kill them but have not been successful. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [callaway-summer-1658350975](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/callaway-summer-1658350975/) **Published:** July 20, 2022 **Author:** cwalthour **Content:** This is a very aggressive type of weed grass that is taking over my St Augustine lawn. Weed killer doesn’t have any affect on it. **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [marietta-summer-1658190665](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1658190665/) **Published:** July 20, 2022 **Author:** Nosebug **Content:** I bought “pink wisteria seeds” on Amazon and sprouted this instead four years ago. The seeds came from China. It survived the last two winters with lows of 21F. This summer it is thriving and is twice as tall as the fence. The seeds were small, hard and black. Took a month to germinate. The leaves are very small and close at night. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [brookhaven-summer-1657820489](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/brookhaven-summer-1657820489/) **Published:** July 16, 2022 **Author:** Steve **Content:** This is growing out of a wood chip bed. Shaded in the morning, full sun in the afternoon. I assume it's a fungus or mushroom. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [lithia-summer-1657973394](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lithia-summer-1657973394/) **Published:** July 16, 2022 **Author:** Laceyholt **Content:** These plants popped up quickly after we disturbed the banks around our pond by digging them out more. I am trying to figure out if it is chamber bitter or bigpod sesbania. The app I used to identify is giving me both names. Thank you! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [alpharetta-summer-1657995592](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-summer-1657995592/) **Published:** July 16, 2022 **Author:** sewingsabo@gmail.com **Content:** Growing wild in our backyard which is conservation area with a creek and lots of trees and shrubs. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [raleigh-summer-1657237963](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/raleigh-summer-1657237963/) **Published:** July 10, 2022 **Author:** rbilleaud **Content:** Not sure, the flowers look something like hydrangeas, but they're cream color to light yellow. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [decatur-summer-1657315559](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-summer-1657315559/) **Published:** July 10, 2022 **Author:** mared **Content:** Burgundy colored plant growing wild throughout west facing back yard. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [hamilton-summer-1657377657](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hamilton-summer-1657377657/) **Published:** July 10, 2022 **Author:** dzamperin **Content:** Cannot tell if this is hogweed **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [haughton-summer-1657429163](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/haughton-summer-1657429163/) **Published:** July 10, 2022 **Author:** TommieCouch **Content:** Fast growing vine that wraps around whatever it touches. Heart shaped leaves. What is this please? **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [winder-summer-1657475189](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/winder-summer-1657475189/) **Published:** July 10, 2022 **Author:** shadie **Content:** Low to the ground. Spreads quickly. Has a flower but has not bloomed yet. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [savannah-summer-1657060331](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/savannah-summer-1657060331/) **Published:** July 6, 2022 **Author:** Teri Gary **Content:** About 2 feet tall, 3 feet wide. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [snellville-summer-1656791692](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/snellville-summer-1656791692/) **Published:** July 3, 2022 **Author:** darrell **Content:** Something is eating my sage. The only insect I can see is this mystery beetle. Please help identify and recommend a solution to keep my sage from being eaten. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [northborough-summer-1656723954](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/northborough-summer-1656723954/) **Published:** July 3, 2022 **Author:** itwillbealrightcc@gmail.com **Content:** It suddenly grew tall and I went to pull it out and instantly felt like I had third degree burns where it touched my skin. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [bristol-summer-1656430945](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bristol-summer-1656430945/) **Published:** June 28, 2022 **Author:** george luc **Content:** We had a cherry tree here before but it died and now we have this shrub/tree about 2 or 3 years old. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [madison-summer-1656364803](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/madison-summer-1656364803/) **Published:** June 27, 2022 **Author:** Karen Whitt **Content:** This is a lipstick plant received indirect light ( N/NE exposure). Can you help with the issue here? It arrived with scale ( it was a gift). I sought guidance and treated it with a systemic insecticide. Scale much improved. Then this wilted look appeared. Sought local guidance, was advised it was overwatered. Soil tester indicates is dry. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [norcross-spring-1656348683](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-spring-1656348683/) **Published:** June 27, 2022 **Author:** jrap **Content:** our crepe myrtle droops when wet. It did that last year and we thought it was due to a fungus we had. Someone suggested we not cut it back in the fall. So we did not cut it back last fall. No fungus, but droops not that it has heavy blossoms and three branches broke off. Anything we need to do or just let nature take it course? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [douglasville-summer-1656257899](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-summer-1656257899/) **Published:** June 26, 2022 **Author:** mharrington75 **Content:** This weed has an almost white stem. If I look at patches of grass, they are white/light grey. And it is everywhere. And it doesn’t cut well because these “stems” don’t stick straight up. They grow to the side and then up, sort of like a “U.” **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [woodstock-summer-1656179000](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-summer-1656179000/) **Published:** June 26, 2022 **Author:** Dawson **Content:** This is a newly (March ’22) planted Dogwood tree planted by a professional landscaper in soil that was previously forested. The area is located at the bottom of a hill and is well-drained. There is minimal leaf discoloration and a couple of the lower branches have died. What could be causing this and what should I do to help the tree heal? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [decatur-summer-1655936148](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-summer-1655936148/) **Published:** June 23, 2022 **Author:** Ernie **Content:** I keep finding new unknowns in my ‘newish’ yard. This one is intimately entwined with a nice fern, and I first thought it was another fern because the new leaves look similar to a maidenhair fern. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [cumming-summer-1655932547](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1655932547/) **Published:** June 22, 2022 **Author:** christyjeff3 **Content:** Broad leaves, prickly stem, white flower shaped like a star, but mostly large green leaves. Has grown quite large in corner of fence. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-spring-1655757359](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1655757359/) **Published:** June 21, 2022 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Popped up in yard. Currently about a foot high. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [gainesville-summer-1655665305](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-summer-1655665305/) **Published:** June 19, 2022 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** Hello! Can you help me and tell me the name of this plant? It’s evergreen, easy to propagate (just cut a piece and stick in the ground). When it blooms it has some white flowers. Thank you so much. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [kennesaw-summer-1655665538](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kennesaw-summer-1655665538/) **Published:** June 19, 2022 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** Help! Why are the leaves on my meter lemon curling and turning yellow? I tried to research online but I find everything from too much water to too little water. I haven’t seen any bugs. A few of the tiny Lemons have dropped. 😩 **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [powder-springs-summer-1655680780](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/powder-springs-summer-1655680780/) **Published:** June 19, 2022 **Author:** christiegirl14@hotmail.com **Content:** This container was at the edge of my covered deck which is 6 feet off the ground. The un identified Plant just popped up in the container out of nowhere. It looks Similar to a Venus fly trap at first glance but it isn’t. Not sure if it’s a fungal spores or an actual plant that I can keep and grow. I think it looks pretty cool. Hope you can help. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [palmetto-spring-1655347787](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/palmetto-spring-1655347787/) **Published:** June 16, 2022 **Author:** S Banks **Content:** This tree is in my neighbor’s yard. It has purple flowers in spring with grape-cluster-like seed pods. The pictures show the new seed pods (green) as well as the old seed pods (brown). I have taken pictures of the flower too. It is approximately 25 feet tall. Could you please identify this tree? Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [baldwin-spring-1655216696](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/baldwin-spring-1655216696/) **Published:** June 15, 2022 **Author:** 305WGSGG **Content:** Of three knockout rose bushes that were planted a couple years ago, the one in the middle “just up and died”. Each one beside it seem to be doing fine. Please help. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [fort-saint-john-summer-1655229053](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fort-saint-john-summer-1655229053/) **Published:** June 15, 2022 **Author:** Victor Plotnikow **Content:** Growing on dead aspen **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-spring-1655156796](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1655156796/) **Published:** June 13, 2022 **Author:** Diana **Content:** Shrub blooming now. It is about four feet tall and wide. I can't tell if those are berries opening up into flowers or flowers turning into berries. Owner of plant unsure but says possibly in hydrangea family and thinks it is in Dr. Dirr's book. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [woodstock-spring-1655047373](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-spring-1655047373/) **Published:** June 13, 2022 **Author:** Dawson **Content:** This Japanese Maple tree was planted in mid-March in an open front yard receiving full sun all day. The discolorations started appearing about two weeks ago. It receives about one-half inch of water every 5 days and has had an application of 13-13-13. What is causing this and what should I do about it? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [gainesville-summer-1655156069](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-summer-1655156069/) **Published:** June 13, 2022 **Author:** apbrown **Content:** We had a load of dirt delivered for the new veggie garden. I thought this 'volunteer' was a cucumber at first, but unlike cucumbers I did plant (from seed) – this sprouted faster, grew runners and quickly invaded its neighbors, had no flowers. I say creeping cucumber; husband says moonseed. Please help us settle this dispute 🙂 **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [washington-spring-1654709006](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/washington-spring-1654709006/) **Published:** June 10, 2022 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Test Please Ignore. **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [weaverville-spring-1654711540](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/weaverville-spring-1654711540/) **Published:** June 10, 2022 **Author:** Quikly **Content:** Is this a Hoya? Dark green leaves, slow-growing, gentle spread. No blooms. I've owned this plant for almost two years. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [atlanta-spring-1654346936](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1654346936/) **Published:** June 10, 2022 **Author:** Carolbrrt **Content:** I suspect this is poison hemlock in my yard. I would like to get rid of it safely. Who would be able to ID it and recommend someone to contact for removal? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [canton-spring-1654468928](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-spring-1654468928/) **Published:** June 10, 2022 **Author:** bhart **Content:** Bush Estimates likely + or – a couple feet 12' tall Estimate 12' wide Curious of type and to know if it will produce nectar of interest to Honey Bees. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [howell-spring-1654791496](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/howell-spring-1654791496/) **Published:** June 10, 2022 **Author:** claypot **Content:** It's almost a tree, 8 ' tall, white 4 petal flowers with greyish-green leaves. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [buford-spring-1654223071](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buford-spring-1654223071/) **Published:** June 3, 2022 **Author:** Bill Smith **Content:** 25 year old crepe myrtles – whitish blotches appearing on leaves toward end of some lower stems, and leaves starting to wither. No prior health issues with these trees. Ideas? Treatments? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [morrow-spring-1654278810](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/morrow-spring-1654278810/) **Published:** June 3, 2022 **Author:** patgael **Content:** This plant had reached about 3-1/2 to 4 feet in height with a heavy stalk. It had a heavy fragrance to the tiny bloom with short, narrow petals like a miniature daisy. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [tucker-spring-1654275439](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tucker-spring-1654275439/) **Published:** June 3, 2022 **Author:** Lawn and Order **Content:** Deciduous tree (oak?). What is the ailment? Mostly affecting bottom branches with progressively decreasing distribution and intensity moving towards top. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [acworth-spring-1653846185](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/acworth-spring-1653846185/) **Published:** May 30, 2022 **Author:** charlesyu **Content:** It just appeared on the pot and before me deciding to keep it or not. Is this plant useful? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [acworth-spring-1653846599](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/acworth-spring-1653846599/) **Published:** May 30, 2022 **Author:** charlesyu **Content:** This plant appeared in my garden. I remember throwing various vegetable seeds in my garden. Is this a vegetable plant? Thanks in advance for identifying it for me. I will get rid of this plant if it will not produce any edible fruits. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [acworth-spring-1653846717](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/acworth-spring-1653846717/) **Published:** May 30, 2022 **Author:** charlesyu **Content:** This plant appeared in my garden. I remember throwing various vegetable seeds in my garden. Is this a grape plant? Thanks in advance for identifying it for me. I will get rid of this plant if it will not produce any edible fruits. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [el-paso-spring-1653915993](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/el-paso-spring-1653915993/) **Published:** May 30, 2022 **Author:** Selena Flowers **Content:** The Red and Green Flower Plant is all over El Paso Tx. The Purple Humming Bird Plant, I planted from seeds and lost the package of what was planted, but it's Growing here in GA **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [oxford-spring-1653784598](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/oxford-spring-1653784598/) **Published:** May 30, 2022 **Author:** Gordyh **Content:** A weed that has taken over my lawn. Turns it white. Appears to have runners spreading very fast. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [decatur-spring-1653855460](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1653855460/) **Published:** May 30, 2022 **Author:** a635584 **Content:** I planted two Azalea plants in my garden and just noticed that something is eating the leaves. Does anyone know what this is and how I should treat it. Regards, John Edwards **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [duluth-spring-1653921908](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/duluth-spring-1653921908/) **Published:** May 30, 2022 **Author:** rdhdawn09 **Content:** Weedy Vine, climbing the fence – **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [douglasville-summer-1653317267](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-summer-1653317267/) **Published:** May 25, 2022 **Author:** sunnysue2009 **Content:** This must be a purchased it last year because I overwintered it. The picture doesn't show it's real color. It's really a light lime green with somewhat succulent stems and leaves. Not a succulent thought, just fleshy. Now it's about 1 ft. high and about 10 inches wide. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [palmetto-spring-1653347879](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/palmetto-spring-1653347879/) **Published:** May 25, 2022 **Author:** S Banks **Content:** I found this tree/shrub growing by the road. The flowers are actually on the underside of the leaves. Could anyone identify this? Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [marietta-spring-1653132682](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1653132682/) **Published:** May 22, 2022 **Author:** liem919 **Content:** Can you identify the disease and how to fix the problem. I think this is Japanese Boxwood and this problem is happening on two of my bushes. Thanks, **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [peachtree-city-spring-1652961105](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-spring-1652961105/) **Published:** May 22, 2022 **Author:** Halloween1031 **Content:** Been seeing this take over the yard this year (and other people's yards as well). Not a dandelion, but sort of similar. Grows in scattered patches in various sizes. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [richmond-hill-spring-1653240744](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-spring-1653240744/) **Published:** May 22, 2022 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** It's a type of Butterfly bush. Don't remember the name. Dark green leaves have a strong herbal scent. Blooms are tiny pink in a ball type format **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [winder-spring-1653135239](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/winder-spring-1653135239/) **Published:** May 22, 2022 **Author:** chrisblanton22 **Content:** Lung shaped double leaf. White stem/root. Scores of them appeared in my raised bed just days after cultivating and planting cucumber, squash, zucchini. Maybe their seeds laid dormant from last year, and I stirred them up to a germination level last week? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [decatur-spring-1653137754](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1653137754/) **Published:** May 22, 2022 **Author:** Ernie **Content:** I found this vine coming up after clearing out English ivy under pines in my backyard. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [douglasville-spring-1652732454](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-spring-1652732454/) **Published:** May 18, 2022 **Author:** sunnysue2009 **Content:** Zone 7b, growing behind a 24 year old, loropetalum. It's right up against my brick foundation, Very inhospitable environment. Very little water, almost hardpan soil, full sun. I did not plant it. Tried several plant ID apps. keep giving me many acer types. Closest I found using google was Acer davidii, George Forest, looked at sooo many pics. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [shelton-spring-1652735792](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/shelton-spring-1652735792/) **Published:** May 18, 2022 **Author:** Bluebird2032 **Content:** These very small pieces are all ofer my deck and my puppy loves to eat the ones i miss. I have a tulip tree amd lots of beech trees. Is this from the beech tree? There are some maples in the woods behind my house. Poisonous? Thank you. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [elberton-spring-1652755378](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/elberton-spring-1652755378/) **Published:** May 18, 2022 **Author:** JeffJ111 **Content:** This small bushy plant in growing in the woods near Elbert County near Clark’s Hill Lake. I believe it is in the area of an old home place as there are several other flowers and interesting plants in the area. Its leaves are are waxy and the white flowers are petite, hang down in bunches, and are kind of bell shaped. The trunk is reddish, no bark. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [buford-spring-1652876815](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buford-spring-1652876815/) **Published:** May 18, 2022 **Author:** hajlin **Content:** I have 2 of these and I’m not sure if the are weeds or wildflowers, or how they got there. One picture shows the plant and the other picture shows the flower bloom. The flower reminds me of phlox, but not the plant. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [bogart-spring-1652544828](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bogart-spring-1652544828/) **Published:** May 15, 2022 **Author:** Davidray **Content:** Found this clump of exposed tubers under my magnolia tree. I got it out, not sure what it is. Can I get an ID from this picture? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [roswell-spring-1652316454](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-spring-1652316454/) **Published:** May 15, 2022 **Author:** bstanchie **Content:** These spots are on all the leaves of the oak trees on my property. (I think this is an oak leaf). I don’t notice them on any other trees. 🙁 What is causing the spots? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [roswell-spring-1651975954](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-spring-1651975954/) **Published:** May 10, 2022 **Author:** ps061479 **Content:** These seeds are falling from a tree. What kind of tree is it? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [grimes-spring-1652033902](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grimes-spring-1652033902/) **Published:** May 10, 2022 **Author:** Nancy Holloway **Content:** I planted a yellow weigela bush here a few years back and it did not survive. Or so I thought. Can this be it or is this a weed ? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [austell-spring-1651973296](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/austell-spring-1651973296/) **Published:** May 10, 2022 **Author:** JFWorthy3 **Content:** I think it grew up wild in edge of pasture but looks more like a planted plant. About 4 feet tall. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [grimes-spring-1652196310](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grimes-spring-1652196310/) **Published:** May 10, 2022 **Author:** Nancy Holloway **Content:** I submitted 2 pics previously. Trying to identify this plant. These are 2 more pics of the same plant, hoping to make identification easier. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [ellenwood-spring-1652122557](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ellenwood-spring-1652122557/) **Published:** May 10, 2022 **Author:** Phibbie Johnson **Content:** It was a volunteer in an island. I dug it up and replanted it. I thought it was a crepe myrtle. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [decatur-spring-1652044714](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1652044714/) **Published:** May 10, 2022 **Author:** aeparker57 **Content:** It has runners and spreads like mad. It looks like artemisia somewhat but not as silvery. It's taking over my garden bed. I've tried applying Roundup with a paintbrush and that knocks it back for a bit but I can't get rid of it! Pulling it up just makes more of it. Help! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lake-park-spring-1651095353](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lake-park-spring-1651095353/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Jawjaboy71 **Content:** A wild growing tall bush growing on the edge of the road next to a swamp **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [lake-park-spring-1651102957](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lake-park-spring-1651102957/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Jawjaboy71 **Content:** These are growing beside the road next to a swamp near maples and cypress **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [lake-park-spring-1651104713](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lake-park-spring-1651104713/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Jawjaboy71 **Content:** I tasted these berries last year. I feel sure they are blueberries. They were sweet. I picked them and froze them. The leaves have me puzzled. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [warner-robins-spring-1651018012](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/warner-robins-spring-1651018012/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** stacybug1972 **Content:** We have three or four types of plants/weeds growing like crazy in our flower beds. I want to identfy what they are as I have broken out really bad while working in the yard for the last two springs. Two of the photos are the same type of plant/weed, which is what is growing the worse this year, Those have thorn stems. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [kennesaw-spring-1651412165](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kennesaw-spring-1651412165/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** My rosemary isn’t well. Was fine last summer, over winter was in a plastic portable greenhouse. leaves are all yellow. 1 pix shows a new rosemary to compare the leaf color. No stems are droopy so I don’t think it’s root rot. Should I cut it back to nothing and see if it lives? Help please. Thank you **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [augusta-spring-1651433198](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/augusta-spring-1651433198/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Stephanie Brundage **Content:** Beautiful street tree in urban Augusta GA with large glossy leaves and fruit that looks like persimmon. Please identify. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [peachtree-city-spring-1651425362](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-spring-1651425362/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Mimi Shinsky **Content:** I got this from a friend's garden in Jensen Beach FL but don't know what it is, where to plant it or if will even grow up here. She said to stick it in the ground and stand back. I'm a bit leery of that advice given the difference in zones. TYIA **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-spring-1651419383](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1651419383/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Larry Morris **Content:** Hi, these Cedars were installed as my only privacy screen in 2011. They have always looked healthy as they get plenty of water. They are planted next to a drainage ditch that gets lots of runoff. Now they are browning. Is this just spot browning or is this a bigger issue? I don’t know the variety to research. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lexington-spring-1651347101](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lexington-spring-1651347101/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** rghines1 **Content:** Grows close to ground with "bottle brush" like stems. In time the entire plant is loaded with puffball seed heads. On the right side of photo can be seen a puffball has emerged with more to follow. Richard H. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [conyers-spring-1651245342](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/conyers-spring-1651245342/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** LCranston **Content:** First time doing any type of gardening, please be patient… Just transplanted some spacemaster cucumbers seedlings yesterday in my raised bed, and within a day I noticed this white, papery affliction starting to appear on the edges on a couple of my plants. I haven't seen any aphids or any other insects around, but maybe they eluded me. Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [shelby-spring-1651365025](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/shelby-spring-1651365025/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Nicole.brooks **Content:** I’m not sure what this is but it is a bulb and spread very fast. I’ve lived her 8 years and I dug them all up in front and they came back and a lot more. What will kill them? They are in my beds. They smell good and that’s all I can say good about them. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-spring-1651459015](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1651459015/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** sallan1234 **Content:** Its a very beautiful somewhat viney shrub with brilliant red flowers in a shady location **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [saint-louis-spring-1651506892](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/saint-louis-spring-1651506892/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Johanan60 **Content:** Growing wild behind garage **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [peachtree-city-spring-1651078805](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-spring-1651078805/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Mjpascual **Content:** Two of these trees in my yard. Tallest is about 50 feet tall. Until recently they were crowded by sweet gums and pine trees. Blooms drop very tiny black seeds no visible fruits. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [marietta-spring-1651600698](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1651600698/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Barracuda **Content:** Floating, cotton-like seeds coming from unidentified nearby trees, leaving snow-like coating upon rooves. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [duluth-spring-1651704888](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/duluth-spring-1651704888/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** 2022JLaino **Content:** Stem has a rough feel and the tiny “balls” grab onto my clothes, gloves, and shoes when I try to pull the weeds (?) up. They appear to be trying to take over! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-spring-1651459098](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1651459098/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** sallan1234 **Content:** Its a very beautiful somewhat viney shrub with brilliant red flowers in a shady location **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-spring-1651459273](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1651459273/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** sallan1234 **Content:** Located in a very shady spot..deeply lobed leaves with a blackberry like fruit **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [burke-spring-1651703854](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/burke-spring-1651703854/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** joa441dc2 **Content:** Outdoor plants Would like to know the plant name and whether they are toxic to pets **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [tucker-spring-1651550623](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tucker-spring-1651550623/) **Published:** May 6, 2022 **Author:** Lulabelle1003@comcast.net **Content:** Non-flowering, husband cut down from overgrowth and decided the trunk would make a good walking stick. Now, he’s wondering the tree type to etch in the design to complete his work. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Seed popping tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/seed-popping-tree/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Carl Gus **Content:** This tree is growing in the Sonoran desert (Arizona), and the pods make a popping sound when they expel the seed. Small tiny connected leaves on stems. What is this interesting tree and help me understand it’s mechanism of expelling the seeds with such force. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lagrange-spring-1650749324](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lagrange-spring-1650749324/) **Published:** April 25, 2022 **Author:** GregMandell **Content:** Gardener who planted this flower died two years ago and hasn’t been cared for since. Looking for info on what it is. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [lexington-spring-1650816389](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lexington-spring-1650816389/) **Published:** April 25, 2022 **Author:** rghines1 **Content:** Similar to a miniature dandelion with a puffball seed head like a dandelion too. Has fibrous roots as opposed to a taproot. Scattered all over the backyard. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [decatur-spring-1650847998](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1650847998/) **Published:** April 25, 2022 **Author:** john01 **Content:** This additional photo shows flowers on the 3/17 shrub ID question and they do resemble honeysuckle. Is it something we should keep or remove? (OK to remove the 3/1 request that you replied to on 3/10) **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [milner-spring-1650897075](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milner-spring-1650897075/) **Published:** April 25, 2022 **Author:** Kristin **Content:** Fruiting tree **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [richmond-hill-spring-1650834503](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-spring-1650834503/) **Published:** April 25, 2022 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Cicada looking type insect with gold dust pattern all over **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [greensboro-spring-1650591249](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-spring-1650591249/) **Published:** April 22, 2022 **Author:** 305WGSGG **Content:** Noticed this plant several years ago and would like to know its name. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lufkin-spring-1650554298](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lufkin-spring-1650554298/) **Published:** April 22, 2022 **Author:** CFondren **Content:** Need to have identified **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [clarkesville-spring-1650310662](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/clarkesville-spring-1650310662/) **Published:** April 19, 2022 **Author:** LBOOZER **Content:** This is a plant of my late mother’s. She couldn’t remember what the name of the plant was, only that she’s had it for 40+ years. It has fuzzy leaves like an African Violet, yet the leaves are bigger and have different coloring. It bloomed last May 2021 and now has bloomed again in April 2022. Sure hoping you can help! **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [austell-spring-1649553613](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/austell-spring-1649553613/) **Published:** April 15, 2022 **Author:** JFWorthy3 **Content:** I assume a crabapple. Pls confirm. Is there any way to tell the variety? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lexington-spring-1649618009](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lexington-spring-1649618009/) **Published:** April 15, 2022 **Author:** rghines1 **Content:** Leaves appear similar to 3-leaf clover, 5 petal purple flowers. Seems to prefer damp shaded areas. Richard H. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [tiger-spring-1649721015](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tiger-spring-1649721015/) **Published:** April 15, 2022 **Author:** hajlin **Content:** These suddenly came up scattered around a 5 feet area. Only one bloom per stem. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [gainesville-spring-1650022990](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-spring-1650022990/) **Published:** April 15, 2022 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** This weed has popped out everywhere. I thought it was ‘plantain’ which is supposed to be a good weed (for medicinal use), but after comparing it to pictures of plantain the leaves don’t match. Any idea what this is? Thanks for your help **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [whitesburg-spring-1649986717](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/whitesburg-spring-1649986717/) **Published:** April 15, 2022 **Author:** Corinna Garmon **Content:** Shrub plant found on the outskirts of a wooded area. Smell of flowers is sweet and reminiscent of daffodils. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lilburn-spring-1649706718](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lilburn-spring-1649706718/) **Published:** April 15, 2022 **Author:** davidfanderson1102 **Content:** I need to identify the plant to see if it is a good plant or a weed **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [sulphur-springs-autumn-1649092063](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sulphur-springs-autumn-1649092063/) **Published:** April 5, 2022 **Author:** whatweed **Content:** Seeds found in my brothers coat pocket after unknown time. trying to germinate- unsuccessful. Category unknown. cap seems velvety. Anyone have an idea what? Travis **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-summer-1648837966](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1648837966/) **Published:** April 4, 2022 **Author:** Jan **Content:** Growing in shade. Plant about 2 1/2 feet tall **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [johns-creek-spring-1648347701](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/johns-creek-spring-1648347701/) **Published:** March 31, 2022 **Author:** Susan **Content:** I received as a hostess gift. Can I plant in yard? What is the name of it to research how to best plant **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [punta-gorda-spring-1647867868](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/punta-gorda-spring-1647867868/) **Published:** March 21, 2022 **Author:** myet25 **Content:** I believe it is in the succulent family. The branches are similar to a Desert Rose or Plumeria. The leaves have a velvety texture. It blooms in spring and summer with beautiful yellow flowers. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [brookhaven-spring-1647717076](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/brookhaven-spring-1647717076/) **Published:** March 21, 2022 **Author:** Steve **Content:** Last year, a neighbor’s potted wax begonia rolled downhill, stopping at our chain link fence. It bloomed and survived the winter. This year, downhill from that begonia, we have quite a few of the plants shown in the photograph. The lobular shape of the leaves makes me wonder if they are somehow related to the begonia, or if they’re just weeds. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [decatur-spring-1647560319](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1647560319/) **Published:** March 19, 2022 **Author:** john01 **Content:** Resubmitting the 3/1 request with another image. This grows about 7′ tall, 5′ wide and new leaves just emerged. Please help identify it? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lawrenceville-winter-1647441143](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-winter-1647441143/) **Published:** March 17, 2022 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** This apparently dead patch popped up in our fescue yard in January. It was a mystery to our yard service provider. In early March, we roughed up the dirt and applied seed we have used before that has worked well to seed bare spots. Today, there are no visible signs of germination. What should we do now? Is there a disease in the soil? Help! **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [decaturga-spring-1646658920](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decaturga-spring-1646658920/) **Published:** March 9, 2022 **Author:** john01 **Content:** This grows about 7′ tall and new leaves just emerged. Can you identify it from this photo? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [phoenix-winter-1646680839](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/phoenix-winter-1646680839/) **Published:** March 8, 2022 **Author:** Jo30tomick **Content:** Looks and smells like carrots to me. My yard is full of it and not the usual weeds that pop up or the dichondra that usually comes up during the winter.. what is it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-winter-1646312549](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1646312549/) **Published:** March 5, 2022 **Author:** Kim Nikles **Content:** I want to properly label the plants in my yard, especially those that are unusual, native, etc. What’s the best format? Best I can tell, front should include scientific name (genus + species), common name, then cultivar. Back should include source of plant (nursery, friend, etc.) and date added to landscape. What else? Corrections? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [douglasville-spring-1645934769](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-spring-1645934769/) **Published:** February 28, 2022 **Author:** JFWorthy3 **Content:** Plumquat tree. Strange disease that has gooey gooky slime dripping off tree **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [mcdonough-winter-1645218033](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mcdonough-winter-1645218033/) **Published:** February 22, 2022 **Author:** Judyiftk **Content:** This vine is growing at the edge of the woods. Long slender leaves with oval orange colored fruit/seed. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [grovetown-winter-1645140499](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/grovetown-winter-1645140499/) **Published:** February 17, 2022 **Author:** Phisher60 **Content:** This little gal popped up in a planter and I’m not sure if it’s a weed or flower **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [nashville-autumn-1644729682](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/nashville-autumn-1644729682/) **Published:** February 13, 2022 **Author:** trinityblue **Content:** A clipping from my grandmother’s rosebush. The parent bush stands about 4′ – 5′ tall and about 3′ around. It was planted sometime around or before the early 80s. Two pictures with the single flower are from the summer. One with multiple flowers is early winter when I brought it into the garage before the freeze happened (a critter ate the leaves). **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [peachtree-corners-spring-1644641778](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-corners-spring-1644641778/) **Published:** February 13, 2022 **Author:** taraetm **Content:** What is this plant? I saw the picture but didn’t know the name of it. Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-winter-1644090248](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1644090248/) **Published:** February 6, 2022 **Author:** land234 **Content:** The plant is about 8″-12″ high and 12″-18″ wide. As I recall it was more green in the summer but this winter it turned the fantastic purplish in the pic. I’d love to get more but forgot what it was! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [portland-winter-1644116799](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/portland-winter-1644116799/) **Published:** February 6, 2022 **Author:** Velcroviv **Content:** I received this plant from a friend and she said it was a pregnant onion, but from the photos I have seen online, it doesn’t look like the picture of a pregnant onion. Now, I am wondering if it is an onion someone stuck in some dirt to see if it would grow. Please tell me anything you can about this plant. So many people have asked me what it is. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [johns-creek-winter-1644075601](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/johns-creek-winter-1644075601/) **Published:** February 6, 2022 **Author:** Susan **Content:** Houseplant received, unkown ID, Blooms profusely with yellow. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [acworth-winter-1643596351](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/acworth-winter-1643596351/) **Published:** February 3, 2022 **Author:** Aunt Bubba **Content:** This popped up under a neighbors boxwood…..looks like it is growing off of a root but who knows~ Original post here: **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [madison-autumn-1643755549](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/madison-autumn-1643755549/) **Published:** February 3, 2022 **Author:** MRMcCance **Content:** I’ve been told this is a variety of switchgrass. Which one? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [panthersville-winter-1642474402](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/panthersville-winter-1642474402/) **Published:** January 18, 2022 **Author:** bharbort **Content:** A branch with large cylindrical seed pods found on the South River Trail. I observed a couple of plants about five feet tall with similar seed pods, but mch smaller. I looked around a little but did not see a tree big enough for this branch to have come from. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [loganville-winter-1641746952](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-winter-1641746952/) **Published:** January 9, 2022 **Author:** Emailkathy **Content:** Pretty tree when in leaf. We want to save/move it. Questions- 1. What kind of tree? 2. Is the growth on the limbs a disease? Normal winter something? Just type of bark? (Recently move from Texas and learning all new plants!) Many thanks! Kathy **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [columbus-winter-1641754581](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/columbus-winter-1641754581/) **Published:** January 9, 2022 **Author:** julienAlphaOmega **Content:** I noticed that bees were on it and I am a beekeeper. I need to plant this around my hives too. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [madison-winter-1641689886](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/madison-winter-1641689886/) **Published:** January 9, 2022 **Author:** Karen Whitt **Content:** This is a Crepe Myrtle. Is this something I should be concerned about? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [cartersville-winter-1641189450](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cartersville-winter-1641189450/) **Published:** January 5, 2022 **Author:** Tadpolehiking **Content:** Bright orange growth with lots of 1mm round ovals attached by a clear/whitish tissue to surface of a fallen rotted damp pine wood. Perhaps a Slime mold, asking for more identifying information. We revisited the site the next day, on the 2nd day previous growth was brown and new grow was near by. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [acworth-winter-1640817766](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/acworth-winter-1640817766/) **Published:** January 5, 2022 **Author:** CSStephend **Content:** Saw this under a neighbors shrub while walking dog **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [fayetteville-autumn-1640117389](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-autumn-1640117389/) **Published:** December 29, 2021 **Author:** Margot Beebe **Content:** We found this at the bottom of a downspout after about 1/4″ of rain. (None at the other downspouts.) My husband said “did you see the orange French Fries?” (Later we renamed ’em to “spicy French Fries”.) They are mushy. I just have no idea what this could be!!! **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [alpharetta-winter-1640153740](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-winter-1640153740/) **Published:** December 28, 2021 **Author:** LadySlippers **Content:** Found this growing on my woodland property. Mostly shade but a little morning sun. Leaves are rough. Worried it could be harmful to my dogs. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [montezuma-winter-1640209374](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/montezuma-winter-1640209374/) **Published:** December 28, 2021 **Author:** Staci **Content:** Sapling with soft to the touch branches with needle-like tips. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [panama-city-autumn-1639790336](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/panama-city-autumn-1639790336/) **Published:** December 18, 2021 **Author:** Shashe **Content:** I think it’s beautiful and want to grow it ! It’s at a Thai Restaurant on Hwy 98 **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [mission-hills-autumn-1639421391](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mission-hills-autumn-1639421391/) **Published:** December 16, 2021 **Author:** aaurza@sbcglobal.net **Content:** Can you identify the plant? Is a succulent but I don’t know the name. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [camarillo-autumn-1639391474](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/camarillo-autumn-1639391474/) **Published:** December 13, 2021 **Author:** aaurza@sbcglobal.net **Content:** Schefflera plant getting dry, hard yellow/brown spots on many leaves. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [douglasville-autumn-1638834613](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-autumn-1638834613/) **Published:** December 7, 2021 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** It is a tree that drops these! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lake-park-autumn-1638752124](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lake-park-autumn-1638752124/) **Published:** December 6, 2021 **Author:** Jawjaboy71 **Content:** I thought it was a huckleberry, but the fruit has 1 big had seed that can be cut in half. The leaves are not serrated at all. The flowers looked white. Help please, is this a useable fruit? Thank you **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1638744995](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1638744995/) **Published:** December 6, 2021 **Author:** mmorten99 **Content:** My Chionanthis virginicus limb was rotated in the photo I submitted. Still thinking it may be alcoholic flux, a bacterial disease that isn’t treatable but not supposed to be fatal. ??? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1638482669](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1638482669/) **Published:** December 3, 2021 **Author:** mmorten99 **Content:** This is a main branch on a 10 yr old Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus). I first smelled the froth–like fermenting apple cider. Foam came from under the bark–no evidence of borers of damage under soggy bark. Best I could figure is alcoholic flux? Affected limb seems ok. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [marietta-winter-1638316703](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-winter-1638316703/) **Published:** December 3, 2021 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** Help! What’s happening to my money plant? The soil is not damp, is it not enough water? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [douglasville-spring-1638213776](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-spring-1638213776/) **Published:** November 30, 2021 **Author:** Soapflake **Content:** I saw this at a local garden center and they said they didn’t order it but it came on their truck and they had no idea what it was. It reminds me of violets. Hummingbirds adore it. Would love to get more next year if I can identify. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [salisbury-summer-1638036806](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/salisbury-summer-1638036806/) **Published:** November 27, 2021 **Author:** soillover **Content:** Planted these in the spring and can’t remember what variety they are. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [mount-shasta-autumn-1636999522](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mount-shasta-autumn-1636999522/) **Published:** November 17, 2021 **Author:** DCaeton **Content:** Found this as I was cutting back the yard for winter. My plant identifier said it was lance leaf greenbrier but not sure that’s right since I’m in California. Thought it was Solomon’s Seal but the leaf is too stiff and waxy, then I thought it was leucothoe but it doesn’t match those leaves either. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [asheville-autumn-1637165382](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/asheville-autumn-1637165382/) **Published:** November 17, 2021 **Author:** Gayfrog **Content:** Very tall **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1637005146](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1637005146/) **Published:** November 17, 2021 **Author:** Diana **Content:** Three to four feet tall, yellowish green leaves. Did not bloom until mid to late October. Lavender color tubular flowers. Flowers are 3/4″ long by approximately 1/4″ wide. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [canton-autumn-1636739061](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-autumn-1636739061/) **Published:** November 12, 2021 **Author:** sweeneybee **Content:** I am seeing patches of these “sprouts” popping up throughout my beds. We just moved into this house this summer, and I am wondering if this could be some kind of bulb coming up too early. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [peachtree-city-autumn-1636589548](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-autumn-1636589548/) **Published:** November 11, 2021 **Author:** kris4milner@aol.com **Content:** Not sure what this is. It was in soilless planting mix where I tried to root a hydroponic zuchinni the end of July. Hard like potatoe. The nodes are growing on the larger bulb. Any idea what it is and how to save it until blooms or makes fruit? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [peachtree-city-autumn-1636587240](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-autumn-1636587240/) **Published:** November 11, 2021 **Author:** kris4milner@aol.com **Content:** It is hard like a potato. Nodes Growing on the larger one. I tried to save a hydroponic zucchini in August by putting in it soilless dirt and watering. The plant didn’t make it, but now I have this in the pot. ??? **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [decatur-autumn-1636496862](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-autumn-1636496862/) **Published:** November 10, 2021 **Author:** trainstation **Content:** This is a plant which is about 8’W x 9’T and has not been pruned in quite some time. It has an obtrusive appearance in the yard and I was curious how and when I might go about in reducing the bulk. I have all the necessary tools, but did not want to start without some guidance. It may not be a plant that can take pruning, please advise. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lawrenceville-autumn-1636417471](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-autumn-1636417471/) **Published:** November 9, 2021 **Author:** Mary Rutland **Content:** In a neighbors yard, scalped to the ground, cam back the next spring. Max Height 3ft, single woody stalks. New growth has reddish stems. Spreads aggressively. Has a purplish flower similar to vibrunum on the ends of branches. Funky smell as a cutting. ?Glory flower? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-autumn-1636385167](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-autumn-1636385167/) **Published:** November 8, 2021 **Author:** cjdonley **Content:** This is rapidly creeping into my fescue lawn. What can I do to stop the spreading without killing my lawn? I used to have a healthy dark green lawn and now this has taken over in areas that have somewhat moist soil that a landscaper cut too short. How many applications will I need and will it turn my lawn yellow before any fescue can grow back? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [calgary-alberta-autumn-1635949698](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/calgary-alberta-autumn-1635949698/) **Published:** November 4, 2021 **Author:** glassbender **Content:** This plant was found in a horse pasture just out side of Calgary. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [decatur-autumn-1635948292](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-autumn-1635948292/) **Published:** November 4, 2021 **Author:** T. Jenkins **Content:** My parents bought this plant at a nursery 3 years ago, but they don’t recall what it is. It is self-sufficient – my father says it actually doesn’t want him to water/feed it and does much better on its own. It seems to begin blooming as it cools down. Thanks in advance for your assistance! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [abingdon-autumn-1635820204](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/abingdon-autumn-1635820204/) **Published:** November 2, 2021 **Author:** george luc **Content:** Noticed this plant growing in our flower bed. What is it? Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-autumn-1635689046](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-autumn-1635689046/) **Published:** October 31, 2021 **Author:** karlaschuster **Content:** Hi everybody, I’m trying to identify the type of 2 hydrangeas. They’re right next to each other. Last fall I cut them both way back to approx 2 feet. 1 of them flowered on new wood the other didn’t. There’s little buds forming already. Should I cut all the way back again? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [clayton-autumn-1635382531](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/clayton-autumn-1635382531/) **Published:** October 28, 2021 **Author:** EternallyCurious **Content:** Found growing wild in the Appalachian mountains in northeast Georgia. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [edison-autumn-1635289785](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/edison-autumn-1635289785/) **Published:** October 28, 2021 **Author:** mincao **Content:** I have a pin oak in my backyard. I saw a lot of black peppercorn-looking things this year scattered around, which I have never seen before. I am not sure it is connected with the pin oak but that is the only thing I can think of. I attached a picture of it. Is it possible for you to identify it? Thank you for your help. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [canton-autumn-1634913566](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-autumn-1634913566/) **Published:** October 25, 2021 **Author:** Stacie Renee **Content:** Some type of succulent or sedum. When I purchased it I seem to remember that it had the name keychain something in the name. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1634765090](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1634765090/) **Published:** October 21, 2021 **Author:** ebaldwin21 **Content:** I have 5 of these plants that have been growing in my wildflower garden since July – several are between 8 and 10 feet tall. The flowers suddenly started blooming last week and look like sulphur cosmos but from what I’ve read those max out at 6 feet and usually are no taller than 3-4 ft. Has anyone heard of 10’ cosmos?! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [toccoa-autumn-1634755479](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/toccoa-autumn-1634755479/) **Published:** October 20, 2021 **Author:** Becky.carlson@gmail.com **Content:** Growing at glen Ella springs **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [suwanee-autumn-1634746330](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-autumn-1634746330/) **Published:** October 20, 2021 **Author:** rstanford **Content:** This photo is of a plant that has sprung up among my daylilys. Is it a weed or a garden plant of some sort.? Honeybees like the flowers. Thanks Royce **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [norcross-autumn-1634488467](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1634488467/) **Published:** October 18, 2021 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Plant popped up beneath St. John’s Wort. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1634219129](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1634219129/) **Published:** October 16, 2021 **Author:** TomasS **Content:** We have no idea what this is. There are a half dozen bulbs, shaped about size of a golf ball, white, and they eventually shoot up this off stalk-like thing. Never seen them before. They are sort of ooozy like a mushroom. I dug up all the bulbs I could find and put them in a plastic bag but am curious as to what they are. We did not plant them. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [brooksville-autumn-1633887774](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/brooksville-autumn-1633887774/) **Published:** October 11, 2021 **Author:** AlabamaBound **Content:** Found this growing along the edge of my property today. Looks like a pear but they are out of season I thought. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [brooksville-autumn-1633969914](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/brooksville-autumn-1633969914/) **Published:** October 11, 2021 **Author:** AlabamaBound **Content:** Keep finding these lying around but cat Eve identify the tree. What is it and is it edible. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [roanoke-autumn-1633815839](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roanoke-autumn-1633815839/) **Published:** October 11, 2021 **Author:** MrB **Content:** Found outside daycare center in VA. Wondering if it will grow in Ga. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [woodstock-autumn-1633799499](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-autumn-1633799499/) **Published:** October 9, 2021 **Author:** lou **Content:** What is this round object on my camellia plant and how to care for it? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [atlanta-summer-1633634757](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1633634757/) **Published:** October 8, 2021 **Author:** Karen Howard **Content:** I’m not sure what this tree is that I have; pictures attached. the fruit is in clusters; not sure if edible or not. Can you tell me what it is and if the fruit is edible? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [alpharetta-autumn-1633621112](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-autumn-1633621112/) **Published:** October 8, 2021 **Author:** dorisjones20@hotmail.com **Content:** Purchased from local nursery and accidentally discarded identification tag! It has bloomed all summer and I would like to plant in flower bed if it is a perennial. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [richmond-hill-autumn-1633456159](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-autumn-1633456159/) **Published:** October 5, 2021 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Plant is Better Homes&Gardens bought at Walmart. Tag says ” Indoor Plant foliage:” Grown by Costa Farms, Florida. Leaves are very stiff and smooth. Says ” Bright Sunny room all day 60 to 80 degrees indoor temp **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [decatur-autumn-1633194893](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-autumn-1633194893/) **Published:** October 4, 2021 **Author:** Anne Page **Content:** I spotted it growing in a vacant lot, dug up 4-5 plants, and a year later I have this explosion of the plant in my back yard. Have I transplanted a beautiful weed? Are there any problems with this mystery plant? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [cumming-autumn-1633188827](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-autumn-1633188827/) **Published:** October 2, 2021 **Author:** Bodonnell **Content:** this vine is taking over our un-used vegetable garden. Has a tiny pink flower just recently bloomed, is it a weed or an old watermelon vine coming back. it just now starting fall Oct. 2021 **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [maysville-autumn-1633100216](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/maysville-autumn-1633100216/) **Published:** October 1, 2021 **Author:** Harts3838 **Content:** Blooming elephant ear? Is there such a thing? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [fayetteville-autumn-1633030627](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-autumn-1633030627/) **Published:** September 30, 2021 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Here are two more photos of the plants with flowers that look like birds **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [fayetteville-autumn-1632852284](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-autumn-1632852284/) **Published:** September 29, 2021 **Author:** Becky.carlson@gmail.com **Content:** I think this seed came in a bag of deer resistant wildflowers – bloomed first in 2020 – this one is from saved seed – as you can see, the “blooms” look like tiny birds – their tummies become the bright green seed pod and there are probably 50 seeds in each pod – this plant is over 6′ tall. The birds are about an inch long. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [village-mills-autumn-1632853688](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/village-mills-autumn-1632853688/) **Published:** September 29, 2021 **Author:** judyawells2006 **Content:** It has elongated leaves with a reptile-like veining. Seems to be hardy and can easily revived with appropriate moisture. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [social-circle-autumn-1632777366](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/social-circle-autumn-1632777366/) **Published:** September 29, 2021 **Author:** dcp7451 **Content:** Beautiful pink-red flowers in late summer/early fall; shrub sized plant with distinctively shaped leaves. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [marietta-autumn-1632600521](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-autumn-1632600521/) **Published:** September 25, 2021 **Author:** joni10 **Content:** This strange weed popped up in my rose garden. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [villa-rica-summer-1632519798](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/villa-rica-summer-1632519798/) **Published:** September 24, 2021 **Author:** a41farmer **Content:** My neighbor came by my house today informing me about a tree near her fence. I myself thought it was a weed ,but it kept growing . I’m trying to identify what type of shrub, plant, tree this is because she wants me to cut it down. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [dunwoody-summer-1632513237](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-summer-1632513237/) **Published:** September 24, 2021 **Author:** jeffrey30338 **Content:** The plant resembled eggplant when it was small and I decided to allow it to grow larger in my raised garden bed. Then it took off and started producing this weird looking fruit. I think this is some sort of noxious weed. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [keller-summer-1632237888](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/keller-summer-1632237888/) **Published:** September 21, 2021 **Author:** dennishester **Content:** Dracena spike looking weed that I hear are connected underground as it seems to appear in groupings together. Wondering how to rid yard (bermuda) of this pest! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [athens-summer-1632160077](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/athens-summer-1632160077/) **Published:** September 20, 2021 **Author:** hillarybrown **Content:** Found this in my yard and it doesn’t seem like a weed, but what is it? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [mariettag-summer-1631818906](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mariettag-summer-1631818906/) **Published:** September 17, 2021 **Author:** Janakshah **Content:** I have this plant for 4 years . It had very few flowers one time about 2 years back. I am trying everything i can think of like pruning,fertilising but it does not bloom. Normally this kind of plant has pink flowers on every branch. Could you please tell me what to do so I can get flowers on it? Thank you for your help. Janak **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-summer-1631712792](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1631712792/) **Published:** September 15, 2021 **Author:** David Barry **Content:** This Japanese Maple was planted several years ago and it seems to be just hanging on. In the past couple of summers, entire branches would die. Now there are sections of bark missing from the trunk, and a moldy-looking spot on one of the branches that is oozing an amber sap. Is it worth trying to save, or should I try something else? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [marietta-summer-1631709078](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1631709078/) **Published:** September 15, 2021 **Author:** Eurothryna **Content:** The sprig was taken from a shrub that was 10 feet tall. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [norcross-summer-1631461650](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-summer-1631461650/) **Published:** September 12, 2021 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Several have appeared in heavily wooded lo. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [milledgeville-summer-1631197669](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milledgeville-summer-1631197669/) **Published:** September 9, 2021 **Author:** artman **Content:** This is a volunteer plant, a shrub that is about 2 1/2 feet tall at present. I have waited to see if it will flower or if an app could ID it but so far I’ve not found an answer. The berries have recently appeared and have begun to ripen. If this is an undesirable plant, I want to remove it before it begins dropping its berries. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [dunwoody-summer-1630860513](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-summer-1630860513/) **Published:** September 7, 2021 **Author:** David Bauman **Content:** SEEN ON STUCCO NEAR FRONT DOOR, CAPTURED IN PLASTIC CONTAINER. Is it a good bug, bad bug or just an interesting moth? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [riversidec-summer-1630968046](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/riversidec-summer-1630968046/) **Published:** September 7, 2021 **Author:** Anthony Shafer **Content:** This was spotted in what is left of a lawn in this California drought. The base plant looks like dandelion, but the flower is blueish purple. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [cumming-autumn-1631026210](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-autumn-1631026210/) **Published:** September 7, 2021 **Author:** Zog **Content:** 8 foot tall sparse tree/shrubs growing wild on our fence line that goes un-noticed until fall when it shows these beautiful pods. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [rincon-summer-1630780877](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rincon-summer-1630780877/) **Published:** September 4, 2021 **Author:** darrelfrost **Content:** The photo of an individual plant is about 4″ across for scale. Pushing out centipede grass in shady areas. Looks to be a vining lily of some kind. Looking for an ID and how to control it. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [greenville-summer-1630528189](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greenville-summer-1630528189/) **Published:** September 3, 2021 **Author:** tazz **Content:** These 2 plants just appeared in our herb garden. Together about 2 ft tall x 2 ft wide. The orange color is part of the leaf, not a separate leaf. The first picture is the stems, then the both plants from afar, then a close up of what looks like it might flower. Have no idea what it is just guessing a weed. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lithonia-summer-1630516517](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lithonia-summer-1630516517/) **Published:** September 2, 2021 **Author:** Jeromesmith **Content:** About 6″ tall **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [windham-summer-1630415334](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/windham-summer-1630415334/) **Published:** August 31, 2021 **Author:** Ywoodard **Content:** We purchased this house then I noticed these growths. It’s a green plant, I’ve not noticed any flowers ever. We have only lived here 2 months **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [cumming-summer-1630360788](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1630360788/) **Published:** August 31, 2021 **Author:** Johnsk10 **Content:** This pretty lily like plant suddenly came up in my waterfall at the base. I did not plant a bulb so just wonder what it is and how it got there. It’s at the bottom of the waterfall so strangely enough its base is under some water! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [adairsville-summer-1630281497](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/adairsville-summer-1630281497/) **Published:** August 30, 2021 **Author:** fleurgirl4 **Content:** Small tree 9-10′ tall with very firm to hard pinkish red berries, in hardwood forest hillside. I looked around but did not find any others like this. Right next to this tree is the largest “hearts a burstin” shrub/tree I have ever seen. I thought they were just a very small shrub. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [perry-summer-1630148249](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/perry-summer-1630148249/) **Published:** August 29, 2021 **Author:** Ashleynichole0521 **Content:** My hibiscus has had beautiful blooms all summer long. One morning, I was looking at all of my plants in the yard and the hibiscus flowers were beautiful as usual, then less than an hour later, I passed by and noticed that the petals on 1 bloom had a lot of light blueish spots on it. I kept my eye on it, and about another 3 hours later saw this. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [roswell-summer-1630248331](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-summer-1630248331/) **Published:** August 29, 2021 **Author:** judiwarner@earthlink.net **Content:** Is there anything I can do to save my Daphne it appears to be dying? It has beautiful white, fragrant flowers in February and was planted about 20 years ago. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [menlo-park-summer-1630185086](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/menlo-park-summer-1630185086/) **Published:** August 29, 2021 **Author:** kokila **Content:** Hello Walter: We lived in Atlanta for 48 years and now we are in California. I would like to know more about this tree which is at least 10 years old. It came with the house. It has two orange colored fruits (?). These two fruits are not growing. I spotted two months back and they are still same size. I can send more pictures. Please help. TNXS **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [canton-summer-1630091250](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1630091250/) **Published:** August 27, 2021 **Author:** Smassello **Content:** Verigated **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [palmetto-summer-1630031717](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/palmetto-summer-1630031717/) **Published:** August 27, 2021 **Author:** S Banks **Content:** Could anyone please identify this plant? It looks like a shrub. It is about 3 feet tall. It is growing in my neighbor’s yard and she does not know what it is and cannot remember if she planted it herself. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [dawsonville-summer-1630019528](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dawsonville-summer-1630019528/) **Published:** August 27, 2021 **Author:** Greg Holland **Content:** We planted wildflower seeds by our mailbox and this came up, what is it, never really had any flowers, looks like it may get some yellow flowers soon **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [cape-coral-summer-1629836280](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cape-coral-summer-1629836280/) **Published:** August 25, 2021 **Author:** Kiss4aFrog **Content:** Bought the house a month ago and have no idea what this is. Don’t know if it flowers, fruits or if it’s for shade. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [marietta-summer-1629823598](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1629823598/) **Published:** August 25, 2021 **Author:** leylacz **Content:** Tall plant , about 3 year old , not blooming yet **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [suwanee-summer-1629899146](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-summer-1629899146/) **Published:** August 25, 2021 **Author:** Janmechler **Content:** Just now noticed the brown needles on this tree wondering if it just needs more water? It’s been thriving for several years until now Thanks **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [austell-summer-1629900742](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/austell-summer-1629900742/) **Published:** August 25, 2021 **Author:** JFWorthy3 **Content:** Some up to 7 feet tall. Growing in marshy/wet area, but full sun. Photo taken in August 2021, on the northwest side of the Atlanta suburbs. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [marietta-summer-1629901923](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1629901923/) **Published:** August 25, 2021 **Author:** leylacz **Content:** What plant is it ? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [boylston-summer-1629728234](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/boylston-summer-1629728234/) **Published:** August 23, 2021 **Author:** Robert Baron **Content:** This plant was identified as genus Guzmania, but no species was given. I was trying to find the species but could not find anything that looked like this plant on the Internet. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [buford-summer-1629721219](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buford-summer-1629721219/) **Published:** August 23, 2021 **Author:** Bill Smith **Content:** Sudden die-off of part of blueberry plant, all traced to one stem. Stem was rotten just below ground and broke off easily. Stem/root at breaking point was infested with slugs. Other stems of this plant, and adjacent plants, all seem ok at this point. Should I treat for slugs, or are they just a symptom of some other problem? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [pensacola-summer-1629546752](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/pensacola-summer-1629546752/) **Published:** August 22, 2021 **Author:** lfrehse **Content:** A friend took this picture and is asking what kind of plant it is. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-summer-1629473395](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1629473395/) **Published:** August 20, 2021 **Author:** Anna-Claire Hayden **Content:** All of my flowering plants seem to be dying and I cannot figure out why. They are all dying from the bottom up, with the oldest growth turning brown and looking dried out at first, then within a couple of days the entire plant is dead. I’ve tried insecticidal soap and anti-fungal sprays like Daconil. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [little-rock-summer-1629321254](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/little-rock-summer-1629321254/) **Published:** August 18, 2021 **Author:** Isabelle **Content:** I think this is dewberry but I want some input to be sure – it grew practically overnight and I have several vines of this but this is the best photo I could get. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [buford-summer-1629290543](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buford-summer-1629290543/) **Published:** August 18, 2021 **Author:** Bill Smith **Content:** Sudden die off in blueberry bush. About 50% of bush turned brown just within days. Surrounding bushes seem ok, but they do have some brown spots on leaves. Should I remove or treat? Several years ago same thing happened to one of my bushes, also in late summer. It died completely but others were not affected. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [cartersville-summer-1629054338](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cartersville-summer-1629054338/) **Published:** August 16, 2021 **Author:** Benny McDonald **Content:** This is the leaf of a seven foot tall tree. No fruit has ever grown on this in the four years we have lived here. The trunk is about 2” in circumference. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Garden weed with blue black berries?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/garden-weed-with-blue-black-berries/) **Published:** August 19, 2012 **Author:** edyb **Content:** I found this plant among my tomatoes. It looks like a weed of some kind but I’ve never come across one with so many distinct little bluish black round berries. I wonder if they are edible or poisonous, and if it is something worth cultivating. The flowers are really small white with yellow centers and really not that interesting. If not for the berries, it would never have caught my attention. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [alpharetta-summer-1628613950](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-summer-1628613950/) **Published:** August 11, 2021 **Author:** 62Lincoln **Content:** My neighbor purchased this at Pikes (they think) but cannot recall the plant name. I really like the architecture of the plant, and would like to know its family (and if other forms/colors are available. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [cumming-summer-1628704044](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1628704044/) **Published:** August 11, 2021 **Author:** hellinahelmet **Content:** Found outside in the woods behind my house. Leaves grow more asymmetric as they get bigger like a begonia. Small points but not sharp like a Holly. It was in the shade, in an area that looks like it receives a good amount of runoff water. Is it a weed? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [cleveland-ga-summer-1628688346](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cleveland-ga-summer-1628688346/) **Published:** August 11, 2021 **Author:** Lrhines **Content:** Located in wooded area near Chattahoochee River in Hall County **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [canton-summer-1628524979](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1628524979/) **Published:** August 11, 2021 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** Lenten Rose. Several Lenten Rose plants have collapsed. They look like something sat on them. The other pictures are of the leaves on the same plant. Other Lenten Rose plants near them aren’t affected – so far. Is this a disease? Insects? Thanks **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [conyers-summer-1628006219](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/conyers-summer-1628006219/) **Published:** August 3, 2021 **Author:** mcrunkleton@comcast.net **Content:** Not a persimmon…but thought to be a Locust??? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [locust-grove-summer-1627954850](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/locust-grove-summer-1627954850/) **Published:** August 3, 2021 **Author:** mamaj **Content:** this is a sample of recently cut trees on property. What is eating at these Pine trees? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [cumming-summer-1627938392](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1627938392/) **Published:** August 2, 2021 **Author:** hellinahelmet **Content:** I know it’s a perennial and likes full sun. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [whitesburg-summer-1627937434](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/whitesburg-summer-1627937434/) **Published:** August 2, 2021 **Author:** Sunseeker58 **Content:** Saw this tree we liked in Foley, AL. We plucked a few seedings from beneath the tree, about an inch and a half high. Planted them in a pot, then later transferred them to the yard. This one's now about 3 and a half to four feet tall. We're not absolutely sure what type of tree it is. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [vail-summer-1627596665](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/vail-summer-1627596665/) **Published:** August 1, 2021 **Author:** cwilson132 **Content:** Ground cover in Vail Colorado **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [gulf-shores-summer-1627682737](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gulf-shores-summer-1627682737/) **Published:** August 1, 2021 **Author:** Selena Flowers **Content:** It’s growing in the Lantanias **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [rome-summer-1627769800](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rome-summer-1627769800/) **Published:** August 1, 2021 **Author:** Judy Trapp **Content:** This is an old pass-along plant. It grows from a bulb, and in the spring produces strappy, amyrillis-like foliage that dies back about late June. The flower stalks are 36″ tall. My plant produced three stalks and has been blooming for 10 days or so The flowers are just now declining. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [alpharetta-summer-1627832301](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alpharetta-summer-1627832301/) **Published:** August 1, 2021 **Author:** Chedamb3 **Content:** This leaves on this (Oak tree?) are nearly all yellow and have been dropping heavily for the past week or two in late July. Is this tree diseased? Is it at risk for falling? It is about 50’ tall and only about 30’ away from my house on my neighbors property. Please advise. Thank you, Cheryl Botts **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [peachtree-city-spring-1627589389](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-city-spring-1627589389/) **Published:** August 1, 2021 **Author:** Nouveau21 **Content:** It came up voluntarily next to an old oak stump bordering the fareway of a golf course. Is this a weed or wildflower? I love it and plan to plant its seeds, if it’s not invasive. It has dried oval seed pods. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [gould-city-summer-1627183321](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gould-city-summer-1627183321/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** k.blanchard **Content:** What kind of berries are these? They were growing out of the center of the plant on the ground. