March 2, 2011
Timothy Daly
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DALY: If given proper care, tomatoes will produce an abundant harvest
Using proper cultural practices and planting disease resistant varieties will produce healthy, tasty tomatoes in the garden throughout the growing season. They are often the most prized vegetable; no garden would be complete without them.
DALY: Zoysia makes an attractive and durable lawn
If you are willing to make the investment and provide the appropriate care, consider growing Zoysia. It will thrive and beautify the home landscape. With Zoysia, your lawn can be the envy of the neighborhood.
DALY: Heirloom vegetables valued for superior flavor
Heirloom plants are definitely worth planting. If properly stored, their seeds can provide vegetables with the same desirable traits year after year.
DALY: Keeping carpenter bees away from your home
Although carpenter bees can be pestiferous, by taking a few simple steps, their damage can be reduced.
DALY: The native dogwood colors the spring landscape
Dogwoods are a delightful addition to the landscape. Under the right growing conditions, they will thrive and produce attractive blooms in the spring.
DALY: Lawn care during early spring affects quality through the year
Remember, actions taken during the period when the grass comes out of winter dormancy will influence how well the lawn performs during the spring and summer months. With a little planning along with proper cultural practices, your warm season lawn can be healthy, attractive, and the envy of your neighborhood.
DALY: Moss in lawns a sign of poor growing conditions
Moss can be eliminated by the application of chemicals labeled for controlling it. As the moss begins to die, it will turn an orange-brown color. After dying, remove by the dead moss by raking. Though moss can be controlled by chemical or mechanical means, it will return if the cultural conditions that favor the growth of healthy grass are not implemented.
DALY: Follow all label directions when using pesticides
The most important aspect of applying any pesticide is to follow all label directions and safety precautions. Thoroughly read and understand the product label before you select, purchase, and apply it.
DALY: Topping can be harmful to trees
Topping robs the tree of its natural form, shape, and beauty. Proper pruning practices enhance the visual aspects of the tree and stimulate good tree health.
DALY: Keeping holiday plants attractive through the season
With minimal maintenance, holiday plants will add beauty to your holiday displays and your visitors will be impressed. No home would be complete without them.
DALY: Take action to control fire ants
Fire ants can be a real menace, but they can be brought under control by using the appropriate measures. Doing so will reduce the chances of you coming into contact with them and suffering from the painful stings they inflict.
DALY: What should be done about storm damaged trees?
Storm damaged trees can be upsetting to the homeowner. These trees can be very dangerous, which is why only experts should remove them and not homeowners.
DALY: Bigleaf hydrangea blooms color the summer landscape
The bigleaf hydrangeas, also called French, mophead or snowball hydrangeas, are the most popular and well known of the hydrangeas grown in our area. They bloom profusely during the early summer months with pink to dark blue globular clusters of flowers and have thick medium to dark green leaves.
Japanese maples add beauty to the home landscape
Japanese maples add beauty and interest to the home landscape. They have smooth bark and weeping branches along with attractive foliage. The trees are quite versatile and can be grown in many settings such as a specimen or accent plant, a patio tree, in containers or in groupings. If planted and maintained properly, Japanese maples will thrive and be an attractive feature to any landscape.
GARDENING: Pests are a fact in the home and garden
Pests, whether they are insects, weeds or plant diseases, are a fact of life in the home and garden. One of the most effective ways to control them is to practice “integrated pest management” or IPM, which anticipates problems and uses preventative measures. Integrated pest management does not eliminate chemical pesticides altogether.
DALY: Follow all label directions for safe use of pesticides
Homeowners purchase and use chemicals to control the many pests that plague both our homes and gardens. When using these products remember they are poisons designed to kill or adversely affect living organisms in some way.
DALY: Proper mowing keeps lawns healthy and attractive
One of the most important components of lawn maintenance is mowing. It directly affects the health and quality of the turfgrass. Improperly mowed lawns will suffer and develop an unsightly appearance. Proper mowing consists of cutting the grass at the correct height and frequency. Doing so will create a healthy lawn by encouraging the development of a dense stand of turfgrass which helps reduce weeds and other pests.
