Why Pecan Leaves May Not Be Safe for Garden Mulch: Juglone Concerns and Composting Uncertainties

Q: Are pecan leaves good to mulch a garden? Local Cub Scouts will rake leaves at church for our community garden. Juglone, a chemical in walnut leaves and roots, can interfere with plants underneath. All walnut family me

Starting a Backyard Fruit Orchard in South Georgia: Local Resources and UGA Publications

Q: Were moving to Bacon County, southeast Georgia, with 5 acres. I envision a backyard fruit orchard! Where for info on what/where to plant? Will local gardeners advise a novice? South Georgia gardeners are just as kind

Timing Paperwhite Narcissus for Christmas Blooms: Planting Schedule and Forcing Technique

Q: What is the timetable for starting paperwhites to peak before and during Christmas week? Paperwhite narcissus bulbs bloom 4-6 weeks after planting. Plant around first week of November. Initially place in cool, dark pl

Tomato Leaf Insecticide: Folk Remedy vs. Scientific Reality and Disease Risks

Q: Does steeping cut tomato leaves in water overnight and spraying on plants work as organic pest control? Ive heard gardeners do this but no results reported. Scientists extracted solanine and tomatine from tomatoes as

Effective Winter Protection for Hydrangeas: Capturing Ground Heat with Black Plastic Covers

Hydrangeas are beautiful in summer but flowering can be damaged by cold winters. Particularly damaging: a winter warm spell followed by a hard freeze. Ive seen bushes wrapped like lollipops with sheets and quilts flung o

Post-Bloom Care for Amaryllis: Transitioning from Holiday Gift to Garden Perennial

Q: How do I care for an amaryllis after it blooms for Christmas? Once all flowers open and fade, cut the stiff bloom stalk at base and remove. Keep pot with green leaves in a sunny window. Water occasionally to keep soil

Why Garden Radio Shows Have So Many Commercials: The Economics of Broadcast Horticulture

Q: Ive enjoyed your Sat. radio show for years, but why so many commercial breaks? This cuts Q&A time. Frequent question. Station managers constantly study how ad count affects listeners. Its a balancing act; they monitor

Brown Patch in St. Augustine Grass: Identification and Fungicide Treatment

Q: Whats wrong with our St Augustine grass? Noticed on this hill after several days of rain with sudden onset. Looks like brown patch disease, Rhizoctonia solani. The orange rim is characteristic. Excess water is usually

Preventing Floppy Blooms on 'Vanilla Strawberry' Hydrangea: Pruning for Stronger Stems

Q: I have Vanilla Strawberry hydrangeas that look beautiful in June/July but when heavy rain hits with lots of blooms, they droop and cant hold the weight. Nursery expert said cut knee-high in February. What should I do?

Internal Decay from Tree Impact Injury: Gelatinous and Spongy Fungal Masses in Oak

Q: A few years ago a healthy oak was struck hard by another falling tree. Eventually a wound developed. I cut it down for safety. Inside was a ring of gelatinous material and white spongy material. Disease or from injury

Starting Petunias from Seed Outdoors: Timing Challenges vs. Buying Transplants

Q: I have a front yard flower bed. Can I successfully plant petunias by broadcasting seed? When is best? Petunias can be grown from seed but usually indoors or in a greenhouse. If planted in spring when ground is warm, f

Using Cedar Sawdust in the Vegetable Garden: Effects on Germination and Soil Moisture

Q: I do a lot of woodworking and have lots of sawdust. Last spring I put a layer of cedar sawdust on my vegetable garden. I wasnt happy with plant growth from beans, eggplant, radishes, etc. Is there something in cedar t

Tree Trunk Rot from a Retained Limb Stub: Assessing Structural Risk

Q: What do you think this is and what can I do? It looks like a limb stub left on the trunk. Rainwater invaded through the rotten limb opening, gradually rotting the trunk interior. Eventually rot broke through the bark,

Diagnosing Holly Leaf Notches: Black Vine Weevil Damage and Systemic Control

Q: Can you tell me whats eating leaves on my holly hedge? It doesnt look like leafcutter bees. Pest diagnosis is all about patterns. Youre right—leafcutter bee damage is semi-circular and regular. Black vine weevils notc

Using Leyland Cypress as a Visual and Psychological Buffer Against Poultry Farm Odors

Q: I need good news about mitigating smell from a chicken farm up the road. We moved to a small piece of land last year. Next door has 30 cattle—we love them... but not the chicken farm. As new kids, were not comfortable

Camellia Leaf Damage in January: Diagnosing Freeze Injury vs. Scale Insects

Q: This happened in January to my Camellia japonicas so it cant be scorch—we dont have much light or heat then. This looks like freeze damage. I sometimes see yellow splotching from scale insects. But with tea scale, lea

Why Your Fig Tree Grows Only Vertical Shoots and How to Encourage Fruiting Branches

Q: I planted a Brown Turkey fig 4 years ago—never a single fruit. Its a giant shrub, 10 ft tall and wide, beautiful foliage. How to prune? So many trunks from ground! Let it grow as it wants, perhaps larger. Plants have

Smilax Berries: Bird Food That Spreads a Thorny, Invasive Vine

Q: On a woods walk I found black clusters of berries. What are they? Theyre a fine bird breakfast, but one I wish they wouldnt eat! Berries are seeds of the thorny, noxious smilax vine. Glossy green leaves are attractive

Winter Protection for Hydrangeas: Why Black Plastic Should Only Stay On Briefly

Q: How long can I leave my hydrangea covered in black plastic without causing a problem? Only a few days. Remove plastic and any covering when night temperatures are in the high 20s and above. If left covered much longer

Rooting Geranium Cuttings Under Lights: Boost Success with Bottom Heat

Q: Ive overwintered a geranium for 5 years under lights. This year its blossoming! If its growing and blossoming under lights, will cuttings root under the same lights? Get a plant propagation heat mat (click for sources