Spacing Water Oaks for Maximum Canopy Development: 50 Feet Apart in Pasture Plantings

Q: Well plant 4-5 water oaks in a straight line in an old pasture. How far apart for full potential? Rule of thumb: spacing = normal branch spread. A single water oak (Quercus nigra) eventually has 50-70 ft spread. Id us

Shade-Tolerant Fescue Blends: Winter Beauty but Summer Decline Under Deepening Shade

Q: In shady areas, is it okay to plant a blend of fescue and other grasses? You can plant a shade loving fescue blend. Most shade mixes combine bluegrass, ryegrass, red fescue, and tall fescue. The grassy area looks fine

Debunking the Beer-Detergent-Aspirin Lawn Tonic: Why Homemade Crabgrass Recipes Don't Work

Q: Ive been told you have a formula of Miller beer, Tide detergent, and something else for crabgrass. What was the last ingredient? This supposed lawn tonic recipe and variants have circulated since the 1960s. Beer, dete

Eradicating Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata): The Three-Year Soil Replacement Protocol

Q: Years ago you warned me houttuynia (chameleon plant) was invasive. I planted anyway. Now its smothered my liriope and marches on. I confess I was wrong! Chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata) is seductive. Pink/green le

Cutting Back a Tall Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans) for Indoor Winter Storage

Q: We have a variegated corn plant we put outside in warm weather and bring in for winter. Its too tall for the house. Proper way to prune? Cut at any point along the trunk. Depending on indoor decor, clipping to 3 ft wo

Pruning Seed Heads from Porcupine Grass (Miscanthus 'Strictus'): Aesthetic Choice Without Harm

Q: I planted porcupine grass this spring. Clumps send out long plumes I dont like. Can I cut them off now so whole plant is same height? Porcupine grass (Miscanthus sinensis Strictus) has attractive striped leaves and ta

Steep Slope Erosion Control: When Plants Aren't Enough and Walls Are Required

Q: I need something to keep a very steep hillside from eroding. Thought of grass GDOT plants on roadsides—drought tolerant, low maintenance. Any idea? 1:1 (run to rise), only choice is block/timber wall to hold soil. Pla

Weed Management in Wildflower Beds: Monthly Attention Required to Prevent Takeover

Q: I planted wildflower seed a couple years ago; they look great but weeds almost overpower them. I mow in fall but weeds and thick grasses return. Wildflower implies plants grow anywhere. But wildflower beds arent caref

Winter Mowing Height for Tifway 419 Bermuda: Slightly Higher for Cold and Traffic Protection

Q: As we get ready for winter, whats the recommended mowing height for Tif 419 bermuda? A little short or a little long? Mow a little long; maybe one notch higher. This gives grass protection from winter cold and from fo

Twice-Yearly Core Aeration for Zoysia: Late April and Early June for Optimal Root Growth

Q: Your website says aerating highly compacted soil twice a year could be good. Besides late April, when for second aeration on zoysia? Since aeration increases growth ability, I feel you could aerate in late April and e

Milky Spore for Japanese Beetles: Why Fall Application Is Likely Ineffective and Expensive

Q: Is it too late to apply milky spore this fall? I had lots of beetles flying around outdoor lights in summer. 65°F. Soil temp map (www.georgiaweather.net) shows rapid cooling. Must have active Japanese beetle populatio

Managing Mushrooms in Mulch: Stir to Dry, Pick and Discard, But Don't Expect Eradication

Q: I have orange mushrooms in mulched areas. How to get rid of them? Constant wet weather made perfect conditions for fungi to bloom decomposing damp mulch. Many species break down mulch and produce mushrooms. Cant elimi

Propagating Lantana from Cuttings: Indoor Rooting Under Lights for Winter Survival

Q: I have a pink lantana that came back healthy after last cold winter. How to propagate? Try rooting 4-inch cuttings indoors. With winter approaching, cant do outdoors. Biggest obstacle: enough light. Sunny window ledge

Fall Asparagus Foliage Management: Cut Now or Wait for Yellowing, Plus Fertilizer Schedule

Q: I planted asparagus crowns this year; patch has glorious green 4-foot foliage. Remove now or wait? Foliage will eventually turn yellow but removing now while green wont likely cause problems. Be vigilant about winter

Pruning Perennial Lantana: Minor Shaping Now, Major Cutback in Early March

Q: I planted Sunny Side Up dwarf lantana. Supposedly perennial. Want to shape it and cut back from lopping over sidewalk. Latest I can prune? I havent had experience with Sunny Side Up but know a spreading clump of Chape

Why You Should Never Plant Water Lilies in a Community Lake: Invasive Spread and Removal Nightmare

Q: Our home is on a community lake. Id like to add water lilies to our shoreline but told theyre very invasive. True? DO NOT plant water lilies! Theyll definitely become a problem for the lake ecosystem. Water lilies rep

Starting an Agritourism Farm: Zoning First, Then UGA and NRCS Resources

Q: Under contract for 7 acres outside the Perimeter. Nice house, horse barn, fencing for livestock. Want to make an after-school/camp/birthday party/farm-styled place to showcase animals and gardening to city folk. Advic

Scalping Bermuda in Spring: Proper Timing and Height for Faster Green-Up

Q: Planning to scalp my newly installed bermuda lawn next spring. Its 4 inches tall. Okay to cut 2-3 inches off? Fine to remove dead leaves as long as you dont scrape ground with mower blade. Do it when you see the bares

Hackberry Honeydew: Aphid Excretion and Sooty Mold on Deck and Plants

Q: Big hackberry tree in backyard shades our deck; we tolerate leaf drop. This fall deck was covered with sticky, saplike substance turning a green umbrella black. Also on nearby plant leaves. You likely have aphids in t

Overwintering Mexican Petunia (Ruellia simplex) in Georgia: Dieback, Companions, and Invasiveness

Q: I had Mexican petunia first time this year. Leave out for winter or take inside? Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex) grows well outdoors in Atlanta. Might not be winter-hardy in north Georgia. Blue flowers attractive la