Springtime has come early this year!

We are coming to the end of winter with springtime around the corner. Now is the time to prepare your lawn for the growing season. Its condition during this critical period will impact its quality throughout the rest of the year. Your lawn can be healthy and attractive throughout the season …

An important topic of interest to home gardeners is organic gardening. Many people have a desire to “get back to nature.”

One of the most heard phrases in landscape design is: “I want a beautiful landscape, but I don’t have much time to spend on its maintenance. What can I do?”

Did you know that your houseplants’ needs change during the winter months?

Does your lawn have soft areas? As you step on it, does your foot sink into the ground?

One of the most popular and well-loved garden plants is roses. They provide attractive blooms throughout the growing season.

Though we are in the dead of winter, spring will be here before we know it. Now is a good time to do some chores to prepare your home landscape for warmer weather and improve its quality and health for the growing season.

Though the weather has been cold, the Extension Office has received numerous calls and emails from residents who have found tiny insects by the thousands covering their driveways, sidewalks, or carports.

The recent freeze and drought conditions during the summer took their toll on our ornamentals — an azalea here, a camellia there, and your landscape is beginning to look skimpy. Planning can save you much grief later if you are considering replacing some of these plants.

Crape myrtles are one of the most popular ornamental plants for the landscape. Their blossoms provide great color throughout the summer, and the plants require minimal care. Since their flowers are produced on the new growth, winter is the preferred time for pruning.

Recently we have had frigid temperatures, some of the coldest in years. The potential for damage to plant material in the home landscape depends upon the responses to the following three questions:

Many colorful ornamental plants are used for decorations during the holidays. One of the most popular and well-known is the poinsettias.

In the story of the birth of Jesus, many are curious about the gifts presented to the Christ child by the Magi. People understand the value of gold, but what are frankincense and myrrh?

Winter is usually a quiet time for most gardeners and an excellent time to take a critical look at your landscape. What works? What did not? Are you happy with the way your it has developed? The good news is that many times we can change them.

The holiday season is upon us, and many homeowners will purchase Christmas trees for their homes. Although some people prefer artificial trees, live trees are still a favorite among many.

Soil is one of the most critical components of growing healthy plants, providing water and nutrients vital for the biological functions of plants.

Of all of the parts of a plant, one of the most noticeable are the leaves. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are harvested for food, such as collards and cabbage. What function do leaves perform? Why are they so important? Let us look at some basic facts about leaves.

As the winter approaches, we are limited in where and how we can grow vegetables. However, if you want to grow vegetables through the winter, consider a greenhouse.

The fall is one of the best times of the year, with the weather cool enough to enjoy many outdoor activities and the bright, colorful leaves.

Cool weather is a caution light to deciduous trees, warning them to slow growth and prepare for winter.

One of the most beautiful plants is the spring-flowering bulbs. Many species provide color to the spring landscape. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, and many others offer beauty with their prolific blooms. Right now, is the prime time for planting these bulbs.

Throughout the summer, we have enjoyed the beauty of the many annual plants, which complete their life cycle in one year — colorful flowers and foliage of ones such as begonias, petunias, coleus, impatiens, and others.

The Extension office has received many calls from residents about giant spiders in their landscapes. They are seeing the joro spider, which is invasive, meaning it is not native to our area. My yard has at least 20 of them. It is here to stay.

Recently, I was mowing my lawn, and I noticed that what was once attractive, thick, green grass had turned into a not-so-nice, thick, green something else.

The typical local gardener usually plans to plant shrubs and ornamental trees in March and April. Successful results have convinced many gardeners that spring is the best time of the year to plant. However, you can install them in the fall with excellent results.

Throughout the summer, our homes have been beautified by lush lawns. The hot weather will soon give way to the cooler temperatures of autumn, and several steps need to be taken to ensure our lawns stay healthy and attractive.

Recently a resident sent me a couple of pictures of a caterpillar that he said stung him upon contact. After carefully examining the photos, I determined the insects were puss caterpillars, a type of stinging caterpillars common to our area.

Over the many years I have been an Extension Agent, one of the most common questions I receive from homeowners is, “Why is my tree dying, and what can be done about it?” Many reasons can cause trees to start declining.

Gardening columnist Tim Daly answers the following questions from readers:

The Extension office has recently received numerous calls from homeowners concerned about a white powdery substance that has appeared on the leaves and flowers of some of their garden plants. What they are observing is a fungal disease called powdery mildew.

It is harvest time. In the next couple of months, fruit trees will yield their treasures.

All of us have plants that we find particularly appealing. Hydrangeas are among the most favored with their ability to beckon gardeners to come and relax in the cool shade. Several types of hydrangeas thrive in the home landscape.

Recently I visited Miami, Fla., on vacation. While there, I was amazed at such different plants in the landscape that bore little resemblance to what I am familiar with in North Georgia.

Power equipment is available to make homeowners’ lawn and garden tasks less laborious. Although beneficial, this equipment is dangerous and can potentially cause serious injury or death if not used safely.

We are in the heart of the summer months, and our annual and perennial herbaceous plants, such as Marigolds, begonias, hostas, and others, are in full bloom.

Mosquitoes are one of the most troublesome insects that plague homeowners during the summertime. They interfere with outdoor activities and can also be vectors for several diseases.

