Rupturewort (Herniaria glabra) as Grass-Like Ground Cover

Q: Will Green Carpet rupturewort grow in full sun in Alpharetta (Zone 7)? A: Listed hardy to Zones 7-11, so should work. Let me know how it performs!

Italian Cypress Decline: Short-Lived in Southeast

Q: Italian cypress has rust spots—fungus? Treatment? A: Italian cypress is short-lived here: fast growth, few good years, then spider mites, root rot, or cankers. Prune cankers. Keep mulch off trunk. If replacing, amend

TifGrand Bermudagrass Thinning: Shade and Erosion Issues

Q: TifGrand sod thinned in year two, especially at bottom of sloped hourglass shape. Contractor suggests sand topdressing. Advice? A: 4-6 hours sun is marginal for TifGrand (needs 6-8). Erosion from 2013 rains likely was

Spider Mites on Indoor Citrus: Oil Sprays or Beneficials

Q: Orange tree leaves have rusty, gritty deposit. Treatment? A: Spider mites. Spray neem oil or horticultural oil. Or move outside in summer—beneficial mites will control them naturally.

Cherry Tree Planted Too Deep: Cracked Bark and Decline

Q: Three-year-old cherry has trunk cracks and dead branches. Can it be saved? A: Planted too deep—cherry and plum are very susceptible. Soil above root flare invites fungi, cracking bark. Stress causes base sprouts. Gent

Embedded Wires in Camellia Trunks: Remove Only If Easy

Q: Wires deeply embedded in camellia branches trained on wall. Safe to remove? A: If wires slide out easily after clipping one side, remove them. If resistance, leave them—plants have adapted without harm.

Asian Ambrosia Beetle on Dogwood: Toothpick Frass Signals Death

Q: White sticks pop out of dogwood trunk overnight. Wiped off, but return daily. A: Classic Asian ambrosia beetle sign. Heavy infestation—tree unlikely to survive. Ambrosia Beetle Control

Cold-Damaged Palms: Wait Until Summer to Assess

Q: Established palms brown and drooping after cold winter. Action needed? A: Hope if green at top. Cut brown fronds, but wait until early summer to declare dead. Palm Trees Suffer in Cold Weather

Macho Fern Sunburn After Indoor Winter

Q: Macho fern browned after moving from indoor pot to ground in spring. A: Sunburn. Indoor light is 10x weaker. Sun fried tender cells. Fern may resprout but dont count on it.

Mystery Lawn Hole: Buried Tree Stump Collapse

Q: Clean, foot-deep hole in middle of lawn, no loose dirt. Cause? A: Likely a buried tree stump from construction. Grass held soil until rain made it heavy and it caved in. Shine light down—may see bark or root tunnel.

Blueberry Shipping Restrictions to Georgia: Scorch Virus Prevention

Q: Why cant blueberry bushes be shipped to Georgia lately? A: Georgias #1 fruit crop is blueberries. Blueberry scorch virus devastates plants but isnt established here. State requires incoming plants be tested; some comp

Peach Leaf Curl on Ornamental Peach: Fungal, Not Insect

Q: Ornamental peach leaves distorted, no insects found. Treatment? A: Peach leaf curl—fungal, not insect galls. Farmers spray fungicide at bud break; for ornamental, just fertilize and water. Fungus needs exact condition

Fig Tree Freeze Damage: Wait and See

Q: Fig tree has no leaves or buds after extreme winter. Is it dead? A: (Written May 1, 2014) Im watching my mothers figs too. Tiny green buds appear but healthy figs should have large leaves by now. Buds may die as freez

Fire-Scorched Maple Trees: Poor Prognosis

Q: Eight-year-old maples scorched at base by controlled burn. Will they recover? A: Low hope. Fire likely boiled sap under bark. Trees will die slowly. Keep watered in summer for best chance.

Taber Azalea Flower Chimera: Half Pink, Half Dark Pink

Q: Light-pink azalea has dark pink flowers and one half-and-half bloom. Cause? A: Botanical chimera—cell mutation in bud prevents chlorophyll in some cells. Many variegated plants originated from leaf chimeras. G. L. Tab

Aphids and Sooty Mold on Pavers: Tree Canopy Source

Q: Gray patches on new pavers with tiny white flying insects. What is it? A: Aphids feeding in tree above. Gray patches are sooty mold on honeydew. White insects are aphids. Control with any garden insecticide.

Princeton Elm Drooping After Rain: Structural Pruning Needed

Q: Three-year-old Princeton elm limbs droop heavily after rain. Will they recover? A: Some limbs may straighten, others droop more. Shorten the droopiest limbs to reduce weight, or tie them upright with cloth strips. Ove

Bacterial Leaf Spot on Pepper and Basil: Keep Foliage Dry

Q: Black splotches on basil and pepper plants. Diagnosis? A: Both have bacterial leaf spot—extremely difficult to control. Only cultural practice: keep leaves as dry as possible. Copper fungicides may give slight control

Blister Beetles on Holly: Temporary Defoliators

Q: Hundreds of bugs stripped Nellie Stevens holly leaves, then vanished. A: Gray blister beetle (Epicauta caviceps). They rarely eat leaves but may target tender new growth. Not worth spraying—they come and go quickly. A

Red Knock Out Rose Turning Pink: Additional Graft Theory

Q: Five Knock Out roses, three planted together. Two now turning pink after three red years. Ryan Tilley adds a fourth theory to previous explanations: Theory 4: Graft failure—rootstock suckers producing different blooms