Rooting Passalong Plants in Fall: Water, Soil Layering & Kitchen Window Methods

Passalong plants are the heart of gardening generosity—cuttings shared with stories. Fall is prime time to root these gifts for spring sharing. Three foolproof methods: 1. Water Rooting: Easiest for Soft Stems Works for

Digging & Storing Tender Bulbs: Caladiums, Dahlias, Elephant Ears

Caladiums, dahlias, and elephant ears wont survive Atlanta winters outdoors. Dig before first frost and store indoors for replanting next May. Digging Use a spading fork to lift clumps without slicing bulbs. Shake off s

The Smell of Home: Composted Chicken Manure's Lasting Magic

Fall on the family chicken farm meant one thing: cleaning out houses and spreading manure on pastures. Decades later, that same smell of home goes into my raised beds—and science backs it up. UGAs Dr. Tim Smalley found b

Five Strategies for Weed Control: Pull, Kill, Prevent, Mulch, Accept

When a new invasive weed (mulberry weed, Fatoua villosa) invaded two gardeners beds, they deployed five core strategies—effective for almost any weed: Pull it out: Best for shallow-rooted annuals (mulberry weed, privet

Why It's Called Loblolly Pine: From Sailor's Porridge to Swamp Tree

Loblolly originally meant thick porridge or gruel eaten by sailors—lob (bubbling sound) + lolly (British dialect for broth). In the South, the word shifted to mean mud hole or mire, referencing the porridge-like consiste

How Long Does Poison Ivy Oil (Urushiol) Stay Potent?

Urushiol, the oily toxin in poison ivy, oak, and sumac, is notoriously persistent. Studies show it remains active on dead plants, clothing, and tools for years—even 17 months in dry or submerged conditions. Burning relea

Shrub Pruning Calendar: When to Prune What

The classic AJC pruning calendar is now available in a readable digital format—plus my original, more detailed version. Key principle: know whether your shrub blooms on old wood (prune after flowering) or new wood (prune

Best Clematis for Georgia: Expert Picks from Lyndy Broder

Internationally recognized clematis expert Lyndy Broder recommends these top performers for Georgia gardens: Arabella (integrifolia) – blue-mauve, trails as groundcover, Apr–Sep Betty Corning (viticella) – pale blue, cl

Kirlow Indigo (Indigofera kirilowii): A Long-Blooming, Spreading Perennial

Kirlow indigo forms a graceful, spreading mound that blooms on and off all summer with pinkish-purple pea-like flowers. It spreads slowly by underground roots, making it easy to divide and share babies. Thrives in border

Plant Identification Resources: Websites & Apps for Naming Unknown Plants

Stumped by a mystery plant? Beyond my Name That Plant page, try these reliable resources: Native Plants of North Georgia (website + smartphone app) Southeastern US Plant Identification (comprehensive regional guide) Flo

Non-Flowering Plants for Sunny Spots: Foliage-First Picks

Want sun-loving plants without the deadheading? These selections offer texture, color, and form with insignificant or removable flowers: Euphorbia (colorful bracts, not true flowers) Dwarf Chamaecyparis (conifer texture

Hydroponic Gardening Systems & Resources: A Complete Handout

From simple DIY setups to commercial towers, hydroponics offers soil-free growing for any space. Popular systems include: Passive: Kratky method, wicking beds, self-watering buckets (EarthBox, GrowBox) Active: NFT chann

Identifying Leyland Cypress Diseases: A Photo Guide to 6 Common Problems

NC States Colleen Warfield compiled an excellent visual guide to six major Leyland cypress diseases: Seiridium canker, Botryosphaeria dieback, Cercospora blight, Phytophthora root rot, Annosus root rot, and Passalora nee

Assessing Tree Health with Sonic Tomography: A Case Study

When a leaning post oak threatened a home, arborist Chris Hastings used sonic tomography—driving metal pins into the trunk and tapping them with a sensor-equipped hammer—to map internal decay. Sound waves travel faster t

How to Grow Ferns from Spores: A DIY Guide

Growing ferns from spores is a rewarding propagation project. Collect ripe spores from the underside of fronds, sow on sterile, moist peat-based medium, cover with clear plastic, and keep in indirect light. Tiny heart-sh

Fertilize Spring Bulbs in Late Winter, Not Spring

The best time to feed daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths is when foliage first emerges in late winter—when roots are actively growing. By flowering time, roots are declining and cant absorb nutrients well. If soil already

'Chindo' Viburnum Cold Damage: Exposure Matters

Chindo viburnum (Viburnum awabuki Chindo) can suffer heavy winter defoliation in exposed sites—like near a swimming pool—while protected plants nearby sail through unscathed. The good news: they usually rebound fully by

The Atlanta Origin of Burford Holly

Burford holly (Ilex cornuta Burfordii), a ubiquitous Southeast shrub with striking winter berries, originated from a single plant at Westview Cemetery in southwest Atlanta. A 1954 Atlanta Journal-Constitution article doc

Growing Agave in Atlanta: A Courtyard Success Story

Agaves arent typically winter-hardy in Atlanta—but a Queen Victoria century plant (Agave victoriae-reginae) has thrived since 2009 in an elementary school courtyard, surviving brutal winters in 2013–14 and 2014–15. The b

Measure Your Lawn: Why Guessing Leads to Bad Results

Most homeowners have no idea how big their lawn is—and thats a problem. Fertilizer and herbicide rates are calibrated per 1,000 sq ft. Guessing leads to over-application (burned grass, runoff) or under-application (weeds