Paul Pugliese.

  • Always Read the Label

    Have you ever browsed the pesticide aisle at a local garden center or farm supply store?  Trying to find the right product for your plant disease, insect, or weed problem can be very confusing to the average consumer.  Most gardeners are familiar with brand names such as Sevin, Roundup, Spectracide, Bayer Advanced, Bonide, and Ortho. …

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  • Japanese Holly Decline

    Japanese holly, Ilex crenata, are popular evergreen shrubs found in many residential and commercial landscapes.  Unlike many other types of hollies, Japanese hollies do not have any thorns.  Some of the more popular varieties include ‘Helleri’, ‘Compacta’, and ‘Soft Touch’.  These slow-growing Japanese holly varieties produce dense, compact shrubs that require minimal pruning to maintain…

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  • Don’t Guess, Soil Test!

    This is the time of year that everyone is asking about how and when to fertilize their pastures, lawns, and gardens.  My favorite request is “could you come out to my house and look at my lawn or pasture and tell me why I can’t grow anything?”  I’ve looked at many pastures, lawns and gardens…

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  • Bats in the attic

    Nearly 1,000 species of bats are known throughout the world, and approximately 40 species inhabit the United States.  Bats are beneficial because they are efficient predators of insects. A single bat, for instance, may consume as many as 2,000 insects every night.  Because flying insects are not active during the winter months, bats must either…

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  • Unsolicited Seeds

    People across the country have received unsolicited packages of seeds.  The packages are being sent by mail and may have Chinese writing on them.  The Georgia Department of Agriculture has been notified that numerous Georgia residents have received unsolicited packages containing seeds that appear to have originated from China.  The Bartow County Extension office has…

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  • Ants in My Plants

    Every summer, we receive calls about ants getting into vegetable gardens and crawling all over people’s plants.  In particular, okra and southern peas seem to be a common problem for nuisance ants.  Ants are attracted to the sugary nectar produced in flowers and may also be attracted to other sap-feeding insects such as aphids, if…

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  • Yellownecked Caterpillars on Blueberries

    The yellownecked caterpillar is a common pest of shade trees and shrubs.  It is found throughout the eastern United States.  It feeds on a variety of trees including basswood, birch, elm, honeylocust, oak, maple, and walnut.  This insect is also destructive on the foliage of blueberry, apple, and other fruit trees. The adult stage of…

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  • Managing common landscape diseases

    The most important part of landscape disease management is identifying the problem. Eighty percent of all plant disorders are the result of the inability of a plant to adapt to its environment. Knowing the problem, whether it is stress related and/or disease related, begins with being able to correctly identify the plant. Read More

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  • Blueberries are one of the most popular backyard fruits for Georgia because they are relatively low maintenance compared to other fruit species. However, there is one particular disease issue known as “mummy berry” that can be problematic for blueberry growers. The disease is easily recognized when the fruit begins to ripen, as infected berries become…

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