Buying Frogs for a Farm Pond: Tadpoles from Carolina Biological

Carolina Biological sells frog eggs and tadpoles for shipping. Or collect eggs from friends’ pools (common in spring) and transport in a quart jar.

Growing Giant Sequoia in Georgia: Possible with Care

Giant sequoia is hardy in Zones 6–8 (Cleveland is Zone 7). Pot seedlings in 10″ pots, keep in bright shade. Winter: plunge pots in ground near house. Spring: plant in morning sun/afternoon shade with lots of river sand i

Plants Toxic to Horses: Know the Dangers Near Pastures

Horses eat almost anything. Toxic trees: red maple, wild cherry, black walnut, oak. Toxic shrubs: azalea, rhododendron, castor bean. Toxic herbs: lupine, larkspur, ground ivy, horsetail rush, tomato, potato. Ask your lar

Where to Buy Disease-Resistant Roses in Atlanta

Check local nurseries first: Pike Family Nurseries, Habersham Nursery, Hastings Garden Center. Online, try Roses Unlimited and Antique Rose Emporium. Research varieties at helpmefind.com/roses or the American Rose Societ

Pink Oakleaf Hydrangea Flowers: Just Fading Blooms

Pink oakleaf hydrangeas are simply white flowers aging to pink then brown. High humidity from rain prolongs the pink phase. Oakleaf hydrangea offers four-season interest: green spring leaves, white summer flowers, maroon

Controlling Invasive Asiatic Jasmine Around a Pool

Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) roots at every node. Spray glyphosate (Roundup Pro) with surfactant to cover every leaf. Avoid windy days. Death takes ~2 weeks; repeat in 4 weeks for escapes. It’s kept in che

Bird Mites in a Hanging Basket: Safe Treatment for Wrens and You

Minute crawlers on your arms are bird mites from the wren nest. Spray the fern and nest with a bird-safe pyrethrin/piperonyl butoxide houseplant insecticide. Water with a long-handled wand to avoid contact. After birds f

When to Plant Summer Bulbs: Wait for 65°F Soil

Summer bulbs (canna, caladium, dahlia, gladiolus) rot in cold soil. Plant when 2″ soil depth reaches 65°F—usually late April south of I-20, first week of May north of I-20. Check Georgia Environmental Monitoring Network

Soil pH Testing with Litmus Paper: Accurate but Costly

Litmus paper works but strips come in ranges (wide 1–11, narrow for ±0.5 pH). At $5–10 per dispenser, it’s cheaper to pay the Extension service $5–8 for a lab test.

Moving Daffodil and Tulip Bulbs in February: Easy as Pie

Dig bulbs in large clumps, keep soil intact, place in cardboard boxes lined with garbage bags (poke drainage holes). Store outdoors, water occasionally, and replant at new home when ready. They’ll never know they moved.

Burpee Won’t Ship Tomatoes to Georgia: Here’s Why and Where to Buy Locally

Georgia requires imported vegetable transplants to be treated with imidacloprid for whitefly control. Burpee grows organically and doesn’t use it, so Pennsylvania won’t certify their plants for Georgia. Georgia’s $189M t

Pruning Yucca: Cut Back Flopping Stems Safely

Yucca (Spanish bayonet) has needle-sharp leaves. Flopping is natural spread. Cut off whatever length keeps it in bounds; it will resprout near the cut. Wear protection when handling.

Porch Light Moths: Not Clothes Moths

Moths at lights are outdoor species. Clothes moths avoid light; Indian meal moths are indifferent. Just swat or shoo away the porch-light visitors.

Fish Oil for Clothes Moths? No Evidence, But Cats Will Love It

No data supports fish oil attracting clothes moths. Extension entomologist Dr. Beverly Sparks dismisses the idea. The only thing fish oil might attract is every cat, raccoon, and possum in the neighborhood.

Tickle Tongue Tree: Prickly Ash, Nature’s Oral Anesthetic

The “tickle tongue” tree with numbing bark and big thorns is prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum). Native Americans and settlers used it for toothaches. It’s not ornamental, just a fascinating native plant.

Grub Control Timing: When to Treat and When to Wait

Threshold-Based Decision Making Dont treat for grubs automatically. Sample first: cut a 1-foot square, 2 inches deep, on a warm May day after rain. Count grubs in the soil and roots. Action Threshold 0-10 grubs/sq ft:

Lantana Winter Pruning: Cut Back in January, Mulch with Pine Straw

Two schools: some fear winter pruning lets water rot hollow stems; others note many hollow-stemmed perennials handle it fine. Lantana looks ugly unpruned all winter. Cut to 12″ in January, cover stems with 3″ pine straw.

Pansies Slow to Bloom? Root Size and Fertilization Matter

Small root systems from late planting (after mid-October) or insufficient fertilization cause poor winter blooms. Cold, wet weather inhibits root growth. Fertilize now with liquid houseplant food every 2–3 weeks; they’ll

Oakleaf Hydrangea Death in Wet Sites: Phytophthora Root Rot

Oakleaf hydrangea hates soggy soil. Wilting from top down over weeks in a wet spot suggests phytophthora root rot. Fix: mix a bag of soil conditioner into each planting hole to improve drainage and raise the root zone. W

Starting a Greenhouse Business: Resources and Expert Connections

Download UGA’s “Starting a Greenhouse Business.” Contact your Extension agent to arrange a meeting with UGA horticulture specialists (Dr. Paul Thomas, Dr. Jim Midcap) and economist Dr. Forrest Stegelin. Bedding plants br