ArcaMax

Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Cloud petunia is having its debut year -- or, thanks to Susan Middleton Turner in south Georgia’s zone 9 Miller County, its breakout year. Susan’s house looks like a movie set, and you would have to think that Supertunia Mini Vista petunias play a starring role.

Last year it was the award-winning Supertunia Mini ...Read more

Q: I have some old rose bushes. They start out great each spring, but most summers, black spots develop on all my plants. By mid to late summer, most of the leaves are off the rose bushes, and they really look sad. I don't want to start over with new varieties as these smell nice when I bring them indoors.

A: Black spot is a fungus that causes ...Read more

There is supposedly an unwritten rule in the plant breeding world: If the new plant is not orange then it may be called blue. I am forever being told that a plant I am touting is not blue but is purple, lavender or ... well, you get the drift. There will, however, be no argument over one of the most celebrated salvias, Rockin Blue Suede Shoes.

...Read more

Q: We are moving to a new state and don't know much about the trees that grow there. Can you give us some tips on what to look for? We have looked at some top 10 lists for trees to grow in the area, but they are confusing and list plants that we would never use in our current landscape.

A: Check with the town that you are moving to and see if ...Read more

If you’ve got sun and want a touch of the tropics and baskets full of blooms, then Austin Pretty Limits oleander is for you.

Let’s address your cold hardiness concerns first. Austin Pretty Limits is cold hardy from zones 8 and up. That’s a large swath of the country that can grow the shrub with ease. The rest of the country can grow ...Read more

If you’ve got sun and want a touch of the tropics and baskets full of blooms, then Austin Pretty Limits oleander is for you.

Let’s address your cold hardiness concerns first. Austin Pretty Limits is cold hardy from zones 8 and up. That’s a large swath of the country that can grow the shrub with ease. The rest of the country can grow ...Read more

Q: There are a bunch of slimy, disgusting orange growths all over my junipers next to my patio. Please tell me they are not going to kill my junipers as they are shielding us from a bad neighbor's view.

A: There are more than 7,000 rust fungus species affecting plants. Many of the species are very host-specific and can't be transmitted to non-...Read more

There is a new flower showing up at garden centers that is pure Magic. In fact, its official name is Superbells Magic Double Grapefruit. If you aren’t familiar with the name, it is a calibrachoa, a petunia relative. Double gives reference to flowers that, in this case, look like miniature roses.

Magic is your key descriptor telling you that ...Read more

Q: I have four acres of lawn grass that has plenty of weeds. Is there a good way to kill dandelions without herbicides?

A: I am sorry to say there are no cost-effective, dandelion weed-killing products or techniques that aren't herbicides.

The following comments can be applied to just about any weed in the lawn or garden. First, keep the "good...Read more