Smallflower Pawpaw: A Dwarf Native Shrub

5-ft shrub, 25 yrs old, 1–2 pods with large brown beans, no pulp, no flowers = Asimina parviflora (smallflower pawpaw). Fits description, hardy in Eatonton. Fruit likely not tasty like common pawpaw.

Citrus Leafroller: The Sewn-Leaf Pest

Leaf sewn into a pocket on your citrus? Leafroller moth larva—it stitches leaf edges for protection while feeding. Life Cycle Moth lays eggs on leaves. Larvae hatch, feed, sew leaf edges with silk. Mature larvae chew o

Blueberries with High Soil Calcium: pH Management Strategy

High calcium (1088 lbs/acre) in your future blueberry bed? pH 5.3 is okay but 5.0 is better. Sulfur lowers pH, counteracting calcium effects. Prescription Apply 0.1 lb yellow sulfur (flowers of sulfur) per 10 sq ft und

Wax Scale on Camellia and Maple: Two-Step Control

Soft, white, putty-like blobs on stems? Wax scale—females only, no males. Two-year program eliminates them. Life Cycle Females lay eggs in March. Crawlers emerge in May—vulnerable stage. Adults protected by wax coating

Cryptomeria Limb Dieback: Pattern Suggests Fertilizer Burn

Two adjacent Yoshino cryptomerias showing mirrored dieback? Pattern suggests fertilizer misapplication, not disease. Diagnostic Clues Damage opposite each other on adjacent trees. Third tree now showing symptoms. Slow

Citrus Spider Mites: The Kid-Friendly Control Project

Your sons seed-grown clementine has spider mites—classic indoor citrus pest. Turn treatment into a learning project! Identification Mottled, yellowing, drying leaves. Fine webbing at leaf/branch junctions. Tiny moving

Dogs Eating Pears: Safe Outdoor Treat, Indoor Mess Risk

Dogs eating fallen pears? Fine outdoors—they can relieve gastric upset naturally. Indoors, limit to a slice or prepare for immediate door duty! Why Its Usually Fine Pears non-toxic to dogs. Fiber aids digestion. Outdoo

Meyer Lemon Winter Blooming: It's Normal, Not Confused!

Meyer lemon flowering in winter with baby fruit? Thats its natural cycle—not confusion. Unlike most plants, it blooms sporadically year-round, peaking in winter. Background Major CA crop until 1940s (citrus virus carri

Maple Trunk Turning Black: Gloomy Scale Infestation

Black maple trunk? Thats sooty mold on honeydew from gloomy scale—pinhead-sized insects blending into bark. Identification Tiny bumps on bark (1/16-1/8 inch). Scratch with fingernail—they flake off. Black sooty mold ac

Cottonseed Meal: Feed Store vs. Garden Center—Same Product

Feed store cottonseed meal is identical to garden center—just cheaper because fertilizer labeling requires nutrient analysis; feed labeling doesnt. Best Uses Slow-release, acidic fertilizer perfect for shallow-rooted ac

Deadheading Flowers: When, How, and Which Plants Respond

Should you deadhead everything? Most plants look better, and many rebloom—but technique matters. General Method Cut just above the leaves below the faded flower. This preserves the node where new growth emerges. Plants

Blueberry Mummy Berry Disease: Breaking the Cycle

Blueberries turning brown and dropping before ripening for two years? Classic mummy berry—replacing mulch alone isnt enough. The Disease Cycle Spring: Fungus infects flowers, becomes fragrant, secretes sugars. Insects

Brown Bermuda Lawn: Mowing Height and Frequency Fixes

Bermuda lawn brown after mowing? Youre cutting too much, too infrequently. The brown stems are exposed because youre removing all green leaf tissue. The One-Third Rule Never remove more than 1/3 of grass height per mow

Growing Pansies from Seed in Georgia: Nearly Impossible in Heat

Pansies need constant 70°F and high light to go from seed to transplant. Commercial growers use specialized plug nurseries with cooling. Fall pansy production from seed in Georgia’s heat is impractical.

Japanese Maple Leaf Color: Sun and Genetics Drive Red Pigment

Red leaf color fades to green in summer on many cultivars. Norm Mittleider notes water, sun, night temps, and day length influence color, but sun and genetics are key. Full sun enhances red; too much shade causes reversi

Establishing a Scuppernong Vine: Build the Arbor While the Plant Roots

Let the rooted cutting grow undisturbed for months. Move to permanent spot in late February. Meanwhile, build a wire arbor with posts 20 ft apart using 10-gauge galvanized wire. Details at xrl.us/muscadines.

Gerbera Daisies: Heat-Stopped Bloomers That Need Perfect Drainage

Gerberas bloom in spring/fall but stop above 70°F and quit above 80°F. Not reliably cold-hardy; survivors need extremely fast drainage (pea gravel/expanded slate) and slightly moist summer soil. Often too demanding for G

Asparagus Fern: Leave It Standing Until Frost for Root Strength

The 6-ft ferny growth feeds the crown for next spring’s spears. Fertilize now, leave until frost, then cut at ground level in December. Control winter weeds for a better harvest.

Daphne Dieback from Phytophthora: Replant in a Pot, Not the Same Soil

Daphne wilting from the top down suggests Phytophthora root rot. Replanting in the same spot repeats the failure. Solution: large ceramic pot with fresh potting mix—healthy after two years.

When to Cut Back Lilies: Leave Green Foliage Until Frost

Snip off brown leaves anytime, but keep all green foliage until frost kills it—green leaves feed the bulb for next year.