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  • Discover the Hydrangeas sticky icon

    The hydrangeas we know best in Georgia are the garden shrubs which produce fluffy blue flower globes during summer.
     
    We also see them in florists' pots, blooming in rich shades of pink or blue - until we plant them in our gardens. Then they flower in a sickly blend of the two colors or not at all.
    Let's look at ways we can help that familiar "mophead" or "florists"' hydrangea look its best and let's learn about its wonderful relatives, the other hydrangeas for our landscape.

    Resource(s): 
    Landscape Plants for Georgia

  • Butterfly Gardens sticky icon

    There are many species of butterflies but one thing about all of them is true; they are all lovely. Most folks despise most insects but few people do not welcome these insects into their gardens. Many gardeners actually plant flowers and flowering trees and shrubs to attract these summer time friends.
     

    Resource(s): 
    Landscape Plants for Georgia
    Flowering Perennials for Georgia Gardens

  • A Better Way To Plant Shrubs and Trees sticky icon

    For starters, dig a shallow hole and avoid soil amendments.

    How you plant a shrub or tree determines whether the plant struggles to grow, dies outright, or takes off and thrives. I know this firsthand. For 20 years I conducted research with a wide variety of ornamental shrubs and trees, planting them in different ways and observing the results. I learned, often to my surprise, that many common recommendations about planting are wrong or useless. You may think that the traditional approach to transplanting-digging a deep planting hole, amending the soil with organic matter, pruning branches to compensate for lost roots, and not fertilizing at planting time produces good results, but my research shows that a different approach works better.

    Resource(s): 
    Landscape Plants for Georgia
    Source(s): 
    Carl Whitcomb, PhD, Carl is a consultant to the nursery industry and author of several books, including Establishment and Maintenance of Landscape Plants, Lacebark, Inc., P.O. Box 2383, Stillwater, OK 74076). He lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

  • Attracting Birds with Ornamental Plants sticky icon

    Birds can be an important aspect of our backyard environment. In many cases, the quality of our environment is perceived to be directly related to the poulation of birds. The bird population in your yard or neighborhood park can be increased with the proper selection and arrangement of ornamental trees and shrubs.

    Resource(s): 
    Landscape Plants for Georgia

  • Dodder sticky icon

    Dodder (Cuscuta spp.) is a parasitic weed that infects a wide range of herbaceous and woody plant material. There are approximately 12 species of dodder and each species has a different host range. Dodder is generally brought into ornamental planting via infected plant material.
     
    Growth Characteristics


    Dodder is a rootless, leafless, parasitic flowering plant. It is in the morningglory (Convolvulaceae) family.

    Publication Number: 
    216

  • Use Summer Oils Safely sticky icon

    Summer Oils
    A summer oil is a light-weight, highly refined, paraffinic (rather than naphthenic or aromatic) petroleum product that is used as an insecticide and miticide in spring or summer on growing plants. Summer oil is lighter than dormant oil sprays but is still effective on mites and soft-bodied insects. It kills all life stages including eggs, which most miticides will not do. Insects do not build resistance. Summer oil sprays still have a potential to damage desirable plants and effects vary by plant species. Please follow the precautions listed below and on the product label. When in doubt spray only small areas until you are sure of its effects.

    Source(s): 
    Mark A. Halcomb, UT Area Nursery Specialist, Warren County Ag. Extension Service.
    Publication Number: 
    207

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