Planting Coneflower, Beebalm, and Black-Eyed Susan in the
Butterfly Garden

Butterflies love large colorful flowers. Joellen Dimond, Director of Landscape at The University of Memphis, shows how to plant Coneflowers (Echinacea), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), and beebalm (Monarda) in the Family Plot butterfly garden.

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​Planting a Butterfly Garden
Planting Annuals in the Butterfly Garden

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How Slow-Release Fertilizer Works

Slow-release fertilizer allows you to fertilize plants over several months with only one application. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond uses slow-release fertilizer to fertilize some basil. She also talks about how it works by releasing fertilizer over time.  >>Watch
Garden Notes
Praying Mantis Eggs
UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper looks at a clematis and spots an insect egg mass. It is the egg sack of the praying mantis. Chris talks about doing research if you find an egg mass and figuring out if it is beneficial.  >>Watch


Songbirds as Pests

Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about how to handle songbirds when they are pests. You cannot kill songbirds, so you have to discourage them. Songbirds can be a problem in the garden because they eat fruit. One thing you can do is plant enough for you and the birds. The only sure way to keep birds from your fruit is to use bird netting.  >>Watch
Protect Strawberries from Birds

Keep Birds Out of Blueberriers

Planting Coleus, Pentas and Vinca

Summer flowering annuals are planted in the spring. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond shows how to plant coleus, pentas and vinca together in a small attractive flower bed.  >>Watch 

Find videos of previous plantings in this bed here.
Pests and Diseases of Annual Flowers

Pruning Flowering Annuals


Attracting Butterflies

Butterflies can be attracted to your yard and garden by providing them with what they need for their lifecycle. Mary Schmidt from Lichterman Nature Center talks about the four main groups of butterflies. She also talks about supplying a nectar source, a food source for the caterpillars, and a source of water.  >>Watch
Planting a Butterfly Garden

Flowers for Butterflies
Picture


Thinning Peaches

Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to thin peaches. Peaches need to be thinned before the pit hardens. Once the pit hardens the size of the fruit is set and thinning will not improve the sizes of the peaches. To check cut through the middle of a growing peach. If the pit is still clear and watery, the pit has not hardened and it is a good time to thin.  >>Watch
Pruning Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums

Spraying Peach Trees

Containing Mint in the Garden

Mint can be very invasive, and it will rapidly spread and take over your garden. There is a way to contain it and Master Gardener John Peterson shows how to do it. John explains that mint produces stolens, or underground stems, that will root and spread.  >>Watch
Preserving Herbs

Easy to Grow Herbs

Eleven Common Landscape Mistakes


Planting an Herb Garden

The Q&A Show

Monarch Butterflies:
Migration and Milkweed

Planting Blueberries

Planting Hydrangeas
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Viewer Questions

What can I do to stop small branches from growing out of an oak tree trunk?

Some growth is natural and can’t be stopped. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond says it is called epicormic growth. Excessive epicormic growth may be a sign the tree canopy is stressed. She recommends examining the top of the tree for diseases or other problems that would make the tree want to make new branches.  >>Watch


Is it good for the plant if you braid the trunk of a crape myrtle?

As the plant grows the braiding will cause it to girdle itself. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond says the branches will grow together and the tree will not perform as well as it otherwise would.  >>Watch



What are these small seashells in my garden?

These are snails. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond says they like to eat your tender plant leaves. If there are too many of them, they can cause significant damage.  >>Watch

What is this weed? It is taking over my lawn. A: Corn Speedwell

This is corn speedwell. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper and University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talk about ways to eliminate corn speedwell.  >>Watch


Why did none of my corn come up?

If the soil is too damp and too cold corn seeds will not germinate before they rot in the ground. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond recommends waiting until the soil temperature is at least 70 degrees. >>Watch

More Questions & Answers
Family Plot