Tomato Cold Damage: Identification and Recovery

If your potted tomato plants have leaves that look washed out or bleached after several cold nights, the diagnosis is almost certainly cold damage. Tomatoes are extremely sensitive to freezing temperatures. If the plant

Pruning Dead Branches on Japanese Maples

Dead limbs on a Japanese maple should be removed promptly. The tree gains no benefit from them, and removing them encourages new growth to fill the gaps. Use clean, sharp tools and cut back to live wood or the branch col

TifGrand Bermudagrass: Mowing Height and Care Essentials

If your TifGrand bermudagrass sod is thinning despite full sun, the mowing height is likely the problem. TifGrand, a University of Georgia release from 2010, was bred for improved shade tolerance, but it still demands th

Overwintering Caladiums: The Right Way to Store Bulbs

Caladiums are prized for their stunning, heart-shaped foliage, but they are tropical plants that demand specific care to survive winter. If you left your caladium bulbs in a container in the basement only to find them ro

How Long Do Pansies Bloom? Tips for Extending Their Season

Pansies and violas are a delightful sight in the winter garden, offering cheerful color when little else is in bloom. Many gardeners wonder just how long these cool-season favorites will keep flowering before the heat fo

Annual Bluegrass in Zoysia: Wait for Pre-Emergent

Plants already dropped seeds. Digging futile. Apply pre-emergent mid-September, water in. Timing critical.

Inchworm (Cankerworm) Control on Japanese Maple

Wingless females crawl up trunk, lay eggs. Spray Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) on feeding caterpillars. Preemptively: wrap trunk with duct tape + Tanglefoot in late fall to trap females. Remove band in June.

Fertilizer Storage: Lumps Are Fine, Moisture Is the Enemy

Galvanized can with lid is safe—no explosion risk. Moisture causes clumping; break lumps with hammer or spread on metal and drive over (old-school). Nutrients dont degrade.

Trailing Vines for Tall Brick Walls

Carolina jessamine, Confederate jasmine, or American wisteria cascade beautifully. Amend clay at base. Tie small weights to vine tips to encourage downward growth.

Chipmunk Protection Status in Georgia

GA Code: unlawful to take any nongame wildlife except nuisance species (armadillo, coyote, rats). Chipmunks are nongame—thus protected. Landscapers claim contradicts statute.

Blood Meal Won't Dissolve—And That's Normal

Flash-dried blood meal coagulates into water-insoluble granules. Soil microbes digest it slowly. Some products are chemically treated for solubility (label shows %). Use natural product at 8 lbs/1000 sq ft, till in to de

Geraniums in Ground vs. Pots in Atlanta

Geraniums thrive in beds with morning sun/afternoon shade. Deadhead, fertilize monthly. Dig and pot for indoor winter, replant spring. Overwintering tips at bit.ly/wintergeranium.

Porterweed: Tropical Butterfly Magnet, Not for Atlanta Winters

Porterweed (Stachytarpheta) draws butterflies but is tropical. Not hardy in Atlanta. Substitutes: lantana, salvia, cosmos. Butterfly plant lists at bit.ly/GAbutterfly.

Substituting Milorganite for 10-10-10 in Vegetable Garden

Milorganite (5-2-0) has half the N of 10-10-10. Apply at 20 lbs/1000 sq ft (2x rate). Nutrients release slowly—no burn, but no quick green-up. Good for steady feeding.

Summer Survival for Spring-Seeded Fescue

Tilled, deep-rooted fescue survives summer with 1 water/week (rain + irrigation). No summer fertilizer—raises disease risk. Yellow in July? Apply Ironite Plus for iron/nitrogen boost.

Soil Prep for Mexican Heather: Drainage Is Key

Mexican heather (Cuphea) needs sandy, fast-draining soil. Mix 3 soil conditioner + 1 gritty sand 8 deep. Add slow-release fertilizer. Morning sun, afternoon shade. Blooms all summer, attracts butterflies.

Forsythia Pruning: Now Is Ideal

Prune now (after bloom) to half desired size. New growth sets flower buds for next spring. Shrub pruning calendar at bit.ly/shrubpruning.

Bringing Plants from New Mexico to Georgia

No state inspection for homeowner plants (unlike FL/CA). Goldfinger cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) likes cold but may struggle in Atlanta heat. Plant in morning sun/afternoon shade.

Onion Bolting: Wrong Variety for the South

Red Delicious Hybrid is a long-day onion (northern). It bolts early in South. Cut flower stems, use leaves as scallions. Switch to short-day reds: Red Creole, Southern Belle Red, Red Burgundy.

Vehicle Damage to Water Oak: Wound Care

Trim loose bark with razor knife. Spray exposed wood with water-based insecticide to deter borers. Tree will compartmentalize slowly. No wound dressing needed.