Posts Tagged ‘Summer’
Fragrant Plants
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...
Landscaping – Late Summer Jobs
One of the advantages of doing a vocation and avocation for a long time is that you get a feel for what needs to be done and when to do it. Gardening is no different. I gardened (under duress) as...
Weeping Willow – Planting in spring
Q: I planted a weeping willow back in the spring. At this point it has some yellow leaves, more than I think is normal. What causes this? A: Your willows are informing you that, like all trees, they would have...
Mums – pruning for blooms
Q: Last fall I planted several mums that bloomed very well. Now in May they are loaded in buds. Do I shear the pods off or do I let them bloom now? If I let them bloom and then cut...
Oak – ‘Sudden Oak Death’
Q: I read in the newspaper a few weeks ago about a “Godzilla” fungus that is attacking oak trees. My husband and I were taking a walk recently and we noticed that our neighbor has some type of black lesion...
Creeping Fig
Q: I’m trying to identify a plant and determine if it would grow in Atlanta. I visited Charleston recently. One feature I saw a lot of was a vine that covered steps and walls. It was trimmed fairly tightly to...
Night-blooming cereus – Information
Q: My neighbor has a plant she calls a night-blooming cereus. We stayed up until 1:00 a.m. one night watching the flower open, almost like waiting for a new baby to be born. It has the most heavenly scent. Can...
Groundcovers – alternatives to grass
Q: I am curious about using plants other than grasses for an open area in my backyard. I have heard you describe on your radio show the idea of using dwarf mondo grass but the relatively high cost makes me...
Iris, daisies – Care in extreme weather
Q: At this late date, my iris and daisies have all bloomed and are now resting. I usually wait until the end of September to cut them way back for next year, but with all the rain and heat, they...
Summer vegetable gardening – information
Q: I’m new to gardening in Georgia so I’m curious. Many gardens are planted so early in the spring, compared to my New York State home, that sweet corn and tomato plants are already harvested and being cut down by...
Fescue – Resisting brown patch
Q: I am tired of my fescue lawn dying every summer. It always starts with brown spots, then progresses to just dead patches all over. I am looking for the highest-rated fescue that has the best resistance to brown patch...
Pinecone Ginger
Q: I was recently in Bainbridge. A lady was making a flower arrangement with “flowers” I have not seen before. The flower looked like a six-inch tall pine cone on a very thick stem. She called this a pine cone...
Buttonbush
Q: Along a creek bed near Yatesville, Georgia, I came upon a low growing plant with a pretty white flower that I cannot identify. The bloom was a little smaller than a golf ball. It looked like tiny honeysuckle blooms...
Acorn Weevil
Q: My little granddaughter recently picked up a few acorns and I tossed them on the dining room table. A week later, I was about to remove them when I noticed a fine acorn dust all over the table cloth...
European Beech – Survival in Georgia
Q: Can a tri-colored beech tree survive and thrive in Atlanta? If yes, do they need any special considerations in planting? A: According to the experts, European beech (Fagus sylvatica) can’t handle our summer heat. I have never seen one...
Mirliton Squash
Q: I listened to your radio discussion of the mirliton squash a few weeks ago and wondered what was the resolution of how to plant it. Do you plant the whole thing? Will it grow here? A: The beauty of...
Sunflower – Harvesting Seed
Q: Please tell me how to harvest sun flowers. I would like to have seeds for next year and let the birds have the rest. A: The back of a completely ripe sunflower head is brown and dry, with no...
Muscadines – Pollination
Q: Four years ago I planted a ‘Cowart’ muscadine vine. To this day I have gotten no grapes. Leaves and new growth appear in spring. Little grapes show up, but they never get large and in mid-summer the grapes go...
