Fast Evergreen Screen: 'Green Giant' Arborvitae in Staggered Rows

Q: Developer building across creek—need tall, fast privacy screen. A: Two landscapers recommend Green Giant arborvitae. Plant 10-12 ft apart in two staggered rows for quick tall screen. staggering these arborvitae would

Squash Bug Damage Causes Bumpy Skin on Young Fruit

Q: Immature squash have knobby skin—old age or pest? A: Squash bug damage. Related to stink bugs, they pierce young fruit causing bumps. Control: acetamiprid, cyfluthrin, or organic garden insecticides. See Squash Bug Id

Podocarpus Fruit Identification (Duplicate)

Q: Dark purplish-black spongy pods with green grape-like ends on Marietta tree. A: Podocarpus fruit (Shannon Pable ID). Said edible. Increasingly common in Atlanta but severely injured if teens temperatures. Eat Your Hed

Grape Tube Galls: Midge-Caused, Harmless

Q: Curious spikes on wild grapevine in late summer. A: Grape tube galls from midge eggs on leaf undersides. Larvae secrete hormones creating horn-like galls. Minimal vine damage—no control needed. Slice open to see yello

Cottonseed Meal on Blueberries: Organic + Synthetic Combo

Q: Cottonseed meal for blueberries—when/how much? Also use 10-10-10? A: Organics release nutrients when soil warms; synthetics dissolve immediately (wasted if roots cold). Apply ¼ cottonseed meal in Feb, then ½ cup 10-10

'John Creech' Sedum Not Blooming: Too Happy?

Q: Four-year-old John Creech sedum in full sun never blooms. Healthy, tight, divided often, watered/fertilized well. A: Todd Guilmette (Unique Environmental Landscapes) also never saw flowers. Sedums bloom when stressed/

Golden Goddess Bamboo: Clumping, Cold-Sensitive Screen

Q: Five Golden Goddess bamboo planted 7 ft apart for privacy. Expected growth? A: Clumping bamboo—slow spread, neighbors safe. Grows 8-10 ft tall, good screen in 4 years. Main flaw: cold damage below 20°F. Prepare coveri

'Dew Anner' Fertilizer: Old Term for Guano

Q: Ever heard of Dew Anner fertilizer? Father used it at planting. A: Dew Anner = guano (bat/bird dung), pronounced gu-anner regionally. Some farmers called all fertilizers guano. Bat guano available online/small nurseri

Sichuan Peppercorn in Georgia: Duplicate Query

Q: Can Sichuan peppercorns grow in Georgia? A: Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum) native to Asia, seeds give mouth-numbing sensation. Cold-hardy here, summer tolerance unknown. Dioecious—need female for seeds. Genus includes n

Crapemyrtle Pruning: Selective Over Topping

Q: Most crapemyrtles are topped—is selective pruning better? A: Selective pruning is far healthier. Topping creates ugly knobs, increases powdery mildew and aphids. Landscapers top for speed, not plant health. References

Sichuan Peppercorn (Zanthoxylum) Potential in Georgia

Q: Can Sichuan peppercorns grow in Georgia? A: Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum) is cold-hardy here but summer tolerance unknown. Dioecious—need female for seeds. Same genus as native toothache tree (Z. americanum) and Hercul

Moss Lawn Establishment: Exact Conditions Required

Q: Want moss lawn under large tree where grass fails. Atlanta resources? A: Moss needs moisture, clay, shade—what grass hates. Chores: constant summer moisture, persistent weed control. If conditions met, very attractive

Mowing Dormant Bermudagrass in December: Protect Crown

3 inches in December—mow now or wait for spring? A: Depends on stubble height. Dormant foliage protects crown from cold. If only stems remain after mowing, wait until early April.

Dividing 'Ruby Slippers' Hydrangeas in December

Q: Two Ruby Slippers hydrangeas in one pot—need to separate but fear root damage. A: Ruby Slippers oakleaf hydrangea blooms white→pink→rose. December division is fine—leafless plants easy to lift, shake soil, replant, wa

Microclover in Georgia Lawns: Experimental, High Maintenance

Q: Microclover alone or with fescue for sunny, sloped, low-traffic yard where bermuda/fescue failed. A: No experience. Microclover (small white clover) is short-lived in hot, dry summers. Irrigation helps. Hard to balanc

Training Pomegranate as a Tree: Select Single Leader

Q: Two-year-old pomegranate 6 ft tall—want tree form, not bush. A: Select one vigorous vertical shoot, prune side shoots to ~2 ft. Wonderful fruits poorly in Georgia; try Granada, Angel Red, Eight Ball. More at bit.ly/GA

Mushrooms in Potting Soil: Sign of Overwatering

Q: Mushroom growing in potting soil—unusual? A: Mushrooms grow wherever organic matter decomposes—potting soil is great fungus food. Usually indicates overwatering.

Fairy Ring in Centipede Lawn: Fungal, Expanding Annually

Q: Perfect circle of dead centipede grass around oak, expanding yearly. A: Fairy ring—soil fungi decomposing organic matter, expanding slowly. UGAs Alfredo Martinez: manage by reducing soil organic matter, fertilizing to

Verti-Gro Hydroponic Tomato System: Costly vs. Farmers Market

Q: Info on Verti-Gro hydroponic tomato system seen in Alabama. A: Stackable Styrofoam pots pack many plants in small space. Homeowner doable, but you can buy lots of tomatoes at farmers market for system price. Verti-Gro

Blue Agave in Atlanta: Drainage and Species Selection Critical

Q: Blue agave declining after summer rains—black bugs in roots. Repot indoors? A: Too wet or too cold kills blue agave. Expert David McMullen recommends 1:1 pea gravel:coarse soil on slope/mound for drainage. Best for At