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [carlsbad-summer-1627167523](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/carlsbad-summer-1627167523/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** Nina **Content:** The flowers are about 2.5 to 3 inches diameter. Stems are not more than 2 feet tall and are leggy but the leaves are bushy clusters. The leaves are long and thin and remind me of dandelion leaves. The most notable feature of the flowers is that they smell exactly like a Tootsie Roll. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [stone-mountain-summer-1627005557](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/stone-mountain-summer-1627005557/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** Greg Huff **Content:** I have a lot of this in my fescue lawn. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [rome-summer-1627234500](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rome-summer-1627234500/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** Cpeguero **Content:** This is a fruiting tree but we don’t know what it is. I found it walking my dog. The green fruit is hard to blue/purple is soft and when squished the inner fruit is brown and dry. Can you help me out and tell me what this is? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [milton-summer-1627267963](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milton-summer-1627267963/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** granna5 **Content:** Large leaves. Smash white flowers **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [gainesville-summer-1627324913](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-summer-1627324913/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** Coltsmoke **Content:** I trim the plant very short and put it in my basement in the fall until next spring. Then I sit it back out side. The pieces I trimmed off, I threw them in the edge of the woods. The pieces took root and are now spreading and survive the winter outside. The plant is not trying to run up the trees it just spreads on the ground. It likes sun or shade **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-summer-1626893602](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1626893602/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** Janakshah **Content:** This Jasmine plant is from India and looks healthy. It has lots of buds and it was flowering very nicely but suddenly about one week before most of the buds started turning purple brown. What could be the reason? Is it because of too much rain? Plant is outside and I have about 4 with same issue. Please let me know what to do. Thanks. Janak **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [coldwater-autumn-1626638204](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/coldwater-autumn-1626638204/) **Published:** July 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Millwood **Content:** Bamboo type stalk. Comes back annually with more growth. Haven’t measured but some stalks are 6 or 7 ft tall. Flowers are pinkish and I cannot find any species of knotweed that matches this plant. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [richmond-summer-1626365699](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-summer-1626365699/) **Published:** July 16, 2021 **Author:** flyways@verizon.net **Content:** Seems to spread underground, many smaller ones emerge **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [cleveland-summer-1626361757](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cleveland-summer-1626361757/) **Published:** July 16, 2021 **Author:** tomlott **Content:** green leaf, hosta like **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-summer-1626274133](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1626274133/) **Published:** July 14, 2021 **Author:** john01 **Content:** This tomato plant has several parts that turned yellow or brown. The main stem shows some hairlike growths. Can you help identify what is going on? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [avondale-estates-summer-1625697381](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/avondale-estates-summer-1625697381/) **Published:** July 12, 2021 **Author:** donandlinda2@comcast.net **Content:** All of my azaleas in the back yard have this on the leaves and is getting worse, on the Persicarious, and some Heucheras, and even some weeds, as you can see. Not on Lenten roses or Fatsias? Has developed over the last 3 weeks or so. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [lake-park-summer-1626033646](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lake-park-summer-1626033646/) **Published:** July 12, 2021 **Author:** Jawjaboy71 **Content:** I found these small trees 7' tall on the edge of our family Farm pond. I know bumblebees love them. They have this green ball that blooms. I hate to mow them if they are useful. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [decatur-summer-1625586296](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-summer-1625586296/) **Published:** July 12, 2021 **Author:** Beverly Towns **Content:** Vine overtaking my garden **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [atlanta-summer-1625270213](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1625270213/) **Published:** July 4, 2021 **Author:** LynsWrens **Content:** A neighbor put these bulbs out with yard trash. I picked them up and planted them in the spring thinking they were amaryllis bulbs. Now that they’ve grown leaves and bloomed, I think they are something else… **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [norcross-summer-1625085807](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-summer-1625085807/) **Published:** July 1, 2021 **Author:** cstolte7 **Content:** what type fern is this? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [columbia-summer-1624966908](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/columbia-summer-1624966908/) **Published:** June 30, 2021 **Author:** TER33RI **Content:** Elephant ear grown from bulb labeled as Colocasia? Second is miscellaneous plant purchase from Lowe's, have no idea what it is. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-summer-1625072875](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1625072875/) **Published:** June 30, 2021 **Author:** Scott K **Content:** Resubmitting at request of Laura735 with closeup of (very small) sporangia, also a mostly-unfurled fiddlehead. For scale, entire pinna shown in sporangia pic is 3.5' wide. A patch of his lovely fern was found in the woods behind my house, but I can't identify it from the Native Ferns of Georgia book. It grows 3-4' tall & is lacy & delicate. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [loganville-summer-1625075637](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-summer-1625075637/) **Published:** June 30, 2021 **Author:** Modine **Content:** Given to me as native. Red stems, alternate bright green leaves, 1 ft high, small white blooms. Not lizard tail. Planted in ground, potted this one to monitor. Dies back in winter. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [greensboro-summer-1624823755](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-summer-1624823755/) **Published:** June 28, 2021 **Author:** byankle **Content:** A fairly large leaf, 7 to 10 inches wide, pale coloring, and lots of spots. It was potted when I saw it. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [marietta-summer-1624907512](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1624907512/) **Published:** June 28, 2021 **Author:** FSP11 **Content:** I'm new to this garden but I know this plant was much smaller last year. It is growing in light shade & it's currently about 2 1/2 ft. tall and wide with the largest leaves measuring 7" long and 3" wide. I think it bloomed until September or October last year. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [madison-summer-1624908262](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/madison-summer-1624908262/) **Published:** June 28, 2021 **Author:** Karen Whitt **Content:** I am not sure what the issue is with my crepe myrtle. Can someone help me with information and a suggestion for what should be done. Thank you! **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [cumming-summer-1624907853](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-summer-1624907853/) **Published:** June 28, 2021 **Author:** barbiedoll **Content:** Outdoor, possible indoor, perennial. New leaves in spring with these shoots that open like a lily. Very thirsty plant. Bromeliad family??? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-summer-1624909038](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1624909038/) **Published:** June 28, 2021 **Author:** aroper70 **Content:** This is growing in a small pine forest. The tree is talk & spindly/leggy. I always notice the squirrels are eating them **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [canton-summer-1624727825](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-summer-1624727825/) **Published:** June 27, 2021 **Author:** Agathafreak **Content:** Plant was a gift, purchased from a nursery and is doing well in the sun **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [williamson-summer-1624720998](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/williamson-summer-1624720998/) **Published:** June 27, 2021 **Author:** Christi Ware **Content:** Popping up all over my shade garden. Leaves are glossy with an orangish tint. Growing out from deep tubers. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [woodstock-summer-1624643561](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-summer-1624643561/) **Published:** June 25, 2021 **Author:** txjburd **Content:** Deciduous hardy fern, averages 2-3′ tall. Was given to me on a plant tour and all he said was it was a walking fern.. . .and they have! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [greensboro-summer-1624677905](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-summer-1624677905/) **Published:** June 26, 2021 **Author:** byankle **Content:** These have almost tubular pink flowers, but are not very large. This is a closeup – the flower cluster was only about 3 to 5 inches wide. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [greensboroa-summer-1624645586](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboroa-summer-1624645586/) **Published:** June 25, 2021 **Author:** byankle **Content:** My favorite nursery in Greensboro – the Gazebo at Newgarden. They always have interesting plants for my camera, but I rarely stop to record their names. Can you please help me ID this beautiful houseplant? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [buffalo-summer-1624482346](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buffalo-summer-1624482346/) **Published:** June 24, 2021 **Author:** Dan **Content:** I discover a new plant that smells like Jasmine in my garden, does it belong to Jasmine family? thanks **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [greensboro-summer-1624273591](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-summer-1624273591/) **Published:** June 23, 2021 **Author:** byankle **Content:** I shot this on my way out of the nursery, but didn't stop to look up its look up its name. what is the id on these starlets? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-summer-1624288801](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1624288801/) **Published:** June 23, 2021 **Author:** Scott K **Content:** A patch of his lovely fern was found in the woods at the back of my lot in Atlanta, but I can't identify it from the Native Ferns of Georgia book. It grows 3-4' tall & as you can see is lacy & delicate. The patch ended up mostly covered by a neighbor's kudzu last fall but a number survived after the kudzu died back for winter. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [desmoines-summer-1624379331](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/desmoines-summer-1624379331/) **Published:** June 23, 2021 **Author:** lk20151 **Content:** Trying to ascertain if this is a weed. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [desmoines-summer-1624379532](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/desmoines-summer-1624379532/) **Published:** June 23, 2021 **Author:** lk20151 **Content:** Trying to figure out if I need to prune, remove or just leave it alone? Can anyone identify and offer suggestions for care? Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [greensboro-summer-1624201030](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-summer-1624201030/) **Published:** June 20, 2021 **Author:** byankle **Content:** A Caladum, I know, but which variety? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [atlanta-vinings-summer-1624194772](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-vinings-summer-1624194772/) **Published:** June 20, 2021 **Author:** Kim Nikles **Content:** Maple tree planted several years ago has been thriving. But within the last 4-6 weeks, has lost leaves on the southern exposure. Cannot find pests or disease on limbs or leaves. Please advise what I should research to determine cause of leaf loss (and cure). **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [hartsdale-summer-1624122760](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hartsdale-summer-1624122760/) **Published:** June 19, 2021 **Author:** Thomas **Content:** dwarf bush **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [marietta-spring-1624107143](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1624107143/) **Published:** June 19, 2021 **Author:** sarahleming **Content:** These pop up all over my yard. When I pull them, the roots are usually long. Sometimes look a bit tangled, or I get one long root. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [atlanta-summer-1623982721](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1623982721/) **Published:** June 18, 2021 **Author:** Benny.odr@bellsouth.net **Content:** Big fleshy leaves. Perennial **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [roswell-spring-1623874671](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-spring-1623874671/) **Published:** June 17, 2021 **Author:** ramblindawg **Content:** Very large tree with a gazillion of these beautiful little teardrop blossoms. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [wentworth-quebec-spring-1623772823](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wentworth-quebec-spring-1623772823/) **Published:** June 15, 2021 **Author:** Goldbug **Content:** Please help me identify this flower. This is a tender bulb (I bring them inside in the fall). Beautiful delicate white flower (2 flowers per stem). Looks like amaryllis, but this is not one. Friend gave me a bulb a few years ago. Has flowered every year in early june. Small bulbs developed around the main one, now i have a dozen plants. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [college-point-ny-spring-1623710098](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/college-point-ny-spring-1623710098/) **Published:** June 15, 2021 **Author:** Martin Gonzalez **Content:** I took this photo from my sixth floor window, and the tree is taller than the building. Our resident Horticulturist (who admits she is no Tree Expert) thinks it may be a Mimosa, but I have yet to see it bloom as Mimosas do in my five years here. My other guess was Honey Locust, but neither does it turn yellow in Autumn. I am stumped. Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [marietta-spring-1623686508](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1623686508/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** joni10 **Content:** Weed spreading through zoyzia lawn. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [marietta-summer-1623695444](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-summer-1623695444/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** FSP11 **Content:** Last September I moved & now have a new garden. This deciduous shrub was here & it measures about 5′ x 5′. It was much smaller last year. It produced calycanthus-like flowers about 1.5″ across in spring. The largest leaf is about 7″ long x 3.5 ” wide. Currently there are 3 drupes of different sizes, the largest about 3″ long. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [simpsonville-spring-1623680830](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/simpsonville-spring-1623680830/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** NotLuiG53 **Content:** New growth comes in red. Common tree in the neighborhood. Need to know what it is so we know when to prune **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [jasper-spring-1623638828](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/jasper-spring-1623638828/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Clackalacky **Content:** I happened upon this today on the top of sharp mountain in Picken County. Lovely! Never seen anything like it and I welcome any information. It was in full sun. Thanks **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-vinings-summer-1623584668](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-vinings-summer-1623584668/) **Published:** June 13, 2021 **Author:** Kim Nikles **Content:** Volunteer in my echinacea patch last summer. Extremely tall. Ultimately got to 8 feet or so. Yellow, daisy-like petals with yellow-green center. Long, oval leaves with a bit of “hairiness” to them. Thinking this may be a member of the sunflower/helianthus genus … but which one? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [port-jefferson-station-summer-1623380796](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/port-jefferson-station-summer-1623380796/) **Published:** June 11, 2021 **Author:** LIJewels1221 **Content:** Kinda looks like beach grass but is purple in color **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [roswell-summer-1623266517 c](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-summer-1623266517/) **Published:** June 9, 2021 **Author:** Sstuder **Content:** This appeared and spread quickly. It looks like Creeping Charlie, but its got an ivy shape with lobes. Its also has tiny seed heads you can see on the lawn view pic. Ive tried to find out what this weed is and remove it, but with no luck. I hope WR can solve this mystery! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [woodstock-summer-1623013521](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-summer-1623013521/) **Published:** June 6, 2021 **Author:** KMart **Content:** Oak Leaf Hydrangea in its second summer. First summer, we got great blooms. This is our second summer and I got no blooms. Leaves are curling under with dark green beads (don’t look like aphids) and there are a few small balls of spider egg-like under the leaves. Any idea what’s going on? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [roanoke-spring-1623012106](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roanoke-spring-1623012106/) **Published:** June 6, 2021 **Author:** george luc **Content:** This is a beautiful flower. It is really blooming right now! It is in full sun. What is this? Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [irmo-spring-1622907679](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/irmo-spring-1622907679/) **Published:** June 5, 2021 **Author:** mprasmus **Content:** I have a healthy Centipede sod grass lawn (2 yrs old) with only a few weeds. This one I am not familiar with. Please help! Thank you! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [suwanee-spring-1622810641](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-spring-1622810641/) **Published:** June 4, 2021 **Author:** Mganoe1 **Content:** This is on my Asian pear fruit. Not all of the fruit has it but it looks like spors will fall and spread. I tried Fungaside but it did not help. Any ideas. Thanks **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [granbury-spring-1622756953](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/granbury-spring-1622756953/) **Published:** June 4, 2021 **Author:** Shirley Goodrich **Content:** The vine is very thin and the leaf if large, about the size of my palm. The vine has curly ques like a grape vine where it grasps something to cling to, however this was growing flat on the ground. It looked like a young plant, only about two feet long. It was the only one in my back yard, and I’ve never seen it before. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [atlanta-summer-1622589775](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-summer-1622589775/) **Published:** June 3, 2021 **Author:** john01 **Content:** This was found in a sunny area next to the house. Can you help ID it? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [sulphur-springs-spring-1622613952](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sulphur-springs-spring-1622613952/) **Published:** June 3, 2021 **Author:** whatweed **Content:** The Plant with the white Flower is the same plant as the other. I thought it was bristly mallow until it bloomed. Is it an anemone? What is it please? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [dacula-spring-1622734172](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dacula-spring-1622734172/) **Published:** June 3, 2021 **Author:** Michael Miller **Content:** What kind of plant is this and what is wrong with it? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [jasper-spring-1622744582](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/jasper-spring-1622744582/) **Published:** June 3, 2021 **Author:** JennyA **Content:** Dug this tree up from my woods. Thought it was an Elm but then it flowered this year. Tree leaves and bark also resemble a weeping cherry but the white flowers are singular – not in clusters. Obviously needs more sun because it is spindly. Scratching my head on this – please help ID. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [suwanee-g-spring-1622481034](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-g-spring-1622481034/) **Published:** May 31, 2021 **Author:** Kadahe **Content:** The plant stems resemble bamboo but they are not hard like bamboo. I bring it in in the fall and put it outside in the spring. It likes being outside and after a month or so being moved outside it will start to thrive. It hasn’t ever bloomed, but i was led to believe it would from the person that gave me the plant. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [harlem-spring-1622384077](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/harlem-spring-1622384077/) **Published:** May 30, 2021 **Author:** Bsamples **Content:** Plant given to me by my mother, she can’t remember what it’s called **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [qazvin-spring-1622126814](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/qazvin-spring-1622126814/) **Published:** May 29, 2021 **Author:** roobahe **Content:** A small tree with Acer like leaves **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [bristol-spring-1622150264](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bristol-spring-1622150264/) **Published:** May 29, 2021 **Author:** george luc **Content:** I just took this picture today -May 27th and it is a blooming flower of some type. What is it? Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [sharpsburg-spring-1622162735](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sharpsburg-spring-1622162735/) **Published:** May 29, 2021 **Author:** Norilynn **Content:** This alien looking plant popped up in a container in my yard that contains a spike plant and some begonia. I have NO idea what it might be—looks like the forest fairies or the gnomes were bored and decided to braid it! **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [flowery-branch-summer-1622235406](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/flowery-branch-summer-1622235406/) **Published:** May 29, 2021 **Author:** eholmes@hooverfoods.com **Content:** Can anyone identify? Have several growing around my patio planted by the previous owner. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [ashland-spring-1622238460](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ashland-spring-1622238460/) **Published:** May 29, 2021 **Author:** senonasun **Content:** Shiny green-leafed shrub. Unique pink flower clusters. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-spring-1622059696](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1622059696/) **Published:** May 26, 2021 **Author:** '--GardenLady-- **Content:** This plant is invasive it grew to about 8 ft tall, has small white flowers in late summer then drops leaves during winter. Now has little plants popping up all over my yard connected with a root system. Difficult to pull up and or cut down, help I need to get rid of it some are growing right in the middle of my hydrangeas **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [rutherfordton-spring-1621897207](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rutherfordton-spring-1621897207/) **Published:** May 26, 2021 **Author:** Flowersquirrel **Content:** The old man who uses the field for growing, plowed and planted and i saw that he plowed up these onion/garlic looking things with no smell and I need to know what it really is. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [Relative of wild carrot?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/relative-of-wild-carrot/) **Published:** May 24, 2015 **Author:** gardenguy **Content:** I live in central Maryland and found this plant in my back yard thinking it was wild carrot. It has a pleasant smell like carrot, but clearly isn’t. I was trying to ID it using my wild edible field guide,but it doesn’t quite match any in there, even the poisonous look alikes. It could be a cultivated plant from the carrot family that escaped from the neighbors as well. Any help is appreciated. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [canton-spring-1621689579](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-spring-1621689579/) **Published:** May 24, 2021 **Author:** BamaAeiou **Content:** I have never had these bugs before, but this year, they are everywhere. In the ground, under rocks, pots, garden litter, anywhere it is dry. This mob took over a bird house! What I’m the world are they, why have they surrounded the property, and how to get them under control **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [atlanta-spring-1621822774](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1621822774/) **Published:** May 24, 2021 **Author:** Smokey **Content:** Grows well in a crowded pot and does not need much water. I have had this for many years and lost the name. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [dacula-spring-1621876103](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dacula-spring-1621876103/) **Published:** May 24, 2021 **Author:** Mreverett **Content:** My double knockout roses are in trouble. I think one has powdery mildew and caterpillar damage and one of the others is starting with the leaf damage. Should the one that is in such bad shape be dug up? I have been treating them weekly with Neem oil solution. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [long-beach-spring-1621879942](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/long-beach-spring-1621879942/) **Published:** May 24, 2021 **Author:** Markyart **Content:** 4' tall Umbrella Flowers Thick, Hairy, All Green Stems Is this Cow Parsley? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [milledgeville-spring-1621621195](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milledgeville-spring-1621621195/) **Published:** May 21, 2021 **Author:** artman **Content:** This evergreen shrub is part of a holly and boxwood border along our carport. It is likely 3-4 decades old as we purchased our home in 2008 from the original owner. It has been trimmed recently to be more treelike. We have 2 others that have been (cloud?) pruned as low shrubs at our front entrance. To my eye, it has a bit of an Asian feel to it. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [mansfield-spring-1621556657](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mansfield-spring-1621556657/) **Published:** May 21, 2021 **Author:** laurenfgarland **Content:** We discovered this tree in our yard and wondered if anyone knew what it could be. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [lawrenceville-spring-1621512277](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-spring-1621512277/) **Published:** May 20, 2021 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** Ligustrum look sick! We planted several of the new Sunshine ligustrum plants 2 years ago. They looked great for a time, but are now losing at least 75% of their leaves. Any ideas what might be happening? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [alabaster-spring-1621344457](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/alabaster-spring-1621344457/) **Published:** May 18, 2021 **Author:** Cheri Waites **Content:** Mysterious plant that just appeared by my fence. Have cut it down several times, but it comes back. Decided maybe it is worth keeping just because of its persistence and it is cool looking. The neighbor mentioned he had one just like it on the other side of his yard by the fence and was also interested in what it might be. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [cumming-spring-1621348828](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1621348828/) **Published:** May 18, 2021 **Author:** southscorpio **Content:** I saw this tree viewing just outside my doctor's office and thought it would be perfect in an area on my property to block the view of neighbors. It was quite tall. I estimate at least 25 feet or more and a very unusual evergreen leaf. I am sure it was used as a landscaping tree but do not know what the identity of this tree is . **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lawrenceville-spring-1621192180](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-spring-1621192180/) **Published:** May 17, 2021 **Author:** kdgelhaar **Content:** Small tree approx. 10-12 feet tall. Growing on my heavily wooded lot under a high canopy of trees. Any ideas? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-spring-1621215056](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1621215056/) **Published:** May 17, 2021 **Author:** sandycroomcrest **Content:** Left in pot by previous (deceased) owner. Has survived six winters with us. We have no idea what it is. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-spring-1621215244](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1621215244/) **Published:** May 17, 2021 **Author:** sandycroomcrest **Content:** Let in pots from previous (now deceased) owner. Have survived past six winters stuck beside house. Label shown on one of the pots. Unsure if original. **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [austell-summer-1621251497](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/austell-summer-1621251497/) **Published:** May 17, 2021 **Author:** JFWorthy3 **Content:** 2nd submission – LAURA735 said maybe Joe Pye weed, but maybe Snake Root, and asked for more pictures. This plant is growing in a shady wet area and it 7-8 feet tall, so I think too tall for Snake Root, but flowers maybe too white for Joe Pye? I was getting pictures of the butterflies so I don't have better pictures of the leaves or overall plant. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [richmond-hill-spring-1621253259](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-spring-1621253259/) **Published:** May 17, 2021 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Found in one of the many pots I have. Have been away travelling. The leaves are elongated heart shaped. Flowers are white cattails type that open to be furry like hanging cattails. Don't remember how I got them, or where. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [fayetteville-spring-1621117128](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-spring-1621117128/) **Published:** May 15, 2021 **Author:** marierhays **Content:** For the last three years at least, this tiny thing has taken over our yard in masses of runners. We haven’t seen the blooms, only the puffy seed heads. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lagrange-spring-1620945752](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lagrange-spring-1620945752/) **Published:** May 15, 2021 **Author:** cmj31884 **Content:** I found this big black mushroom in the woods behind my house. Outs solid black with a slight hint of dark brown in the cracks. When I picked it up it is still spongy and left a brown liquid residue on my hands… can anyone tell me what it is? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [surf-city-spring-1620951583](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/surf-city-spring-1620951583/) **Published:** May 15, 2021 **Author:** Mandielle **Content:** Last wk my son & I were treating the yard for red ants & ticks, when we found white blossoms in an old (NON-maintained) flowerbed along side of our house. We agreed that they’d become berries, but which type? The photo shows it’s new, fuzzy-red growth & berries, its low-lying.. we found more in the wooded area too! Dew, Logan or Black berries?? **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [richmond-hill-spring-1621007498](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-spring-1621007498/) **Published:** May 15, 2021 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Seems I've had this plant bulbs for a while,but never saw it blossom Long heart shaped leaves and a long pendant white flower that is beginning to open **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [austell-summer-1621016057](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/austell-summer-1621016057/) **Published:** May 15, 2021 **Author:** JFWorthy3 **Content:** This weed was growing in a shady wet area and was covered up with butterflies. I want to know what it is. I was thinking maybe milkweed, but I did some more research and came up with Sweetscented Joe Pye Weed and Trumpetweed. I have never heard of them. Whatever it is, I would like to propagate it for butterflies and honey bees. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [powder-springs-spring-1621023804](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/powder-springs-spring-1621023804/) **Published:** May 15, 2021 **Author:** Debbie Mackell **Content:** First time I've seen this in my yard. It has a stalk like a piece of celery and has leaves that resemble marijuana LOL what is it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [kennesaw-spring-1620751560](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kennesaw-spring-1620751560/) **Published:** May 13, 2021 **Author:** lynz **Content:** What is causing the buds to turn brown? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [kennesaw-spring-1620756215](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kennesaw-spring-1620756215/) **Published:** May 13, 2021 **Author:** lynz **Content:** I previously sent a picture of a rose from the same bush. Here is a brown spot in the interior of the flower. Is it a fungus of some kind? How can I fix this?? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [gainesville-spring-1620821541](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-spring-1620821541/) **Published:** May 13, 2021 **Author:** cte796 **Content:** I know this is a Gardenia plant and I have had success with it blooming in the past. I moved it earlier this year close to other Gardenias and it has not looked good since. The leaves have lost their glossy look and they are now turning yellow and falling off. The Gardenia beside it looks healthy. Any idea of what to do before I lose this plant? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [loganvilleg-spring-1620829250](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganvilleg-spring-1620829250/) **Published:** May 13, 2021 **Author:** JJClower **Content:** These plants appeared in a flower bed that has canna lilies. This is first time in 20 years that these have volunteered. About two-feet tall. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [redford-spring-1620861445](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/redford-spring-1620861445/) **Published:** May 13, 2021 **Author:** Stuart M **Content:** This popped up in a pot that I'd set aside last fall. I've seen it before, but can't recall details. Any help is appreciated. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [richmond-hill-spring-1620709534](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/richmond-hill-spring-1620709534/) **Published:** May 11, 2021 **Author:** Elspeth Fordjour **Content:** Bought at walmart. A Costa Farm no name plant. Has palm fronds type leaves. House plant is my name. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [lawrenceville-spring-1620497301](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-spring-1620497301/) **Published:** May 10, 2021 **Author:** Henry Vines **Content:** Just popped up in the shade garden. Leaves and blooms both distinctive. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [lawrenceville-spring-1620498568](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-spring-1620498568/) **Published:** May 10, 2021 **Author:** Henry Vines **Content:** Grown to 12 feet over 18months. 3-3/4" "trunks". Leaf as big as 6-7"across. Is it mulberry? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [florence-spring-1620515348](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/florence-spring-1620515348/) **Published:** May 10, 2021 **Author:** Ron Volz **Content:** Cascading white fragrant blossoms; many one to two inch diameter stems coming from a two foot diameter base; grows in shade; eight to ten feet tall **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [athens-spring-1620419774](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/athens-spring-1620419774/) **Published:** May 7, 2021 **Author:** Snyderje **Content:** This came off of a tree. I think a seed pod off possibly an oak? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [auburn-spring-1620242689](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/auburn-spring-1620242689/) **Published:** May 7, 2021 **Author:** BWhite **Content:** Flowering perennia plant, no idea what it is. Planted in semi shade at the moment **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [auburn-spring-1620243217](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/auburn-spring-1620243217/) **Published:** May 7, 2021 **Author:** BWhite **Content:** Some kind of fern. Grows outside in shade, has naturalized and spreads by spores I believe, no runners in the roots. Delicate lacy fronds **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [cedartown-spring-1620332550](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cedartown-spring-1620332550/) **Published:** May 7, 2021 **Author:** Michaelm **Content:** There are hundreds of these growing in my yard. The height is from 6-12 inches tall. They come up white in color, then turn purple as they mature . I would like to know what they are, and if they are useful. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [cumming-spring-1620335240](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1620335240/) **Published:** May 7, 2021 **Author:** kleinrx **Content:** This was on my artichoke plant. I thought it was a leaf-footed bug but now wonder if it’s an assassin bug? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [atlanta-spring-1620337462](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1620337462/) **Published:** May 7, 2021 **Author:** LynsWrens **Content:** A herbaceous perennial about 2 feet tall. No blooms yet. Leaves are smooth edged. Not sure if it's a friend or foe… **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [tucker-spring-1619893980](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tucker-spring-1619893980/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** CMD09711 **Content:** Can anyone tell me what species of tree this is? It has purple flowers that hang down similar to bells. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [waterville-summer-1620039971](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/waterville-summer-1620039971/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** pumpkinbrat **Content:** I planted these Hosta in June of 2011. I was wondering if anyone would know the name of the Hosta. Thank You **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [berkeley-lake-spring-1620066991](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/berkeley-lake-spring-1620066991/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Curtis Parrott **Content:** Hi, Trying to determine the variety of Holly this is. I can't find one at Pikes with the leaf shape like this one. Thank you, **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [covington-spring-1620073308](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/covington-spring-1620073308/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** She Peters **Content:** Green with White fragrant blooms. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-spring-1619825388](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1619825388/) **Published:** May 1, 2021 **Author:** ljh5770 **Content:** I saw these plants while in a drive-through near Cumberland Mall in Atlanta. There were 3 of them, and they were growing right next to an electrical box, not much more than 2 feet high each. They didn’t look like any shrub I’ve ever seen and I love the way they look. Are they even shrubs, or could they be trees? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [perry-spring-1619801217](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/perry-spring-1619801217/) **Published:** April 30, 2021 **Author:** Garden Girl Audrey **Content:** Any ideas what ails this magnolia? I don’t know the history of it (on my new property), but it has bare branches with leaves (and healthy blooms) only near the trunk. Leaves look ok, no pests/mildew. Habitat is coastal hammock, 1 mile from the gulf. Soil is sandy w/ organic matter mixed in due to oak trees and other plants. Elevation 6ft > sea . **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [fayetteville-spring-1619798527](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-spring-1619798527/) **Published:** April 30, 2021 **Author:** GABorn **Content:** Located on rural homestead. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-spring-1619743658](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1619743658/) **Published:** April 30, 2021 **Author:** Diana **Content:** I know the plant is supposed to be a Foxglove, like the one to its left, but what is wrong with it to disfigure it like this? I am interested to see if the blossoms will open. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [douglasville-spring-1619717875](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-spring-1619717875/) **Published:** April 30, 2021 **Author:** klotz50 **Content:** Odd and unidentified growth on a tree at sweetwater creek park. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [peachtree-corners-spring-1619620069](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-corners-spring-1619620069/) **Published:** April 29, 2021 **Author:** knightk7 **Content:** This is a Dwarf Honeycrisp Apple Tree. I started noticing that her leaves were curling a month ago. I didn't think there was much to it until I noticed almost all of her leaves started curling. I saw these small kind of pinkish bugs. I used a vinegar, soap, and water mixture to spray her but her leaves are turning brown. Bugs are still there. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [front-royal-spring-1619653940](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/front-royal-spring-1619653940/) **Published:** April 29, 2021 **Author:** Al-Sandbox **Content:** This plant stands around 6’ tall and is covered in these flowers in early April. