Planting Peonies in Spring: Don't Wait Until Fall

Fall Is Ideal, But Spring Works Fine Fall planting lets peonies establish roots without summer heat stress, but spring-planted peonies grow well with attentive watering. The key: get them in the ground now. Storing Tube

Morel Mushroom Identification: Don't Guess—Ask the Experts

Never Eat Wild Mushrooms Without Expert Verification Even if mushrooms look exactly like morels from online photos, misidentification can be deadly. Many toxic species resemble edible ones, and visual matching isnt relia

Sand on Lawns: Why It Doesn't Speed Up Bermudagrass Growth

Sand Alone Wont Make Grass Grow Faster Adding sand to a typical metro-area lawn creates a discontinuous soil layer that actually hinders root development and water movement. Sand doesnt provide nutrients or improve soil

Lime for Tomatoes: Hydrated vs. Garden Lime—Know the Difference

Dont Use Hydrated Lime in the Garden Hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) is far too caustic for garden use—it can burn plant roots and drastically alter soil chemistry. Its not the same as garden lime (calcium carbonate),

Onions Bolting: What to Do When Flowers Appear Early

Flowering Signals the End of Bulb Growth Once an onion sends up a flower stalk (bolting), bulb development stops completely. Cutting off the flower wont restart growth—the plant has shifted its energy to seed production.

Bababerry Raspberry: A Late-Season Surprise in Georgia

Gardeners Experience with a California-Bred Variety A gardener planted five Bababerry raspberry plants—touted for heat tolerance and late fruiting—but only two survived. The survivors thrived, with one producing a heavy

Mushrooms on Tree Trunks: A Sign of Internal Decay

What Those Mushrooms Really Mean Finding mushrooms growing on your pecan trees trunk is a clear indicator of internal fungal decay. While the mushrooms themselves wont kill the tree, the fungus producing them is actively

Controlling Sawflies on Roses: Organic Solutions That Work

Sawfly Larvae: The Hidden Leaf Eaters Sawfly larvae can quickly riddle rose leaves with characteristic holes, leaving foliage looking like lace. These caterpillar-like worms feed voraciously on the undersides of leaves,

Managing Cane Borers in Hydrangeas: Prune Out the Damage

Hydrangea cane borers are frustrating because insecticides rarely reach the larvae tunneling inside the stems. The most reliable control is mechanical: strategic pruning. Examine each cane and cut it back progressively l

Protecting Squash Plants from Vine Borers with Row Covers

Squash vine borers can devastate a healthy crop, but timing your defense is everything. A common misconception is that cheesecloth works as a barrier; however, its simply too narrow to cover plants effectively. The super

Finding Wild Elderberries: Join a Native Plant Rescue

Want to harvest wild elderberries? The best way to find and identify them is through the Georgia Native Plant Society (GNPS). Why GNPS? They organize guided plant rescue outings on sites slated for development. Experien

Sweetshrub Without Scent: It's Not You, It's the Plant

Your sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) blooms but has zero fragrance. Youre not alone — many seed-grown plants are faint or scentless. Genetic Lottery Sweetshrub fragrance varies wildly among seedlings. Some are intense

Collards Bolting in Spring: Harvest Now, Plant Fall Instead

Planted collards on Good Friday, now theyre flowering. Thats bolting — triggered by temperature swings when plants are young. Why It Happens Collards are biennials. Cold snaps followed by warm spells signal winters over

Crabgrass in the Vegetable Garden: Flame It or Spray Organically

Crabgrass invading your veggie beds? Since its an annual, killing the top kills the plant. Flame Weeding A propane torch (flame weeder) sears seedlings instantly. Pass the flame briefly — dont incinerate. Works best on

Planting a Potted 'Bonfire' Peach: Ground Is Better

Your Bonfire peach in a pot will thrive once planted in the ground. Heres how to do it right. Planting Steps Loosen soil in a 5-foot diameter circle — not just the planting hole. Remove tree from pot; gently untangle c

Wet Yard? Plants Won't 'Sop Up' Water — Install Drainage

Water table an inch below surface? Planting thirsty species wont dry it out. You need drainage, not botanical sponges. Why Plants Cant Fix High Water Tables Transpiration pulls water from the root zone, but its a drop i

Fire Ants in Compost: Turn the Pile, They'll Leave

Fire ants colonized your compost bin. Dont panic — and dont reach for insecticide. Simple Solution: Disturb the Nest Turn the pile thoroughly with a pitchfork. Fire ants dislike disruption. The colony will likely reloca

Seeding Centipedegrass: Aerate First, Then Sow

Bare spots in centipedegrass? Seed after aerating for best results. Why Post-Aeration Seeding Works Aeration cores create holes that catch seed and hold moisture. If you seed before aerating, the cores break up and bury

Oak with Frost-Damaged Leaves: Call a Consulting Arborist

Half the lower leaves on your ancient oak look burned, while nearby oaks are fine. This isnt a DIY diagnosis situation. Why You Need a Pro Uneven leaf-out and scorched foliage on a mature oak can signal several serious

Dog Urine Damage on Liriope: Quick Fix, No Lasting Harm

Neighbors dog turned your liriope border brown. The soil isnt ruined — its just a temporary nitrogen and salt burn. What Happened Dog urine concentrates urea and salts in a small area. Liriope, like many plants, cant to