Wild Plum Identification: Hog Plum vs. Chickasaw Plum

Q: I remember small yellow plums on bushes near my dads garden. What were they, and where to buy? Likely hog plum (Prunus americana) or Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia). Both match your description. I enjoyed them as

Removing Bermudagrass from Liriope (Monkey Grass) Safely

Q: Best product to kill bermudagrass in liriope? Vantage™ (sethoxydim) lists liriope as tolerant. Greenlight Bermudagrass Killer™ (fluazifop) is also labeled for liriope.

Banana Flowering and Harvest Timing in Georgia

Q: My heirloom banana plant flowered and has green bananas with pink flowers. When to harvest? Bananas harvest 3 months after bloom. Unless autumn is exceptionally long, fruit wont mature well. Enjoy the spectacle, taste

Hornet Nest Collection: When It's Safe and Winter Biology

Q: When are hornets dead inside the nest so I can take it for science class? After a hard freeze (night temps below 32°F for 6+ hours), usually by late November. Cut nest, seal in plastic bag, bring indoors 1–2 days. If

Pruning Jasmine for Maximum Blooms: Timing and Species Guide

Q: My jasmine bloomed less after I started pruning. When should I prune? Poets jasmine (Jasminum officinale) blooms on new growth. Prune in spring after assessing winter damage (hardy to Zone 7b; protect below teens). Ja

Cold-Hardy Palms for North Georgia Landscapes

Q: Can palms grow outside in Woodstock, GA? My niece misses Miami palms. Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) and windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) thrive here. Sago palm (Cycas revoluta) is another option. Resources

Why Daffodils Stop Blooming and How to Restore Flowers

Q: How can I get non-blooming daffodils to flower again? Daffodils bloom based on previous years happiness. If you fertilized last spring or divided/moved them, they may bloom this year. If you mowed foliage right after

Controlling Noisy Frogs: Classical Music, Snakes, and Habitat Modification

Q: Frogs near the Chattahoochee River keep us awake. Any repellents? Dr. Paul Thomas found classical music (Vivaldi) silenced frogs for 30 minutes. Not tested with heavy metal! Alternatively, introduce rat snakes or wate

Why Coffee Filters Beat Rocks for Pot Drainage

Q: What about using coffee filters over drain holes instead of rocks or pottery shards? Coffee filters work well—soil wont wash out. Never add a rock layer at the bottom. It reduces soil volume for roots and creates a pe

English Walnut on Black Walnut Rootstock: Toxicity Risk to Apple Trees

Q: My English walnut (on black walnut rootstock) will be 30 feet from crabapple and apple trees. Will juglone toxicity harm them? Potentially, but not immediately. Walnut roots exude juglone, toxic to apples, tomatoes, h

Protecting Potted Plants from Squirrels with Chicken Wire

Q: Squirrels dig up my potted hellebores. Any suggestions? My radio mention of fermented salmon as repellent was humor. A practical solution: plant hellebores, then lay chicken wire flat on the soil around them and cover

Pokeweed (Poke Sallet): Southern Edible, Invasive, and Toxic

Q: Whats the correct spelling and scientific name for poke salad? Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)—also poke sallet, pokeberry. Broad green leaves, violet stems, purple berries loved by birds (and car washes). Young leave

How to Dry and Preserve Gourds: Borax Bath Method

Q: Where can I find instructions for drying and using gourds? Let gourds ripen on vine until stem withers in cool weather. Clean with mild soapy water and soft brush. Mold prevention (American Gourd Society): Mix 1 cup

Grape Black Rot Disease: Symptoms, Sanitation, and Spray Programs

Q: My grapes turn black and fall off at ¼ inch diameter, second year in a row. Whats wrong? Black rot disease. First symptom: small yellow leaf spots that shed spores infecting fruit. Damage appears late—too late to stop

Fasciation: Flattened Stems in Lilies and Fantail Willow

Q: My Sterling Star lily has a 1-inch-wide flat stem with loads of buds. What causes this? Will it recur? Q: I saw fantail willow at a flower show. Where can I get it? Flattened stems are called fasciation, caused by bac

Why Coneflowers Develop Green Petals: Genetics vs. Disease

Q: My white coneflowers now have green petals. Should I pull them? Two possibilities: Genetic reversion: Seed from last years flowers carried a recessive gene for green rays (petals). Your flowers look undistorted, supp

Queen Anne's Pocketbook Melon: The Fragrant Vine Misidentified as Pomegranate

Q: I propagate pomegranates but have a vine with ping-pong-sized orange fruit, loaded with seeds and a strong incense odor. What is it? Its Queen Annes Pocketbook Melon (Cucumis melo var. dudaim), a muskmelon relative. A

Where to Buy Thermal Blue Bluegrass Seed in Georgia

Q: Where can I get Thermal Blue Bluegrass seed? Delta Landscape Supply in Norcross carries Hybrid Power (fescue with 10% Thermal Blue) and straight Thermal Blue. Call 770-448-0805.

Crabgrass Identification and Prevention in Bermuda Lawns

Q: What is this weed in my bermuda lawn? Its crabgrass. Prevention is key: Apply pre-emergent (click for sources) in early spring. Timing: when soil reaches 50°F and rising (early March in Atlanta; mid-February applicat

Virginia Copperleaf Identification and Control Strategies

Q: What is this weed in my garden? Its Virginia copperleaf (Acalypha virginica), an annual weed. Prevention: Apply dithiopyr pre-emergent (click for sources) in late March, mid-May, and optionally early July for heavy in