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [social-circle-spring-1619707810](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/social-circle-spring-1619707810/) **Published:** April 29, 2021 **Author:** P Hall **Content:** Purple blooms with large leafs. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [gainesville-spring-1619558575](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gainesville-spring-1619558575/) **Published:** April 28, 2021 **Author:** jamesa3 **Content:** This looks much like a type of fern, grows on vines that invade my mondo grass an neighboring shrubs by climbing up the shrubs. Because of the area covered I would like to find a weed killer that will address this weed but not damage the grass bed it is invading. We have been in the house for 2+ years and the weeds were here already. Thank You! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [macon-spring-1619229234](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/macon-spring-1619229234/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** David Bruce **Content:** Some type of holly with softer waxy leaves and no berries. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [auburn-spring-1619269523](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/auburn-spring-1619269523/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** Smitharmani96 **Content:** My dad has a beautiful Ficus fig plant & we really need some advice on how to properly transition this plant into a different pot (or possibly pots) . we don't want it to over grow . Many thanks . – Armani **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [macon-spring-1619277917](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/macon-spring-1619277917/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** Rebecca Gorman **Content:** This is growing between 2 azaleas in my daughter’s front yard. I think it’s pretty hardy and grows pretty fast. She wants to transplant it to a small hillside for privacy. What is this & am I correct about its characteristics? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [goshen-summer-1619313061](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/goshen-summer-1619313061/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** Grandma Marilyn **Content:** A neighbor shared this plant with me, but didn’t remember it’s name. It bloomed beautifully for several months! It was about 3 ft. tall. totally dies back during the winter. Is it a Speedwell? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [little-rock-spring-1619453515](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/little-rock-spring-1619453515/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** kathy.mcfarland@gmail.com **Content:** This is a tall thin tree and when it blooms there are tiny pink flowers. Appears as a parasol type tree. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [clarkesville-spring-1619438289](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/clarkesville-spring-1619438289/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** fmeehan **Content:** Found side of sidewalk, sunny location. Leaves are large. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-spring-1619399830](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1619399830/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** Scott K **Content:** This plant showed up profusely this spring on a dirt road just cleared through Atlanta woods, so the sudden advent of direct sunlight is probably the cause. I've been in the area a lot and never seen it before. It spreads quickly, but not into the shade. I call it "7-lobed parasols from Neptune," but some have 6 lobes. Is it a weed or what? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [milton-spring-1619199829](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milton-spring-1619199829/) **Published:** April 26, 2021 **Author:** Ejmatthaeus **Content:** It is about 10ft high. Thank you so much for your help!! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [dunwoody-spring-1619127590](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dunwoody-spring-1619127590/) **Published:** April 23, 2021 **Author:** eddie **Content:** This weed showed up last year in our mulch. Small leaves and very fine roots but forms a very dense matt that has choked out several other plants and small shrubs. Seems to love direct sunlight and shade under shrubs. Tried pulling it up and even removing the mulch/dirt, but keeps coming back. What is it, and how do I get rid of it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [raleigh-spring-1619066666](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/raleigh-spring-1619066666/) **Published:** April 23, 2021 **Author:** Vjon1 **Content:** What is this hosta other than it over 14 inches, verigated yellow and chartruse with green margins and thick. Ive tried all over to find out what it is or what sport its from. Please, please help **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [little-elm-spring-1618925931](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/little-elm-spring-1618925931/) **Published:** April 20, 2021 **Author:** slock **Content:** It looks like a boxwood, but the leaves are longer that what boxwoods are. I took it to the local garden shop and I stumped them. They are green year round and survived the winter storm we had very well. The hot summers don’t phase them either. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-spring-1618932235](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1618932235/) **Published:** April 20, 2021 **Author:** Goettlikr@aol.com **Content:** Mature Pink rose in mostly sunny bed with spots on its leaves. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [atlanta-spring-1618933010](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1618933010/) **Published:** April 20, 2021 **Author:** Goettlikr@aol.com **Content:** Just started growing in yard this spring. Not sure what they are? Looking for ID please. Thank you **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-spring-1618933373](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1618933373/) **Published:** April 20, 2021 **Author:** Goettlikr@aol.com **Content:** New growth found in bed that looks like a hydrangea to me?? I did not plant it? Bloom expectation information would also be appreciated. Thank you **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [decatur-spring-1618876914](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1618876914/) **Published:** April 20, 2021 **Author:** Msjudyg **Content:** Both my boxwoods and service berry seem to have the same disease! This grayish crust…is this the same disease and how do I treat it? Thanks! Judy **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [dalton-spring-1618776981](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dalton-spring-1618776981/) **Published:** April 19, 2021 **Author:** Dedfwright **Content:** Need to know kind so I can trim it back. It turns reddish bronze in the fall. Sometimes has red berries **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [meansville-spring-1618776548](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/meansville-spring-1618776548/) **Published:** April 19, 2021 **Author:** jcairns1234 **Content:** it’s about 10′ tall. fragrant flowers. We had one in our yard growing up in Connecticut and I have been searching for it all these years. We moved to this house in January and here it is!! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [beaver-dam-spring-1618765391](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/beaver-dam-spring-1618765391/) **Published:** April 19, 2021 **Author:** Lori and Telly **Content:** Moved in winter, don’t know what this is and when will it bloom and what will it look like? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lizella-spring-1618498306](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lizella-spring-1618498306/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** Iris. Noid Please help id. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [greensboro-spring-1618481647](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-spring-1618481647/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** 305WGSGG **Content:** Underneath all the weeds in the 20 x 20 foot area planted over 40 years ago by previous owners are thousands of bulbs that bloom in early spring! What will kill the weeds yet not harm the bulbs/flowers/St Augustine grass? Preem (I think) used several years ago made a bare area. I’ve tried hand pulling but it doesn’t solve the problem. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [whitesburg-spring-1618455856](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/whitesburg-spring-1618455856/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** Flowerwhisper **Content:** Beautiful fragrant yellow and white blooms. The leaves do not appear waxy. It appears to be a favorite of bees and butterflies. I was told a possible tea olive but research indicates they may have glossy leaves. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-spring-1618440392](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1618440392/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** Gloria Coble **Content:** About 1 foot high. Growing in partial shade next to Robin’s Plantain and white violets. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [goshen-summer-1618612547](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/goshen-summer-1618612547/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** Grandma Marilyn **Content:** A neighbor shared this plant with me, but didn’t remember it’s name. It bloomed beautifully for several months! It was about 3 ft. tall. totally dies back during the winter. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [blairsville-spring-1618617672](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blairsville-spring-1618617672/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** Kurt Uhlir **Content:** Tree in north Georgia close to the Carolina line. There are a handful of these on the property and it appears to grow as an understory under much larger trees, alongside mountain laurel. It is mid-March and the trees are blooming with the bright orange flowers. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [roanoke-spring-1618515371](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roanoke-spring-1618515371/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** Herbstonne **Content:** Low growing weed **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [canton-spring-1618660496](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-spring-1618660496/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** macs **Content:** This is a s a shrub-like plant in part shade near a large oak tree. Never seen it blooom & don’t know what it is. It’s about 3ft tall & 3-4ft wide. Loses leaves in winter. Thanks for the help! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [marietta-spring-1618666701](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1618666701/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** Lars **Content:** A combination of a grass-like plant and weed that invades my lawn and pine straw beds; it is has a growth pattern that is short, produces seeds, and spreads quickly; it is quite the nuisance in trying to get rid of it. Want to identify it so I can try and eradicate it from my lawn and plant beds. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [stone-mountain-spring-1618668053](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/stone-mountain-spring-1618668053/) **Published:** April 17, 2021 **Author:** ahall540 **Content:** Growing in an area undisturbed for 30 years. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [decatur-spring-1618434722](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-spring-1618434722/) **Published:** April 14, 2021 **Author:** laurabat **Content:** This is a foundation shrub. It only blooms in the spring, but is green all year. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [cumming-spring-1618433734](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1618433734/) **Published:** April 14, 2021 **Author:** usrmlmy1 **Content:** low to the ground in a shady area **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [snellville-spring-1618428587](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/snellville-spring-1618428587/) **Published:** April 14, 2021 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** I saw this beauty today in a Snellville neighborhood. Some type of old fashioned Rose? It was huge…15 x 15 feet. Help greatly appreciated! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lawrenceville-spring-1618343678](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-spring-1618343678/) **Published:** April 13, 2021 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** These are two different plants located in the same bed in my yard. One is bletilla and the other is toad lily (tricyrtis hirta). They are transplants from elsewhere in my yard, where they are very healthy. I transplanted them a few weeks ago in March. I wonder why they both look so sick and wonder if anyone has any ideas. Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [marietta-spring-1618339211](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1618339211/) **Published:** April 13, 2021 **Author:** franklymydear **Content:** Tree growing in the middle of a field. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [ovilla-spring-1618328856](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ovilla-spring-1618328856/) **Published:** April 13, 2021 **Author:** barricae **Content:** are these weeds? i do not know what they are so i am afraid to pull these. thank you, Walter!!! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [apison-spring-1618252102](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/apison-spring-1618252102/) **Published:** April 12, 2021 **Author:** Rich Hanspire **Content:** This is tree growing in my front yard. We are the 2nd owner and this tree was here when we moved in. I looks like about half of it is dying out. I am trying to figure out whether it would be worth trying to save the tree or just remove it. I have tried the online and phone app ide guides, but get nothing that makes sense. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-spring-1618237746](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1618237746/) **Published:** April 12, 2021 **Author:** atlantagardener75 **Content:** Leaves look like a lily but flower looks like bee balm. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [dallasg-spring-1618175341](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dallasg-spring-1618175341/) **Published:** April 12, 2021 **Author:** mckate **Content:** Beautiful flowering tree, lots of butterflies **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lithia-springs-spring-1618109723](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lithia-springs-spring-1618109723/) **Published:** April 11, 2021 **Author:** Moonrise1984AA **Content:** I found and photographed this flowering tree on the banks of Sweetwater Creek State Park. The flowers are azalea/rhododendron like. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [snellville-spring-1618162028](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/snellville-spring-1618162028/) **Published:** April 11, 2021 **Author:** monkeygiggles **Content:** Planted this last year from a clipping. finally got leaves. Id faded. Don’t remember what this is but its probable important. Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [douglasville-spring-1618162256](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/douglasville-spring-1618162256/) **Published:** April 11, 2021 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** What kind of oak is this? It has resurrection fern growing on the branches. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [johns-creek-spring-1618083889](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/johns-creek-spring-1618083889/) **Published:** April 11, 2021 **Author:** Akdora **Content:** Not sure if this is a weed or not. Reluctant to remove in case it isn’t. Has lovely purple and green leaves, grows in part shade, popped up by my barely inches tall Aquilegia . The stem is brownish-purple and seems a bit fleshy rather than twiggy/woody. No flowers yet. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [johns-creek-spring-1618083317](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/johns-creek-spring-1618083317/) **Published:** April 11, 2021 **Author:** Akdora **Content:** Wild, new ones pop up without any help, flowers in spring with pale white pyramidal pendant flowers, interestingly mottled bark. No idea what it is..wondering if it is a weed grown out of control! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [suwanee-spring-1618012674](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-spring-1618012674/) **Published:** April 10, 2021 **Author:** Paul **Content:** I have lots of whatever this is. When it flowers it smells like honeysuckle but not sure it is. It is prolific in the native parts of my landscape. It grows as a multi-trunk shrub. I have some examples with trunks several inches in diameter. I am hoping to prune them a few feed from the ground so they will branch and leaf lower and be deer food. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [suwanee-spring-1618012325](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-spring-1618012325/) **Published:** April 10, 2021 **Author:** Paul **Content:** I’ve always thought this was some sort of hawthorn. I’d like to know for sure. It was on the property when I moved here 21 years ago and appears to be a native, volunteer tree. It also grows suckers underneath. This one tree is currently about 25′ tall and about the same in width. It is a multi-trunk tree. Large thorns throughout. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [suwanee-spring-1618011977](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-spring-1618011977/) **Published:** April 10, 2021 **Author:** Paul **Content:** This is a volunteer plant. It grows relatively quickly, does not flower or fruit that I’ve noticed. If left untended it seems to want to grow long branches / shoots up to 6-8 feet long in a year’s time. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lawrenceville-spring-1617981946](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-spring-1617981946/) **Published:** April 9, 2021 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** What is this beautiful tree spotted in Lawrenceville today? It has leaves and flowers like a Ligustrum…The shape of a crêpe myrtle. Help!!! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [st-simion-area-spring-1617914407](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/st-simion-area-spring-1617914407/) **Published:** April 8, 2021 **Author:** Judes **Content:** My son’s family was on vacation in Georgia & came across this spectacular red flowered tree. We’ve searched online to find a tree with such compact red flowers but to no avail. We would love to be informed as to what it is. Thank you. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [marietta-spring-1617915421](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1617915421/) **Published:** April 8, 2021 **Author:** larrymonica **Content:** I have two of these planted in front of my home as we wanted a lower shrub. We want to plant additional of these shrubs on the other side of the house. They have been in partial shade but now will be in full sun for about six hours per day. Can you please help us identify this plant? Thank you **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lavonia-spring-1617904601](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lavonia-spring-1617904601/) **Published:** April 8, 2021 **Author:** Cmaloof **Content:** The bush has oval shaped berries that have a slightly rough skin. The inside is a red and tender. The leaves are sturdy. This bush is also seen in north Florida area. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [hampton-spring-1617843787](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hampton-spring-1617843787/) **Published:** April 8, 2021 **Author:** pjdooley53 **Content:** It was planted at my church now I need to replace one like it **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [mercer-spring-1617397099](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mercer-spring-1617397099/) **Published:** April 2, 2021 **Author:** Marvin Henry **Content:** This is not a wildflower as such. It was given to me as a potted plant and I want to know what it is called. It has serrated, succulent leaves like a Sedum. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [egg-harbor-spring-1617374085](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/egg-harbor-spring-1617374085/) **Published:** April 2, 2021 **Author:** Esalazar687@comcast.net **Content:** Don’t know anything about this plant , just comes every year with abundant yellow blooms **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [gatlinburg-spring-1617281755](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gatlinburg-spring-1617281755/) **Published:** April 1, 2021 **Author:** David Martin **Content:** Found growing in the woods in Gatliburg near Cades Cove near moss and ferns. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-spring-1617237158](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1617237158/) **Published:** April 1, 2021 **Author:** kimberlyvanetta@gmail.com **Content:** This ground cover popped up next to my Heuchera after some warmer weather and rain. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [tyrone-spring-1617081463](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tyrone-spring-1617081463/) **Published:** March 31, 2021 **Author:** jimcook49 **Content:** These grow at the back of our lot. They look like some kind of ground cover. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-spring-1615942515](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1615942515/) **Published:** March 19, 2021 **Author:** Teala **Content:** A friend got this plant as a gift but neither of us know what it is! I told her I would submit a picture of it to your web site and hopefully find out what it is to let her know. Thanks for any help you can give us 🙂 **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [marietta-spring-1616857968](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1616857968/) **Published:** March 28, 2021 **Author:** Michael Rullan **Content:** “Weed1” crept up last year, was around all summer and winter, and is now spreading further into the TifTuff Bermuda. “Weed2” is showing how much it’s creeping into the good sod. I’ve applied “Stonewall” pre-emergenct in the fall and winter, but I have a lot of weeds coming up in the yard. “Weed3” is another hearty looking weed in places. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [cumming-spring-1616777992](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1616777992/) **Published:** March 27, 2021 **Author:** Patricia Gibson **Content:** I found this in an old side yard shrub mixed with scrub little bushes like Bradford pear and a pecan tree and blackberry vines that have been growing there for years. Plant was shaded in the mix and has been there a number of years. Leaves are waxy and I wonder if it is a little fruit tree **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [cumming-spring-1616769528](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1616769528/) **Published:** March 27, 2021 **Author:** FRIZZBEE **Content:** I’m not sure if this is a weed to get rid of or a plant to keep **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [cumming-spring-1616703835](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cumming-spring-1616703835/) **Published:** March 27, 2021 **Author:** lmbrown87 **Content:** What kind of evergreen is this? Doesn’t appear to grow cones, has grown about about a foot per year for the past four years since we’ve lived in the house. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [greensboro-spring-1616107762](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-spring-1616107762/) **Published:** March 19, 2021 **Author:** Mcgonp **Content:** This is one of 8 shrubs landscaper put in. He did not know name just that it is deer resistant. Plant ap says blueberry but Idt that’s what it is. Identifier thought Virginia sweetspire and asked for additional pic. This is second pix. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [roswell-spring-1616120956](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-spring-1616120956/) **Published:** March 19, 2021 **Author:** jmb_noel **Content:** This double trunked tree has blossoms up high that i can’t get a good picture of. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [hoschton-spring-1616104514](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hoschton-spring-1616104514/) **Published:** March 19, 2021 **Author:** Jeanette Carswell **Content:** I just noticed this orange fungus on the truck my cedar tree, and it is on some branches as well. Is this something that I can be cured? Does the tree need to be removed? Should I ignore it? Will it spread to any other plant/tree? Thank you! **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [camden-spring-1616160821](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/camden-spring-1616160821/) **Published:** March 19, 2021 **Author:** kepi313 **Content:** I think it is a native to Arkansas. I see it in a lot of yards. It has tiny white spring blooms and is deciduous. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [warner-robins-spring-1616197234](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/warner-robins-spring-1616197234/) **Published:** March 24, 2021 **Author:** San **Content:** Starts growing in late January to early February. Seed heads, or spikelets, appear in late February. Dies out as weather gets hot. Spikelets have a brown/purple color. Most leaves a dark green, some leaves, especially lower leaves have a purple tint. Spreads vigorously. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [snellville-spring-1616612401](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/snellville-spring-1616612401/) **Published:** March 24, 2021 **Author:** davehollister **Content:** I often see these small trees growing at the base of pine trees. They are evergreen. My searches on PlantNet are always inconclusive. Some sort of juniper or cedar? Any ideas? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lizella-spring-1616592517](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lizella-spring-1616592517/) **Published:** March 24, 2021 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** Which orchid is this **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [suwanee-spring-1616678571](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/suwanee-spring-1616678571/) **Published:** March 25, 2021 **Author:** Paul **Content:** This plant has been on my property for over 21 years. It has been growing amidst volunteer privet and it grows long branches with alternate single leaves (pictured). I don’t remember seeing this ‘fruit’ (pictured). The underside of the leathery leaf is a much lighter, almost silver green and is mottled by lots of tiny brown specks. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-spring-1616601800](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-spring-1616601800/) **Published:** March 24, 2021 **Author:** mbanks **Content:** Growing next to a street sign in a residential neighborhood on a junky patch… **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [bogart-spring-1616691322](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bogart-spring-1616691322/) **Published:** March 25, 2021 **Author:** kjutras **Content:** Grows profusely in tall stalks that spread quickly outside my fence and throughout my yard. I also see it on roadsides, and have found it in other states, as far North as NY. It has thorns and produces a poison-ivy-like rash if I get it on my skin. Later in the Spring, white flowers will emerge. The leaves turn red in winter. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [bogart-ga-spring-1616691049](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/bogart-ga-spring-1616691049/) **Published:** March 25, 2021 **Author:** kjutras **Content:** This vine is growing profusely in the woods outside my fence. Seems harmless? But just curious what it is. I haven’t been able to find a picture of it anywhere online. Also, I’m in Bogart, GA, not Connecticut! The state field would not allow me to choose GA. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [woodstock-spring-1616636434](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodstock-spring-1616636434/) **Published:** March 25, 2021 **Author:** annkrull **Content:** What is on my plant? This plant is – I believe – an offshoot from a Sycamore tree which is right next to it. I do not know what these white things are, nor do I know how to treat them? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [roswell-spring-1616629490](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-spring-1616629490/) **Published:** March 25, 2021 **Author:** Mary Duckett **Content:** The plant covers the ground like ivy and is growing at the base of trees – in shady areas. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [peachtree-corners-spring-1616551433](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peachtree-corners-spring-1616551433/) **Published:** March 24, 2021 **Author:** Vicki Walden **Content:** This is actually a mushroom that is growing in my black mulch. It is so perfect it almost looked like a fake plastic item when I first viewed it. There are smaller ones growing around it. It is black and white. No one has ever seen one like it, nor can I locate anything like it on the web. Would love to know its name. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [chillicothe-spring-1616355440](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/chillicothe-spring-1616355440/) **Published:** March 21, 2021 **Author:** Momboss **Content:** Very tall deciduous tree. Some off shoots coming up at the root. Growing near a small creek in a rural area **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [martin-spring-1616367841](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/martin-spring-1616367841/) **Published:** March 21, 2021 **Author:** Jenfalk84@gmail.com **Content:** Sparse, delicate tree growing in shady, wooded area along the corps line on Lake Hartwell. Slight pink tinge to the white blossom. Very delicate. Three of these trees on 1.5 acre area. Gray bark. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lawrenceville-spring-1616196133](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-spring-1616196133/) **Published:** March 21, 2021 **Author:** jmlemaster **Content:** Evergreen shrub is about 12 feet tall x 10 feet wide. Looks similar to cherry laurel but I haven’t seen any images showing tiny purple flowers like these. Thanks in advance! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [sharpsburg-winter-1616067126](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sharpsburg-winter-1616067126/) **Published:** March 19, 2021 **Author:** Kathyfm **Content:** This was installed by builder a year ago. Will this tree heal or die. Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [unknown-winter-1615861707](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-winter-1615861707/) **Published:** March 16, 2021 **Author:** knitty65 **Content:** popped up in yard of house recently purchased . **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-spring-1615815470](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1615815470/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** Close up picture of tree previously sent. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [powder-springs-spring-1615776669](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/powder-springs-spring-1615776669/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** sunnysue2009 **Content:** Wildflower growing near bank of a small creek on Douglas/ Paulding County line. Weather unseasonably warm for this time of year. We are 7b but Temps 60/70F. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [whitesburg-spring-1615765831](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/whitesburg-spring-1615765831/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** JAMZ67 **Content:** Please identify **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [sulphur-springs-spring-1615765159](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sulphur-springs-spring-1615765159/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** whatweed **Content:** Grows in shady areas late winter & spring. Has darker leaves than buttercup with distinctive lighter around veins. I have a plague of buttercup, but not a lot of this. What is it? Thanks in advance, Travis **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [marietta-spring-1615742829](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1615742829/) **Published:** March 14, 2021 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** My Yuletide Camellia has these spots. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [marietta-spring-1615661725](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-spring-1615661725/) **Published:** March 14, 2021 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** This tree blooms pink in the spring! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [lagrange-spring-1615648266](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lagrange-spring-1615648266/) **Published:** March 13, 2021 **Author:** lindasue **Content:** This is a very leathery fern, and it seems to be taking over this flower bed. I searched on the internet for info that might identify and found something called brackens. Is that what this looks like? It’s evergreen, some fronds turn bronze in the fall and it’s about 3 feet tall. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [roswell-spring-1615505903](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/roswell-spring-1615505903/) **Published:** March 12, 2021 **Author:** ramblindawg **Content:** Would love to know the name of this deciduous plant so I can find some more. Beautiful yellow/orange blooms in spring! Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [charlotte-winter-1615219415](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/charlotte-winter-1615219415/) **Published:** March 11, 2021 **Author:** Dob4rab3 **Content:** From the woods behind my house. This specimin is about 9′ tall but others in the woods are shorter. Evergreen. Has leathery leaves so I categorized it as a shrub. Very plain leaves. I have not noticed a bloom or seed. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [loganville-spring-1615348137](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-spring-1615348137/) **Published:** March 11, 2021 **Author:** Don Hutcherson **Content:** Weed growing in clay around where birds sit in roses. Grows about 10-15 inches tall. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [charlotte-winter-1615219979](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/charlotte-winter-1615219979/) **Published:** March 11, 2021 **Author:** Dob4rab3 **Content:** From the woods behind my house. Specimen is about 12′ tall. No other specimens in the area. Located immediately adjacent to a large mature tree so the two large tree trunks in one of the photos can be misleading. Leathery leaves so I’ve labelled it as a shrub. Have not observed it during spring/summer so I can’t comment on any blooms or seeds. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [loganville-spring-1615348207](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-spring-1615348207/) **Published:** March 11, 2021 **Author:** Don Hutcherson **Content:** Weed growing in clay around where birds sit in roses. Grows about 10-15 inches tall. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [charlotte-winter-1615218955](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/charlotte-winter-1615218955/) **Published:** March 11, 2021 **Author:** Dob4rab3 **Content:** I see this tree very commonly throughout my area. Small understory tree in wooded areas. Consistently keeps all its leaves through the entire winter. I have not noticed a bloom or seed produced. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [greensboro-autumn-1615145612](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/greensboro-autumn-1615145612/) **Published:** March 7, 2021 **Author:** Mcgonp **Content:** I have 8 of these shrubs. The landscaper planted but didn’t know what it was. All now have no leaves thanks to my deer. He was told deer resistant. Do you know what it is? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [loganville-winter-1615077351](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-winter-1615077351/) **Published:** March 7, 2021 **Author:** Emailkathy **Content:** We recently “transplanted” to Georgia… learning all kinds of new flowers… this one started coming up, but no idea what it is. Any help appreciated, **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [lawrenceville-winter-1614714766](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-winter-1614714766/) **Published:** March 4, 2021 **Author:** gregwga **Content:** I have a lot of this growing in my flowerbeds. I would like to get rid of it but it is growing around my azaleas and other plants that I do not want to harm. I am afraid to use Roundup for fear of hurting my other plants. Will ordinary weed killer like Ortho Weed B Gone work or is there another way to get rid of this stuff **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [millbrook-spring-1614694442](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/millbrook-spring-1614694442/) **Published:** March 4, 2021 **Author:** Lgb **Content:** Small bulb **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [sharpsburg-winter-1614604635](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sharpsburg-winter-1614604635/) **Published:** March 4, 2021 **Author:** ldv1977 **Content:** Please help identifying this plant. Thank you **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [winterville-winter-1614449755](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/winterville-winter-1614449755/) **Published:** February 28, 2021 **Author:** Monnie **Content:** These evergreens grow in a pyramidal shape. New growth seems to shoot up on thick, sturdy branches. Leaves are rather thick and the margins slightly toothy. The leaves are not pliable to the touch. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [powder-springs-winter-1614458790](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/powder-springs-winter-1614458790/) **Published:** February 28, 2021 **Author:** Annebsay **Content:** This is a medium size ornamental shrub. About 12 inches wide and 10 inches high. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [winder-winter-1614446750](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/winder-winter-1614446750/) **Published:** February 28, 2021 **Author:** cyberpitboss **Content:** I have lived on this 5 acre property since 2005 and this year I find this new grass popping up in little clumps around the edges of my driveway and even in my driveway in front of the garage doors. It grows very slowly, stays green in freezing weather and looks very attractive. If this is indeed grass, I would love to propagate it. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [winder-winter-1614105189](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/winder-winter-1614105189/) **Published:** February 23, 2021 **Author:** cyberpitboss **Content:** I have lived on this 5 acre property since 2005 and this year I find this new grass popping up in little clumps around the edges of my driveway and even in my driveway in front of the garage doors. It grows very slowly, stays green in freezing weather and looks very attractive. If this is indeed grass, I would love to propagate it. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [atlanta-winter-1613834442](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1613834442/) **Published:** February 20, 2021 **Author:** Oak1213 **Content:** Green leaf in the shape of a small elephant ear around 3 inches in length. It also has oblong buds that are round at the bottom and open toward the top and are purple that sit close to the ground at the base of the plant. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [fayetteville-winter-1613770243](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fayetteville-winter-1613770243/) **Published:** February 20, 2021 **Author:** ldv1977 **Content:** If anyone can please help identify this shrub, that would be great. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [kennesaw-winter-1613576538](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kennesaw-winter-1613576538/) **Published:** February 17, 2021 **Author:** ginka123 **Content:** Interested in Identification of this woody leafless shrub found in my subdivision. Flowers are slowly opening, no leaves, very showy winter flowering. Not sure if it is native or not but was planted by a landscaper. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [duluth-winter-1613418183](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/duluth-winter-1613418183/) **Published:** February 16, 2021 **Author:** Priya Ramachandran **Content:** I would like to know what plant this is. Looks like a holly. Beautiful red fruits. Not as many as I would see in a holly plant. Leaves are not as sharp as holly. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [colchester-spring-1612721279](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/colchester-spring-1612721279/) **Published:** February 9, 2021 **Author:** Ron Smith **Content:** Small Shrub like tree **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [kennesaw-winter-1612875187](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kennesaw-winter-1612875187/) **Published:** February 9, 2021 **Author:** ginka123 **Content:** Striking white down hanging buds on bare branches; no leaves. low shrubs. seen in neighbors yard planted by landscaper **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [colchester-summer-1612720979](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/colchester-summer-1612720979/) **Published:** February 9, 2021 **Author:** Ron Smith **Content:** Vine growing in the woods **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [long-beach-winter-1612206202](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/long-beach-winter-1612206202/) **Published:** February 1, 2021 **Author:** JoeMiceli **Content:** We’ve recently moved from Atlanta to the Mississippi Gulf coast. I found these (it?) growing in my zoysia lawn a few days ago. I’ve never seen anything like it. Can you help me identify it, and is it anything I should be concerned about. Thanks, Joe Miceli **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [atlanta-winter-1608483487](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1608483487/) **Published:** December 20, 2020 **Author:** john01 **Content:** this tree is shaped like a fir and is about 8′ tall. if you can help identify this we can look for one like it? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-winter-1608944293](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1608944293/) **Published:** December 26, 2020 **Author:** john01 **Content:** These are supplemental photos of the small tree we want help to identify. laura replied on December 21st, 2020. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [canton-winter-1609706967](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/canton-winter-1609706967/) **Published:** January 11, 2021 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** My azaleas have lace bugs – they’re looking terrible. Can I spray them or add systemic now? Would it do any good in January? