Rats – Eating Pansies

Q: I have pansies in a planter on my deck about 4 feet off the ground. The plants kept disappearing overnight so I placed my game camera nearby. I put some cut off celery leaf tops and broccoli flowerets as “bait

Walkingstick Kale – Identification

Q: We saw an amazing garden in France at a chateau. Could you tell me what is the tall plant with large leaves? A: Vegetable expert Daryl Pulis (www.mrsgreenthumb.com) says it's walking stick kale, Brassica

Banana – Trimming in Winter

Q: With the mild winter we had, I never felt the need to cut my banana trees back. I have 4 stalks about 6′ tall that are now sprouting leaves. I did trim off the dead leaves to clean them up a bit. Should

Nandina – Poisonous to Cedar Waxwings

Q: Did you know that nandina berries are poisonous to cedar waxwings? A: A recent observation of mass death among cedar waxwings was followed by a veterinary necropsy. The doctors found huge amounts of nandina be

Dung Beetles – For Cleaning Up Dog Droppings

Q: Recently I saw a show on TV that described dung beetles. Since gardeners buy ladybugs to eat aphids, I wondered if it would be possible to buy dung beetles to clean up my dog run. A: Your question might seem h

Cumberland False Rosemary – Growing

Q: I inherited a Cumberland false rosemary planted in a large outdoor pot. Can this plant survive planted in the ground here? A: Native plant expert Shannon Pable (shannonpable.com) says Cumberland false rosemary

Pine Cones – Why So Few

Q: I have several pine trees on our property. Some have pine cones… but others do not! The trees here are side by side. Can you explain the difference? A: Pine cones don't all drop in the fall. In fac

Dogwood – Few Flowers in 2013

Q: This year (2013) there were not very many white blossoms on any of my dogwoods. They are leafing out as normal. Should I worry about this lack of blossoms? A: You are not the first (or second or third) garden

Wisteria – Remove Due to Kudzu Bug?

Q: Am I going to have to cut down the wisteria on my pergola to get rid of the massive amount of kudzu bugs hanging out on it? The wisteria is just starting to bloom. A: I hate to destroy a pretty vine due to the

Chipmunk Control – Georgia Laws

Q: Is it true that chipmunks are protected by Georgia law? A: Yes, it is true. Here is the appropriate part of the Georgia State Code: TITLE 27.  GAME AND FISH CHAPTER 1.  GENERAL PROVISIONS O.C.G.A. § 27-1-28  (

Straw Bale Garden – One Gardener's Project

Q: I called you in early April about whether to go ahead and plant my straw bale garden. You seemed a bit skeptical about planting that early, but since I had the plastic sheeting in place and was able to cover i

Tomato – Sun Scald on New Plants

Q: I've been starting my tomato seeds indoors in preparation for spring planting. Since the weather here in Marietta has been steadily warming, I decided to plant the tomato plants outside in mid-April. Eve

Bermuda Lawn – Thinning Due to Standing Water

Q: We are in year 2 of our new house. The first year the bermuda grass grew really good. The next year we had a lot of spots where water would sit and the grass would not grow. We have fertilized and put seed dow

Rose Rosette – Oil Spray to Control Mites

Q: I just read about rose rosette disease. Can we spray our Knockout roses with Volck oil spray in trying to keep the mites that spread this disease at bay? A: Rose rosette affects all roses. The most common symp

Hibiscus – Granular Deposits on Leaves

Q: There are irregular shaped, granular deposits on front and back and upper stems of my miniature hibiscus leaves, grown in a sun room. They feel like fine sand. What is it and how to control? A: UGA’s tropical

Sowbugs – Eating Seedlings

Q: These woodlouses, pill bugs, sow bugs, are eating every new seedling I have planted. I have already lost a jalapeno, squash, three cucumbers, and an okra plant. I would like to stay organic, but diatomaceous s

Lady Banks Rose – Stem Splitting

Q: Is this rusty, splitting trunk on a Lady Banks rose normal? I do not want to lose this beautiful plant! It is about 12 years old and covers our swing arbor. A: Rose expert Ryan Tilley (http://www.rosegardensby

Fragrant Crabapple – Identification

Q: I found this small tree growing in Floyd County not too far from Barnsley Gardens. It was growing in an area close to a creek. The tree was small 8+- feet with rough gray bark. The flowers were very fragrant,

Barred Owl – Identification

Q: This owl is living by our office in Carrollton. It knocked a squirrel out of a tree yesterday then swooped down and gathered it up, took it back up in the tree and had lunch. My wife and the other women that w

Rose – Roots Damaged by Fertilizer

Q: This rose died so quickly! Any idea what I did? It was beautiful, then started to make buds and then the leaves began to shrivel and turn brown. I did put a couple of handfuls of 13-13-13 fertilizer on it befo