Tomato Hornworms Appear from Hawkmoth Eggs: UV Light Reveals Them

Hawkmoths (like green hummingbirds) smell tomato, lay eggs. Hornworms hide by day, feed at night. UV blacklight makes them glow—great for night hunting. Strip leaves fast; catch early.

Measuring Lawn Square Footage: Pace Method with Soda Cans

Sketch lawn, divide into rectangles. Place cans at corners. Pace between cans (2.5 ft/pace). Multiply pace count × 2.5 for side lengths. Area = length × width per rectangle. Sum all. Tape measure + helper = more accurate

Grass-Carrying Wasp Stuffs Window Frames: Harmless Nuisance

Bird-nest/grass-carrying wasp packs straw, cocoons, insects into window tracks. Harmless. No control needed—blow out annually. Identified via U of Minnesota Extension. That bug that stuffs grass into window frames.

Woodpecker Damage to Fascia: Carpenter Bees First, Then Woodpeckers

Carpenter bees tunnel in fascia (May). Larvae develop. Pileated woodpecker rips open tunnels to eat larvae. Result: large holes. Fix: spray insecticide in holes, fill with putty, paint to deter bees.

Pecan Tree Blown Over by Wet Snow: Roots Snapped, Cannot Be Saved

Uprooted pecan shows broken roots on both sides—buried roots snap when bent. Grass under tree competed for water, limiting root spread. No saving it. Replace with new tree; keep grass away from trunk. One readers similar

Removing Mondo Grass from St. Augustine: Metsulfuron (Manor) Works But Pricey

$100/bottle. Selective but expensive. Budget for multiple treatments.

Panicle Hydrangeas Need More Sun: 'Pink Diamond' Requires Full Sun for Blooms

Panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata) need lots of sun—unlike mopheads. Pink Diamond with 2 hrs morning sun wont bloom. Move to full sun. Prune hard each spring for biggest late-summer flowers (12-inch heads). Sun = blooms

Green Roof on Porch: Not a DIY Add-On—Requires Engineered System

Green roofs are systems, not add-ons. Weight and waterproofing need design. Your porch roof likely unsuitable. Visit Atlanta City Hall Easts green roof. Resource: greenroofs.com. Hire a pro if serious.

Daylily Sources: American Hemerocallis Society Lists Georgia Farms

Georgia daylily farms are AHS members. Check Daylily Sources on AHS website for local vendors. Many sell everblooming types. Buy local for climate adaptation.

Pecan Scab: Black Hulls, Sanitation, and Resistant Varieties

Black hulls = scab. Farmers use fungicide mist blowers; homeowners cant. Rake/destroy all leaves, nuts, twigs each fall. Plant resistant: Stuart, Elliott, Curtis, Gloria Grande. Pray for dry spring. Sanitation is the onl

Building a Treehouse Without Harming the Tree: Use Posts, Not Nails

Build a platform on pressure-treated posts around the trunk, not attached to it. Add rail, slide, ladder. Tree grows freely; structure is independent. Safe for tree and kids. Posts spare the tree.

Swamp Hibiscus: Big White Flowers with Red Centers Along Chattahoochee

Hibiscus moscheutos (swamp hibiscus) blooms in marshy soil near rivers. Tolerates damp, not soggy, soil. Full sun, moist site. Grows 6 ft, dies back each winter. Give it room. Native, dramatic, wet-site plant.

Fixing Knobbed Crape Myrtles: Cut Below Knobs, Select Two Vertical Sprouts

Cut just below knobs now. In April, select 2 vigorous vertical sprouts per stub, remove sideways ones. Let grow 2–3 ft, tip-prune to induce branching. Next Dec, prune back to ½–¾ inch diameter. Yields V-shaped, multi-tru

Native Plant Sources: Georgia Native Plant Society Vendors and Plant Rescues

Georgia Native Plant Society lists local/online vendors. Join plant rescues from development sites—free plants, field trips. For Piedmont and yellow azaleas, these are prime sources. Rescue + buy = diverse natives.

Pre-Emergents for Oak Seedlings in Groundcover: Try Trifluralin or Benefin+Oryzalin

No pre-emergent labeled for oak seedlings. Dr. Mark Czarnota suggests trying trifluralin (Preen) or benefin+oryzalin (Amaze)—they control broadleaf weeds and might suppress acorn sprouts. Test and report results. Worth a

New Sprinkler System: Turn Off Until Summer, Water New Plants Individually

40 min twice/week was for new sod. Should have weaned to 1 deep watering/week. Now: turn off system until June. Water new annuals/woody plants by hand. Established plants need no winter water. Overwatering wastes water a

Protecting Pansies from Rabbits/Squirrels: Chicken Wire Barriers

Remove mulch, lay 4-inch wide chicken wire strips between plants, anchor with wire hatpins from hangers, recover with mulch. Animals cant dig through. Simple, effective physical barrier.

Beer as Fertilizer: Carbs Help in Bonsai Pots, Not on Lawns

Beer has carbs that break down to nutrients—in a tiny bonsai root zone, it could help. But as lawn tonic, youd need gallons per 1000 sq ft. Alcohol and fungus gnats are risks. Senseis right for bonsai; wrong for lawns. C

Free County Compost: 20 Cubic Feet for 15×8 Foot Garden

Cobb and DeKalb counties offer free compost on pickup days. A 15×8 ft bed (120 sq ft) needs 2 inches = ~20 cubic feet. Details at How To Get Free Compost. Great resource for gardeners.

Farmers' Almanac Summer Rain Prediction: Missed the Mark

Almanac predicted below-normal April/May rain, near-normal summer with tropical storm in late July. Actual: very wet. Fall forecast: hurricane early Sept, otherwise normal. Their pig spleen weather method is entertaining