No 10-10-10 for Blueberries Q: I did some cleaning of leaves from around my blueberry bushes. Since we are about to have rain would it be a good idea to give them a little 10-10-10 so it would soak in well? A: I don’t...

Make Topiary Using Spanish Moss? Q: I want to re-purpose some old Christmas lawn decorations as topiaries. I removed all the lights and broken motors, staked them to the ground, and stuffed them with Spanish moss, which is easy to get from my trees. What...

Rabbit Eating Hellebore (Lenten Rose) Q: After ten years, some creature found our Lenten roses. Will they come back? Some have just stems left, some have leaves. A: The 45° angle of the stem cut makes me think the culprit has to be a rabbit....

Praying Mantis Egg Mass on Apple Twig Q: I found this on an apple branch in December. A friend says it might be an apple-eating Asian devil worm. Should I remove it? A: Lucky you! You have found a praying mantis egg mass. It poses no threat...

Planting Over a Septic System Q: Any suggestions what we might plant over septic field to add some interest to the blank area? It gets filtered sun. A: Trees and shrubs are risky to plant over or near a drain field. Their roots penetrate more...

Can I Make a Dwarf Japanese Maple Grow Tall? Q: I have a five-year-old Japanese maple. It has never grown taller, only wider at the base. It resembles a mushroom with lacy leaves. We had some advice to prune the top out to promote vertical growth. As you can...

Crapemyrtle – Pruning One of the most confounding arguments I face is whether and how to prune crapemyrtles. They are mercilessly “murdered” by unaware landscapers and homeowners each winter… yet they still bloom in summer. Some people even believe a crapemyrtle won’t bloom...

Establishing a Bee Pasture Q: I will be leasing two acres of land beneath some power lines. I want to develop a program that would cultivate bee forage, part of our effort to make Dunwoody a Bee City. I have support from local nature...

Topping Bradford Pear is a Bad Idea Q: The company that services our subdivision entrance just cut back our healthy 20-year-old Bradford pears. Was this a good decision? Might they go into shock? A: They will not go into shock. Pruning severely may prolong their life span...

Does Severe Cold Hurt Pest Insects? Q: Any good news on the bug front after the severe cold last week? A: I wish the cold weather would have an effect on insects like fire ants, ambrosia beetles, stinkbugs, etc. but it does not diminish their summertime...

Croatia/Slovenia 2019 Trip Announcement A common saying from my teenage years: “If it feels good, do it again!”. I’m older now, but I still say it…and here’s an example: I’m hosting another trip to Croatia (and adding Slovenia)! The trip last year was so...