University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

News Stories - Page 217

Green beans grow up a trellis in a Spalding County, Ga., garden. CAES News
Plan before you plant for a successful summer vegetable garden 03/10/16 Frank M. Watson
This time of the year gardeners get excited about their soon-to-be-planted spring vegetable gardens. They envision lush rows of perfect pods of peas, scrumptiously delicious sweet corn and big, beautiful tomatoes. University of Georgia Extension urges gardeners to wait and put some thought and vision into their garden first.
Mulch added to the base of vegetable plants is an effective way to keep weeds at bay without using a pesticide. CAES News
Hoe and mulch to control weeds in home vegetable gardens 03/10/16 Frank M. Watson
Home gardeners often call their University of Georgia Extension office to ask which herbicides can safely be used in the garden. For all practical purposes, no herbicides can totally replace the trusty garden hoe and mulch.
Fictional Peter Rabbit isn't the only rabbit that enjoys munching in vegetable gardens. To keep rabbits out of home gardens, University of Georgia Extension specialists recommend building a fence around precious plants. The fence must be at least 2-feet high and the bottom must be buried at least 3-inches deep. CAES News
Rabbits can be rascally foes in the garden 03/10/16 Frank M. Watson
While rabbits may seem cute and fuzzy, the common rabbit or eastern cottontail can do considerable damage to flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs any time of the year in places ranging from suburban yards to rural fields and tree plantations.
While bee populations have been declining for the past several decades, urban beekeeping and public awareness of pollinators are on the rise. CAES News
Multiple factors contributing to pollinator decline 03/10/16 Stephen Pettis
With reports of declining monarch butterfly populations and honeybee deaths, the plight of pollinators and other beneficial insects has been headlining the news for months now.
Yard bird art adorns a theme garden at the Georgia Research and Education Garden on the University of Georgia campus in Griffin, Ga. CAES News
Add curb appeal to your landscape with tips from UGA Extension 03/10/16 Bob Westerfield
Whether driving in our own neighborhood or going to visit friends or relatives, we all tend to compare our home landscape to others. There’s no denying that a well-landscaped house is very appealing to the eye and can make a home more inviting.
Squash vine borer larvae hatch and eat their way into the plant's stem near the soil level. Since the pests are hidden inside the plant, most home gardeners have no idea that pests are present until the plants wither and die. A healthy squash plant (left) is shown in a Spalding County, Georgia, garden next to a plant infected with squash vine borers. CAES News
Tips from UGA Extension will keep you serving squash year-round 03/10/16 Bob Westerfield
To most Southern gardeners, fried yellow squash or grilled zucchini are staples on the table during the summer. Serving up homegrown winter squash in the fall is worthy of bragging rights. While normally easy to grow, the endless choice of varieties and numerous garden pests have made growing squash a little more challenging.
A yellow squash matures on the vine of a squash plant growing in Butts County, Georgia. CAES News
Both summer and winter squash grow in summer gardens 03/10/16 Bob Westerfield
Squash varieties come in unique shapes and colors. Pattypan is a yellow squash that’s shaped like a star or scallop, while eight-ball is a dark squash that looks like a Magic 8 Ball toy. Summer squash come in straightneck, crookneck, striped, light green, dark green and every shade of yellow. Winter squash come in very different shapes and the traditional favorites include butternut, acorn and buttercup.
Abnormally dry conditions this summer have kept Georgia's mosquito populations mercifully low, but that's no reason for Georgians to let down their guard, especially this season. CAES News
Spring is the time to eliminate mosquito habitats from the landscape 03/10/16 Merritt Melancon
With warmer temperatures around the corner, Georgia’s mosquito season won’t be far behind. This year the remote chance of a southeastern U.S. outbreak of Zika — a mosquito-borne virus now prevalent in parts of South America — has university and public health officials doubling down on their message of how to control the pest.
Floyd County UGA Master Gardener Extension Volunteers stand with a "This Garden is Served by UGA Cooperative Extension" sign posted at community garden in Rome, Georgia. CAES News
UGA Extension is here to help community and school gardeners 03/10/16 Becky Griffin
In early 2016, UGA Cooperative Extension Agents report they are working with over 550 community and school gardens across Georgia and this number will increase.