Travis Tankersley
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The Madison County Extension Office will be hosting a free educational class that covers irrigation system design and maintenance for home landscapes and gardens! Mark your calendar for March 31, 2026 at 5:30 PM! Registration will end at 5:00 PM on Friday, March 27,2026. The meeting will be held at the Madison County Extension Office…
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When Mother Nature decides to turn the thermostat down below freezing, it affects more than just water lines and power bills. Many plants develop wilted leaves, blackened stems, and may look as if they’ve been scorched. Others will not show signs of damage until spring, when they come out of dormancy. The following is a…
Posted in: Agriculture -
It is that time of year again when leaves are falling and completely covering landscapes. If you don’t enjoy raking, bagging, and dragging leaves to the curb, you can reuse them as mulch. In nature, leaves act like a blanket that protects the roots of trees and plants from very cold temperatures. If you remove…
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Do you really need to bag and haul away your grass clippings—or could they actually be the key to a greener lawn? The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is encouraging homeowners to consider grasscycling as a sustainable alternative to bagging lawn clippings. Grasscycling is the practice of leaving clippings on the lawn after mowing, allowing…
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Georgia pond owners are grappling with an increasing presence of two invasive aquatic plants—Duckweed (Lemna spp.) and Watermeal (Wolffia spp.)—that are threatening the health of freshwater ecosystems across the state. These tiny, free-floating plants reproduce quickly and can blanket pond surfaces within days, leading to severe consequences such as oxygen depletion, fish kills, and ecosystem…
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Now that spring has sprung and we’ve enjoyed our early bloomers, it’s time to take care of a few maintenance tasks in the garden. Shrubs like forsythia, early azaleas, and dogwood all bloom early in the spring. It’s time to prune them after they bloom and before they set buds for next year. A few…
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The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, is an invasive pest that has become a significant issue for both agriculture and landscaping in the United States. Native to Asia, it was introduced in the mid-1990s and spread rapidly, largely due to its unique overwintering behavior. The BMSB seeks dark, dry areas like vehicles and…
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Deciduous fruit trees, bushes, and vines in the home garden need ongoing care, and one of the most crucial yet often overlooked tasks is pruning. Proper pruning and training help shape the plant, improve fruit quality, enhance its longevity, and reduce the risk of disease and damage. It is a practice that supports the plant’s…
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Do you need pesticide credits? The 2024 UPW Training schedule is out! Training in Madison County is scheduled for March 21, 2024 at 10am. It will be held at Jackson EMC located at 85 Spratlin Mill Rd in Hull. Call 706-384-2843 to sign up. If you’re interested in obtaining an applicators license, please visit the…
Posted in: Agriculture -
Everyone knows that the classic gift for Valentine’s Day is chocolates and roses. I know that it is a crowd pleaser and just about everyone will appreciate getting that gift, but there is another option. Instead of buying a dozen roses that will last a short while, buy a rose bush that will keep giving…