DALY: Centipedegrass is not the lazy man's grass
Even though centipedegrass is a relatively easy grass to manage, it does need appropriate maintenance for it to be healthy and attractive. If given the necessary care, it will provide you with an attractive lawn.
DALY: Roses are well worth the extra effort
If you are willing to do a little extra work in your garden, roses will produce attractive colorful blooms throughout the growing season. Their display of beauty is why roses are among the most favorite of garden plants.
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: Factors to consider when choosing a landscape professional
The choice of a landscape contractor or lawn care service will depend on many aspects. You should consult with several firms before making a final decision, and do not allow the price alone to determine to influence your final choice. Remember, your home landscape is long term investment.
DALY: Take measures now to control summer lawn weeds
Crabgrass and other summer weeds can be a challenge to control. Proper timing and use of pre-emergent herbicides combined with correct cultural care helps maintain a healthy lawn. This regime will reduce the infestation of troublesome unsightly weeds during the growing season.
DALY: Wait until spring to install warm season sod
The best course of action is to wait until the warmer months for the planting of sod to improve the chances of it surviving and becoming established.
DALY: Allow Leyland cypress trees plenty of room for growth
Leyland cypress trees can be a great addition to the landscape if properly planted and maintained. However, this tree is rapidly becoming one of the most troublesome trees in Georgia. Due to improper planting and overuse, Leylands may go the way of plants such as the red tip photinia.
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 to do if a sinkhole appears in your yard
Sinkholes in Georgia are different than those in Florida, but still require care to fix.
DALY: Mysterious holes in trees often caused by sapsuckers
Sapsuckers are an interesting animal, but for all their action they don't cause many problems for the trees they spend time in.
DALY: Finding the perfect Christmas tree
The pros and cons of buying a pre-cut tree or cutting your own.
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: House plants need special care during winter months
Plants are commonly used in our homes and offices. Their presence helps keep us in touch with nature and, in a sense, “brings the outside indoor,” to enhance the aesthetics of indoor environments.
DALY: After yardwork, take care of gardening tools
Throughout the growing season, home gardeners depend on a variety of tools to accomplish their gardening chores. During the winter months, most of these tools are not used and are put away in storage. However, prior to storing, they require some simple maintenance to keep them in good shape and to be ready to tackle projects the following spring and summer. Proper maintenance helps increase the life of garden tools and equipment, and improves the ease and efficiency of their use.
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.
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.
Water-saving tips for the home landscape
After an abundance of rainfall during this past winter and spring, the summer months have been quite dry. The dry conditions, combined with the excessive heat, have been stressful to landscape plants and turfgrass areas.
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.
Many factors determine whether a tree survives a lightning strike
With the recent heavy thunderstorm activity in our area, lightning has struck trees on the property of many local homeowners. Afterward, they are concerned whether or not the trees will survive. The severity of the damage depends on the intensity of the lightning strike, the level of damage it causes and the overall health of the tree.
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: Georgia Gold Medal Winners beautify landscape
Each year, the Georgia Plant Selections Committee, an organization composed of plant professionals throughout the state, choose certain plants to label as “Gold Medal Winners.” The goal of the committee is “to promote the production, sale and use of superior ornamental plants.”
Work on soil conditions to control moss in lawns
Frequently the Extension office receives phone calls from homeowners who are concerned about moss growing in their lawns. The presence of moss indicates the cultural conditions of the lawn are not right for the growth of healthy turfgrass. If your lawn has areas with moss, carefully evaluate the site conditions and your turf care practices.
Use appropriate measures to control fire ants
Fire ants are one of the homeowner's worst nightmares. They inflict painful stings on anyone who comes into contact with them. Their sting can cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals.
Prune to keep plants healthy
One of the most important cultural practices for maintaining woody ornamental plants is pruning. It helps to produce attractive, well-formed plants.
Many plants prefer to be in shady locations
Excessive amounts of shade can be a challenge for growing plants in the home landscape. Just as moisture, temperature and soil conditions are often limiting factors in plant growth, the amount of sunlight a site receives is also a factor.
DALY: Azaleas are worthy additions to the home landscape
The use of native plants is becoming more popular since they are better adapted to the growing conditions in our area than many plant hybrids are. Among the most beautiful and interesting ones are the native azaleas.
How to prune crape myrtles to look their best
Crape myrtles are some of the most commonly planted flowering trees in the landscape. They provide abundant summer color with minimal maintenance.
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: Using native trees and shrubs
One of the greatest things about gardening in Georgia is the sheer number of native plants from which to choose. Georgia is one of the most botanically diverse states in the country with nearly 3000 species of trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers and ground covers native to the state. The potential for the use of native plants in the landscape is almost endless.
Volunteer group constructs a garden for senior residents
The Gwinnett Neighborhood Leadership Institute Class of 2008's environmental team took on the project of creating a community garden for the Applewood Towers II senior complex as its community project.
