Download the "Maintenance Matters!" Class Materials

If you attended the Maintenance Matters! session at Evening at Emory, youll be glad to know the complete presentation is now available for download. I promised attendees they could access the full materials to review at

Using Wood Chips: Mulch Benefits, Aging, and Nitrogen Management

Wood chips are inexpensive mulch and ground cover. Tree companies often dump chip trucks in homeowners yards—no disposal fee for them, free mulch for you. Jim Foote at Arborguard Tree Specialists notes chips often mix wi

Deciphering Plant Names: Common vs. Scientific Nomenclature

Plant common names can mystify gardeners. Theyre familiar names: maypop, skunk cabbage, obedient plant. They aid pronunciation—who wouldnt rather say centipedegrass than Eremochloa ophiuroides? Common names reassure: the

Three Secrets for Beginner Gardeners: Start, Copy, Feed Your Soil

Warm weekends brought out gardening masses! At a garden center, I overheard a young couple eyeing tomatoes: Do you think theyll live? I guess so—others grow them, why cant we? I admired their courage. They were starting

Powdery Mildew Control: Identification, Resistant Varieties, and Treatments

Powdery mildew is a common summer disease starting with cool nights and warm, humid days—symptoms persist even as days warm. Its a parasitic fungus resting on leaf surfaces, absorbing sap from plant cells, causing twiste

Why We Compost: The Living Magic of Black Gold

My whole life spent waiting for an epiphany... thats what I had with my first compost heap. —Bette Midler, LA Times, May 8, 1996 My friend Lee May considered composting his undershirt—hard-core composter making black gol

Misunderstood Garden Phrases: "Prepare a Bed," "Well-Drained," and "Thoroughly Water"

Reading a 1930s gardening tome late one night, I encountered a phrase that chilled me: Dress with dried blood to accelerate. Horror movie? Getaway car instructions? Milan catwalk trend? No—it was about promoting peony gr

Buying Rain Barrels: Local Sources and DIY Options in Georgia

How to Make a Rain Barrel Local Sources of Rain Barrels Noahs Rain Barrel Steve Golden 404-210-7061 Email: noahsrainbarrel@comcast.net Brookhaven Rain Barrels Pat Magee (404) 364-0440 Rain Barrels in Georgia Many local h

Using Rain Barrels: Economics, Collection, and Distribution Realities

With summer temperatures in the 90s, gardeners think seriously about water sources. Ive received many rainwater collection questions this summer. Jeff B. wants a cistern for guilt-free vegetable garden watering during dr

Top Garden Magazines for Subscription Gifts

These magazines offer excellent articles and photography. A years subscription keeps a gardener thinking of you regularly. Georgia Gardening (888) 265-3600 Fine Gardening (800) 477-8727 Organic Gardening (800) 666-2206

Recommended Garden Books: From Reference to Pure Enjoyment

I owe much to my Aunt Elizabeth, especially her annual reading gifts. As a young teen, she gave me a Boys Life subscription and enrolled me in a Book of the Month club—Id hang around the post office until the postmaster

Surviving Summer Planting: How to Create a Thriving Garden Bed During Drought

Sometimes I regret following my own gardening advice—especially when it involves the backbreaking work of properly preparing a planting bed. Georgia summers are brutal: relentless sunshine, temperatures soaring into the

Watering Flowers During Drought: Hand Watering and Soaker Hose Techniques

During drought or restrictions, prioritize by replacement cost—save the most valuable plants first. Annual flowers are more replaceable than trees and shrubs. If you cant water, cut back annuals and perennials by half an

Watering Your Lawn Correctly: Deep, Infrequent, and Timely

Plants need water like animals need blood—it carries nutrients, sugars, and hormones. Some plants tolerate drought; others need daily water. Heres how to determine when, where, and how much to water. Drought Tolerance of

Monitoring Soil Temperature: Key to Weed Control and Caladium Planting

Just as body temperature determines vacation outcomes, soil temperature dictates garden success. Flowers wont bloom, seeds wont germinate, and peach trees wont fruit without proper warmth. Two landscape tasks are directl

Soil Amending: Calculating Topsoil and Conditioner for Lawns and Gardens

Homeowners often want to amend existing soil. Planting grass seed or sod on hard, unfertile soil wastes money. For lawns, cover the area with good topsoil and till it into the bad soil underneath. Typically, spread 4 inc

Predicting Last Frost: Spring Freeze Dates and Garden Timing

What do records show about the last spring frost? Using 32°F as the reference, the most likely last frost date is March 27. The earliest was February 16; the latest April 23. In 1983, the last frost was April 20—imagine

Predicting First Frost: Average Dates and What They Mean for Your Garden

Predicting the first frost date is tricky. While it doesnt cause the panic of a late spring frost, the first fall frost matters to many gardeners. Weather scientists have kept detailed frost records for our area. Using 3

Cleaning Clay Pots: Simple Steps for Disease-Free Containers

If you have clay pots that held annual flowers on your patio last summer, now is the perfect time to clean them before spring. The easiest method: stack them in a large bucket and soak. Mix 1 pint chlorine bleach with 9

How to Buy Fertilizer: Decoding Numbers and Avoiding Marketing Hype

A newspaper claimed a 12-ounce fertilizer bottle equaled a 25-pound bag of 20-8-6. I called the manufacturer—theyd been misquoted, confusing their 5-gallon product with the homeowner size. Its impossible for 12 ounces to