Dogwood – No Leaves

Q: I transplanted a six-foot pink dogwood in early November. I knew it was a little on the large side to be transplanted. Now it has not leafed out. I have scrapped a branch and noticed greenish color. Is it bett

Narcissus – Waiting Until October

Q: I have a small patch of paperwhite narcissus. They have been in the ground three years. When I cleared the dead foliage recently I saw that the bulbs had migrated to the surface of the soil. Should I dig them

Apple Trees – Losing Fruit Overnight

Q: I have a mature apple tree and most of the fruit recently dropped to the ground overnight. What caused this? A: Early fruit drop in general is most often caused by poor pollination. When pollen doesn’t get t

Wisteria – Growing On Your Oak

Q:Will wisteria damage my forty-year-old oak tree? I planted the vine two years ago and it is really growing but a friend said I should cut it down. A: Eventually you will regret letting wisteria (or ivy) grow up

Blueberry – Very Large Variety

Q: I’ve heard of a new variety of blueberry which is very large. Can you remind me of the name? A: Blueberries are now the number one fruit crop grown in Georgia, far outranking peaches and apples. This deliciou

Ginkgo – Champion Outside The High Museum!

Q: We have just discovered the massive ginkgo tree in front of the High Museum. I’ve never seen one so large. Is it any kind of record holder? A: This terrific tree is the champion ginkgo in Georgia! I love drivi

Dripline – What Is It?

Q: I saw your Facebook post about covering exposed roots with mulch out to the dripline. What is a dripline? A: The dripline is an imaginary circular line under a tree’s outermost branch tips, where rainwater dri

Zoysia – Taking Up Your Lawn For Construction

Q: I have to take up my zoysia when it is dormant this January to have a pool put in. Will it survive a month before I am able to put it back down where construction was? A: It’s hard to guarantee success. While

Crapemyrtle – Infested With Ambrosia Beetles

Q: I noticed some worm-like protrusions on the trunks of one crape myrtle. It looks like sawdust so I assume it is some kind of borer. Can this be treated? A: You have Asian ambrosia beetles boring into your cra

Moon Plant – Pretty Flowered Weed

Q: We are looking for something the grower calls a moon plant (not moon vine). It has white flowers, many branches and grows into a bushy, spreading plant that reproduces rather aggressively. A: "White flo

Japanese Maple – Blessed With Seedlings

Q: This past fall, my daughter and I collected seeds from our Japanese maple trees to stratify and eventually sell, in lieu of a lemonade stand. Everything went well. We planted the seeds in March. I then notic

Hydrangea – Blooming A Different Color?

Q: Last year my daughter gave me a hydrangea that had a gorgeous deep mauve bloom. I planted it and it has grown very well. But I was surprised when the bloom opened and is now blue. What do I need to do to have

Shamrocks – Pretty Lavender Flowers

Q: Some wonderful shamrocks have come up in our back yard. They have lavender flowers that close up in the evening. Is it unusual for shamrocks to come up voluntarily like this? A: This is perfectly normal; shamr

African Violets – Growing Under LED Lights

Q: For years we have grown African violets on our kitchen counter under florescent lighting. Recently we switched to more efficient LED lights and wondered if this change will affect the plants. A: Generally spea

Kudzu Bugs – Killing With Insecticide

Q: I cannot take it any longer, those little kudzu bugs are driving me out of my mind! There are thousands. They are in my hair, bed and everywhere. If I cut out my wisteria, will they just find something else

Lighting – Blue and Red Lights For Photosynthesis

Q: I read your recent reply to a question about using LED bulbs instead of fluorescent bulbs for plants in a kitchen. If I want to make a lighting system for sprouting seeds and maintaining my Meyer lemon in wint

Toxic – A Lot Of Plants Are

Q: In a recent article you identified moon plant as datura. It worries me that you made no mention of its dangerous toxicity. A: If I had to mention the toxicity of every plant I write about, I think I'd un

Landscaping – Starting Your Own Business

Q: I want to start a landscape business installing flowers in small beds. What licenses do I need? A: It may be more complicated than you think. Todd Hurt, Training Coordinator for the UGA Center for Urban Agricu

Spiders – Everywhere They Can Be

Q: I’m noticing lots of spider webs on my holly and azalea bushes. I also see them on dead branches in the Japanese maple. Why are they there? A: Like any creature, spiders are where they are because they can fin

Squash – Protecting From Vine Borer

Q: Our squash plants are small and we have covered them with cheese cloth. How long should we keep the plants covered to protect them from the squash vine borer? A: Squash vine borer causes much gnashing of teeth