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [fdr-state-park-pine-mountain-winter-1609627595](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fdr-state-park-pine-mountain-winter-1609627595/) **Published:** January 11, 2021 **Author:** pkchemistry **Content:** Growing on a fallen log. color is bright orange-Yellow. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [largo-winter-1611157173](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/largo-winter-1611157173/) **Published:** January 20, 2021 **Author:** tfelsted **Content:** This is located in the front yard of our new home. It is planted next to a Florida avacado. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-winter-1610574416](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-winter-1610574416/) **Published:** January 15, 2021 **Author:** Loudell Printz **Content:** This was taken at Cascade Springs Nature Preserve. It was between two trees about 10-15′ off the ground. I understand the squirrel baffle, but is that some kind of seed? or is this something totally different? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [largo-winter-1611181308](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/largo-winter-1611181308/) **Published:** January 21, 2021 **Author:** tfelsted **Content:** What type of Evergreen is this? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [largo-winter-1611181560](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/largo-winter-1611181560/) **Published:** January 21, 2021 **Author:** tfelsted **Content:** MY HIBISCUS ARE UNDER ATTACK. WHAT CAN I DO TO BRING THEM BACK? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [madison-winter-1611244168](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/madison-winter-1611244168/) **Published:** January 21, 2021 **Author:** Karen Whitt **Content:** This is my rosemary plant. the entire plant has spots on the leaves. it is sticky to touch. please help to diagnose the issue and treatment. Or do i just need to pull it out? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [valdosta-winter-1611419017](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/valdosta-winter-1611419017/) **Published:** January 24, 2021 **Author:** Pampas **Content:** I do not know for certain but I think this is a Yaupon variety and did not want to make a tea out of it until I know for sure. This plant appeared in a few locations in my garden and is very pretty in winter with its abundance of red berries! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [ne-atlanta-winter-1611961337](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ne-atlanta-winter-1611961337/) **Published:** January 30, 2021 **Author:** Teddymom **Content:** We just moved into a new home and the developer planted these trees at the entrance. at first we believed them to be leyland cypresses, but upon closer examination, the needles are more like a juniper. we cannot identify it. can you help? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [norcross-winter-1611423174](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-winter-1611423174/) **Published:** January 24, 2021 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Ground cover **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [chester-winter-1612016473](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/chester-winter-1612016473/) **Published:** January 30, 2021 **Author:** smasher756 **Content:** This tree is APPROXIMATELY 18’ tall and 7-8’ wide. It is on Property in middle Georgia and Is an EVERGREEN. Deer have eaten the Leaves as high as they can reach. Only One that I have found on property and have tried to root cuttings Early last summer with root hormone, they never took, this is a woody plant. Identity and rooting advice please.. thx **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [lexington-autumn-1606435541](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lexington-autumn-1606435541/) **Published:** November 27, 2020 **Author:** Chiggerridge **Content:** This plant was found in a field. It contains pink jewel like blooms that later turn to a puffy white seed cloud. I have never seen it before this year. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [largo-winter-1611157462](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/largo-winter-1611157462/) **Published:** January 20, 2021 **Author:** tfelsted **Content:** this hibiscus is under attack. What can I do to bring it back to its former glory? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [papaikou-winter-1609186546](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/papaikou-winter-1609186546/) **Published:** January 11, 2021 **Author:** Dab **Content:** This flower was growing at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens in Papaikou, Hawaii. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [seattle-summer-1609185562](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/seattle-summer-1609185562/) **Published:** January 2, 2021 **Author:** Dab **Content:** A beautiful flowering plant. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Help with Son's science fair project](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/phelp-with-sons-science-project/) **Published:** May 9, 2014 **Author:** gcamom79 **Content:** Both plants are in our landscaping and our son needs their names for a science project. The larger petal flower spreads like crazy. The smaller pink flowers grow on a grassy like plant. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [sandy-springs-autumn-1607908430 sapsucker damage to styrax](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/sandy-springs-autumn-1607908430/) **Published:** December 15, 2020 **Author:** Jane McDonald **Content:** Please help me identify the animal that is gnawing horizontal rings on the branches of my styrax tree. what animal is doing this and how can I prevent this damage? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [norcross-autumn-1606333890](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1606333890/) **Published:** November 26, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Plant is popping up through leaves. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-autumn-1606483452](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-autumn-1606483452/) **Published:** November 27, 2020 **Author:** Kurt Uhlir **Content:** This is a large 40’+ (maybe 50′) tall evergreen tree in East Cobb Park by a theater type pavilian near the back of the main field. There is another one right at the entrance/exit. It looks different than any of the other evergreen trees we see around the city and region. Thoughts on what it is? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [cave-spring-autumn-1606959102](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cave-spring-autumn-1606959102/) **Published:** December 3, 2020 **Author:** libertymoonbeam **Content:** This lemon (?) tree is about 15 feet tall and was loaded with softball+ size citrus (all of the fruits were in the 3-inch diameter range or bigger). It is definitely cold hardy and has been in this location for years. It has wicked thorns. What type of lemon/citrus is it? It smells a bit like a grapefruit but tastes more like a lemon. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [blackwood-autumn-1608124482](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blackwood-autumn-1608124482/) **Published:** December 17, 2020 **Author:** richard ma **Content:** I was pulling up some old Marigolds & saw they had these nodules or knots on the root. Is this normal? Or, does it indicate something else? thanks **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [waterboro-autumn-1607271649](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/waterboro-autumn-1607271649/) **Published:** December 6, 2020 **Author:** Ebriand **Content:** THE green POinted LEAVEs ARE bordered WITH red. The stems grow in CLUMps and are white/pinkish. Pretty LEAVEd plant.. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [guadalajara-jalisco-mexico-winter-1606528071](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/guadalajara-jalisco-mexico-winter-1606528071/) **Published:** November 29, 2020 **Author:** Richard Couture **Content:** Just acquired this euphorbia today and have spend hours looking at photos / reading descriptions without coming acrosss it’s ID. The base/trunk is 4 sided and the thinner branches are 3 sided. the thorns are in groups of 4 and maroon/brown in color. The whole plant stands about a foot tall and as you can see, resembles a small tree. Thanks RicharD **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [the-villages-autumn-1606073562](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/the-villages-autumn-1606073562/) **Published:** November 22, 2020 **Author:** Quentin **Content:** Shrub **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [jackson-autumn-1604841655](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/jackson-autumn-1604841655/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Zina Sweat **Content:** What is it **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [marietta-autumn-1605282943](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-autumn-1605282943/) **Published:** November 14, 2020 **Author:** ronfreed **Content:** Ground cover on a fairly steep grade. Seems to cascade from top of grade downward. only stands 6-8 inches tall above the level of the ground. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [braselton-autumn-1605989800](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/braselton-autumn-1605989800/) **Published:** November 21, 2020 **Author:** Shelby Guzzardo **Content:** i planted three annabelle hydrangeas in the spring of 2020. they were doing extremely well but now the leaves have turned light green/yellowish and they developed brown spots on the leaves. they have a balance of sun and shade and i make sure not to over water them. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [norcross-autumn-1605834992](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1605834992/) **Published:** November 20, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Several sprigs in leaves throughout yard. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [norcross-autumn-1605834861](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1605834861/) **Published:** November 20, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Appeared in the late summer and early fall **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [tennille-autumn-1604931536](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tennille-autumn-1604931536/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Chalemo **Content:** This is a woody shrub, growing primarily on the edges of 2.5 year old planted pines. Some of them are 10 to 12 feet tall. This is the first time I have seen them bloom. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [knoxville-autumn-1604528116](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/knoxville-autumn-1604528116/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Freda Kempson **Content:** purchased with no identification anywhere on the container. Looks like ivy but need to know how to care for it. Thank you …. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [buford-autumn-1605904161](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/buford-autumn-1605904161/) **Published:** November 20, 2020 **Author:** Nanagr54 **Content:** Discovered white gooey spot on lower jasmine vine. Not sure how to react to this!! Advise appreCiated. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [stockbridge-winter-1604519726](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/stockbridge-winter-1604519726/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** betty pitts **Content:** can I prune acubas now. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [decatur-autumn-1604480788](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-autumn-1604480788/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** passado **Content:** It is stick-like/rigid growing in the ground at about a 30-degree angle. Magenta in color until the very tip it becomes tan/brown. Virtually no leaves left on it. About 7 feet long. It is solo, the only one in the yard. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1604438070](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1604438070/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** dgerding **Content:** This shrub is in the woods behind our house. I would like to know if it is an invasive plant for Georgia. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [pensacola-autumn-1604156463](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/pensacola-autumn-1604156463/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Lynn **Content:** It is a tubular plant, plant grows to about one and a half feet – three feet tall **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [covington-autumn-1605540367](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/covington-autumn-1605540367/) **Published:** November 17, 2020 **Author:** DeeOwe **Content:** This tree bloms every year after the weather starts to cool. The cotton/feathery like blooms wreak havoc on my allergies. Would love to know what tree this is. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1605475517](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1605475517/) **Published:** November 17, 2020 **Author:** Kim Nikles **Content:** This volunteer appeared in a Pot Where I have Lantana and Bee Balm Growing. PrEviously, but not at same time, also had thyme, basil, purple basil, chives here. low growing. Hairy leaves. Light purple central vein & stems. seems to spread by runners, like mint. Tastes & smells like thyme. Burns Tongue like radish. Does NOT taste like mint. Herb? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [norcross-autumn-1605379401](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1605379401/) **Published:** November 17, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Several have appeared in fALLEN LEAVES **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [norcross-autumn-1605379239](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1605379239/) **Published:** November 17, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Several have appeared in the fallen leaves. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [newnan-autumn-1605648499](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/newnan-autumn-1605648499/) **Published:** November 17, 2020 **Author:** Dkc62 **Content:** Growing with holly shrub **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [marietta-autumn-1605730231](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/marietta-autumn-1605730231/) **Published:** November 20, 2020 **Author:** FritoBandito **Content:** This beautiful flowering bush is up the street. It is so lovely, I want one. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [newnan-autumn-1605648414](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/newnan-autumn-1605648414/) **Published:** November 17, 2020 **Author:** Dkc62 **Content:** Some type of holly **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [What is eating and burrowing in my lawn?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-eating-and-burrowing-in-my-lawn/) **Published:** October 24, 2020 **Author:** 1016newday **Content:** At the beginning of October my lawn was beautiful, but 2 weeks ago Almost my entire from lawn just didnÕt turn brown, but the grass roots were giving way and just coming out. I noticed these holes appearing within piles of dirt next to or over them. The last picture I used the blower and this is what was underneath. What has done this to an entire front yard? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [norcross-autumn-1603912000](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1603912000/) **Published:** October 28, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Green yearound. spreads. grows as tall as six feet. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [atlanta-autumn-1603892224](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autumn-1603892224/) **Published:** October 28, 2020 **Author:** Larry Morris **Content:** Non flowering. Medium growth hedge. Evergreen for whole year. Needs trimmed back every few years. Will topple over or break with any heavy wind or ice storm. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [lawrenceville-autumn-1603921095](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lawrenceville-autumn-1603921095/) **Published:** October 28, 2020 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** What is this gorgeous flowering shrUb? It looks to be in the hardy hibiscus family, but only blooms in October….quite unlike most other hibiscus or althea shrUbs. I feel like it is an old fashioned variety for some reason. I love the pink and white flowers on the same plant. Please help me identify this Beauty. Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [smithville-autumn-1604009314](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/smithville-autumn-1604009314/) **Published:** October 29, 2020 **Author:** Mike Sabot **Content:** Wildflower on side of road **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [smithville-autumn-1604008920](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/smithville-autumn-1604008920/) **Published:** October 29, 2020 **Author:** Mike Sabot **Content:** Small wild flower Found along side of dirt road **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [newnan-autumn-1604950933](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/newnan-autumn-1604950933/) **Published:** November 10, 2020 **Author:** Jturne **Content:** these WERE GROWING ON GRANITE IN A MOSSY AREA. wHEN i WENT BACK TO TAKE A PHOTO A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, DEER HAD APPEARED TO HAVE EATEN THE TOPS OFF, BUT i FOUND THIS ONE ON THE GROUND. tHE STEMS WERE QUITE HARDY AND FIBROUS. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [norcross-autumn-1604265303](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/norcross-autumn-1604265303/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Tall shrub (6 feet) THAT SPREADS. HAS A PLEASANT FRAGRANCE. NO BUDS AT THIS TIME. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [smithville-autumn-1604009131](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/smithville-autumn-1604009131/) **Published:** October 29, 2020 **Author:** Mike Sabot **Content:** Wild flower **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [atlanta-autum-1602358470](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/atlanta-autum-1602358470/) **Published:** October 29, 2020 **Author:** arubrum **Content:** found in Chamblee **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [jakarta-autumn-1604468436](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/jakarta-autumn-1604468436/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Budi **Content:** Houseplant, 30 cm height, Leave as pictured, strange looking flower. Flowering all through the year. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [loganville-autumn-1604701208](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/loganville-autumn-1604701208/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Modine **Content:** I bought this as being a pineapple lily but Leaves are very sharp & serrated. blooms are on foot long stems, pink with purple spikes, which become small inedible pineapples , 1/2 doz on the plant. I'm at a loss, want to know what it is & if it's hardy, would rather not keep inside in winter. Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [madison-autumn-1604793364](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/madison-autumn-1604793364/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Karen Whitt **Content:** I HAD A RED ECHINACEA PLANT THAT TURNED BLACK SEEMINGLY OVERNIGHT. I FOUND THIS LITTLE GUY ON THE SEED HEAD AND ONE IN THE SOIL. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IT IS? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [decatur-autumn-1604764449](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/decatur-autumn-1604764449/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** carpentertara **Content:** This is a beautiful tree with shiny green leaves and red fruit. I would like to know what kind it is to buy one for my yard. thanks! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Unknown plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-plant/) **Published:** October 25, 2020 **Author:** Carol Channer **Content:** Growing wild at the edge of our woods. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Yellow bush temperate](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/yellow-bush-temperate/) **Published:** October 25, 2020 **Author:** Joyce Fitch **Content:** This is in Florida and blooms at least once a year. It is vine- like, maybe a bush, but it grows freely and is prolific **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Succulent?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/succulent-4/) **Published:** October 25, 2020 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** Which one is it? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants, Insects/Animals, Vines, Weeds --- ### [What is this plant called?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-plant-called-5/) **Published:** October 23, 2020 **Author:** Sharon Hauser **Content:** This plant seems to crop up weed-like all over the area of San Jose, CA. I think itÕs pretty, but it grows quickly to the size of a small tree. (Sorry, this photo came out upside-down). **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Love it](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/love-it-2/) **Published:** October 23, 2020 **Author:** Randie Enbody **Content:** Grows straight up, woodland Hills california, direct sunlight, **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Fruit?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fruit-3/) **Published:** October 23, 2020 **Author:** lynnphil **Content:** What type of fruit is this? It has a pit like a peach? Avacado? There were many of these on the ground at Lost Corners Park. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [Unknown shrub](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-shrub-29/) **Published:** October 23, 2020 **Author:** Anna-Claire Hayden **Content:** We just bought this house and have no idea what these shrubs are or how to prune/care for them. The new growth is a bright green and the older growth is darker, and it appears they are now starting to grow pods/buddies/berries in late October. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Pink Flower Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/pink-flower-plant/) **Published:** October 23, 2020 **Author:** Deborah Dobbs **Content:** A friend observed this plant growing at a home in Conyers and asked for identification of the plant. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [type of ground cover](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/type-of-ground-cover/) **Published:** October 23, 2020 **Author:** richard ma **Content:** It grows in a clump. See small nodules at bottom of plant. Never saw any bloom. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [tree or plant?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tree-or-plant-4/) **Published:** October 23, 2020 **Author:** richard ma **Content:** Starting growing around early September. Never saw any blooms. Can it be identified? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Short lived, Spring yellow flowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/short-lived-spring-yellow-flowers/) **Published:** October 21, 2020 **Author:** FJ **Content:** Lanky shoots that’s currently green in October. Its flowers died out months ago. This year the blooms were prolific. Slow spreaders **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Is this Dog Fennel](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-dog-fennel/) **Published:** October 21, 2020 **Author:** Bill Mc **Content:** Planted some wild flower seeds from Home Depot **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Little Tree ?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/little-tree-2/) **Published:** October 21, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** New Plant in Yard **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Mystery Flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-flower-26/) **Published:** October 20, 2020 **Author:** Barbara Perry **Content:** Some type of large bush…at least 6′ tall….in Atlanta area. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Worse than kudzu](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/worse-than-kudzu/) **Published:** October 20, 2020 **Author:** Steven Eagle **Content:** This plant is find like and Will spread up to 30 feet. It divides along the way and will grow in the shade, in the mulch, in Larry opah, in everything. It has an oval sea pod that is Extremely difficult to contain. Because it grows in through and around other plants it seems difficult to find and effective herbicide. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [LilywithBlackberries](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/lilywithblackberries/) **Published:** October 15, 2020 **Author:** Gwen Sims **Content:** Appears to be a type of lily with blackberry-looking seed pods sticking up **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Mystery tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-tree-36/) **Published:** October 15, 2020 **Author:** 305WGSGG **Content:** Have two of these and would like to know what they are. IÕm not aware if they ever bloom. I donÕt think that they do. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Mystery cypress, pt 2 (more pics)](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-cypress-pt-2-more-pics/) **Published:** October 15, 2020 **Author:** Robert Buck **Content:** Here are more pics, to include foliage and the main tree trunk. I still think it’s a cypress, maybe a lemon cypress or Wilma Monterey Cypress? It doesn’t have a scent that I can detect when foliage is crushed though, to any input or feedback anyone can provide would be much appreciated. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Juniper or Cypress?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/juniper-or-cypress/) **Published:** October 14, 2020 **Author:** Larry Morris **Content:** Blue juniper like branches. ItÕs grown twice as large as indicated. Need to know if I should transplant or remove if itÕs going to grow larger **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Relentless weed](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/relentless-weed/) **Published:** October 13, 2020 **Author:** kelley wataon **Content:** This sprouts in 5 places in the flower bed. It has gotten several feet long and 3 or mor stalks shoot out of the same area. Stalks are very tough and you can pull them by hand. I have tried digging it up with no luck. Do you know what it is and how to kill it? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [found this in the woods near hardwoods](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/found-this-in-the-woods-near-hardwoods/) **Published:** October 13, 2020 **Author:** Matt Keller **Content:** thought it was wild pink asparagus, but the flowering top threw me off. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Garden Surprise](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/garden-surprise/) **Published:** October 13, 2020 **Author:** marianne blaylock **Content:** Just noticed this little beauty in my garden! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Mystery cypress!](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-cypress/) **Published:** October 13, 2020 **Author:** Robert Buck **Content:** My neighbor has one of these in his yard, and I’d love to get one for mine. A quick Google search says it might be a Wilma Monterrey Cypress, or a lemon cypress. Anyone ever seen this one before? The photo doesn’t do the color justice. It really reminds me of old-fashioned jadeite. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Weed or veggie](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/weed-or-veggie-2/) **Published:** October 11, 2020 **Author:** Renee Short **Content:** Recently purchased land that was a very large veggie producer at one time. This area was part of the garden overgrown in millet Until we cut it down. Now these have started coming up everywhere. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Hanging On](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hanging-on/) **Published:** October 10, 2020 **Author:** PlantGrl **Content:** I have had this plant for years and it never looked like much and I’ve never known what it is or how to care for it. Just when it was growing back the table it was on fell over and broke the larger leaves. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Red crested beauties](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/red-crested-beauties/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** Beverly Albright **Content:** 12-18 inches tall Green stalks **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [These evergreens grow all over my yard!](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/these-evergreens-grow-all-over-my-yard/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** Patricia Gibson **Content:** These are growing wild all over my yard. They grow into bushes and small trees I donÕt know what they are **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Guava?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/guava/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** Small green 1inch. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [mystery plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-plant-158/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** Nancy Prindle **Content:** Attractive volunteer in my garden. Not sure if friendly Clump is 15″ wide x 10″ tall large leaves 3″ x 5″ dark green with some dark purple where sun has touched them **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Is this achillea?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-achillea/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** Peg Lanctot **Content:** The flowers look like achillea, but the leaves are not fern like. The plant now has berries that are turning purple. Is thus a perennial plant? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Little bell-shaped flowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/little-bell-shaped-flowers/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** Stephanie Brundage **Content:** Found this little plant growing all by itself on a heavily wooded slope under a beech tree. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [October Glory Red Maple](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/october-glory-red-maple/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** muckfarm **Content:** Got this tree from a nursery and planted it about 1 1/2 yrs ago. Up until about 4 months ago it has been doing real well. Please see the dark spots on main trunk that run all up the tree and appear to be smeared. Also note that near the top some of the branches are dying back. Is it Bleeding Canker? I can’t tell. If it is bleeding canker or something else please let me know what I need to do to treat it. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [Plant name](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/plant-name-12/) **Published:** October 9, 2020 **Author:** jeff chavis **Content:** What the name of this plant **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [What is this](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-179/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Greg Holland **Content:** We saw this shrub(?) in Pigeon Forge, TN on Labor Day weekend and liked the color, we want to know what it is **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Ox Eyed Daisy?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ox-eyed-daisy/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Dudley Wireman **Content:** I just purchased a home with lots of beautiful plantings. IÕm trying to identify all of them and map out location and care routine. This flower just started blooming this week (1 Oct). IÕve tried researching it and I believe itÕs a Ox Eyed Daisy. Can someone confirm? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [What is this ? How to winterize?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-how-to-winterize/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Teresa Robinson **Content:** This was a plant of my motherÕs and I planted it in yard this year due to size bring too difficult to continue garaging. How do I prune it and what do I do for the winter. We live in Bowdon, Ga. thanks **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [wildflower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wildflower-7/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Rodney Swann **Content:** it grows in singles and has a bulb bottom **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Oak Hill Alabama vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/oak-hill-alabama-vine/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Janis Miller **Content:** This is a climbing vine which is perennial. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Clematis?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/clematis/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** Has purple blooms Fuzzy seeds Heart shape leaves **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Magnolia tree disease?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/magnolia-tree-disease/) **Published:** October 1, 2020 **Author:** Diana **Content:** I have never seen clusters of brown leaves on my Magnolia before. Is this a fungal disease? Will it kill the tree? Is there anything that can be done to treat it? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [Purple Flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/purple-flower-21/) **Published:** September 30, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Growing in partial shade near English Ivy. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Clower Shamrock](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/clower-shamrock/) **Published:** September 29, 2020 **Author:** JJClower **Content:** Shamrock was very happy most of the year but now looks puny for the past 2-3 weeks. Sits on north-facing porch and gets about 2 hours full sun. A similar shamrock that sits under a covered porch remains happy. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Succulent](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/succulent-2/) **Published:** September 29, 2020 **Author:** Connie Powers **Content:** Plant reproduces from little buds on the outer edges of leaves **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [J Clower Pasture Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/j-clower-pasture-plant/) **Published:** September 29, 2020 **Author:** JJClower **Content:** These plants return each year in the same location in my pasture. Against the fence with some full sun. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Match Seed To Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/match-seed-to-plant/) **Published:** September 29, 2020 **Author:** Pimpy1 **Content:** I think this seed and fruit I found came from an Oleander. But, I am not sure. I though it was from a Yellow Oleander but when searching online the seed doesn’t seem to match. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [What is ths tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-ths-tree/) **Published:** September 29, 2020 **Author:** Kimberly Horace **Content:** When i bought my house this tree was here. I prune it every year. Not sure what it is. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [What is that outdoor plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-that-outdoor-plant/) **Published:** September 27, 2020 **Author:** Goldbug **Content:** Hello, What is that plant? Blue/purple flowers, round fruit a bit like groundcherry, quite high. Thick “woody” stem. The plants i saw were 4-5 feet high. Thanks **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Wild in Detroit - Post 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wild-in-detroit-post-2/) **Published:** September 27, 2020 **Author:** Stuart M **Content:** It was windy yesterday, please excuse the blurred pics. Here’s more detail of the backs of the flowers. The plant height was 6 to 8 feet, in a clump about 8+ feet wide. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [What's this tree?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/whats-this-tree-4/) **Published:** September 25, 2020 **Author:** J.C. Hoyt **Content:** These are sprouting all over since the tree was cut down. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Wide spreading groundcover.](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wide-spreading-groundcover/) **Published:** September 25, 2020 **Author:** LuAnn Breed **Content:** Flat, spreading over pavement, and into flowerbed. Shallow roots. Tiny purple flowers. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [WhatÕs this beautiful flower blooming in September?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/whats-this-beautiful-flower-blooming-in-september/) **Published:** September 25, 2020 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** Just noticed this yesterday in our daughters yard… shes not sure what it is. Looks like a crocus on steroids. Pretty sure itÕs perennial … in Indianapolis zone 6. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Tree with black leaves and white flies](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tree-with-black-leaves-and-white-flies/) **Published:** September 25, 2020 **Author:** 305WGSGG **Content:** There are several of these trees on a neighboring lot. Each fall the leaves turn black, fall on my property and white flies (I think) fly everywhere. They create the biggest mess. Any suggestions?? Is it a hackberry? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Wild in Detroit - ID please](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wild-in-detroit-id-please/) **Published:** September 25, 2020 **Author:** Stuart M **Content:** I spotted this growing wild on a freeway service drive. I might want to “rescue” some if I can learn more about it… **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Plant in Texas](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/plant-in-texas/) **Published:** September 25, 2020 **Author:** Patrick H Beech **Content:** Does anyone know what this is……………Just moved from Phoenix, AZ to Texas? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Is this a weed or a spreading perennial?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-a-weed-or-a-spreading-perennial/) **Published:** September 25, 2020 **Author:** Tammy Rowland **Content:** This plant spread very quickly and comes back with a vengeance each year. Should I fight it or celebrate it? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Large Shrub](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/large-shrub-2/) **Published:** September 22, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** This shrub has appeared in the front yard. Partial shade. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Not social distancing](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/not-social-distancing/) **Published:** September 22, 2020 **Author:** mel berss **Content:** Can you tell me what theses guys are. They are about 1/4Ó long, brown/black and are gathered in several spots on trunk of crepe myrtle. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [Plants around well](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/plants-around-well/) **Published:** September 22, 2020 **Author:** John Lanman **Content:** Landscape plants approximately 20 years old Bush about 5′ tall by 3-5 wide **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [What is this creeping plant?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-creeping-plant/) **Published:** September 22, 2020 **Author:** Shawn Hill **Content:** This just showed up on the side of my house and I have no idea what it is. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Is this poison ivy](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-poison-ivy-7/) **Published:** September 21, 2020 **Author:** Renae Dabney **Content:** Trying to identify this plant! ThereÕs a lot of it! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [I thought it was a elephant ear](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/i-thought-it-was-a-elephant-ear/) **Published:** September 21, 2020 **Author:** Carolyn Leroy **Content:** I thought it was a elephant ear , but my elephant ears do not bloom. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Is this Fittonia plant?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-fittonia-plant/) **Published:** September 20, 2020 **Author:** Kristelle Verunque **Content:** The leaves are like a fittonia plant but the stem are not that “hairy”? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Milkweed?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/milkweed-4/) **Published:** September 19, 2020 **Author:** Cindy Casebeer **Content:** I think this is a milkweed plant. It has gotten huge and it has a stem that is more like a woody bush. Plus that, there are all of these eggs on it. Can you please tell me the name of the plant? Also, could you please tell me what I should do about all of the eggs on it? Thank you very much. **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [Small yellow flower plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/small-yellow-flower-plant/) **Published:** September 19, 2020 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** about 2 ft tall Bright small yellow flowers **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Climbiing Ivy](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/climbiing-ivy/) **Published:** September 19, 2020 **Author:** Richard Green **Content:** Low growing ivy looking vine, stems can be several feet long, invasive, tendrils used for climbing into other plants, small yellow flowers (~4-5mm across), small green fruit (~1cm) **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [A cucumber looking vine with some pods clusters](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/a-cucumber-looking-vine-with-some-pods-clusters/) **Published:** September 19, 2020 **Author:** soillover **Content:** I am not sure if I planted this vine and I wonder if it edible. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Shrub stems](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/shrub-stems/) **Published:** September 19, 2020 **Author:** Molly Taylor **Content:** My friend brought green stems over to my house and placed them in a vase. They are so beautiful but we donÕt know what they are? The are in her back yard in midtown atlanta. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Beautiful farm plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/beautiful-farm-plant/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** Sabrina Sanderson **Content:** Appears to grow in clumps **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Spotted wonder](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/spotted-wonder/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** Pam Kriska **Content:** About four foot high **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Begonia which one](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/begonia-which-one/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** dark leaves **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Coneflower mutation?