DALY: Keeping deer away from your plants
As suburban sprawl continues to encroach on wildlife habitats, humans and wild animals are having encounters that frequently result in property damage. Of all of the questions concerning animals the Extension office receives, the most calls come from homeowners concerned about deer eating their landscape plants.
DALY: Special care must be used when removing storm-damaged trees
The high winds during recent storms have blown over many trees, causing damage to property, bringing down power lines and even causing a few fatalities. The heavy rain in these storms has saturated the soil, making the trees more susceptible to the effects of heavy wind.
GARDENING: With proper care, boxwoods thrive in the landscape
Boxwoods are famous for their use in formal gardens, on historic estates such as Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, or the Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C. Boxwoods have a multitude of uses in the landscape and are frequently utilized as hedges, screens and specimen plants. They are sensitive plants, but they will thrive if given the right growing conditions.
DALY: Risk of late season freeze not over yet despite warm temps
With the recent warm weather, many people want to begin planting summer flowering plants and vegetables in their gardens. However, in spite of the mild temperatures, the risk of a late season frost has not passed. The average last date of frost in our area is usually around April 15. Planting anything that is not cold hardy prior to that date is at risk of suffering freeze damage.
DALY: How to care for your lawn during warmer temperatures
As the weather begins to warm up, the warm season turfgrasses, Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and zoysiagrasses, are beginning to come out of winter dormancy and turn green. When soil temperatures rise in the spring, turfgrass plants begin to generate new leaves and stems.
GARDENING: Pruning is beneficial to roses
Pruning is a beneficial gardening procedure in growing roses. It encourages new growth and removes dead or diseased parts. Periodic cosmetic pruning should be done throughout the growing season. More intense pruning should be done in the late winter and early spring for most types of roses.
GARDENING: Groundcovers: A pleasing alternative to grass
Groundcovers are low growing plants that grow rapidly to form dense plantings.
GARDENING IN GWINNETT: Light pruning is usually all the crape myrtle requires
Crape myrtles are some of the most commonly planted flowering trees in the landscape. They provide abundant summer color with minimal maintenance. The winter months are the best time to prune crape myrtles. However, the practice of butchering them is very common. Light pruning is usually all the plant requires.
DALY: Blackberries are easy to grow and produce bountiful fruit
Blackberries are one of the easiest fruits for homeowners to grow. Once established, they require minimal maintenance, have few pest problems, and produce abundant fruit.
DALY: Camellias make attractive additions to the landscape
Throughout our area, camellias are a favorite evergreen shrub. They have attractive dark green broad leaves, and they bloom prolifically during the cold weather months. Camellias produce flowers in a multitude of shapes and colors with more than 2,300 different varieties registered with the American Camellia Society.
DALY: Azaleas add beauty to the spring landscape
Azaleas are one of the most popular ornamental plants. They come in a multitude of colors, shapes and growing habits. Azaleas can grow in a wide range of soils and climates. Many are evergreen, but some are deciduous. They bloom not only in the spring, but some varieties bloom both in the summer and the fall.
GARDENING: Blueberries are easy, enjoyable fruit to grow
Blueberries are one of the few fruit crops in production today that are native to Georgia. They are easy to grow, require minimal maintenance and are relatively free of any major pests.
DALY: Plant bulbs now to reap rewards in the spring
Every spring, beautiful flowering bulbs emerge from the ground coloring the landscape. Many bulbs are grown not only for their flowers but also for their foliage. They are planted in containers, shrub borders, natural areas and in mass displays. The optimal time for planting spring flowering bulbs is during the fall months.
DALY: Fall leaf colors: One of nature's greatest shows
The brilliant leaf colors of the fall are one of nature’s most fascinating shows. The mountains of North Georgia and other states are popular destinations for observing spectacular displays of color. However, one does not need to go far since the trees in our area can be just as beautiful.
