Recent Posts

  • The covid crisis has certainly led to an increased interest in gardening, particularly food gardening. Gardening with fruits is a great way to get kids interested in gardening and healthy food choices. We are holding a pre-order plant sale through October 23rd with proceeds going to the creation of a teaching garden/orchard project in the…

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  • By Mary Tucker, Cherokee County Master Gardener Excerpt from article in Feb/Mar 2011 issue of Gardening with the Masters Anytime you are evaluating an introduced plant for your landscape, consider the following: if it naturalizes or self sows; how far it spreads; how fast it grows how its seeds are dispersed and if they will…

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  • By: Mary Tucker, Cherokee County Master Gardener Excerpt from CCMG Newsletter June/July 2002 The piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens) is a hallmark of spring in Georgia, with its delicate, light pink blossoms dancing at the woodland’s edge to celebrate the change of the seasons.  It is most often found in deciduous woodlands where it receives ample…

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  • Herb Gardening

    When I talk with new gardeners, I always recommend starting out with a few herbs.  Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow because they often tolerate a wide range of soil conditions and have few insect and disease issues. Because herbs are relatively, carefree they have an obvious fit in a food garden…

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  • By Dawn Perlotta, Cherokee County Master Gardener   Originally published Feb/Mar 2010 Climbing roses generally have a heavy spring bloom followed by scattered blooms throughout the season.  As with most rose types, climbing roses prefer six hours of sunlight daily to flower and perform well.  Their roots need loose soil rich in nutrients and mushroom compost…

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  • Birds in Winter

    By Mary Schuster, Cherokee County Master Gardener This writer was fortunate enough to become a Cherokee County Master Gardener (CCMG) as a participant in the class of 2014. The UGA Extension Office, along with designers of our training schedule, provided a vast array of interesting topics for us to consider. One that stood out for…

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  • We are going to be hosting a Grafting workshop in Ball Ground February 8th, 2018 from 5:30-8:00 p.m.  $30 materials fee and registration must be received to the office no later than November 27th, 2017.  A variety of apple varieties will be provided and MM.111 rootstock, which is a semi-dwarf rootstock.  Materials will be provided…

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  • Garden Journals

    The motivations and goals for gardening are different for everyone.  Whether it’s the beauty of foliage and flowers, fresh vegetables, curb appeal and property value, or just some time outdoors away from electronics, the benefits are the same.  Gardening provides exercise, stress relief, connection with nature, and a sense of accomplishment. No matter your motivation…

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  • When most people think about bees and where they live the first thought is the honeybee and their well-organized hive full of hexagonal wax comb and thousands of bees laboring away. Honeybees are social insects, meaning there is a division of labor between individuals occupying the colony or hive. However only six percent of bee…

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  • As a youngster, I was fascinated with the idea of becoming an archaeologist.  I could not imagine a more romantic profession than studying ancient cultures and searching for clues in ancient sites.  To practice, I  would routinely bury my coin collection in plastic bags, make maps, and then months later get my metal detector out…

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