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/coneflower-mutation/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** Jeanette Carswell **Content:** These three pics are of the same flower taken over the last month. I have never seen a coneflower that has an odd growth on its “cone”. Is this something that I should be concerned about? Should I remove the plant so this issue doesn’t spread to my other coneflowers? Thank you for any input. (I’m actually interested to see the end result, but will remove the plant if needed.) **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Rather healthy plant in backyard-Dallas, TX](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/rather-healthy-plant-in-backyard-dallas-tx/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** Greg Atkins **Content:** what is this plant? It’s in a sunny area next to a rose bush that is growing fine. There is a 2nd clump about a foot away. Trying to decide to keep and see what happens or maybe dig up and replace witha red leaf maple tree. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [seed pod and seeds](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/seed-pod-and-seeds/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** melissa aszman **Content:** My mother saved these for several years and she has passed so I canÕt figure out what they are **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Variegated frilly leaves](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/variegated-frilly-leaves/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** Rachel Campbell **Content:** In the Botanical Garden **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [What type of azalea?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-type-of-azalea/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** Laverne Arford **Content:** We have seen this azalea blooming near Canoe Restaurant and canÕt find one like it online, with large blooms, with one part white and purple and the other solid purple. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Hydrangea](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/hydrangea-5/) **Published:** September 18, 2020 **Author:** sandra bowers **Content:** What type of hydrangea is this & does it bloom on old or new wood? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [What's it](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/whats-it/) **Published:** September 14, 2020 **Author:** Bunny Moore **Content:** leaves are like a carrot or dill **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Mystery vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-vine-32/) **Published:** September 13, 2020 **Author:** Mary Donohue **Content:** Volunteer Vine climbing up on west side of this rose of sharon bush that iPad in the spot 10 years **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [What is this plant?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-plant-139/) **Published:** September 13, 2020 **Author:** lana Allgood **Content:** We got this plant from a teacher as a small sprig. We have it inside but have no idea what it is. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [humming bird herb plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/humming-bird-herb-plant/) **Published:** September 12, 2020 **Author:** leo spatola **Content:** this plant is in it’s last stage as this picture was taken 09/10/2020. Thanks Leo **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Gift from a client](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gift-from-a-client/) **Published:** September 12, 2020 **Author:** Benjamin Davis **Content:** IÕm a realtor and this was given to me by a client who bought a house and got rid of all the old landscaping. I have no idea what it is or the best place to plant it. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [tiara cup shapes in the veggies](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tiara-cup-shapes-in-the-veggies/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** mf Byrne **Content:** My daughter has this tall plant with tiara bowls or cups growing amidst her veggies and herbs. These seeds or fruits (4 or 5 of them) will fit in the palm of your hand, and the plant itself is quite tall, about 6′. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Chickweed Family?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/chickweed-family/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** Spencer McLennan **Content:** This weed has almost taken over my entire yard. Small rounded leaves and low growing (shorter than my grass cut height). Grows in a thatch and most likely underground to some extent but the network of stem growth is very visible on top as well. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [It is an eight to 10 feet high multi stem bush](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/it-is-an-eight-to-10-feet-high-multi-stem-bush/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** achla Em **Content:** I live on the side of a hill in Centeral Massachusetts **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Nut tree?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/nut-tree-2/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** Rachel Braden **Content:** WeÕve been in our home 2 years. Last year this tree was just leaves but this year there is a nut or fruit, but I canÕt tell what it is. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [Fruit tree?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fruit-tree-8/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** Rachel Braden **Content:** This is our second year in our home. I thought this was a peach tree based on the leaves, but last year I didnÕt notice any fruit and this year there were only what appear to be pits. Can you confirm the type of tree? **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [Disease?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/disease-2/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** Rachel Braden **Content:** I am unsure what type of tree this is as well as what this gross stuff is all over it. **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [Shrub](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/shrub-16/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** thowell582 **Content:** We bought this shrub a few years ago & canÕt remember what it is. Had to fence it in due to deer damage. These flowers came out about 2 weeks ago. It is about 4 ft tall. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Wild purple flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wild-purple-flower/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** blooming now in ditch **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Is this poison oak?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-poison-oak-2/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** bluesalvia55 **Content:** I just pulled this out of a planter…THEN I noticed the 3 leaves and shiny. Is it poisonous? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Woody stem vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woody-stem-vine/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** jennifer davis **Content:** Volunteer plant. Very aggressive spreader. Shiny green leaves of 7 on each stem. Flowers deep violet, clusters on a stem. Appeared 3 years ago. No fragrance. No plant app can get the bloom and leaf description accurate on same plant. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Mystery shrub](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-shrub-25/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** thowell582 **Content:** I bought this shrub a few years ago but have forgotten what it is. It has been fenced off due to deer damage. It is now 3/5-4 ft tall & blossomed about 2 weeks ago. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Unknown Fruit on vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-fruit-on-vine/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** Rob Penland **Content:** We found this growing on a fence in our backyard intertwined with muscadine vines. I know its not a muscadine obviously, but am unsure what it is. The previous homeowner grew lots of fruits so I am guessing it may be an edible plant, but I honestly have no idea. There are multiple fruits, all egg shaped and green, hanging from the vine. **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [Kano Strange plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/kano-strange-plant/) **Published:** September 11, 2020 **Author:** Daudu Yusuf **Content:** A shrub, with simple lanceolate leaves. It produces round, tiny and long pods. Geographic distribution is Sudan Savannah, Kano State Nigeria. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [small red flowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/small-red-flowers/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Andy Anderson **Content:** I found this growing in our garden. Does anyone have a clue as to what it is. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Unknown plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-plant-120/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** dee-anne edwards **Content:** Just trying to identify what type of tree and is the fruit/seed pod edible. I think it might be a dogwood, but am not sure. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Thorny weed](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/thorny-weed-3/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Nicholas Sandstrom **Content:** this sucker is growing beneath my deck and I’ve sprayed it with so much weed killer. Its running rampant.. what is it and how do I get rid of it for good? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [What is it](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-it-67/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Chris Wade **Content:** The plant runs long vine like plant that grows and sprouts roots to cling to trees and siding **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [What kind of plant is this?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-kind-of-plant-is-this-24/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Vanessa Green **Content:** What kind of Plant is this? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Are these herbs or veggies?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/are-these-herbs-or-veggies/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Vanessa Green **Content:** Are these herbs or veggies? **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [Woodland plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woodland-plant-7/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Bobby **Content:** Single plant growing among oak trees in primarily hardwood forest. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Mystery Volunteer Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-volunteer-tree/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Ray McCullie **Content:** This is the 2nd season this tree has appeared. My wife wanted to see what it turned into the first year. It closes it’s leaves at night. Never seen a tree do that. It got about 2-3 inches around. 1 main trunk with branches at ~90 degrees to the trunk. I cut it down because it was too close to the house and overtaking the roof. It’s as tall as the house again this year but of course with more shoots. I think this is a mimosa tree? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Unusual conifer](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unusual-conifer/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Sandra Stanyer **Content:** Shrub is some kind of conifer I believe. Not sure. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Viburnum with hornworms](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/viburnum-with-hornworms/) **Published:** September 4, 2020 **Author:** Karen Whitt **Content:** I have removed the hornworms. The plant has these dead ends of the branches now. Is that a result of the worms sucking the life out of them or is this a secondary issue? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [Anemic Hydrangea](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/anemic-hydrangea/) **Published:** September 4, 2020 **Author:** Karen Whitt **Content:** This is my first hydrangea plant. It has bloomed a great deal this year ( just planted in April of 2020). It appears to be a bit anemic to me. Am I correct in that feeling? If so, what does it need? Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Philodendron?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/philodendron/) **Published:** September 4, 2020 **Author:** justina millan **Content:** I got a little piece of it years ago, and it grew into this big beautiful plant. I think it is some kind of philodendron, but I would like to know specifically. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Silvery perennial with fragrance](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/silvery-perennial-with-fragrance/) **Published:** September 2, 2020 **Author:** Debra Buchan **Content:** This perennial grows in full sun and makes a nice filler for a bouquet. What is it? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [tomato wilt](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tomato-wilt/) **Published:** August 31, 2020 **Author:** john01 **Content:** Hi WR: Can you determine if the tomato plants have a wilt disease and explain some options? My son is planning a raised vegetable bed and would like to know if you provide consultations? **Plants Categories:** Disease --- ### [Possible Diamond Flower??](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/possible-diamond-flower/) **Published:** August 31, 2020 **Author:** gframer **Content:** I thought this was a diamond Flower at first but the flowers and seed pods are attached directly to the vine without a stem. This is growing in my ditch and just wanted to learn more about it. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Tropical looking annual](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tropical-looking-annual/) **Published:** August 30, 2020 **Author:** Cynthia Smith **Content:** This plant stands about 3 ft. high, has thickish fuzzy looking 3 inch leaves, flowers bloom on spikes **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Butterflies like it](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/butterflies-like-it/) **Published:** August 30, 2020 **Author:** jerome willis **Content:** Showed up after we removed some pine trees . Glad I didnÕt do what I normally do for a plant I donÕt recognize **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Vine Identification in Loganville](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/vine-identification-in-loganville/) **Published:** August 30, 2020 **Author:** gframer **Content:** Red Vine with small white flowers and elephant head shaped dark green leaves. Originally thought it was wild sweet potato but after checking the internet realized that it was not. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Is this a weed or native plant IÕve never seen?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-a-weed-or-native-plant-ive-never-seen/) **Published:** August 29, 2020 **Author:** 1016newday **Content:** I have to say I would have pulled this as a weed, had it not bloomed. This one is about 3 ft. tall, but there are several near by that are a foot and budding. In the 3 years on this property, it has ever bloomed, so this is a surprise. The previous owner was like me and known for transplanting unusual plants, so IÕm not sure is this is natural at this location or wether found somewhere else. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Can't kill this thing; should I learn to love it](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/cant-kill-this-thing-should-i-learn-to-love-it/) **Published:** August 29, 2020 **Author:** Dee Stone **Content:** There are several of these in a cluster and they want to grow despite my efforts to get rid of them. About 5-feet tall now and can get taller. Should I just learn to love them and leave them alone? **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Seedlings](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/seedlings/) **Published:** August 29, 2020 **Author:** John Carroll **Content:** I bought a variety of seedlings. Some were Junipers, Desert Roses, & Boxwood.I am not sure what this is. Would like to know to care for it accordingly. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Mystery shrub - ID please](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-shrub-id-please/) **Published:** August 27, 2020 **Author:** Stuart M **Content:** This was lost from my other post. I’m helping a friend clean up their new place. I’ve seen it, but can’t recall the name. Save it? or get rid of it? Thanks! **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Tree in backyard on stream](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tree-in-backyard-on-stream/) **Published:** August 27, 2020 **Author:** Tony Outlaw **Content:** This is a large tree, which is dropping tiny berries on my deck that look a bit like blueberries. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Blossoming now NGa](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/blossoming-now-nga/) **Published:** August 26, 2020 **Author:** Ron Volz **Content:** Trainable vine grows road side, will climb fences and trains on mailboxes; tiny white blossoms with little or no fragrance **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [2 Planta for ID](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/2-planta-for-id/) **Published:** August 26, 2020 **Author:** Rose Mellies **Content:** Pic … 1 Vining plant, Leaves alternating with flowers / buds extending from leaf /stem node. Found partial shade, dry grassy area. Pic 2 … stem is brown and solid feeling. had pink spots close to section where leaves start to drow. Leaves are alternating and lacy fern shaped. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [neglected shrub](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/neglected-shrub/) **Published:** August 26, 2020 **Author:** Stuart M **Content:** A friend is buying a home with lots of overgrown shrubs, I said I’d help ID and clear some of the jungle. This is at the corner of the house. p.s. apologies if the pics aren’t right side up **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Two more mystery shrubs...](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/two-more-mystery-shrubs/) **Published:** August 26, 2020 **Author:** Stuart M **Content:** The 1st one I’ve seen before but can’t recall the name. The second and third pics with the berries is unknown to me. Any ID help and pruning tips will be appreciated as I start clearing the jungle at my friends new place. Thanks. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [What kind of plant is this?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-kind-of-plant-is-this-23/) **Published:** August 26, 2020 **Author:** Vanessa Green **Content:** I believe this may be some sort of herb. Can someone please clarify? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Mt. Harvard Colorado Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mt-harvard-colorado-plant/) **Published:** August 24, 2020 **Author:** rob stuff **Content:** My daughter took this photo today on Mt Harvard in Colorado. Does anyone know what it is? Thank you **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Yellow wild flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/yellow-wild-flower-3/) **Published:** August 24, 2020 **Author:** Elaine **Content:** very tall. Leaves are hand shaped. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Invasive Weeds with thick connected root system](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/invasive-weeds-with-thick-connected-root-system/) **Published:** August 24, 2020 **Author:** Cassandra Coakley **Content:** Very invasive weed popping up all over my lawn and now making its way into my flower beds. The root can be as large as a nickel in diameter and connects multiple plants. If I pull one, several more pop up in itsÕ place within the next day or two. Very fast growing!. What is this and how can I get rid of it? This is the first year weÕve had it and I suspect it may be related to the trees we had taken out last summer. We ground the stumps but left the roots. Thanks for your help! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Succulent](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/succulent-3-2/) **Published:** August 24, 2020 **Author:** Laura Jones **Content:** What is the name of this succulent? **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Unknown Plant/Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-plant-tree-5/) **Published:** August 24, 2020 **Author:** sandy10241 **Content:** These plants or trees are sprouting up all over my yard and my next door neighbors yard. We have an idea that it might be persimmon sprouting from roots, but over an area of 120 ft by 80 ft seems to big for suckering. This is a second posting with additional pictures. These are not tall (yet) I treat with RoundUp as soon as I can. These pictures are of a plant about 4 inches tall, there are 10 to 15 sprouts in this bunch, I am going to dig down and find where it is originating from. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Tree id](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tree-id-9/) **Published:** August 22, 2020 **Author:** Nancy Zeder **Content:** I received this tree at a plant swap last year, it was much smaller. I would like to know what it is so I can determine how big it will get so I’ll know where to plant it. Thank you. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [What is this](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-178/) **Published:** August 22, 2020 **Author:** Charles Kelly **Content:** This randomly sprouted a few years ago in a pot on our patio. It’s about 4 feet tall now and we just don’t know what it is! **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [The neighbors vines are invading my yard is it a Weed?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/the-neighbors-vines-are-invading-my-yard-is-it-a-weed/) **Published:** August 22, 2020 **Author:** Peg Mikes **Content:** This vine which has these berries on it is wrapped around his old wooden fence and all over all his overgrown shrubs and is now intertwined in my new vinyl fence and dropping ÔstuffÕ all over my patio and my patio table and chairs. And to just top that off whatever this is attracts many, many bees. I have hundreds of flowers in my garden but they prefer this vine that has no visible flowers. Last night while I was cutting it down I had to stop because they were a dozen+ bees on the next part. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Georgia Weed Identification](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/georgia-weed-identification/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** Jason Backus **Content:** I have this weed in several locations throughout my yard and canÕt seem to identify it online, so I can find the necessary products to kill it. Any help would be appreciated! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Every Late Summer](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/every-late-summer/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** Thomas Gamull **Content:** My lawn seems to be a mutt of Bermuda and fescue (I even have centipede on the curb but this is the backyard). It seems the fescue comes in after overseeing and aerating but late summer always brings tons of whatever this stuff is. It grows low, survives mowing well and I’m guessing chokes out fescue. I may need to mow higher after fescue is established but I don’t know what I’m dealing with. From a distance it looks almost like grass. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [warehouse](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/warehouse/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** Ernest Ratzlaff **Content:** growing next to parking lot at new warehouse about 18 inches tall **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [What is this red flower?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-red-flower/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** Vanessa Green **Content:** What is this red flower? **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Strange plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/strange-plant-12/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** Judy Cox **Content:** 9 – 10 feet high. Velvety large leaves and sturdy velvety stalk. Pulpy stem. Has had no flowers; comes back every year. WeÕve never let it get this tall! **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Growing in strawberries](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/growing-in-strawberries/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** Jodi Moon **Content:** This plant popped up in my strawberry planter. I can’t figure out what it is. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Brown balls](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/brown-balls/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** Sandra Fillingim **Content:** Found on the ground under oak trees. Soft enough to slice open with a knife. Red liquid inside. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Red Maple?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/red-maple/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** David Lyle **Content:** This tree was struck by lightning. If maple I want to have it milled into lumber. If not, firewood. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Fungus?/toadstool?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fungus-toadstool/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** LuAnn Breed **Content:** 8-10″ across, black marks on each separate “petal”. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Unknow Plant/Tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknow-plant-tree/) **Published:** August 20, 2020 **Author:** sandy10241 **Content:** These plants or trees are sprouting up all over my yard and my next door neighbors yard. We have an idea that it might be persimmon sprouting from roots, but over an area of 120 ft by 80 ft seems to big for suckering **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Pretty flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/pretty-flower-5/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Sue Anderson **Content:** These are growing along the roadway near our house in Haralson Co. I haven’t been able to identify. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Mystery Shrub](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-shrub-24/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** David Martin **Content:** This first picture of this shrub reveals a plant that had white flowers earlier this summer. The other picture is of a plant that looks like elephant but has a red flower. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [is this a weed?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/is-this-a-weed-25/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** richard ma **Content:** has tiny white flower any idea what it is? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Small green plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/small-green-plant-3/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Meg Lauber **Content:** It bloomed a few weeks ago and I noticed a bloom on it now. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Caterpillar or fungus damage?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/caterpillar-or-fungus-damage/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** HumbleGardener **Content:** These blueberry bushes are being destroyed by something. Is it a caterpillar or fungus or something else? There are small brown spots on some leaves. My husband recently pruned back bushes after they produced berries. Could the July pruning cause plants to become vulnerable? **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [15 yr old plant w/ thorns](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/15-yr-old-plant-w-thorns/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Karen Howard **Content:** this plant has a woody stem and has never had flowers, in fact it put out a 2nd stem just this year **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Periwinkle](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/periwinkle/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Sindy Moon **Content:** Here is a potted periwinkle. Puts out sweet little purple flowers in the spring. Provides lots of viny verigated leaves throughout the year. Great add to any potted plant on porches or decks. Very low maintenance. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [I donÕt know what this plant is](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/i-dont-know-what-this-plant-is/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Judy Gray **Content:** It has tiny radish like seeds. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Weed from Hades](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/weed-from-hades/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** teri nugent **Content:** What is it and how do I eradicate? It grows at a phenomenal rate! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Red Flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/red-flower-8/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** J Vaughn **Content:** Flower in full sun on lake bank **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Giant weed](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/giant-weed/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** susan Morgan **Content:** It is at least 12 ft tall with huge fuzzy leaves **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Invasive pasture weed](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/invasive-pasture-weed/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Kenny Poland **Content:** This is a thin bladed Òweed/grassÓ that is invading my centipede lawn and Bermuda pasture. It has very shallow roots that run across the ground and does not grow very high (3-4 inches). Any idea what this is? Any way to kill this without also killing the centipede and Bermuda where it is taking over? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [Large nonflowering plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/large-nonflowering-plant/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Agathafreak **Content:** This plant is about 3-4 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Long green fronds. Planted by the previous homeowners in full sun. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Large green leaves on skinny vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/large-green-leaves-on-skinny-vine/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Agathafreak **Content:** Growing in the shade of a large plant, these large (3-4inch) leaves are on a very skinny vine. Very difficult to uproot. I don’t know if it is a flower or a weed. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Fuzzy creaping plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/fuzzy-creaping-plant/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Agathafreak **Content:** First appeared near some dying daisies, I thought it was them coming back. Fuzzy stems and it spreads along on the ground. The white spots haven’t gotten any bigger over the last two months. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Spreads like crazy](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/spreads-like-crazy/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Agathafreak **Content:** These little guys grow under my deck and around my rose bushes. They are very easy to pull up and are connected my thin white vines just under the soil. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Small green plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/small-green-plant-2/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** 1016newday **Content:** It bloomed a few weeks ago and I noticed a bloom on it now. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Purple-headed flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/purple-headed-flower/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Irvin Henry **Content:** Found in a woodlot in Clarion Co., Pennsylvania in July and August, 2020. The purplish brown head is first just green when young. The top head looks more like a little tower of calyxes or bracts than an actual flower. The plant has several shoots from the same root. Its leaves are opposite. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Audry2 taking over garden](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/audry2-taking-over-garden/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** K Hannah **Content:** We didnÕt plant it but what started as a Òcute little bush, letÕs see how it growsÓ has become a 4 ft tall, 72+ft diameter ÒAudrey II” Our three local landscapers can not Òname that tune.Ó We just want to make sure it is not invasive and we have to burn down the whole yard and house to get rid of it. Thanks KJ **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Name That Plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/name-that-plant-13/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Robert Albright **Content:** We found this thing in the clearance section of a big box store with no name & no price. It was a busy Saturday so they just gave it to us. It wont stop blooming! What is it? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Dansplantpleaseidentify](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/dansplantpleaseidentify/) **Published:** August 16, 2020 **Author:** Dan Connors **Content:** Many thanks! Dan **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Helen](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/helen/) **Published:** August 10, 2020 **Author:** faye goff **Content:** Goes really well spreads returns next year **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Flowering vine](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/flowering-vine-5/) **Published:** August 9, 2020 **Author:** Suzanne Greenhut **Content:** Long vine with leaves that look like poison ivy and beautiful long flowers of shades of pink **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Maybe a weed](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/maybe-a-weed/) **Published:** August 9, 2020 **Author:** 1016newday **Content:** This plant is 15 feet tall. Large leaves, we trimmed it up as a joke, thinking it was a weed. But now it keeps growing and looks intentional. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [JeffÕsLawn](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/jeffslawn/) **Published:** August 9, 2020 **Author:** william eubanks. **Content:** This grows in my Bermuda lawn how do I get rid of it and control it? **Plants Categories:** Grasses --- ### [Berry? Grape?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/berry-grape/) **Published:** August 9, 2020 **Author:** Hyde Cantrightlysay **Content:** Found in a hollow, by trees and vines that get all the rain runoff. This is in Habersham county GA. There were others here that had a dark blue/black color with 3 seed inside that are large for the fruit. The seeds in the older mature fruit was black. On most of the ÒberriesÓ the four ÒleavesÓ (for lack of a better word) on the top of the fruit fell off in most of the berries, showing the section in the last picture. The bottoms have a definitive point to them. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [woody perennial](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/woody-perennial/) **Published:** August 7, 2020 **Author:** Diana **Content:** This plant is about 4 feet by 4 feet and has been in my garden for maybe 5 years now. It does not spread and stays as a nice clump. It started blooming about 2 weeks ago and will probably stay for another week or more. I cut it back to the ground at the end of the year. Lovely magenta flowers on multi branched stems **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Mystery plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-plant-156/) **Published:** August 7, 2020 **Author:** Sue Lenth **Content:** Photos aren’t the best, but this came up in my flower bed. Stalk is kind of tree like, but not really. This spring it had tiny light pink fragrant flowers, then a couple tiny berries that started green and turned red. Shortly after turning colors they disappeared. Not sure if they fell off or birds got them. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Super fast growing](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/super-fast-growing/) **Published:** August 7, 2020 **Author:** toniham2 **Content:** This tree (probably a weed) has huge leaves. Bark is very spotted but pretty. It grows very fast. Drops leaves in fall. This is 2nd year we have let it grow. Not sure what it is though **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [What weed is this?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-weed-is-this-4/) **Published:** August 7, 2020 **Author:** Silence Dogood **Content:** It’s appearing in tall fescue in GA. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Tree at Gibb's Gardens](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tree-at-gibbs-gardens/) **Published:** August 7, 2020 **Author:** SteveRowland **Content:** Odd trunk. No idea what it is. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Gray/green airy](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/gray-green-airy/) **Published:** August 7, 2020 **Author:** Rita Girard **Content:** Planted by my neighbors mailbox **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [What tree do these berries come from?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-tree-do-these-berries-come-from/) **Published:** July 10, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Our dog keeps eating these and we want to know if they are dangerous. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Unique Buds](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unique-buds/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** David Saylor **Content:** This plant is located in a bed under a bird feeder. Not sure if it is a volunteer from a bird seed or from “direct deposit” from a bird. The plant is about 5 1/2′ tall with leaves as big as 7″ across. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Unknown flower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-flower-27/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Pat Haralson **Content:** I planted seeds and donÕt know what this is now because it took a while for it to grow and bloom. Looks like marigold but is very tall. About 3Õ. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Found in woods](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/found-in-woods/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Kim Webb **Content:** We find this in abundance in the woods near our home in Western Pennsylvania **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [What is this plant called?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-plant-called-4/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Veronica Holeton **Content:** What is this plant called? **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Weed in my yard](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/weed-in-my-yard-3/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Mary Kneiser **Content:** This has been growing in one corner of my yard that has no other plants. ItÕs prolific and spreading. When I pulled it up it caused terrible itching and redness on my arm that eventually went away. It gets about 2 feet tall. IÕve never seen it before. Would like to know what it is. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Unknown in veggie garden](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-in-veggie-garden-2/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** DIANE COWELL **Content:** Went back to garden, I did plant these in the veggie garden **Plants Categories:** Fruits/Vegetables --- ### [Yard Plants](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/yard-plants-2/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Frank Blackmon **Content:** Three different plants **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Identifying this Evergreen](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/identifying-this-evergreen/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Steve **Content:** Identifying this Evergreen **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Mystery in the moss](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-in-the-moss/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Rebecca Burks **Content:** Photo shows detail from a moss terrarium I recently constructed, with the unidentified plant encircled in violet. This tiny plant showed up in the midst of a wild-gathered moss clump, and I hadn’t the heart to remove it! It’s about 1.5″ tall. The leaves are a medium dark green, w/ a noticeably lighter (almost whitish) stripe down the mid-rib and tiny spines all around the perimeter of the leaf edge. It’s cute (at least, I think so), but what the heck IS it? Thanks in advance for your help! **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Weed?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/weed-42/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** DonnaS **Content:** 4 feet tall, heavy stem with branches starting about a foot up. If it’s a weed I want to get rid of it before it drops seeds. It’s in a bed with Iris and Daylillies. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Looks like a sunflower](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/looks-like-a-sunflower/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Kimberly Stapinsky **Content:** Hi plant has a stalk like a sunflower don’t know is this a weed or is it going to flower **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Strange fast growing mystery plant](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/strange-fast-growing-mystery-plant/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Pam Silleman **Content:** This thing popped up on its own about a month ago and itÕs growing so fast like Jack and the bean stock IÕve never seen anything like it and it has a giant giant thorns! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Mystery tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-tree-35/) **Published:** August 5, 2020 **Author:** Jill Constantine **Content:** Came up on its own. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [EGGS?](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/eggs-2/) **Published:** July 14, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** These appeared almost overnight on one f my tomato plant leaves. What are they? **Plants Categories:** Insects/Animals --- ### [Zelkova - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tree-at-swift-cantrell-park/) **Published:** July 1, 2019 **Author:** Jennifer Long **Content:** These trees are planted along the road and are all about the same size. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Wintercress/Yellow Rocket (Babarea) - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/wispy-plant-with-yellow-flowers/) **Published:** June 3, 2019 **Author:** suzanne Chappell **Content:** This just showed near my mailbox. Can you tell me what it is? It is around 1 1/2 feet tall. