ANR
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Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County September is National Preparedness Month, and the theme this year is “Start a Conversation.” I recommend starting that conversation with a question: “What could go wrong?” Risk assessment is an important component of emergency preparedness. Only after we identify or become aware of risks can we…
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Walking down to the compost pile the other day, I noticed a line of dark spots on the ground. From my lofty five-foot height, they looked like tiny balls of fertilizer granules or little mounds of excavated earth – except they were the wrong color. I found a stick and scooped up some of the…
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As the drought intensified through July, landscapes showed progressive signs of stress. By the third week without rainfall, tree leaves turned colors and dropped prematurely. Plants stalled and stopped growing. Even under irrigation, lawns parched and turned brown. Despite receiving an average of 50 inches of rain each year, drought is usually part of our…
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You may have heard in recent weeks about dam failures following heavy rains. Two notable failures include Rapidan Dam in Minnesota, which began on June 25th, and the Nashville Reservoir in Illinois on July 16th. The Rapidan Dam became loaded with debris after storms knocked trees and other materials into the river. After two days…
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The lower half of my grandmother’s apartment window was filled with African violets. Occasionally, she accidentally broke off a violet leaf when she watered or rotated the pots, but she just stuck it into another pot, and it grew into a new plant. I thought she was magical. My grandmother wasn’t magical, but she could…
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Take a walk around your neighborhood, a county park, or a natural woodland, and the chances are high that you’ll encounter at least one invasive plant species. Invasive plants, insects, and animals are introduced both intentionally and accidentally. When they escape into nature, they become bad actors, causing ecological problems by outcompeting or consuming native…
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According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is the fastest growing agribusiness sector in Georgia. CEA is an indoor produce growing system through which farmers control light exposure, temperature, humidity, and other plant growth factors while minimizing the damaging effects of severe weather and pests. The need for alternative growing options…
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’ve always considered hydrangeas a staple of southern landscapes, so I was delighted to discover one in the backyard last spring after Beloved Husband cleared a jungle of invasive, non-native privet. Free from the suffocating privet, the small bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) pushed out a few lovely, blue blooms. I pruned it a bit after…
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Three years after its debut, the Georgia Green Landscape Stewards program is expanding throughout the state with the assistance of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Launched in 2021 by Camden County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent Jessica Warren and Martin Wunderly, area water agent for UGA Extension’s Northeast District, the program provides fact-based…
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Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County First, I filled a tub with orchid bark potting mix and water, allowing the bark to become saturated before adding it to the new pot. The chunky size of the bark allows for good drainage and plenty of air around the roots. Then I removed the…
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