Are Purple-Leaf Plum Fruits Edible? Yes, But Don't Overdo It

That Unexpected Bounty: Edible Fruit on Ornamental Plums If your purple-leaf plum trees (Prunus cerasifera) are suddenly loaded with red-skinned fruit, youre not alone. Many gardeners are surprised to discover their orna

Rose Rosette Virus: Identification and Management for Rose Gardeners

When Roses Look Alien: Recognizing Rose Rosette Disease If youre growing nearly 200 roses and noticing plants with bizarre, distorted growth—thorns resembling sharks teeth, excessive thorniness, witches brooms, and stran

Starting a Horticulture Career: Top Schools Near Alpharetta, Georgia

From Medical Sales to Green Industry: Your Education Pathway Transitioning from medical sales to horticulture at 38 is an exciting move—and the green industry is booming despite drought challenges. If youre in the Alphar

How to Divide a Peace Lily: Step-by-Step Guide for Healthy New Plants

Turn One Crowded Peace Lily into Multiple Thriving Plants Dividing a peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is one of the most satisfying indoor gardening projects—perfect for a hot summer day when youd rather be inside. The process

Tomato Hornworms on High Deck Containers: How They Found Your Plants

The Mystery of High-Rise Hornworms Solved Finding hornworms on container tomatoes on a high deck feels like a mystery—until you understand the life cycle of these impressive caterpillars. They didnt crawl up the walls; t

Can You Use Charcoal Grill Ash in the Garden? The Short Answer: No

Why Charcoal Dust Belongs in the Trash, Not Your Beds After a weekend of grilling, you might wonder if that pile of cooled charcoal ash has any garden value. The answer is straightforward: it doesnt. Why Its Not Benefic

Identifying and Controlling Brown Beetles Swarming Your Porch Lights

Those Nighttime Visitors Are Likely Southern Masked Chafers If brown beetles are gathering around your porch lights in such numbers that you can barely open your door, youre dealing with a classic late-spring phenomenon.

Peanut Shell Mulch: Why It Might Bring Unwanted Nematodes to Your Garden

The Hidden Risk in a Popular Mulch Choice Peanut shells seem like an excellent mulch option—theyre lightweight, attractive, and often readily available. However, theres a legitimate concern about nematodes that gardeners

When to Harvest Yellow Squash and Zucchini for Best Flavor

Perfect Timing for Tender Summer Squash Growing squash and zucchini is rewarding, but knowing exactly when to pick them makes all the difference between tender, flavorful vegetables and tough, seedy disappointments. If y

Using Composted Horse Manure Safely in the Garden

Test for Herbicide Contamination First Well-composted manure (no ammonia smell, unrecognizable bedding) is excellent: 1 inch under shrubs/trees attracts worms and builds soil. Till into vegetable beds each spring. Critic

Moving a Dogwood to Tampa: Not Recommended

Climate Mismatch and Transplant Risk Dogwoods prefer cool nights; Tampas Zone 9 heat stresses them. A tree over 5 feet tall has low transplant survival. Better to photograph it for memories and plant a suitable Florida n

Identifying and Controlling Strawberry Weevils on Blackberries

Notched Leaves and Playing Dead Are Tell-Tale Signs Tan, BB-sized beetles that drop and feign death are strawberry weevils. They notch leaf edges and have a summer generation on blackberries. Control Apply carbaryl (Sevi

Pruning Camellias Without Sacrificing Blooms

Light Pruning Now, Heavy Pruning Over Two Years Flower buds are already set on branch tips. Prune only the longest shoots now, leaving smaller branches for next seasons flowers. For Major Size Reduction Remove ⅓ of heigh

What Is Mineralized Fertilizer?

Organic Nutrients in Plant-Available Form Like cooking muscadine hulls into pie, mineralization converts organic nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium into water-soluble ions plants can absorb. Its organic fertilizer pre-d

Groundcovers for Wet, Soggy Soil

Plants That Thrive in Damp Conditions These spreaders tolerate consistently moist soil: Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia Aurea) Variegated Japanese Sedge (Carex morrowii Variegata) Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus) Bug

Clearing Weedy Areas: Spray vs. Till

Glyphosate Before Tilling Is Best Spray glyphosate (Roundup), wait 4 days, then till. Killing weeds first prevents regrowth from root fragments. Fresh vs. chemically treated organic matter adds similar nitrogen—both beco

Donating a Used Electric Lawn Mower

Atlanta Tool Bank Accepts Tool Donations The Atlanta Tool Bank (toolbank.org) supports 200+ nonprofits with tools for community projects. Located near Turner Field, they welcome mowers and other equipment. Your donation

Can a Girdled Plum Tree Be Saved?

Complete Bark Loss Means Death If bark is stripped entirely around the trunk, the cambium (transport tissue) is severed. Water and nutrients cannot move—tree will die. No wound dressing or bridge graft can fix complete g

Maintaining Sweetgum as a Shrub Under Power Lines

Pollarding Works If You Commit Sweetgum responds well to repeated cutting. Monthly pruning during the growing season keeps it shrubby and clear of lines. Disclose the practice to future buyers so they can continue or rem

Over-Fertilizing Causes Zoysia Decline

Zoysia Needs Less Nitrogen Than Bermuda Meyer zoysia thrives on 3 fertilizations per year, not 6. Excess nitrogen promotes thatch, disease, and weak root systems—explaining your brown patches. Recovery Plan Aerate after