Gourds

Lagenaria, Curcurbita, or Luffa spp. Gourds are perhaps the first crop to be grown on both sides of the Atlantic ocean; originating in Africa, they most likely floated to South America and beyond, and were quickl

Allamanda

Q. I bought a vine with big, glossy leaves and yellow flowers last summer. The vine looks dead now. Is this normal? A. I think you purchased an allamanda vine. These are quite decorative in the summer, but th

Wisteria – No Blooms

Q: I have a 3-5 year old wisteria that has never bloomed. What is wrong with it and what should I do? I thought that there was nothing you could do to make wisterias not bloom! It has flourished as far as grow

Jackman clematis

Clematis jackmanii Big, bold, beautiful and deep purple, this summer clematis is hard to miss, especially when you see it adorning its usual spot -a mailbox. This is without a doubt one of the most popular clemat

Liriope

Cold weather can leave liriope (commonly called monkey grass) in tatters. Flower bed edging and driveway borders can be come overgrown and unkempt if the liriope is not kept compact. The best time to trim monkey

Moss – Growing

More than a few gardeners have decided to switch rather than fight. They’re purposely growing moss rather than trying to eliminate it from their landscape. There are hundreds of lawn lovers who can demonstrate ho

Maiden Grass

Miscanthus sinensis Among the showiest and most beautiful of ornamental grasses, a clump of maiden grass grows to 7 feet by late summer. The top of a clump is wider than the bottom. The top may be 8 feet wide, em

Pampas Grass

Pampas grass is striking in fall with its showy white seed heads. If not cut back each spring, though, it will look more like an overgrown haystack. Here are some tips: Q: When should I cut back my pampas grass c

Air Potato

Q: I have a problem with a lovely but horribly invasive vine that grows little potatoes on its stem. It sprouts and spreads like a demon – nearly taking over a 3 acre lot! What is it and what can I do about

Poison Ivy – Herbicides

Several herbicides will kill poison ivy. Triclopyr (Brush-B-Gon) kills kudzu and brambles as well as poison ivy. Non-selective weed killers like Round-Up, Finale or Next Day will kill poison ivy, too. With care,

Poison Ivy – Control

My neighbor and I acted as if we were surrounded by rattlesnakes. "Ease your foot down there, slowly…slowly. Now take a quick step to the right and hop up onto that cinderblock!" We were curious

Yellow Archangel – Control

I believe I am finally rid of the infernal archangel. Several years ago I found a plant that seemed to be just the ticket for my shady back yard. It had silvery green foliage and yellow flowers in the spring. Be

Poison Ivy – Pictures

Poison ivy can be mistaken for other flora outdoors. Poison Ivy Control Just in case you are unsure which "leaflets of three" to avoid, here are pictures of poison ivy and its mimics. Note the "

Pokeweed (Poke Sallet) – Don't Eat It

DON'T EAT POKE SALAD Auburn, June 18, 2002—Pokeweed is probably the best known and most widely used wild vegetable in America and Europe. However, a food scientist with the Alabama Cooperative Extensi

English Ivy – Dermatitis

My son recently spent a day helping a neighbor clear English ivy from their landscape. He woke on the following day with itchy, spreading blisters on his arm. He says he saw no poison ivy in the English ivy patch

Bamboo – Control

Technically, bamboo is a grass, but certainly not one you'd describe as a premier turf product. The sprouts that shoot up from the ground each spring can grow 12 inches per day. Common fishpole bamboo usual

English Ivy – Control

I accompanied my son's class on an overnight Environmental Education trip to Rock Eagle one year. One of his classmates was a great source of fascination to me. Whenever I stood next to him he was a model o

Chickweed – Control in Fescue

Fall tilling brought up plenty of chickweed seeds that had been lying dormant underground. They sprouted last fall along with my fescue seeds. The recent warm winter weather has caused the unwanted plants to expl

Lichen Quiz

PETER RABBIT? Here is a quick trivia question: What do Peter Rabbit, canaries and moose have to do with lichens? It turns out that Beatrix Potter, the author of the Peter Rabbit tales, was also a respected biolog

Invasive Pampas Grass

I live in Hall county and drive to work in Forsyth county. I listen to you every Saturday morning on my drive to work. In early September 2006 I heard you and Teresa Schrum talking about renegade pampas grass on