Garden
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A few weeks ago I was able to visit with a colleague of mine down in south Georgia whose county produces over $12 million dollars in watermelons each year – roughly $6k per acre in profit. While I don’t necessarily recommend that you try to grow watermelons at quite that big of a scale, they…
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I recently had a call from a gentleman who had cleared some property around a house and was looking for a good ground cover to hold the soil and look nice as he prepared to sell it. While I’ve written fairly frequently about the benefits of cool-season annual grass species such as annual ryegrass for…
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Lilies have always had a prominent place in the landscapes of my life, from my grandmother’s house, to my parent’s mountain cabin, and now to my own home. There’s something about their showy flowers and smell that has made them one of my favorite flowers and landscape plants. Both lilies and daylilies are wonderful additions…
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Maintaining proper soil pH and fertility is essential for success in gardens. Whether you’re hoping to grow beautiful flowers or tasty vegetables, plants need essential nutrients just like any other living thing. Extension typically recommends selecting a fertilizer for your garden that matches the needs of what you’re growing and your soil test report. Animal…
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The other day I was out doing some work around my property and had not one, but two thistles growing in my lawn. Thankfully, thistles in their rosette stage are easy enough to kick out of the soil and kill off, but I’m glad I noticed them before they bolted, flowered, and spread. As our…
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As we get some sunny days and “false spring”, one of the first things on my mind is helping clients get ready to reach their gardening goals for the year. While it’s only February, some components of a successful garden take a bit of prep, planning, and time to get right. First and foremost,…
Posted in: Garden -
As a county agent, I am often asked to guest present for different organizations. This week, the Wilkes County Iris Gardening Club asked if I would come give a presentation to their membership about native plants for Georgia. Native plants are an interesting subject to me as the definition of what is “native” is variable…
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Okay, I know you’re probably sitting here and contemplating why I’m writing a gardening article in November, but hear me out! Having an effective vegetable garden takes more planning than what a lot of people realize, so I’m just trying to get you ahead of the curve. Most of Lincoln County has acidic soil with…
Posted in: Garden -
Planting a variety of trees on your property can enhance it’s natural beauty, provide shade, and attract wildlife with shelter and food. We often recommend planting trees in the fall in Georgia, since this allows the root system of the plant to get established before the hot and dry demands of the next summer. One…
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As July moves into August, kids are going back to school and some of us are looking forward to this summer heat fading into the more temperate weather of autumn. Growing a productive fall vegetable garden requires planning and an awareness of good cultural practices. In Georgia, cool season crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels…
Posted in: Garden