We are in a hot, dry weather pattern, and many of our garden plants are suffering. Keeping them watered is essential to their survival. One of the most frequent causes of harm to landscape plant material is improper applications of water, either too much or too little.

We are coming to the end of winter with springtime around the corner. Now is the time to prepare your lawn for the growing season. Its condition during this critical period will impact its quality throughout the rest of the year. Your lawn can be healthy and attractive throughout the season …

An important topic of interest to home gardeners is organic gardening. Many people have a desire to “get back to nature.”

One of the most heard phrases in landscape design is: “I want a beautiful landscape, but I don’t have much time to spend on its maintenance. What can I do?”

Did you know that your houseplants’ needs change during the winter months?

Does your lawn have soft areas? As you step on it, does your foot sink into the ground?

One of the most popular and well-loved garden plants is roses. They provide attractive blooms throughout the growing season.

Though we are in the dead of winter, spring will be here before we know it. Now is a good time to do some chores to prepare your home landscape for warmer weather and improve its quality and health for the growing season.

Though the weather has been cold, the Extension Office has received numerous calls and emails from residents who have found tiny insects by the thousands covering their driveways, sidewalks, or carports.

The recent freeze and drought conditions during the summer took their toll on our ornamentals — an azalea here, a camellia there, and your landscape is beginning to look skimpy. Planning can save you much grief later if you are considering replacing some of these plants.

Crape myrtles are one of the most popular ornamental plants for the landscape. Their blossoms provide great color throughout the summer, and the plants require minimal care. Since their flowers are produced on the new growth, winter is the preferred time for pruning.

Recently we have had frigid temperatures, some of the coldest in years. The potential for damage to plant material in the home landscape depends upon the responses to the following three questions:

Many colorful ornamental plants are used for decorations during the holidays. One of the most popular and well-known is the poinsettias.

In the story of the birth of Jesus, many are curious about the gifts presented to the Christ child by the Magi. People understand the value of gold, but what are frankincense and myrrh?

Winter is usually a quiet time for most gardeners and an excellent time to take a critical look at your landscape. What works? What did not? Are you happy with the way your it has developed? The good news is that many times we can change them.

The holiday season is upon us, and many homeowners will purchase Christmas trees for their homes. Although some people prefer artificial trees, live trees are still a favorite among many.

Soil is one of the most critical components of growing healthy plants, providing water and nutrients vital for the biological functions of plants.

Of all of the parts of a plant, one of the most noticeable are the leaves. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are harvested for food, such as collards and cabbage. What function do leaves perform? Why are they so important? Let us look at some basic facts about leaves.

As the winter approaches, we are limited in where and how we can grow vegetables. However, if you want to grow vegetables through the winter, consider a greenhouse.

The fall is one of the best times of the year, with the weather cool enough to enjoy many outdoor activities and the bright, colorful leaves.

Cool weather is a caution light to deciduous trees, warning them to slow growth and prepare for winter.

One of the most beautiful plants is the spring-flowering bulbs. Many species provide color to the spring landscape. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, and many others offer beauty with their prolific blooms. Right now, is the prime time for planting these bulbs.

Throughout the summer, we have enjoyed the beauty of the many annual plants, which complete their life cycle in one year — colorful flowers and foliage of ones such as begonias, petunias, coleus, impatiens, and others.

The Extension office has received many calls from residents about giant spiders in their landscapes. They are seeing the joro spider, which is invasive, meaning it is not native to our area. My yard has at least 20 of them. It is here to stay.

Recently, I was mowing my lawn, and I noticed that what was once attractive, thick, green grass had turned into a not-so-nice, thick, green something else.

The typical local gardener usually plans to plant shrubs and ornamental trees in March and April. Successful results have convinced many gardeners that spring is the best time of the year to plant. However, you can install them in the fall with excellent results.

Throughout the summer, our homes have been beautified by lush lawns. The hot weather will soon give way to the cooler temperatures of autumn, and several steps need to be taken to ensure our lawns stay healthy and attractive.

Recently a resident sent me a couple of pictures of a caterpillar that he said stung him upon contact. After carefully examining the photos, I determined the insects were puss caterpillars, a type of stinging caterpillars common to our area.

Over the many years I have been an Extension Agent, one of the most common questions I receive from homeowners is, “Why is my tree dying, and what can be done about it?” Many reasons can cause trees to start declining.

Gardening columnist Tim Daly answers the following questions from readers:

The Extension office has recently received numerous calls from homeowners concerned about a white powdery substance that has appeared on the leaves and flowers of some of their garden plants. What they are observing is a fungal disease called powdery mildew.

It is harvest time. In the next couple of months, fruit trees will yield their treasures.

All of us have plants that we find particularly appealing. Hydrangeas are among the most favored with their ability to beckon gardeners to come and relax in the cool shade. Several types of hydrangeas thrive in the home landscape.

Recently I visited Miami, Fla., on vacation. While there, I was amazed at such different plants in the landscape that bore little resemblance to what I am familiar with in North Georgia.

Power equipment is available to make homeowners’ lawn and garden tasks less laborious. Although beneficial, this equipment is dangerous and can potentially cause serious injury or death if not used safely.