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Wisteria Vine - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/help-me-identify-8/) **Published:** June 19, 2019 **Author:** Greg Seagraves **Content:** Is this poison sumac? **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Z. aethiopica Pink Cultivars - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/leafy-plant-with-pink-flowers/) **Published:** June 9, 2019 **Author:** Anneke Shaw **Content:** Last year this plant was just a bunch of tall green leafs, this year a few pink flowers have bloomed. The flowers are kind of shaped like calla lilies but are very different than the white calla lily I have that just has a couple of leaves and 1 flower. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Wild Violets - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/growing-at-different-spots-in-the-yard/) **Published:** May 17, 2019 **Author:** Fred Genovese **Content:** no clue where it came from **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Wooly Congea (Congea tomentosa) - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/shrub-in-tropics/) **Published:** May 6, 2019 **Author:** Anne Hopwood **Content:** Entire branch covered in blossom: pink grey and greenish. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Wild Violet - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/purge-or-keep/) **Published:** July 8, 2019 **Author:** Lynn **Content:** This is growing in yard. there are several clumps in same general area. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Yucca - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/giant-dracaena/) **Published:** July 19, 2019 **Author:** Jennifer Turner **Content:** Giant Dracaena type, wanting to know specific type, and maybe how to reproduce. Has sharp razor leaves. Was about a foot I retall when received, less that two years old. We call him Razorleaf. **Plants Categories:** Houseplants --- ### [Wild Blackberry - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/poison-ivy-6/) **Published:** June 3, 2019 **Author:** saplant **Content:** most branches have 3 leaves but some have more **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Wild Violet - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/weed-35/) **Published:** May 27, 2019 **Author:** Beverly Golden **Content:** I’m assuming this is a weed because, (a) it’s sprouting in several places around the yard, and (b) it doesn’t pull up easily. At one point it did have short lived flowers but I can’t recall the color. Anyone know what this is? **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Wild Poinsettia - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/leaves-with-poinsettia-looking-center/) **Published:** May 16, 2019 **Author:** Ann Wilkins **Content:** The red is actually part of the leaf color. Looks like berries or florets in the middle. It was totally shaded by nuisance plants we were trimming. Now it’s getting more sun. It’s gorgeous and I hope it’s not poisonous. please help! I’m not sure if it’s really a vine. It’s tall and lanky. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Wild Blackberry - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/growing-in-my-ivy-also/) **Published:** May 30, 2019 **Author:** Robert Buck **Content:** This plant is also growing in my ivy. The stalk has fine thorns on it. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [White Milkweed - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/peek-a-boo-plant/) **Published:** June 3, 2019 **Author:** Keneth Pennachio **Content:** We live here in Canton which is in Cherokee county off exit 11 on HWY 575. Attached are three pictures of a flower that comes up about every other year, strange enough. The flower is on the edge of the tree line in our back yard and is in shade all day until late about 5-6 when the sun sprinkles a few rays on it. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Wild Black Cherry - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/serviceberry/) **Published:** June 3, 2019 **Author:** Ron Smith **Content:** Under story tree in CT **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Wild Bramble - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/found-this-plant-in-my-flower-pot/) **Published:** June 9, 2019 **Author:** Denise Wiggins **Content:** Growing randomly in flower pot on sunny front porch in Orange County NY. Noticed it at the beginning of May 2019. It has tiny hairs/thorns along the stem but not on the leaves. **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Wax Mallow - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/what-is-this-bush-7/) **Published:** June 17, 2019 **Author:** Sondra Farron **Content:** 3-4 feet high, deciduous, red blooms **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Wild Bean (Strophostyles helvola) And Peppervine (Nekemias arborea) - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/more-vines-not-sure-what-these-are/) **Published:** September 18, 2019 **Author:** isabel gonzalez **Content:** Hi! Unclear what any of these are, but could the 3rd photo be of a young trumpet vine without all its leaves? Thank you!!! This service is so incredibly helpful. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Voodoo Lily (Dracunculus Vulgaris) - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/beautiful-insect-eaters/) **Published:** June 19, 2019 **Author:** 1016newday **Content:** Grown in our backyard in GA for at least 20+ years. Perennial, stinks all insects love it and very pretty. Some years does better than others. Cannot remember the name of this plant. One picture is the plant itself. The other picture is the seed pod, I think? Our handyman cut both down without knowing what they were, but the roots are still intact in the ground. I would like to know how to grow the seeds. We now live in Florida but still own the house in GA. Thanks ! **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) -Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/summersweet-or-virginia-sweetspire/) **Published:** May 24, 2019 **Author:** Kim Nikles **Content:** Bush is 2-3 feet high. Blooming now (May). In full shade. A bit leggy. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Vitex - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/want-to-know-what-plant-this-is/) **Published:** July 9, 2019 **Author:** sharon Bohannon **Content:** ItÕs not really a shrub but tall than a shrub **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Wahoo Vine - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/please-i-d-me/) **Published:** October 14, 2019 **Author:** Bob Padgett **Content:** This vine is growing on an old maple tree. I think it may be evergreen. In the fall (October) the vine develops berries as shown in image VINE-2. The vine attaches itself to the tree so well that the vine has to be pried off of the tree with a chisel or long screwdriver. Thanks for you help! **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Water-Shield ((Brasenia schreberi) - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-to-me-aquatic-plant/) **Published:** October 24, 2019 **Author:** Thomas Draper **Content:** This plant has taken over a pond on a farm owned by my job. We would like to identify the plant, and learn how to get it under control without the use of any chemicals. Thank you in advance for your help! **Plants Categories:** Miscellaneous --- ### [Viney type of Plant Needs Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/viney-type-of-plant-needs-identified/) **Published:** August 18, 2015 **Author:** LJMILLER22 **Content:** Found in western PA, zone 6. Stem seems woody. **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Virginia Copperleaf - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/i-thought-i-purchased-basil-but-its-not/) **Published:** July 28, 2019 **Author:** Selena Flowers **Content:** Not sure what this plant is, but at least it smells good and stays green. What is it and I canÕt seem to get rid of it **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Viburnum Tinus - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/ornamental-shrub-with-magenta-summer-berries/) **Published:** June 29, 2019 **Author:** Hugo Kollmer **Content:** Used as foundation planting. Appears evergreen. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Viburnum - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/large-flowering-shrub-2/) **Published:** May 24, 2019 **Author:** ann robertson **Content:** This plant has bloomed within the last two weeks. **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Viburnum (Pink Beauty) - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/unknown-tree-35/) **Published:** June 29, 2019 **Author:** Sue Jones **Content:** This tree is in our new front yard in Asheville. I think it had bright pink flowers earlier this spring and is about 10 – 12 feet tall. Anyone know what it is? Thanks, **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Virginia Buttonweed - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/weed-in-lawn-4/) **Published:** May 6, 2019 **Author:** Jason Wickline **Content:** Trying to identify this weed that has popped up in our tall fescue lawn – has spread pretty rapidly over the past couple of weeks. I texted the photo to a landscaper I know, and he thought it may be doveweed, but wasn’t sure. Any input and treatment recommendations would be appreciated! **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Viburnum - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/neighbors-plant-3/) **Published:** June 17, 2019 **Author:** Barbara Boyd **Content:** Unknown everything, given by neighbor, may have red berries **Plants Categories:** Shrubs --- ### [Viburnum opulus - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/mystery-plant-149/) **Published:** June 26, 2019 **Author:** Nancy Sagui **Content:** This was planted by a previous owner. Must be tall, as it has a metal barrier around it. I though delphinium maybe, but leaves look a little different. **Plants Categories:** Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers --- ### [Virginia Creeper - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/please-help-unknown-vine/) **Published:** July 28, 2019 **Author:** James Redding **Content:** I have tried to kill this vine. Please can anyone tell me how to get rid of this? **Plants Categories:** Vines --- ### [Vertical Cracking - Identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/help-with-flowering-cherry-tree/) **Published:** October 14, 2019 **Author:** Heather Foster **Content:** We planted this tree for my daughter about 4 years ago – the tree was 10 at the time so it would be as old as she is (2 other trees planted to grow with her died). It has done well but I noticed these awful looking places on the trunk and now I’m very worried about the tree’s health. What can I do for it? Is it dying? **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ### [Three plants I wish to have identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/three-plants-i-wish-to-have-identified/) **Published:** December 15, 2016 **Author:** Evelyn Hackett **Content:** All were found in my backyard. **Plants Categories:** Weeds --- ### [Tree to be identified](https://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tree-to-be-identified/) **Published:** October 19, 2017 **Author:** Audrey Chambers **Content:** Tree about 25′, bark is shaggy grey, crown is heavily limbed. Hard to get a good leaf picture, not at eye level and always moving. “knowledgeable” person said may not be native. Family who originally planted it were from Hawaii. **Plants Categories:** Trees --- ## Months ### [January](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/january/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** January is typically the coldest winter month. Still, you can accomplish such garden tasks as sharpening your mower blade, building a nurse bed for new plants and shredding fallen leaves for mulch. --- ### [February](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/february/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** February brings a few warm sunny days. You can enjoy the blooms of your Lenten rose, prune fruit trees, and make sure bird feeders are always stocked. --- ### [March](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/march/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** The soil is starting to get warmer, so it is time to fertilizer your pansies. Now is also a good time to prune your shrubs and plant some radishes, cauliflower, and other veggies. --- ### [April](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/april/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Time to start moving your houseplants outdoors gradually. April winds will keep your wind chimes tinkling. And, make sure to plant your Easter lilies outdoors so everyone can enjoy them for the holiday. --- ### [May](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/may/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** The sun is coming out, so wearing hats and sunscreen are a must. Plant Rosemary, Dill, Basil and other herbs to use in time for some tasty summer meals. --- ### [June](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/june/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** It is the time to mulch that vegetable garden you have been growing. Also, to help your lawn withstand the dry June weather, raise the height of your mower and water once a week. --- ### [August](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/august/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Watch out for pests! Look out for Snakes, Slugs, Ants and others. Now is also a good time to pull that English ivy from your trees. --- ### [September](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/september/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Muscadines are perfect right now, just make sure you don’t eat the skin or seeds! It is also time for the fist application of fertilizer on Fescue lawns. --- ### [October](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/october/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Excerpt:** Pansy planting season has begun, get a six pack and start planting! **Content:** Pansy planting season has begun, get a six pack and start planting! In order to see pretty flowers in the spring, plant spring flowering bulbs, like tulip, daffodil and hyacinth. --- ### [November](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/november/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** For all of those with new fescue lawns, it is time to fertilize again, and make sure there are no leaves or acorns smothering the new sprouts. Even though it’s chilly, the soil is still warm enough to plant shrubs and trees. --- ### [December](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/december/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Time to pick a Christmas tree. The fewer green needles that come off in your hand when pulled, the better the tree. To protect your bulbs foliage from the cold, spread some pine straws. --- ### [July](https://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-calendar/july/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** Flowers are starting to fade, so remove faded flowers and the stems that hold them. Summer is definitely here, so make sure you are doing “tick checks” if you have been out in the yard or woods. --- ## Weeks ### [November | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/november-week-4/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Divide ferns Divide your hanging basket of Boston fern into thirds and plant into three new baskets. Hang in a sunny window; by spring they’ll be big enough to put outside. see [Winter Care of Boston Fern](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/boston-fern-winter-care/) #### Plant shrubs and trees Continue to plant shrubs and trees. Even though its chilly outdoors, the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth. Remove all of the twine, wire or paper trunk cover on each one. see [Planting Trees Correctly](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trees-planting-correctly/) #### Tie up roses Tie up loose canes of climbing roses so they don’t slap against the arbor or each other on windy days. see [Roses – General Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-general-care/) #### Water recent plantings Water weekly the pansies and other cool-season flowers you planted earlier. #### Spray or dig out weeds Spot-spray or dig out chickweed, violets and wild onions you find in your lawn. see [Chickweed Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/chickweed-control/) **Root Confederate rose before hard fros**t [Rooting Confederate rose](https://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/confederate-rose-rooting/) --- ### [December | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/december-week-1/) **Published:** March 29, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Control chickweed Continue to spot-spray or dig out chickweed, violets and wild onions you find in your lawn. See [Chickweed Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/chickweed-control/) #### Rake the last of the leaves Rake the last of the fall leaves from your lawn. If you leave a pile of wet, matted leaves now you’ll have big dead spots next spring. #### Choose a Christmas tree… When choosing a cut Christmas tree, gently pull a branch through your fingers. Few, if any, green needles should come off in your hand. See [Selecting a Christmas Tree](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/christmas-tree-selecting/) Plan a fun family outing to cut your own Christmas tree! Tree farms supply saws, wagons and free wrapping for your soon-to-be-tinseled timber. For a list of farms, visit the [Georgia Christmas Tree Growers Web site](http://www.gachristmastree.com/) #### …or a houseplant Celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah, The Festival of Lights, by giving a houseplant – the gift that keeps on giving! See [Light Needed for Houseplants](http://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/houseplants-light-levels-needed/) #### Install bermuda sod Bermuda sod can be planted if it is available but be sure to water it regularly for the rest of winter to keep it from drying out. See [Installing Sod in Winter](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/sod-installed-in-fall-or-winter/) #### Keep holiday plants cool Keep holiday plants in the coolest indoor spot possible. Otherwise the flowers and leaves will drop prematurely. See [Poinsettia Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/poinsettia-care/) #### Potect your bulbs Sprinkle pine straw over bulb foliage that has emerged too soon. The green leaves won’t be hurt by the cold but the straw will help hide them. #### Bring your yard chemicals indoors Bring containers of liquid bug spray and weed killer indoors and store in a safe place. Freezing can cause chemicals to lose their potency. See [Storing Pesticides](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/storing-pesticides-and-tools/) *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [November | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/november-week-1/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Rake fallen leaves Blow or rake fallen leaves regularly from newly planted fescue lawns. Remove as many acorns as possible from all lawns. see [Removing Leaves from New Lawn](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/fescue-tree-leaves-on-new-lawn/) #### Plant Spring bulbs This is the best time to plant spring-flowering bulbs now that the soil is cooler. Add fertilizer as you dig the bed. see [Planting Bulbs in Fall](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bulbs-when-to-plant-in-fall/) #### Dig up elephant ear bulbs Dig caladium, elephant ear and dahlia bulbs now while you can still find them. Store in boxes of peat moss. see [Winter Care for Elephant Ear](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/elephant-ear-winter-care/) #### Fertilize fescue Fertilize fescue lawns for a second time (and again in February and April). Use any turf fertilizer that’s on sale. see [Fertilizing Fescue](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-fertilizing/) *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [September | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/september-week-1/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Fertilize annuals Fertilize salvia and chrysanthemums with liquid plant food. They will reward you with lots of blooms later this fall. See [Fertilizing Annuals.](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/fertilizers-annuals/) #### Deadhead perennials Examine your flower beds for tired out perennials like Shasta daisy, black-eyed Susan and purple coneflower. You can cut off dead flowers and brown foliage to neaten the plants for fall. See [Deadheading](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/deadheading/) #### Save excess basil Preserve excess basil leaves by pureeing in a blender with a little water. Freeze the slush in an ice tray and use the cubes in your wintertime spaghetti sauce. See [Growing Basil](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/basil/) #### Trim hibiscus Lightly trim back the tropical hibiscus you kept outdoors for the summer. Make plans for where you’ll place it indoors in bright light. See [Tropical Hibiscus – Bringing Indoors](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tropical-hibiscus-%E2%80%93-bringing-indoors/) #### Divide daylily, iris and monkey grass Divide daylily, iris and monkey grass while you still have several weeks of warm weather to encourage root growth. See [Dividing Siberian Iris](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/siberian-iris-dividing/) *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [August | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/august-week-1/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Water figs Water figs deeply now as they begin to ripen. Harvest every morning, before the birds can do their damage. More details: [Growing Figs in Georgia](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fig/) #### Water potted plants The soil in outdoor clay pots dries out quickly. Poke holes in it with a pencil to make sure water saturates the soil when you tend your plants. #### Treat your pecan trees If you’ve been troubled by “worms” in your pecans in years past, you have pecan weevils. Now is the time to start control. see [Pecan Weevil](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pecan-weevil-control/) #### Deal with snakes The best way to control snakes is to remove their habitat. Move log piles, leaf piles and rock piles to the edge of your yard, away from the house. More details: [Snake Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/snake-control/) #### Prune hibiscus Prune tropical hibiscus plants you plan to bring indoors. Reduce them to a size that will fit in front of your sunniest window in December. More details: [Hibiscus Identification](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hibiscus-identification/) #### Clean up crepe myrtle Remove faded crape myrtle blooms and dry seed clusters now. With a little water and fertilizer, you may get more blooms in September. More details: [Crapemyrtle Culture](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/crapemyrtle-cultivars/) *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [July | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/july-week-1/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Pick a good melon Choosing a watermelon for the Fourth? Slap it to determine ripeness. Good ones sound hollow; unripe ones sound like you’re hitting solid wood. #### Remove faded flowers Regularly remove faded flowers from salvia, zinnia, coneflower and [especially petunia](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/petunia-growing-from-seed/). This will encourage bushiness and the production of more flowers. #### Prune hydrangeas Remove all stems that support faded flowers on your blue and pink hydrangeas; shorten droopy, flowerless stems by one-third. The new growth that occurs between now and winter will produce next summer’s blooms. See [Pruning Hydrangeas](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hydrangea-summer-pruning-step-by-step/) #### Plant flower seeds There is still plenty of time to plant seed of marigold, cosmos, cleome and dwarf sunflower. They’ll make a spectacular flower show in six weeks. #### Support tall flowers Support tall flower stems prone to flop over after a rain. Use a thin stick or a length of bamboo and some jute twine to tie the plant upright. *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [June | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/june-week-1/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Water your shrubs How much water should you apply? Each week a shrub needs one gallon per foot of height. Visit [Shrub Watering](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/landscaping/drought-watering-shrubs/) #### Trim your trees Low limbs in the way when you mow? You can safely remove one fourth of the foliage of any healthy tree during the growing season. #### Plant foxglove Collect the seeds from [foxglove stalks](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/spider-mite-foxglove-hollyhock-juniper/). Scratch the soil around the plant, scatter the seed and cover with a bit of earth. Water occasionally and the seedlings that sprout this year will bloom next year. #### Transplant roses Look for small new seedlings under your [Lenten rose](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/lenten-rose-outdoor-pots/). They can be transplanted now to other spots. #### Tame those slugs [Lure slugs and snails](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/slug-and-snail-control/) under a hollowed out half-cantaloup near your hosta. Check at noon every few days and scrape them into a bucket of soapy water. *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [May | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/april-week-1-2/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Download a lawn care calendar No matter which grass, your turf will look its best if you follow a calendar of maintenance tasks. Download your lawn calendar at [Lawn Care Calendars.](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-care-calendars-and-factsheets/) #### Treat azaleas for lace bugs Treat for a[zalea lace bugs](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/azalea-pruning-and-lace-bugs/) if you’ve had problems in the past. Insecticidal soap, horticultural oil and synthetic insecticide chemicals all work well, sprayed under the leaves. #### Check trees for beetles Look for tiny “toothpicks” on the trunk of your Japanese maple, Kwansan cherry and other small landscape trees. The [Asian ambrosia beetle](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/asian-ambrosia-beetle-control/) is spreading death-dealing fungus inside the trunk. #### Plant Summer flowers Plant [begonias](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/begonia-overwintering/), [coleus](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/coleus-making-it-come-back/), [geraniums](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/geraniums-planting-in-pots-vs-ground/), [petunias](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/petunias-planting-with-caution/) and [vinca](http://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/purple-flowered-vine/) for summer-long color in your landscape. #### Level your lawn Fill the ruts and low spots in your lawn with a 1:1 mixture of sand and topsoil. Sweep with a broom afterwards to expose growing grass blades. *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [April | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/april-week-1/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Divide your ferns [Divide over-wintered baskets of Boston fern](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/boston-fern-winter-care/) into four sections. Plant new hanging baskets using two sections of fern in each. #### Clean up Bermuda Green grass in a Bermuda lawn is probably *Poa annua* ([annual bluegrass](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/annual-bluegrass-poa-annua-control/)). You can try digging it out but, better yet, make a mental note to put out weed preventer next September. #### Spray for weeds Prepare spots where you intend to sod by first killing all weeds present. Use glyphosate (Roundup) or glufosinate (Finale). #### Check for bugs Examine the backside of euonymus and holly leaves for the [white crust](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/euonymous-scale-control/) that signifies scale insects. Thoroughly spray leaves with horticultural oil. *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [March | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/march-week-1/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Fertilize pansies Fertilize pansies. Since the soil is warming, use any water soluble houseplant fertilizer, one half pint to one pint of solution per plant. See [Success With Pansies](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pansy-uga-publication/) #### Trim liriope Cut most of the green foliage off of tattered liriope. A mower, set to its highest setting, is the best tool for large areas. #### Add lime to your lawn If you haven’t spread lime on your lawn in a year, it’s time once again. Use 40 pounds per 1000 square feet. See [How to Soil Test](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-soil-test/) #### Seed tomatoes and annuals Start seed of tomatoes and annual flowers indoors. You’ll need six weeks to grow strong transplants. See [Starting Plants from Seed](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/starting-plants-from-seed/) *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [January | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/january-week-1/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Get ready for roses Prepare beds for bare-root roses that will soon arrive in nurseries. Dig an area four feet wide and twelve inches deep for each plant, adding plenty of soil conditioner to the soil. See [Rose Buying and Planting](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-buying-and-planting/) #### Tend to your poinsettias Water poinsettias only as needed – when the top inch of the soil becomes dry to the touch. Keep them in bright light but cool temperatures. Do not fertilize until March. See [Poinsettia Care After Winter](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/poinsettia-care-after-winter/) #### Tune up the mower Now is a great time to drain and replace the oil in your mower and to have the blade sharpened or to replace it completely. See [How to Maintain Your Mower](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-maintain-your-mower/) #### Prune your trees It is easy to see the limb structure of trees now. Tie ribbon around the ones you think should be removed then step back for another look before cutting them off. See [Tree Pruning](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tree-pruning/) If the ground is dry, till the soil in your vegetable garden. You’ll eliminate lots of insects, weeds and nematodes. *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [February | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/february-week-1/) **Published:** February 13, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Prune fruit trees Prune apple and pear trees now – but postpone peach pruning until mid-March. See [Home Garden Apples](http://pubsadmin.caes.uga.edu/files/pdf/C%20740_5.PDF) #### Control weeds It’s dangerous to spray glyphosate (Roundup, etc) on bermudagrass, even if you think it is ***completely dormant.*** Make sure no green bermuda sprouts are near the soil surface. See [Winter Weed Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/roundup-using-on-winter-weeds/) #### Check for blooms Look for blooms on your Lenten rose (*Helleborus orientalis*). Few other plants can supply the year-round interest of this evergreen groundcover. See [Lenten Rose Propagation](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/lenton-roses-propagation/) #### Redesign your lawn Redesign your lawn for easier mowing. Eliminate sharp angles and narrow turf areas. Use mulch, new flower beds or a groundcover like mondo grass there instead. See [Basic Lawn Maintenance](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-basic-maintenance/) #### Water winter plants Water poinsettia, Christmas cactus and amaryllis plants with houseplant fertilizer diluted to one-half strength. Don’t overwater! See [Houseplants Smell Like Rotten Eggs](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/houseplant-rotten-egg-smell/) *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [October | Week 1](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/october-week-1/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant fescue Fall fescue planting season officially begins! Watering restrictions are still in force in many places so make SURE you have good soil-seed contact. Aerate before seeding, roll afterwards, water when you can. See[ Fescue Planting 1-2-3](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-planting-1-2-3/) #### Apply pre-emergent Last chance to apply a weed preventer to bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and centipedegrass lawns to thwart winter weeds like chickweed and annual bluegrass. You can still get 75% control at this point in the season. See [Timing Pre-emergent Application](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-timing-pre-emergent-herbicide/) #### Give your poinsettia plenty of light If you want your poinsettia to turn color by Christmas, now’s the time to begin giving it 14 hours of darkness and 10 hours of bright light each day. See [Forcing Poinsettia into Color](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/poinsettia-forcing-into-color/) #### Trim back woody plants Trim back by one fourth any woody plants you’ve kept outdoors during the summer, to help them fit inside your home for the winter. See [Pruning Hibiscus](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/tropical-hibiscus-%E2%80%93-bringing-indoors/) #### Fertilize new fescue Fertilize newly planted fescue with a high-phosphorus starter fertilizer. See [Fescue Fertilization](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-fertilizing/) *Our Seasonal Gardening Calendar contains affiliate links to products that we recommend and use ourselves. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.* --- ### [December | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/december-week-4/) **Published:** March 29, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Buy some African violets Purchase pots of paperwhite narcissus, African violet or gloxinia for your office and home to bring color and maybe a touch of perfume to the air. See [African Violet Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/african-violet-care/) #### Water your Christmas tree Forget the powders and potions! What a Christmas tree needs to stay fresh is a constant supply of water around its base. See [Watering a Christmas Tree](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/christmas-tree-additives-in-water/) #### Plant woody vines Plant woody vines like Carolina jessamine, wisteria and cross vine now. Make sure to place them next to a sturdy arbor and loosely tie the young vine to it with twine. See [Native Plants for Georgia](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/native-plants-for-georgia/) #### Tend to your houseplants Houseplants don’t need many nutrients in the winter. Use houseplant fertilizer at half strength. Don’t water them unless the soil feels dry one inch deep. #### Tidy up your amaryllis Remove the faded blooms and bloom stalks from amaryllis but allow the leaves to remain. Water only when the soil feels dry. #### Scatter fireplace ashes over your lawn Fireplace ashes can be scattered over your lawn. They will provide a bit of phosphorus and potassium plus counteract soil acidity. Spread no more than ten lb. per 1000 square feet every six months. See [Using Fireplace Ashes](http://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/wood-ashes-use-as-plant-fertilizer/) --- ### [December | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/december-week-2/) **Published:** March 29, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Prune evergreen shrubbery Prune your evergreen shrubbery and bring the cuttings indoors. Juniper, holly and magnolia foliage is quite decorative. Use holly and nandina berries for a red accent in table centerpieces. see [Plants with Colorful Fruits and Berries](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/plants-with-colorful-fruits-and-berries/) #### Water poinsettias Poinsettias do not need fertilizing now but they do need watering. Check the dryness of the soil daily to keep them looking their brilliant best. #### Prune your trees Prune short stubs and dead limbs from trees now that all the leaves are gone. see [Pruning Trees](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pruning-trees-in-fall/) #### Clean or propagate houseplants A good job for dreary winter days is to clean or propagate your houseplants. Both are easy to do. see [Cleaning and Propagating Houseplants](http://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/houseplants-cleaning-and-propagating/) #### Check on your ficus plants Ficus plants that lose leaves are reacting to insufficient light or a drafty site. Can you move yours to a better place in your house? see [Ficus Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/ficus/) #### Check on your holiday plants too Poke holes in the foil wrapping on pots of holiday plants and set them in individual saucers. Otherwise accumulated water will cause root rot. --- ### [December | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/december-week-3/) **Published:** March 29, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Fill your bird feeder Bird feeders bring lots of colorful activity to a yard in cold weather. Most bird experts recommend black oil sunflower seed for general feeding. Thistle seed and suet cakes attract birds you might not have seen before. see [Feeding Birds](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/birds-feeding-2/) #### Bring a houseplant to the party Rather than a bottle of wine, bring a houseplant as a gift to holiday parties. Amaryllis, ornamental pepper, Christmas cactus or kalanchoe will be appreciated for weeks to come. see [Christmas Cactus Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/christmas-cactus-care/) #### Pull mulch away from tree trunks Pull mulch at least six inches away from tree trunks. Many professional landscapers pile it high and don’t pull it back – setting a bad example for all of us. see [How to Mulch Correctly](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-mulch-correctly/) #### Water new trees and shrubs Water trees and shrubs you planted this fall. Evergreen plants in particular need regular watering, even in cold weather. Apply 1 gallon per foot of height. see [Planting Shrubs Correctly](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-planting/) #### Winterize your mower Don’t leave your lawn mower out in the rain. Water can get in the gas tank and prevent starting next spring. It is best to drain the tank completely or run the mower until it is out of gas. see [How to Maintain Your Mower](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-maintain-your-mower/) --- ### [November | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/november-week-2/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Bring camellia blooms indoors Enjoy sasanqua camellia blooms. Cut a few to bring indoors and float in a crystal saucer for a dining table centerpiece. See [Sasanqua Camellia and Japanese Camellia Identification](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/sasanqua-camellia-and-japanese-camellia-identification/) #### Trim chrysanthemums Shear chrysanthemums and asters down to four inches once the flowers fade. See [Fall and Summer Care for Chrysanthemum](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/chrysanthemum-fall-and-winter-care/) #### Replace mulch under trees Rake out fallen leaves and replace the mulch under crabapples and dogwoods to prevent disease next year. Neaten perennial flower beds. Remove dry stems and dead leaves. Put fresh mulch under shrubs, trees and perennials. See [Mulching Tips](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/mulching-correct-procedure/) #### Fill bird feeders Fill bird feeders with black oil sunflower seeds. Birds will find and eat each seed and you won’t accidentally feed chipmunks and rats on the ground. See [Feeding Backyard Birds](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/birds-feeding-2/) --- ### [November | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/november-week-3/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Fertilize recent plantings Fertilize again the pansies, snapdragons, cabbage and dianthus you planted a few weeks ago. Use a powdered, water-soluble fertilizer now but switch to a product containing “nitrate nitrogen” December thru March. See [Success With Pansie](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pansy-uga-publication/)s #### Prepare a composting area Prepare your composting area for fall leaves. You can make a cheap bin from 4 foot wide fence wire 10 feet long. Bend it into a circle and join the ends together. Pile in leaves as you rake them. Spray each layer with water. See [How to Build a Simple Compost Bin](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-build-a-simple-compost-bin/) #### Clean up old vines Clean all of the old vines from tomato cages before putting them in storage. Pull up okra stalks plus squash and bean vines. #### Bring herbs in for winter use Bring some rosemary inside to dry for winter use. Freeze basil in water-filled plastic containers. See [Preserving Basil](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/basil-preserving/) #### Water fresh bermuda sod Regularly water bermudagrass sod installed within the last two months. One-half inch per week will suffice. See [Late Installation of Sod](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/sod-too-late-to-put-down/) --- ### [October | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/october-week-2/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant pansies The pansy planting season begins now! Plant “six-pack” pansies eight inches apart, larger plants can be spaced ten inches apart. See [Planting Pansies](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/planting-pansies/) #### Cut back flower stems Cut brown flower stems of purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, daylily and hosta back to ground level. #### Bring in patio plants Move patio plants into shade for two weeks before bringing them inside. This will help prevent leaf drop. See [Insects on Patio Plants](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/insects-on-patio-plants/) #### Fertilize new pansies Drench newly-planted pansies with water-soluble houseplant fertilizer at the rate shown on the label. This will push them off to a fast start. See[ Fertilizing Pansies](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pansy-nitrate-nitrgen/) #### Apply weed preventer Apply a weed preventer to beds of already-planted cool-season flowers to prevent weed seeds from sprouting. See [Pansy Weed Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pansy-weed-control/) --- ### [October | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/october-week-3/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Clean up fallen fruit Clean fallen fruit from the ground under pear and apple trees. Remove from the tree any fruit that you don’t intend to harvest. See [Fruit Tree Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/apple-crab-pear-trees-care/) #### Plant Spring bulbs Plant spring flowering bulbs, like tulip, daffodil and hyacinth. Old, crowded beds can be loosened and the bulbs divided and replanted now. See [Planting Bulbs in Fall](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bulbs-when-to-plant-in-fall/) #### Divide