Falsa Berry (Grewia subinaequalis): South Asian Fruit, Maybe South Georgia, Not Atlanta

Your falsa = Grewia subinaequalis. Violet berry, tasty, not sweet. Medium tree, large leaves. Hardiness Might work in south Georgia. Atlanta winters likely kill it.

Insects on Spring Holly Blooms: Pollinators Feasting, Not Pests—Enjoy the Show

Holly blooms = nectar buffet. Flies, bees, thread-waisted wasps = pollinators. Harmless, focused on food. Slender Insects Thread-waisted wasps—nectar/honeydew seekers. Rarely sting, non-aggressive, beneficial. Advice W

Epsom Salts for Roses and Tomatoes: Most Georgia Soils Don't Need It—Test First

Epsom salts = magnesium sulfate. Chlorophyll needs Mg. But: Coastal Plain: 67% soils high in Mg. Piedmont: 51% high. Bottom Line 50% of GA gardeners see zero benefit. Test soil (UGA Soil Test). If low: 1 Tbsp/gal mon

Fixing a Failed Garden: Ditch Cheap Topsoil, Amend With Conditioner, Lime, and Fertilizer

Store-bought topsoil ($0.99/bag) = silty, poorly drained. Your garden drowned. Fix Add 2 soil conditioner + 1 pint 10-10-10 + 4 pints lime per 8x10 ft. Mix 10 deep. Next season will improve. Better Soil Buy Planting So

Asparagus Fern Berries and Shoots: Not Edible—Related to Asparagus But Toxic

Asparagus densiflorus (asparagus fern) ≠ Asparagus officinalis (edible asparagus). Berries cause stomach upset; foliage irritates skin. Clues Its Not a Fern Has flowers and red berry-like seeds. True ferns dont. Verdic

Aging Concrete Naturally: Manure Tea, Buttermilk, or Gelatin Encourage Moss/Mildew Patina

Want aged look on concrete? Anything that sticks and adds slow-release nitrogen works: manure tea, buttermilk, gelatin. Method Mop on surface. Keep moist weeks. Molds/mildews colonize → aged appearance. No best recipe—

Dance Flies or Gnats? Swarming Insects Over Grass—Capture for ID

Clouds of tiny flies over lawn = gnats or dance flies (Empididae). Males form leks (swarms) to attract females; some bring prey as nuptial gifts. ID Help Capture some, take to Extension (404-897-6261). Experts (Horton,

Don't Top Sweetgums: It Creates Weak Growth, Doesn't Lower the Canopy—Replace Instead

Spindly sweetgums = grew in forest, now exposed. Topping = terrible idea. Why Topping Fails Branches only at top cut, not lower. New growth weak, breaks easily. Construction compaction may already be killing roots slow

Testing Your Garden Soil: A Simple Guide to Better Growth

Healthy plants start with healthy soil. Before you plant your next garden, take time to test your soil’s pH and nutrient levels. A simple soil test reveals whether your soil is acidic, neutral, or alkaline, and which nut

Wax Scale on Boxwood: White Bumps With Red Undersides—Spray Oil Now, Carbaryl in April

White rounded bumps on boxwood stems, red underneath = wax scale. Adults suck sap under wax coat; red eggs underneath. Control Timeline Now: Scrape off adults. Spray horticultural oil on warm afternoon (kills some). Mi

Growing Lilacs in Georgia: Low-Chill Varieties, Neutral pH, and Persistence Pay Off

Lilacs need 2000+ chill hours (<45°F). Alpharetta gets ~1500. Solution: low-chill varieties. Seek These Lavender Lady, Blue Boy, Dark Knight, Miss Kim, Betsy Ross, White Angel (Angel White), Syringa laciniata (cutleaf).

Sandbur Control in Centipede: Pre-Emergent With Oryzalin, Pendimethalin, or Bensulide in March

Sandbur = annual grass from seed. Spur = spiny flower part. Best Control Pre-emergent with oryzalin, pendimethalin, or bensulide. Apply 1st week of March, water in. Repeat twice at 6-week intervals. Repeat same schedul

Pecan Shell Mulch: Great for Beds, Attracts Wildlife Briefly, Hard on Bare Feet

Cracked pecan shells = excellent mulch. Birds/squirrels love fresh shells (few weeks), then leave. Conserves moisture, blocks weeds like any mulch. Dont Use On Paths Too hard on bare feet. Verdict Beneficial reuse of w

'Super Bush' Tomato Ad: Hype Over Reality—Determinate, Small Fruit, Single Seed for $3.90

Ad promises 50 lbs from 3-ft plant. Reality check: Super Bush is determinate (ripens all at once, not all summer). Avg fruit 5 oz → need 150 tomatoes for 50 lbs. Half-pounders unlikely. Ad illustration shows 21-inch cir

Hanging a Hammock from Trees: Use a Long Eyebolt, Not a Screw Eye, to Minimize Damage

Screw eyes pull out. Better: ½-inch diameter eyebolt, drilled through trunk with ⅝-inch extended spade bit. Big washer + nut on far side. Tree Impact Piercing bark increases disease/insect risk slightly, but practically

Growing Peonies in the South: Morning Sun, Shallow Planting, Early Bloomers Win

Three keys for Southern peonies: Loose, well-drained soil + soil conditioner. Morning sun, afternoon shade. Plant shallow—barely 1 inch deep (needs winter chill). Best Varieties (Early Bloomers) America, Blaze, Brides

English Walnut in North Georgia: Check GardenWeb, But Expect Challenges

English walnut performance in north GA? See GardenWeb discussion and linked factsheets. Likely marginal due to climate.

Selling Backyard Black Walnut: Low Value Due to Limbs, Metal, and Sawmill Risks

Backyard walnuts rarely sell. Reasons: Low branches (<10 ft) = knotty lumber. Urban trees = nails, wire, bullets = ruined saw blades. Slim Chance 18 diameter (at 4 ft) AND no limbs below 6 ft → hobbyist woodworker mig

Why Wait to Fertilize Zoysia Until 90% Green? Early Fertilizer + Late Freeze = Dead Grass

65°F. No reserves to survive early fertilize + freeze. Proof Neighbors Emerald zoysia fertilized mid-March 2007. Easter freeze April 6 killed 50%. Took 2 years + re-sprigging to recover. Rule Wait for 90% green. Thats

LazyMan Soil Aerator: No Idea If It Works—Try It and Report Back

Literatures Scientific Explanation is incomprehensible even to a chemist/horticulturist. No independent verification. Try it. Let me know.