Q: I have been invaded by fruit flies because I brought home some delicious peaches. Is there a way to safely control them? A: My college-student son had a big fruit fly problem last week. He tried the "rot
Q: Poison ivy sure has a lot of friends that help it hide in my back yard. Does it have any enemies? A: I've never seen a poison ivy leaf that seemed to have been eaten by beetles or caterpillars. Goats eat
Sweetshrub – Transplanting Method
Q: Three years ago I transplanted a calycanthus shrub. I have noticed that the mother plant has sent out new plants in several directions. Can I transplant these new shrubs ? A: Sweetshrub, Calycanthus floridus,
Hummingbird Feeder – Cloudy Liquid
Q: My homemade nectar for hummingbirds turns cloudy after a few days. What causes this? A: My guess is that your feeder is dirty when you fill it and the sugar water is rapidly fermenting. I wash mine in the dish
Shelf Fungus (Conk) – On Black Locust
Q: I recently had two large black locust trees cut down. They had shelf fungi (conks) growing on them. A friend of the ax man wanted the conks. Do you have any idea what uses one would have for these? A: I don
Wolf's Milk Slime Mold – Identification
Q: I discovered these things in my garden and am wondering if you can tell me what they are? I believe the grayish color ones are older, and the pinkish/salmon colored ones are fresh. A: It’s wolf milk slime mold
Fertilizer – Too Much Of A Good Thing?
Q: I may have done a bad thing. I fertilized a 1300 square foot lawn with a bag of 28-0-3 which is supposed to cover 5000 square feet. Is there anything I can do to correct the problem or will I be looking at a d
Q: My wife and I just moved here from San Diego and had a concrete patio installed in our back yard. We live on a small lake and get eaten alive by mosquitoes when we're outside. I'm looking at planti
Germination – Hybrid Bermuda Grass
Q: Does the seed from hybrid bermuda grass seed heads germinate? My sodded yard in is full of them. A: Hybrid bermudagrass may form seedheads but there is no good seed inside. Sodded bermudagrass used for lawns i
Manure – Testing For Herbicide
Q: I was interested in your radio comments about using straw treated with Grazon for mulch under tomato plants and the resulting curly leaves. I use manure from a local farm and have had problems. How do I get ri
Peppers – When Do They Change Color?
Q: My bell peppers are supposed to be red and yellow. I’m getting a lot of fruit but they are all green. Are they going to turn color? A: Bell peppers change color depending on how developed the seed inside are.
Productivity – Making Sandy Soil Grow Crops
Q: I’ve got a seven acre field in McIntosh County on which I’ve tried for years to grow crops. The soil is basically pure sand. Fertilizer just leaches down after a couple of rains and the sand holds no moisture.
Q: Can I mount a flag pole onto a six inch tree trunk? Should I use a certain kind of nail? A: I don't like nailing into a trunk but if you feel you have to do it, use aluminum gutter spikes. Clip to shorte
Q: I have a friend with the nickname "Lotus". I’d love to find lotus seed to place in an aquarium in her room so she can watch it bloom. A: American lotus, Nelumbo lutea, grows fine outdoors in ponds
Vegetables – Small and Unproductive
Q: I love to grow vegetables but am not very successful. This year, I have prepared a raised-bed and filled it eight inches deep with Miracle-Gro Garden Soil. The plants are small and not productive. A: Despite w
Seedlings – When Will They Bloom?
Q: For several years I've been mowing over what I thought were weeds. This spring I finally realized they are volunteers from my chaste tree. Will these babies bloom? A: The seedlings will certainly bloom w
Stinkhorns – Getting Rid Of Them
Q: While staining my second story deck I noticed a foul odor and a more than average amount of flies in the area. I noticed these disgusting stinkhorns growing in the mulch beneath. What can I do to eliminate the
Herbicide – Varieties and Application
Q: What is the best herbicide for a home garden? It will consist of peas, beans, squash, okra, and tomatoes. A: If you're looking for an "organic" weed killer, Bayer Natria Grass and Weed Killer
Guava – Preparing For Freezing Nights
Q: I just planted two pineapple guava trees. Do you think they will make it through our winter? A: During our current heat wave, it's hard to remember the freezing nights that will surely test your plant in
Q: Can you suggest some tall evergreen shrubs for dry shade? I keep finding shrubs that require a moist soil. A: Winter hazel, Distylium Emerald Heights ™, and columnar Japanese plum yew, Cephalotaxus harringtoni
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