daylillies Finish dividing daylily clumps, iris rhizomes and peony roots. Plant them into a well-dug bed immediately. See [Dividing Daylilies](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/daylily-dividing/) #### One last mowing Raise your mower height one-half inch and enjoy a last mowing of your Bermuda, centipede or zoysia lawn. You can now put your lawnmower to rest for the winter. See [Mowing Heights for Lawns](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/mowing-heights-for-lawns/) #### Remove faded roses Remove faded rose blooms. Clip wayward stems back so the plant has a compact form, ready for winter wind and ice. See [Rose Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-general-care/) --- ### [October | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/october-week-4/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Cut back faded flowers As chrysanthemum and aster flowers fade, cut the plants back to six inches tall. #### Replace mulch Rake out and replace all of the mulch and dead leaves under roses, red tip photinia and crabapples. You’ll prevent diseases on next year’s leaves. #### Check your pesticides in storage Review your pesticide storage procedures. Are they all labeled? In a locked cabinet? In a place where they won’t freeze this winter? see [Storing and Disposing Pesticides](http://www.walterreeves.com/tools-and-chemicals/pesticides-disposing/) #### Bring root cuttings inside Root cuttings of geranium, impatiens, begonia and other “outside” plants to bring indoors for the winter. see [Cleaning and Propagating Houseplants](http://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/houseplants-cleaning-and-propagating/) #### Fertilize pansies Fertilize pansies again with water-soluble houseplant fertilizer. Switch to a product that contains nitrate nitrogen (Osmocote, Pansy Booster, etc) when you feed in two weeks. see [Pansy Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/planting-pansies/) --- ### [September | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/september-week-2/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Spray broadleaf weeds Spot spray the broadleaf weeds in your lawn with a herbicide labeled for their control. See [Mimosa Weed Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/mimosa-weed-control/) #### Try a muscadine You can’t live in the South without trying a muscadine: Pop it in your mouth, suck the pulp out of the skin, enjoy the juice, then spit out the skin and seeds. What a delicious mess! See [Growing Muscadines](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/muscadine-grape/) #### Plant peony It’s a great time to plant peony roots. A good, old-time favorite is ‘Festiva Maxima’. For real excitement, plant a tree peony and get huge blooms next May. See [Growing Peony in the South](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/peony-growing-in-the-south/) #### Prep for fescue planting Before planting fescue seed, wipe out weeds with a fast-acting but short-lived weed killer. Use glyphosate (Roundup, etc) now; you can seed in seven days. See [Planting Fescue in an Existing Lawn](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-planting-seed-existing-lawn/) #### Fertilize bermuda Bermuda lawns sometimes, but not always, benefit from a “winterizer” fertilizer application. Do it **now** when growth has slowed but before frost turns the grass brown. See [Fertilizing Bermuda Lawns](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/bermuda-fertilizing/) #### Apply pre-emergent Did chickweed and annual bluegrass run rampant in your lawn last spring? Now’s the time to put out a pre-emergent weed preventer on lawns you’ll not overseed this fall. See [Timing Pre-emergent Application](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-timing-pre-emergent-herbicide/) --- ### [September | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/september-week-3/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Buy bulbs on sale Spring-flowering bulbs are on sale now. You can buy them – but don’t put them in the ground until soil temperatures are in the 60’s or cooler in early October. See [When to Plant Spring-flowering Bulbs](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bulbs-when-to-plant-in-fall/) #### Plant cool season veggies Time to plant cool season vegetable seedlings. Broccoli, collards and cabbage plants should be available at garden centers. See [Vegetable Planting Schedule](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/vegetables-online-planting-schedule/) #### Avoid saddleback caterpillars Watch out for saddleback caterpillars feeding on the leaves of trees and weeds. Their poisonous bristles can leave a nasty welt on your skin. See [Saddleback Caterpillars](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/saddleback-caterpillars/) #### Check patio plants Examine patio plants for insects if you intend to bring them indoors. Treat with insecticide if necessary. See [Insects on Patio Plants](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/insects-on-patio-plants/) #### Fertilize fescue Time for the first application of fertilizer on fescue grass. This cool season turf needs fertilizer in September, November, February and April. See [Fertilizing Fescue](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-fertilizing/) --- ### [September | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/september-week-4/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant shrubs and trees Cooler weather means it’s time to plant shrubs and trees. Make sure to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball. See [Planting Shrubs](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-planting/) #### Propagate hydrangeas Propagate limber-limbed hydrangea, grape and forsythia plants by placing a thin branch on the ground and partially covering it with soil and a brick. See [Soil Layering](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-propagation-soil-layering/) #### Plant fescue Planting a new fescue lawn? Use 6 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet. See [Planting a New Fescue Lawn](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-planting-seed-new-lawn/) #### Replace mulch under roses Replace all of the mulch under roses, red tip photinia and crabapples. You’ll prevent diseases on next year’s leaves. See [Reusing Mulch](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/mulch-reusing/) --- ### [August | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/august-week-2/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Save seeds for next year [Collect seeds from hosta, iris and blackberry lily](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/blackberry-lily-seeds-when-to-plant/) to save for planting next spring. #### Treat for ants [To prevent ants from coming indoors](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/ant-indoor-control/), spread insecticide granules in a band 24 inches wide around the foundation of your house. Use ant bait traps near entrance doors. #### Spray unwanted grass Bermuda or zoysia grass encroaching in your fescue lawn? Spray it with glyphosate (Roundup) now and again in September before you plant fescue this fall. #### Treat for Japanese beetles If you had tremendous numbers of [Japanese beetles, you might get some control](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/japanese-beetles-control-options/) next year by poisoning the grubs. Now is the best time to do it; remember to water heavily after the insecticide application. #### Fertilize roses [Fertilize roses with 1 tablespoon of 10-10-10 per foot of height now to stimulate some new growth](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-fertilizer-choosing/). As the weather cools, you’ll get roses for the fall. --- ### [August | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/august-week-3/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Tie back berry plants Look on the ground around your blackberry and raspberry plants.[ The canes snaking across the ground](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/blackberries-trimming-the-cane/) should be tied back on their wire arbor. #### Check your mower blade How long has it been since your lawnmower blade was sharpened? It should be done once each summer to avoid shredding the grass instead of cutting it cleanly. #### Trim faded annuals Cut back faded annual flowers by half, then water and lightly [fertilize with liquid 20-20-20 or equivalent](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-fertilizer-choosing/). A second season of blooms will begin to appear in two weeks. #### Water big trees Water big trees. Apply at least 15 gallons per inch of trunk thickness each week. #### Plant fall bulbs Plant fall blooming bulbs like colchicum, fall crocus and sternbergia. --- ### [August | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/august-week-4/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Watch for suprise lillies [Watch for the red or yellow, spider-like flowers of spider lily](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/spider-lily-hurricane-lily-identification/), also called surprise lily – because the foliage is nowhere to be seen when it blooms. #### Make a slug trap [Make a slug trap](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/slug-and-snail-control/) from a small board raised an inch off the ground by small stones. Check it at noon and scrape the slimy crawlers into a bucket of soapy water. #### Protect sunflowers Wrap cheesecloth around sunflower heads to keep the birds away. The head is ready to harvest when the back has turned from green to brown. #### Pull ivy from trees [Pull English ivy out of your trees](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/english-ivy-control-2/). The leaves act like a sail in a thunderstorm – you don’t want that tree to navigate onto your roof! #### Destroy webs It’s easy to see the big webs of fall webworm in your trees. If you can reach it with a stick, wrap and destroy the webbing to expose worms to the elements. --- ### [July | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/july-week-2/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Trim your herbs [Cut back by half herbs like basil, mint and oregano](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/herbs-cutting-back/). This prevents them from producing seed and promotes more fragrant leaves. #### Soften up post holes If you’re forced to dig a hole for a post, let your water hose trickle in the spot all night long. The water will soften the soil from its concrete-like state #### Support fruit trees Don’t let fruit tree limbs break. Prop them up with poles or remove some unripe fruit. #### Check plants for insects Check the houseplants you’ve stationed outdoors for insect pests. [Use insecticidal soap to manage insects if you find any](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/insecticidal-soap/). #### Pick vegetables Pick squash, cucumbers and okra regularly. One over-ripe vegetable, left on the vine, stops bloom production. --- ### [July | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/july-week-3/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Mulch under trees and shrubs [Wood chips make great mulch by saving moisture and controlling weeds](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/wood-chips-using-2/)! Spread a layer 2 inches deep under trees and shrubs out to where the branches end. #### Check for ticks Ticks are a big problem this year. Take time to do a “tick check” when kids return from romping in the yard or nearby woods. #### Don’t abandon your houseplants Going on vacation? Most houseplants will grow just fine while you’re gone if placed on a wet towel in your bathtub with the curtain drawn. #### Patch your lawn Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and centipedegrass sod can be successfully [installed in bare spots](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/sod-bare-spots/) now. Make sure to loosen the soil six inches deep before putting the sod in place. Water enough to keep the upper half-inch of soil moist but not soggy. #### Trim dahlias [Cut back dahlias to half their height](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/dahlia-dividing-roots/). Fertilize and water the plant to produce a crop of fall flowers. --- ### [July | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/july-week-4/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Water trees and shrubs Water spring-planted trees and shrubs weekly: 2 gallons of water per foot of height. #### Water figs [Water figs now as the fruit begins to ripen](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fig/). Drought can cause fruit drop. #### Mow grass taller Mow grass growing in the shade one-half to one inch higher than the normally recommended height. Plants need as much leaf surface as possible to take advantage of any available light. #### Fertilize houseplants [Fertilize houseplants](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-fertilizer-choosing/). They are getting much more light now and can use the food to grow bigger. #### Diagnose plant problems Don’t automatically reach for a fungicide if you suspect a disease on your plants. Identify the problem correctly first – it might not be a disease after all! Call 1-800-ASKUGA-1 to talk to your local Extension office. --- ### [June | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/june-week-2/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Irrigate with a soaker Use soaker hoses and a water timer to irrigate annuals, perennials and shrubs. [The hose conserves water](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/soaker-horses-duration/) and the timer makes it easy. Most hoses apply 1 gallon per foot per hour. #### Diagnose lawn problems Check your lawn for circular, dead, brown spots. Could be “Brown Patch” but correct your fertilization and watering practices before you reach for a fungicide. Visit [Lawn Care Calendars](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/lawn-care/lawn-care-calendars-and-factsheets/) #### Remove tree supports [Remove stakes and guy wires](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/tree-guy-wire-still-in-place/) from trees that have been planted for several months. They can stand on their own now. #### Irrigate with a soaker Mulch your vegetable garden. Try using three sheets of newspaper to cover the ground around each plant, then cover the paper with straw or leaves. Otherwise, pine straw or wheat straw by itself works fine. --- ### [June | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/june-week-3/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant annuals Plant annuals in small beds that make a visual impact but are still easy to water. Try color bowls or large container plantings near the entry to your home. #### Fertilize outdoor houseplants [Fertilize outdoor houseplants regularly](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/lawn-fertilizer-choosing/). Constant watering in the summer washes nutrients from the soil. #### Raise your mower height [Raise the height of your mower](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/mowing-heights-for-lawns/) by one notch. It will help your lawn grass withstand dry weather. Remove the faded flowers from geraniums and marigolds to help them make more blooms. #### Pick okra and squash Pick okra and squash regularly. Just one fully ripe fruit halts blooming on the entire plant. --- ### [June | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/june-week-4/) **Published:** March 28, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Sharpen your mower blade Keep your lawnmower blade sharp. A ragged cut makes grass use more water. #### Watch out for caterpillars Big green caterpillars on parsley and fennel are the precursors to beautiful swallowtail butterflies. Try not to kill them if you can help it. #### Water your trees Tree roots are almost bone dry! Give them 15 gallons per inch of trunk thickness once each week if regulations allow. Visit [www.georgiadrought.com](http://www.georgiadrought.com/) #### Prune your hydrangeas [Prune back your hydrangeas](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/hydrangea-identification-and-pruning/) when most of the blooms have faded. You’ll quickly get lots of new branches, which may give more flowers this fall. #### Water your lawn If restrictions allow, water your lawn only once per week but make it a deep, thorough soaking: one inch of precipitation. --- ### [May | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/may-week-2/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Ward off caterpillars Apply Bacillus thuringiensis to cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to ward off [cabbage looper caterpillar damage](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/cabbage-worm-cabbage-looper-control/) as these plants mature. #### Trim crepe myrtles [Snip off sprouts from the base and lower trunk of crepe myrtles](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/crapemyrtle-pruning-steve-pettis-comments/) that are being trained to grow in an upright tree form. #### Remove dead limbs Remove leafless limbs from shade trees. If they don’t have leaves by now, they won’t be coming back. #### Divide your irises [Dig, divide and transplant your crowded irises](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/iris-walking-iris-reblooming-iris/) to a better location, if needed, after they bloom. #### Prune azaleas [Prune early-flowering azaleas](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pruning-azaleas/) now that they have finished blooming. Remove tall sprouts at their base, inside the shrub. --- ### [May | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/may-week-3/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Prune rhododendrons [Pinch out the growing tips of rhododendron limbs](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/rhododendron-howwhen-do-i-prune/) now that flowers are gone. You’ll get many more flowers next year. #### Plant herbs Plant [rosemary](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/rosemary/), [basil](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/basil/), [oregano](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/oregano-greek/), [dill](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/dill/) and other herbs for savory summer meals. #### Mulch tomatos Place a newspaper mulch 10 sheets thick under [tomato plants to prevent leaf diseases](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato-disease-guide/). Cover with any organic mulch. #### Plant more vegetables Plant corn, squash, beans and peas now that the soil is quite warm. Make another planting of corn in two weeks. #### Make an automatic waterer Drill a one eighth inch hole in the cap of a two liter soft drink bottle. Fill the bottle, cap it and upend it in the soil of your patio plants to slowly water them during the day. --- ### [May | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/may-week-4/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Control fire ants [Control fire ants](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/fire-ants-best-control-in-fall/) by lightly scattering a bait over your lawn. Forty-eight hours later, use an insecticide on any large mounds you can see. Repeat in September. #### Apply sunscreen Get in the habit of wearing a hat and sunscreen whenever you work in the sun. Skin cancer cases are on the rise. #### Water your plants Plants need an inch of water per week. What’s an inch of water? If rainfall or irrigation fills an empty soup can to a depth of one inch, that’s just what plants need. #### Help your houseplants Don’t put rocks in the bottom of houseplant pots. They actually decrease drainage and aeration for the plant roots. #### Water at night The best time to water is between 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. This allows the grass to dry before nightfall the next day and prevents disease. --- ### [April | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/april-week-2/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant veggies It is safe to plant [tomatoes](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato/), [peppers](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/pepper/) and [eggplant](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/eggplant/) in your garden now that the soil is warm. #### Clean up azaleas [Remove withered flowers from florist’s azaleas](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pruning-azaleas/) you receive for Easter to prolong their blooming. Spray them with [insecticidal soap](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/insecticidal-soap/) if you have had azalea lace bug problems in the past. #### Start moving plants outdoors Move houseplants outdoors gradually. Never place them in full sunshine; filtered shade is best. #### Lime your lawn It’s never the wrong time to [lime your lawn](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/lime-using-fast-acting-type/). Forty pounds per 1000 square feet is approximately enough but a soil test can tell you exactly what you need. --- ### [April | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/april-week-3/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Remove tree supports [Remove guy wires from your fall-planted trees](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/tree-guy-wire-still-in-place/). Trees that move with the wind grow stronger than those supported for more than a few months. #### Plant Easter lilies Plant Easter lilies outdoors after [removing their faded blooms](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pruning-lilies/). #### Mulch your tomatoes Mulch tomatoes immediately after planting to prevent early [blight fungus](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/tomatoes-how-to-combat-blight/) from splashing from the soil onto the leaves. #### Get a free book! “Flowering Annuals for Georgia Gardens” is a free booklet available at your local Extension Service office. Call 1-800-ASKUGA-1 to get local office phone numbers. #### Water and fertilize houseplants [Water houseplants](http://www.walterreeves.com/houseplants/houseplants-general-care/) more frequently with the onset of more hours of sunshine and new green leaves. Begin monthly feedings with houseplant fertilizer. --- ### [April | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/april-week-4/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant annuals Plant the seeds of annual flowers such as marigold, cosmos, zinnia and celosia. [Mix lots of soil conditioner](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/soil-conditioner-was-not-mixed-properly-in-fescue-sod-will-sod-root-through-conditioner/) in beds to help them be drought tolerant. #### Hang a garden chime Hang garden chimes on a tree branch so the wind keeps them constantly tinkling. #### Plant vegetables Plant corn, bean and pea seeds now. Use a [soaker hose](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/soaker-horses-duration/) to water vegetable rows – you’ll prevent disease and weeds plus save water. #### Sharpen your mower blade Sharpen or replace your mower blade now that lawn grass has begun growing rapidly. [Check the mowing height](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/mowing-heights-for-lawns/) on a flat surface. #### Check for aphids [Look for aphids clustered](http://www.walterreeves.com/insects-and-animals/aphids-control/) at the tips of fast-growing crape myrtle branches. Blast them off with a water hose and give a ground-dwelling spider a nice lunch. #### Plant flowers Plant [dahlias](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/dahlias-check-for-firmness/), [elephant ear](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/elephant-ear-blooms/), [gladiolus](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/gladiolus-bulbs-planting-bulbs/) and [caladiums](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/planting-caladiums/) now. --- ### [March | Week 5](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/march-week-5/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plan before you build Building near a tree? Be careful – ninety percent of the tree’s roots are in the top twelve inches of soil. #### Pruning Forsythia, quince and winter honeysuckle can be pruned to a smaller size after flowering. #### Fertilize shrubs Fertilize shrubs: 1 tablespoon of 10-10-10 (or shrub fertilizer) per foot of height. #### Mower maintenance Sharpen your mower blade or replace it with a new one. --- ### [March | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/march-week-4/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Check for insects Examine the backside of euonymus and camellia leaves for scale insects. Thoroughly spray with horticultural oil if the pests are found. see [Euonymus Scale Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/euonymous-scale-control/) #### Camellia cleaup Remove spent camellia blooms from the bush and from the ground. You’ll prevent camellia petal blight. #### Prune roses Last chance to prune bush roses to approximately one half their present size. see [Rose General Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-general-care/) #### Repot houseplants Repot houseplants you plan to move outdoors. Their roots will need more room as they grow rapidly in the sun. see [Growing Indoor Plants with Success](http://pubsadmin.caes.uga.edu/files/pdf/B%201318_2.PDF) #### Hold off on the caladiums Wait to plant gladiolus, canna and caladium bulbs until mid-April – they all need warm soil in which to grow. see [Planting Caladiums](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/planting-caladiums/) --- ### [March | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/march-week-3/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant some veggies Plant beets, cauliflower, mustard, radish and turnips in your garden. see [Vegetable Articles](http://www.walterreeves.com/category/food-gardening/vegetables/) #### Plan your fescue planting Planting fescue now? You can’t use a pre-emergent weed preventer for six weeks after seeding. see [Fescue Seeding vs Pre-emergent](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-seeding-vs-using-a-pre-emergent/) #### Propagate hosta Divide overgrown clumps of hosta now that you can see the leaves unfurling aboveground. see [Propagating Hosta from Seed](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/hosta-propagating/) #### Fertilize your pecan trees Fertilize pecan trees with one pound of 10-10-10 for every inch of trunk thickness. see [Fertilizing Pecan](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/pecan-fertilizing/) --- ### [March | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/march-week-2/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Prune boxwood Prune boxwood – but not with shears. Use a hand pruner to make foliage “holes” in the greenery so light can penetrate to the trunk. see [Boxwood Pruning](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/boxwood-pruning/) #### Spray your fruit trees Spray a fungicide (Captan, etc.) on apple and peach trees while the blooms are on the tree. see [Fruit Spray Guide](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fruit-homeowner-spray-guide/) #### Prune your hollies Now is the time to prune giant holly shrubs back to a manageable size. Don’t be shy – you can cut them to eighteen inches tall and they will come back. see [Holly Pruning](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/holly-pruning/) #### Plant roses Plant bare-root roses in soil that contains plenty of organic matter and which has been thoroughly tilled. see [Buying and Planting Roses](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/rose-buying-and-planting/) --- ### [February | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/february-week-4/) **Published:** February 13, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Clean your bird boxes Clean out bird boxes so they will be ready to welcome new residents in a few weeks. See [Cleaning Bluebird Boxes](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/bluebird-boxes-cleaning/) #### Build raised beds Build raised beds for vegetables, roses and herbs. It’s easy to do with four pieces of 2×8 wood planks. Choose lengths that fit your space; bolt them together at the corners. See [Raised Bed Materials](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/raised-bed-materials/) #### Prune your butterfly bush Reduce the size of your butterfly bush by two thirds to one half to encourage new growth (and big blooms) this summer. See [Butterfly Bush Pruning](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/butterfly-bushes-pruning-2/) #### Fertilize your fescue Time for the first fertilization of fescue for the year. Any brand of turf fertilizer will work well. Next application: April. See [Fertilizing Fescue](http://www.walterreeves.com/lawn-care/fescue-fertilizing/) #### Clean up your monkey grass Set your mower to its highest setting and cut off the tattered leaves of liriope (monkey grass). They will quickly regrow in March. See [Liriope Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/liriope/) --- ### [February | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/february-week-3/) **Published:** February 13, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Prune ornamental grasses The brown foliage on pampas grass and maiden grass can be pruned away now. Leave only a “crew cut” of brown stems twelve inches high. See [Cutting Back Ornamental Grasses](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/ornamental-grass-cutting-back/) #### Plant sweet pea Plant sweet pea now for fragrant flowers later. Plant English peas, onions, asparagus or elephant garlic for your spring vegetable garden. See [Planting Sweet Pea](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/sweet-peas-when-to-plant/) #### Prune your shrubs Overgrown Burford holly shrubs can be pruned severely now. Even if it is reduced to twelve inches tall, this shrub will resprout plenty of new foliage by summer. See [Shrub Pruning](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-pruning/) #### Plant a container garden Plant a large container for your patio. A small boxwood surrounded by variegated ivy and blooming pansies would look very nice! #### Plant daphne shrubs Plant a winter daphne (*Daphne odorum*) near your home’s entrance or front walkway. The scent will greet you each day when you arrive at your abode this spring. See [Make Your Own Daphne Soil](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/daphne-special-soil/) --- ### [February | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/february-week-2/) **Published:** February 13, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Test your soil How much fertilizer or lime does your lawn or garden really need? The only way to know for sure is to call your county Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1) and get a soil test kit. See [Georgia Soil Testing](http://www.georgiasoiltest.com/) #### Prune Prune one-fourth of the branches from your overgrown fig bush. Removing any more will reduce the number of fruit this summer. Concentrate on saving the horizontal ones. See [Fig Pruning](http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/fig-pruning-a-large-one/) #### Force Winter blooms Bring branches of spirea, forsythia and flowering quince indoors. Placed in a vase, they will bloom in just a few days. See [Forcing Winter Blooms](http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-force-branches-to-flower-in-winter/) #### Rotate houseplants Remember to turn houseplants 180 degrees every two weeks to prevent uneven growth. See [Growing Indoor Plants with Success](http://pubsadmin.caes.uga.edu/files/pdf/B%201318_2.PDF) #### Remove tree supports Remove guy wires, stakes and trunk wraps from small trees you planted last fall. See [Tree Transplanting](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/trees-transplanting/) --- ### [January | Week 4](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/january-week-4/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Plant pansies and daisies Plant pansies and English daisies in a sunny bed when the weather is mild. Use plants in three inch or larger pots to make an immediate impact in your landscape. #### Be careful Look out for poison ivy when working outdoors. Even the leafless vine and branches can cause a powerful skin reaction if touched. #### Mist your houseplants Watch for brown edges on houseplant foliage. Mist the leaves twice each day and move them from drafty areas. see [Brown Houseplant Leaves](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/houseplant-leaf-tips-turning-brown/) #### Check your bulbs Check on the tender bulbs (canna, caladium, dahlia) you stored indoors for the winter. If they are beginning to shrink, mist each one with warm water. see [Storing Elephant Ear](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/elephant-ear-winter-care/) #### Prune your fruit trees Prune apple and pear trees and grape vines. see [Fruit Tree Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/apple-crab-pear-trees-care/) --- ### [January | Week 3](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/january-week-3/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Spray for mites Check indoor plants for insects like spider mites, scale, and mealybugs. Remember to spray insecticidal soap or indoor houseplant insecticide on the *undersides* of leaves to get good pest control. See [Spider Mites on Indoor Citrus](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/spider-mites-on-citrus-orange/) #### Bring in amaryllis Amaryllis flower stems and their faded blooms can be removed now. Treat it like a houseplant for the rest of the winter then plant outdoors in a sunny bed in May. See [Amaryllis Outdoors](http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/amaryllis-outdoor-survival/) #### Prepare for cold weather Use calcium chloride or potassium chloride instead of salt on icy sidewalks. Too much rock salt (sodium chloride) can burn nearby plant roots. If temperatures drop below 20 degrees after a week-long warm spell, cover gardenias and camellias nightly with black plastic anchored to the ground on all sides. See[ Shrubs – Protection in Winter](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrubs-%e2%80%93-protection-in-winter/) #### Request seed catalogs Write or call for your yearly supply of garden plant and seed catalogs. Buy an issue of a gardening magazine for addresses and phone numbers. See [Recommended Gardening Magazines](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/garden-magazines-recommended/) --- ### [January | Week 2](https://www.walterreeves.com/week/january-week-2/) **Published:** March 26, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Content:** #### Transplant shrubs Small, leafless shrubs and trees can be transplanted easily now. Wait for a warm day when the ground is not frozen. See [Shrub Transplanting 1-2-3](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/shrub-transplanting-1-2-3/) #### Cut back kudzu and bamboo Chop unwanted kudzu, English ivy and bamboo to the ground. Follow with weedkiller on the leaves in April. See [Bamboo Control](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/bamboo-control/) #### Prune pampas grass Prune clumps of pampas grass down to 12 inches tall. Use a gloved hand to pull out dead stems in the clump. See [Pampas Grass Care](http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/pampas-grass/) #### Water pansies Water pansies and ornamental kale after a hard freeze so they can re-hydrate their wilted leaves. Remember to regularly water window boxes and other outside plant containers. #### Rotate houseplants Give houseplants a half turn every month so they don’t lean too much in one direction. --- ## News ### [I'm retiring from radio (mostly)](https://www.walterreeves.com/news/im-retiring-from-radio-mostly/) **Published:** February 20, 2020 **Author:** Walter Reeves **Excerpt:** Three months ago somebody lightheartedly asked me “When are you ever going to retire from radio” **Content:** January 4, 2020 Three months ago somebody lightheartedly asked me “When are you ever going to retire from radio” I have been asked this many times before. You know that I already retired once from the University of GA after 30 years there. And I’ve always said “Why would I want to retire? I get to talk about something I enjoy for three hours each week. I meet nice people and I get to work with **really** nice people.” But this time, three months ago, I started thinking seriously: “When and how and why would I ever want to retire from radio”? Well…. **most importantly**……. I would need to be confident that the listeners to the Lawn and Garden show would continue to get good, research-based garden information. Secondly, I would want to be assured that whoever replaced me would be talented, knowledgeable and committed to being helpful. I went to the station manager, Pete Spriggs, who grew up on a farm, like me, and told him what I was thinking. He immediately understood what I wanted ….and he said **“You know Walter I think we can work this out. We have a close relationship with Pike nurseries and they intend to sponsor the show for a long time in the future. Secondly we have a young, talented person on staff who gardens at home, who has screened calls for you for eight years, and who has hosted shows in your absence several times already.** So my two conditions were met. The show would continue to offer good, accurate information and my trusted colleague Ashley Frasca would be host. Best of all, it meant I could still occasionally be in the studio with Ashley. It meant I could continue doing my newspaper column. I would continue to manage my website (and there will be a new look to it in a month or so) and I can still answer garden questions there. So after hosting the Lawn and Garden show for 26 years, (that’s 1352 shows, if you’re good at math) I can have my Friday and Saturday nights back. I can travel for more than a couple weeks at a time. That will be great! So I made the decision…. to retire at the end of this month. You have probably noticed that Ashley has begun taking a larger role in the show…. and in February she will be sole host of the show. And I will continue to be involved with the show in a way that we have a quite decided yet. I have given Ashley complete permission to change the show into her own image. She answers lots of garden questions off the air while I do it on the air. She knows how to find accurate information. She is much better at social media than I am and so she’ll probably be using more of that. She might want to go to events to interview people, she might shoot little videos, she is open to any ideas you might have. You can email her at Ashley.Frasca @cmg.com. I have had a wonderful time being on the radio and I am grateful to WSB for the opportunity. **News Categories:** General News --- ## Tags ### [Summer](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/summer/) --- ### [Fall](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/fall/) --- ### [Magnolia](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/magnolia/) --- ### [Winter](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/winter/) --- ### [Temperature](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/temperature/) --- ### [Onion](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/onion/) --- ### [Flowers](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/flowers/) --- ### [Daylily](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/daylily/) --- ### [Cherry](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/cherry/) --- ### [Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/disease/) --- ### [Spring](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/spring/) --- ### [Shade](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/shade/) --- ### [Oak](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/oak/) --- ### [Soil](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/soil/) --- ### [Pruning](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/pruning/) --- ### [Pots](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/pots/) --- ### [Squash](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/squash/) --- ### [Watering](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/watering/) --- ### [Seed](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/seed/) --- ### [Peppers](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/peppers/) --- ### [Watermelon](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/watermelon/) --- ### [Lemon](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/lemon/) --- ### [Landscaper](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/landscaper/) --- ### [Herbs](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/herbs/) --- ### [Weed](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/weed/) --- ### [Herbicide](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/herbicide/) --- ### [Roundup](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/roundup/) --- ### [Glyphosate](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/glyphosate/) --- ### [Greenhouse](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/greenhouse/) --- ### [Poison](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/poison/) --- ### 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[friendship](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/friendship/) --- ### [scale](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/scale/) --- ### [euonymus](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/euonymus/) --- ### [Naked](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/naked/) --- ### [chinch bug](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/chinch-bug/) --- ### [tree](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/tree/) --- ### [bermuda grass](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/bermuda-grass/) --- ### [spring dead spot](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/spring-dead-spot/) --- ### [dawn redwood](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/dawn-redwood/) --- ### [moss](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/moss/) --- ### [iris](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/iris/) --- ### [borer](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/borer/) --- ### [suprise lily](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/suprise-lily/) --- ### [hosta](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/hosta/) --- ### [catchweed](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/catchweed/) --- ### [bedstraw](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/bedstraw/) --- ### [cypress](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/cypress/) --- ### [rising sun redbud](https://www.walterreeves.com/tag/rising-sun-redbud/) --- ## News Categories ### [General News](https://www.walterreeves.com/news-category/general-news/) --- ## Plants Categories ### [Disease](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/disease/) --- ### [Fruits/Vegetables](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/fruits-vegetables/) --- ### [Grasses](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/grasses/) --- ### [Houseplants](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/houseplants/) --- ### [Insects/Animals](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/insects-animals/) --- ### [Miscellaneous](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/miscellaneous/) --- ### [Outdoor Flowers/ Groundcovers](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/outdoor-flowers-groundcovers/) --- ### [Shrubs](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/shrubs/) --- ### [Trees](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/trees/) --- ### [Vines](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/vines/) --- ### [Weeds](https://www.walterreeves.com/plants-category/weeds/) ---