GARDENING IN GWINNETT: Leyland cypress trees require sufficient space
One of the most widely planted trees in landscapes across Georgia is the Leyland cypress.
DALY: If properly planted, pansies color the winter landscape
The summer annual flowers are beginning to fade with the onset of cooler weather. They will be removed and replaced with winter flowering plants, with pansies being the most popular and widely planted.
Now is the time to renovate fescue lawns
Tall fescue is a popular grass in our area, and is easily established through seed or sod. Being a cool season grass, it holds its green color during the winter months while warm season grasses, such as Bermuda and zoysia, go dormant and turn brown.
GARDENING IN GWINNETT: Powdery mildew is appearing on some plants
The Extension office has recently received numerous calls from homeowners concerned about a white powdery substance that has appeared on the leaves and flowers of some of their garden plants. What they are observing is a fungal disease called powdery mildew.
DALY: Liquid insecticides can help control armyworms
The extension office has received many calls from homeowners who are concerned about large numbers of caterpillars attacking their lawns and what they need to do to control them. The insects are armyworms and they have the ability to damage lawns quickly.
DALY: Annoying mosquitoes can be controlled but not eliminated
Mosquitoes are a constant menace throughout the summer and interfere with outdoor activities. They are more than just an irritating annoyance because they can spread diseases.
DALY: Brown patch disease a problem for many lawns
The extension office has recently received numerous phone calls from homeowners concerned about mysterious brown circular patches that have suddenly appeared on their lawns. The cause may be the fungal disease brown patch, which can destroy the beauty of a lawn.
DALY: Bigleaf hydrangeas are excellent shade plants
The bigleaf hydrangeas, also called French or snowball hydrangeas, are the most popular and well known of the hydrangeas grown in our area. They bloom profusely during the early summer months with pink to dark blue clusters of flowers.
DALY: Knowing what poison ivy looks like will help reduce exposure
During the spring and summer months, the extension office receives numerous calls from homeowners regarding poison ivy with questions like "What does it look like?" and "How do I get rid of it?"
DALY: 'Topping' can be harmful to trees' health
One of the most destructive tree pruning practices is "topping." It is the removal of much of a tree's branches above a certain height without giving consideration to its overall structure and health.
DALY: Choosing a reliable landscape professional
During the springtime, many people are thinking about hiring a landscape contractor to improve the appearance of their home landscape. With so many companies around choosing the right one can be a challenge. Many factors need to be taken into consideration before making the final decision on whom to hire. The task can be easier if you follow several simple steps.
HOME&GARDEN: Follow label directions when using pesticides
Throughout the year, a variety of pests can potentially plague both our homes and gardens. To remedy the problem, homeowners will purchase chemical pesticides.
GARDENING IN GWINNETT: Organic vegetable gardening is all about the soil
Some of the most frequent questions we receive at the Extension office are on the subject of organic gardening. It is the combination of methods and strategies for the production of healthy plants based on a holistic view of the garden.
HOME&GARDEN: Camillias provide year-round beauty
Throughout our area, camellias are a favorite evergreen shrub. They have attractive dark green broad leaves, and they bloom prolifically during the cooler weather months.
HOME&GARDEN: Preventing cold damage to landscape plants
In winter, many homeowners become concerned about the potential damage of the cold weather on their landscape plants. However, most of the woody ornamental trees, shrubs, groundcovers, vines and herbaceous perennials sold at local nurseries are capable of surviving very cold temperatures.
DALY: Choosing and caring for live Christmas trees
With the Christmas holiday season upon us, many people will be out looking for a Christmas tree. The trees are available at a variety of sources and can be purchased either pre-cut or at cut-your-own-tree farms. Choosing the right Christmas tree is a matter of taste, but here are some guidelines to follow.
HOME & GARDEN: Argentine ants are a common household pest
Recently the extension offices has fielded numerous calls from residents who have observed large numbers of small ants invading their homes. These insects are Argentine ants, which are a common household pest in our area.
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